Dear all,

First of all, a quick COVID update. Many of you will have heard the news that the government has lifted its recommendation for students to wear face coverings, not just in classrooms, but in corridors too. After careful consideration, and taking into account the extremely low transmission rates in Gloucester, we have decided to follow this. Students will therefore no longer be expected to wear masks at school. Of course, students who prefer to wear masks may still do so, and students travelling by bus will still need to wear a facemask. 

We will continue to review the latest data on transmissions each week, and if we notice a significant increase, we will revert to asking students to wear masks in the corridors. We will also continue to ask students to maintain distance from each other and staff where at all possible, and to remain within their bubbles at all times.

Otherwise, it's been another busy week. My apologies for writing about summer arriving a fortnight ago - we've been battling rain, wind and hail all week! But this hasn't dampened your childrens' spirits at all. Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting some Headteachers from Gloucester, all of whom were hugely impressed by the quality of teaching and learning they saw, and the excellent work ethic shown by our students!

I'm also pleased to confirm that - unless regulations change - we are intending to go ahead with the Year 11 Prom! It will be taking place on Thursday 8th July at Hatton Court Hotel, and tickets will be on sale via ParentPay from Monday. More details will be shared with Year 11 on Monday.

Finally, some long overdue news. Those of you who came here yourself as students will remember the rather thin windows in the main building which did almost nothing to keep the cold out - and are still here today! Following a successful bid, we have been awarded funding to replace all of them with modern, double glazed panels and frames. This will not only slash our energy costs, but will also refresh the look of both inside and outside the school. Work begins in the next few weeks and will continue through to September, so watch this space for updates!

Best wishes,

Mr Farmbrough

Headteacher