Dear Parents and the Ghyll Royd Community,
I would like to start this end of term letter by saying a huge thank you to each and every one of you for a brilliant end to 2018.
We returned to school in September on the back of another successful year of SATs results. 100% of children who took the exams achieving and exceeding the age-related expectation for the fourth consecutive year. Overall the average scaled score for the school’s SATs results increased from 111 to 113.
Reception
For the third year running our Reception baseline assessments have shown that the children who joined our Reception class from our Pre-School are exceeding their age-related expectations and are above the national average and comparison schools, giving them a fantastic start to their primary school education.
A Foundation for life
At Ghyll Royd I truly believe that we prepare the children for their next steps. We help them to recognise their talents and to exceed their own expectations across the school’s broad curriculum. We provide a ‘Foundation for life’ through all aspects of the curriculum from the very first day that the children begin their Ghyll Royd journey. Ghyll Royd offers such a varied curriculum and I am very proud of the academic and pastoral strides we continue to make as a school.
Achievements this year
Ghyll Royd has received numerous regional and national merits and awards in the past 12 months. We continue to work towards achieving Artsmark status. We are on track to be awarded Platinum status in 2020 for our offering in art, music, drama, performance and the creative arts. Earlier this term, Ghyll Royd was shortlisted by the Independent School of the Year awards. We were one of five shortlisted schools in the Preparatory School category, and the only Yorkshire Primary School. This term we were awarded Gold status in the Woodland Trust’s Green Tree Schools Awards. Our future aim is to become the first Platinum Woodland Trust School in the area. It is great to see the hard work of teachers, and the commitment of pupils and parents, being recognised through these awards.
Fundraising
This term over £1,000 has been raised for the charities Children in Need, Educate the Kids, Macmillan Cancer Support, The Royal British Legion and the Firefighters Charity. Our annual Christmas Bazaar and our raffle raised an amazing £635! Thank you all for donating presents, raffle prizes and all the mums who helped with the wrapping!
Changes
Looking forward into the New Year we have joined together the Parent Forum and Parent Form Representatives. Your Form Representatives meet every half term to discuss individual and group feedback and/or concerns. If there any matters which you would like to raise at the meetings, please contact your Form Representative. There is presently a strong demand to form a Parent Teacher Association within the school and pre-school. This is a very exciting opportunity which will be explored further next term.
In response to the publication in September 2018 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE 2018) I have updated our Safeguarding Policies and put additional pupil Sanctions in place. I have listened to several parents and have published a Sanctions Guide within the Safeguarding Policy. You will be able to access this on our school website and app.
Also, in response to the updated KCSiE, I have introduced a ‘Pupil absent request’ form. Our aim is to continue to achieve a 98% attendance record throughout the school which is a significant measure of you and the children’s commitment to the school. So where possible may I ask that if you can keep your holiday breaks to the scheduled holiday times this will help us to maintain our fantastic attendance record next year.
Thank you
It has been wonderful to see the children coming through the doors this term. Thank you, as ever for your efforts in ensuring that they are smart and in full school uniform. In the New Year please make sure the children are coming to school with a coat each day due to the usual changeable weather.
These are the main messages for you at the moment as we look ahead to 2019 but I will send out further correspondence as needed via the new school e-newsletter which I hope that you are enjoying reading every Monday.
Thank you all in anticipation of your support for the forthcoming year. This is a very special school and one which I feel extremely privileged to be the Headteacher of. I wish you all the best for the festive season and I will see you all when we return on the 7th January 2019.
Kind Regards
David Martin
Headteacher
