February 2010

Dear Parents,

Please forgive the size of the mailing to you this half-term, but I hope you will agree that it is all either helpful or necessary.

Please find enclosed therefore:

• A list of 13+ senior school awards over the past 10 year

• An updated pack of our Key Parental Information and Key Policies, all for your information and reassurance - (please note that the Child Protection policy has been posted on the school website for some time now and is being reviewed by the Governing Body in March)
  

• A letter regarding Clarion Call – our parental messaging service that will be tested on Monday 22^nd February

• A letter and power point presentation from Mr Singh (Head of ICT) relating to the key issue of the safety of our children when using the interne

• A GDPA newsletter informing us about future events and past fundraising successes

• A letter to all parents about the GDPA move towards joining the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations

13+ Senior School Awards

Parents may find it interesting and impressive to see the enclosed list of 13+ awards that 25 Year 8 pupils have won over the past 10 years. These are awards that are made over and above the mere offering of a place at the school in question.

Like me, you may find the list impressive in a) the sheer number of award winners and b) the variety of criteria, ranging from Academic Awards to the Loughborough Endowed Schools and other schools, to awards for Sport, ICT, Art and, as of this year, Music as well. Two All-Rounder awards to Stonyhurst College also feature strongly.

May I reiterate our pleasure that 3 Year 8 pupils have received musical awards this year, and this is the first time that any Grace Dieu pupil has received such recognition in this important area. Many congratulations not only to the pupils concerned but also to Mrs Burrough and her excellent team of instrumental teachers.

In terms of numbers of overall awards in 2010, this exceeds anything that we have achieved in one year in the past, and we are extremely proud of the various successes of our pupils, and it certainly shows how keen senior schools are to recruit Grace Dieu pupils:

AWARDS 2010

Hannah Cork-Keeling – ICT – Repton School

Marcus Cork-Keeling – Choral Award – Repton School

Billy Fieldhouse – Sport – Trent College

Sebastien Gundry – Academic – Loughborough GS

Alexander Jasper – Music – Loughborough GS

Lauren Potter – Sport – Repton School

Marina Slee – Music – Loughborough HS

Many congratulations to all the above on their splendid achievements!

Minibus Service

As you know, we are still very keen to offer and even increase the facility of our minibus service in the mornings. Inevitably, however, we have to consider the financial viability of such a service. If you are not currently using it, do think about taking advantage of the offer. It is good value and helps both the environment and any congestion on campus at Grace Dieu in the mornings. Do contact Mrs Bivins on bursar@gracedieu.com if you had any queries about what is currently on offer. Information is also to be found on the website.

Internal Academic Scholarships

I am very pleased to announce that, after demanding tests took place in November, academic awards have been made to the following Year 6 pupils and the benefit of this will accompany them throughout their final two years at Grace Dieu. Many congratulations, therefore, to:

Olivia Harrison (General Scholarship)

Jamie Lee (General Scholarship)

Francesca Massarella (English Award)

Year 6 Key Stage Tests

It will be very good to meet up with all our Year 6 parents straight after half-term so that we can discuss the pupils’ latest “Mock Examination” results. Thanks to Mrs Potter’s full analysis of the results in Maths and English, they and their children will be fully up to date with which areas need focus and attention over the coming months between now and May. There is no doubt that the huge successes of our current Year 8 pupils have been based on the secure foundations of good KS2 results in Year 6.

To Year 6 pupils, I always say, “the tests in May are not designed to catch you out. If you have worked hard and consistently, then you will be rewarded. The way in which you work in class and on your prep between now and May will have a great influence on the outcome of the KS2 tests – good luck!”

NB: Future Important Dates for the Diary!

GDPA Summer Ball:  Saturday 12^th June

Prize Day:  Sunday 20^th June

Year 8 Leavers’ Mass and Dinner:  Friday 25^th June

Regarding the second half of this current term, please note the following:

Ø  Much enthusiastic work is going on at the moment to prepare for the school musical, “Oliver” – please check your diaries to note the performance dates. Letters will be coming to you before long regarding this great event

Ø  We are looking forward to further Parent/Teacher evenings in the second half of term, and you will hear from the school in relation to those in due course

Ø  An information sheet will come to you early after half-term regarding holiday activities that are available over the Easter vacation.

By the time that we see your children again, on Monday 22^nd February, the Season of Lent will have begun. This time of renewal will be marked in all sorts of ways in school:

• The opportunity will exist for Years 5-8 pupils to opt to have Bread and Soup lunch on Fridays in Lent – any money saved will be sent to help our chosen charity for the year, the de Paul Trust UK

• Our Morning Prayers and various displays around the school will focus upon our preparation for Easter

• On the first Thursday back after half-term (25^th February), Fr David Tobin, President of Ratcliffe, will be saying Mass for the whole school (excluding Cygnets) here, at 9am. Do come if you can, and could I please request that Pre-Prep children are in school by 8.45am that day so that they can be in the Arts Hall in good time – very many thanks!

• This Mass will be a good chance for us to begin our Lenten journey together. The children will have prepared their Lenten promises by then, small ways in which they hope to follow in the steps of Jesus more closely over these coming weeks leading up to the great joy of Easter. As the late Cardinal Hume wrote, “So, during Lent, there is always that process of turning more to God and therefore away from those things that separate us from Him or interrupt our service of Him, or indeed interrupt our love of Him”.

With every good wish to you and your families as always,

Charles Foulds

Headmaster