Haxby Road

New EarswickYork

YO32 4BZ

Tel: 01904 552100E-mail: contact@josephrowntree.york.sch.uk

Website: www.josephrowntree.co.uk

Term 1 Newsletter 2019/20

Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to the new academic year at The Joseph Rowntree School. I hope you have had a good summer. Whilst most of our students have had a relaxing summer, a number of them have been abroad on school trips. Students from Year 10 to Post 16 have completed a Camps International visit to Peru and students in Year 12 have been to America. They have been involved in a variety of experiences during these visits and we will be providing further opportunities for students to go on school trips this academic year.

We are really pleased with our Post 16 and Year 11 examinations results this year. Post 16 results put us in the top 10% of schools nationally for progress. We are delighted that 73% of students will continue their studies at university (38% going to Russell Group Universities) and two students have gone to Oxford to study medicine. The remaining Post 16 students are having a ‘gap-year’ before going to university, have begun apprenticeships or have entered full-time employment.

Overall Year 11 results indicate that Joseph Rowntree School students made greater progress than the national average and achieved a range of qualifications that will help them take the next step in their learning. We are expecting over 100 students to stay with us in the sixth form and a number of students are coming from other schools to join us after their GCSE exams.

New members of staff

We have recruited a number of new members of staff who have been settling in this week. The new members of staff are

Ms C Mann Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral) Miss N Pugh Head of English Miss C Carneiro Head of MFL Mr T Michiels Head of RE Mrs L Atkinson Head of Art Miss A Gildert English Miss E Vizard English Mrs S Price Art Miss C Wilson Maths Ms J Guest Science Miss M Findlay-Wilson Science Miss L Fenwick Geography Mr M Findlay Business and IT

HEADTEACHER: Mr David Hewitt, BA (Hons), NPQHDEPUTY HEAD: Mr A Haigh, BSc (Hons) DEPUTY HEAD: Ms C Mann, BA (Hons)

“Working together to achieve success”

Ms Mann takes over responsibility for the pastoral work of the school as Mr Haigh is now the Deputy Headteacher with responsibility for the curriculum and teaching and learning. Miss Pugh has picked up leadership of the English department from Miss Richardson following Miss Richardson’s promotion to Assistant Headteacher (Key Stage 4).

New Year 7

Year 7 have made an excellent start this week both in lessons and around the school. If parents and carers have any queries, please do ensure you make contact with your child’s Progress Leader or Head of House in the first instance, details of which can be found on the school website. We look forward to welcoming all families to the first year 7 celebration concert evenings later on in the term.

Student Leadership

Head Boy / Head Girl

After a very rigorous selection process we are pleased to announce that Jack Sims and Indie Ramsay Wilson were appointed as our new Head Boy and Head Girl and Sam Roberts and Emily Kane were appointed as their deputies for this academic year. We are really looking forward to working with them over the coming year and watching them grow in this leadership role.

Post 16 Presidents

Our class of 2020 Sixth Form Presidents are Robin Morgan and Evie Wilman. Robin and Evie were elected by their peers following impressive performances at our ‘hustings’ event in June. Both students have got ideas for how they’d like to shape student leadership this year and are looking forward to working with the Sixth Form Committee to further grow the role of student leaders in school.

Uniform

We would like to thank you for your support as our students continue to be a credit to both themselves and you, in their conduct and uniform in this new term. A reminder that we ask that shoes are formal, black shoes. Trainers, canvas shoes and sports brands are not allowed. This includes makes such as VANs, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Nike, Converse and Kickers.

Jewellery should also be kept to a minimum and only one ring and one pair of stud earrings should be worn (one in each ear). There should be no nose jewellery or other facial piercings. Nail varnish should be clear.

A final reminder on skirts. Skirts should be a branded school skirt. These should not be rolled over at the top to make them shorter, and as a rough guide, the bottom of the skirt should be lower than a girl’s fingertips if she stands with her hands straight against her sides.

We are very proud of our school and of our students and believe that high standards of uniform, behaviour, being properly equipped and attending regularly give each and every one of our students the very best chance of learning well and achieving their very best. A small number of students have been given the first week to resolve any uniform issues. We expect all students to be in full and correct uniform from Monday 9 th September.

School Site Security

Over the summer we have installed a barrier and a one way system in the car park. From Monday 9th September the barrier will be in operation during the school day. This will limit access to the car park. Please drop off and pick up your child in the drop off zone in front of the car park unless you or your child have specific access needs or you are collecting your child because of illness. As has always been the case, please ensure any car pick-ups are only from 3.30pm onwards. Large numbers of vehicles around the site earlier than this really does impact on our bus pick-ups and also impacts on site safety when we have large numbers of students leaving the school grounds. If you are coming to school for a meeting please contact reception via the intercom at the barrier.

Please be aware that the exit from the car park has had one-way flow plates added to it and this route has been clearly marked with no entry signs. Please do not try to enter the car park this way.

We have also improved the security of the school site both externally and internally. During break and lunch times students can now only access the main corridor areas of the school so that they are always in areas that are monitored by duty staff. Students can still access their House offices and teaching staff but need to ask a member of staff to let them into these areas.

Timings of the School Day

Please note that the school building will be open to students from 8.15am in the morning. Our staff are not on duty until this time. Students who arrive before 8.15am will be expected to wait outside the building so that they are supervised once they are inside.

Following the trialling of new times for break and lunch, last term, we are continuing with these minor changes to the timings of the school day to allow for a slightly longer morning break time. Morning break is from 11.05am to 11.25am and runs from 1.25pm to 2.10pm. These changes do not alter the start and end times of school with students still required to be in the building at 8.40am and our leaving time being 3.10pm.

Election of Parent/Carer Governor

We currently have a vacancy for the election of a Parent/Carer Governor at the school. The election for this will be taking place this half of term and further details will be sent out soon. If you are interested in this opportunity but wish to find out more then please contact my PA, Rachel Walton via email on raw@josephrowntree.york.sch.uk or via telephone 01904 552160.

Key Dates

Please see the attached sheet which has the key dates for term 1 on it. If you require any further information please contact school.

Thank you for your continued support for the school. We are looking forward to another year of academic success in 2019/20 and a rich and varied extra-curricular programme that many students will benefit from.

Regards

Dave Hewitt

Headteacher

Key Dates – Term 1 2019/20

Thursday 12th September Year 12 Parent/Carer Information Evening

Thursday 19th September Year 11 Parent/Carer Information Evening

Wednesday 2nd October Year 6 Open Evening

Friday 4th October Training Day – school closed to all students

Monday 7th October Full Governing Body Meeting

Tuesday 8th October Wiltshire Coffee Morning

Thursday 10th October Year 10 Parent/Carer Information Evening

Thursday 17th October Year 13 Parent/Carer Information Evening

Tuesday 22nd October Year 7 Concert

Wednesday 23rd October Year 7 Concert

Friday 25th October Start of half term holiday – school finishes at normal time