Latest News
Posted on: March 24th 2016
A very successful Spring Term at Christ's School
Dear Parents/ Carers
Before half term we had our SIAMS Inspection. I am very proud to inform you that the Inspection, which examines the distinctiveness and effectiveness of Christ’s as a Church of England school, found that the school “through its distinctive Christian character, is outstanding at meeting the needs of all learners”.
The Inspection gave special recognition to the “exemplary pastoral care in the school” stating that “the Christian ethos of servant leadership ensures that every individual student and adult is nurtured to fulfil their God-given potential”.
This report reflects the hard work that everyone involved with the school puts in on a daily basis to ensure that our three core values of peace, justice and love shape a positive, harmonious culture within which students can develop into mature and responsible adults.
As you may have read Christ’s School Choir had a very successful trip to New York in January culminating in performing to 2,000 people in the Carnegie Hall as part of Karl Jenkins’ Concert for Peace. They received fantastic feedback from the concert organisers. Mark Riddles, responsible for Program Development at Distinguished Concerts International, New York, wrote "Please accept the hearty congratulations and heartfelt thanks of DCINY for the superlative performance of Songs of Sanctuary by Karl Jenkins. I trust their exuberant response conveyed the extraordinary impact felt by the audience. The very high calibre of singing of these remarkable pieces helped make the concert a profoundly moving one for all involved. Thank you for the vision, oversight and great musical preparation of the Christ's School Singers. Christ's School singing was a great gift to the audience and to this city." A big thank you to Mr Wilson, Mr Leung and Mrs Montagu for organising and accompanying the students at this prestigious event. Please continue to look at Christ’s Chronicles for information on the popular At Home events that the music department arrange.
Our busy PTA continue to work hard raising funds for the benefit of all the children. On Friday 11 March the Annual Quiz Night was held with special guest Johnny Vegas taking on the role of Quiz Master. An entertaining and enjoyable night was had by all who attended with a Christ’s Teachers Team narrowly missing out on top spot! Special thanks to Jane, Rowan and their team for all the organising and preparation. The next main fundraiser will be at the Richmond Mayfair on Saturday 14 May 2016 where we will once again have our Christ’s School Marquee. Our PTA work tirelessly for our students and new members are always welcome. If you would like to help out please see the PTA website for further details.
World Book Day was an enormous success. Staff & students dressed up in book-related costumes and the day was full of literary fun and events. This included a visit to the school by the author of Lottery Boy, Michael Byrne, who spent the day running creative writing workshops with selected students. All the costumes were wonderful and students and staff were invited to vote for their favourite. Our winners were The Mad Hatter (Lewie Bainsfair 7SHA), Winnie the Pooh (Skye Dart 9GPE), Friar Manning (Max Manning 10TBI ), Captain Haddock ( Louis Icke 9MMR), Willie Wonka ( Matei Iacob 8THO ) and Miss Havisham (Mrs Blair). Thank you to Mrs Garrett, our Librarian, for once again organising what is becoming a fun annual event for our students and staff to join in with.
Our sports clubs continue to do well in competitions.
At the beginning of term the school Dance Club, which consists of 30 members from years 7 to 9, went to the London Youth Games dance competition at the Olympic Park to represent the whole borough. They did amazingly well, after coming first in the borough they came in the top 10 out of the whole of London! Well done girls, you all performed beautifully.
The rowing team were the overall winners of the Hounslow Schools Regatta on 12 March winning the following races:
- Year 9/10 Boys Quad winners: Jake Gillett, Julius Fenton, Charles Walsh, Lucas Lagadec
- Year 9/10 Girls Quad winners; Florence West, Sanne Clarke, Carolina Santilli, Isabel Lack
- Year 7/8 Boys quad winners; Alex McCartney, Arki Hellen, Rui Hellen, George Kellett
- Year 7/8 Ergo boys quad winners; Alex McCartney, Arki Hellen, Rui Hellen, George Kellett
- Year 9/10 girls Ergo Quad winners; Florence West, Sanne Clarke, Carolina Santilli, Isabel Lack
- Year 11 Double Girls winner: Sarah Forster and India Lawrence
- Year 11 Singles girl winner: Isabel Lack
All clubs are advertised on our Facebook and website pages for parents’ information.
At the end of February Mrs McGrail and members of the MFL Department took a group of our Year 7 students to Spain for a week. They enjoyed experiencing the Spanish way of life including good weather.
Christ's School students are celebrating after winning the Scale Rule Future of Design competition. Arthur Leech and Dominic Weymouth, both in Year 11, won the competition to design a pavillion for St James Church Garden in Clerkenwell.
The competition followed two days of workshops with professionals covering subjects such as architecture, engineering, sustainability, construction and drawing. Students worked in teams of 2-6 people to design their pavilion. Following a visit to site the students managed their design through from concept sketches to 3D scale models accompanied by plans, sections and construction details explaining how to build it.
The two days culminated in each team presenting their work to a jury of architects and engineers from academia and industry. The judges felt that there were some very imaginative ideas and ingenious designs but Arthur and Dominic's work stood out for its appealing design, deceptive simplicity and well thought out technical design.
Arthur and Dominic's pavilion will be built, with help from architects Grimshaws and AKT11, and will be based in St James' Church, Clerkenwell for six months from May 2016.
Last week our History Department, Mrs Harris, Mr Heitzman and Mrs Petrovics along with Mrs Bell, took a group of Year 9 students to the battlefields of Belgium and France. Those of you who have visited will know this is a very moving experience. I am informed that our students were very respectful and great ambassadors for the school.
For more information and detail of events please use our website and Christ’s Chronicles.
Our Year 11 Art students took part in their GCSE exam last week, the first of this year’s exams. As the season for public examinations approaches, can I remind parents of Year 11 that they should have received a package of information together with a personal exam timetable for their daughter/son. If you have not seen either of these, please check in the first instance with your child. In addition, if you have any concerns about the forthcoming examinations and the potential impact on your family, please do not hesitate to contact your daughter/son’s form tutor in the first instance for support and guidance.
Thank you to those of you who continue to consistently support your daughters and sons with their learning. The minimum expectation that we ask is that your child attends school on time, every day, ready to learn, in full school uniform. The school’s target for attendance is ideally 100%. Thank you for doing what you can to ensure this.
Please be reminded that all absences need to be followed up with a note in the diary or a letter when your child returns to school even if a phone message has been left. There is a space in the diary for this, otherwise unexplained absences are recorded as unauthorised. Absences on the last day of term are always unauthorised unless there is an obvious medical reason - we do not give permission for early holidays and we again need confirmation of your child’s absence upon their return.
We have replaced Insight with Schoolcomms. As we develop its use, we will be writing to parents to advise how to download the Schoolcomms App which you will be able to install on Android and Apple devices and will help to make contact with the school even easier. I hope that Schoolcomms emails, texts and Twitter continues to keep you up to date with everything that is happening and about to happen.
Thank you to those parents who are able to receive our communication electronically. It is a far more effective method than student post, and helps to keep you fully informed and briefed. Therefore, please ensure that we have accurate contact information particularly when you change mobile or internet/email providers and e mail Mr Hacker, our Data Manager, thacker@christs.richmond.sch.uk, with the new information.
Spring Term ends on Thursday 24 March at 12.30pm and the Summer Term will start on Monday 11 April 2016 at 8.30am. Students can wear the summer uniform, the school summer polo shirt, available from the school website. If students do not have a summer polo shirt they will be expected to wear shirts with ties. Blazers must also be worn with both the winter and summer uniform, as well as formal, smart shoes.
As we are in Holy Week with Easter fast approaching, I feel it appropriate to remember that Easter is about love; a love that comes from the knowledge of God’s love for us and that, in Christ, life has hope and meaning. In a world experiencing sadness and pain, the Easter message calls us all to have faith and trust in the God, who brings life out of death, hope from despair and the opportunity for new beginnings out of endings. Through faith, hope and love, I hope that we may be transformed by the power of the risen Christ to know the real joy of Easter.
Helen Dixon
Headteacher
School News
