It has been a momentous week.

After the packing and emptying of over 3000 crates and a similar number of bags filled with rubbish or recycling, a new ICT network, new furniture and everything else you can imagine, we are here. There are still some glitches to iron out, not least with telephones. Please check our website for further details.

It feels different already. Wider corridors with natural light and everything being fresh and new has made a significant difference to our learning ethos. Lessons are being taught with doors open all over the school. As members of staff we have spent a lot of time thinking about how we want QK to be different in our new environment. My challenge to students in assemblies this week has been about their aspirations for the new building.

Our three key values are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In assemblies I spent most of the time talking about new building aspirations. The new building has cost over £20,000 per student, we all need to show we have been worth this investment. I will go through some now and some next week.

The first aspiration is to get used to the new building very quickly. I am very pleased to say that this is the case for the vast majority who have taken this very seriously.

The second is to ensure reports are ‘full of green’, in that levels and grades show all students are making great progress across their subjects. It is so much easier to achieve great things at GCSE and A level if students do well in years 7, 8 and 9. I am really looking forward to seeing how that goes in this new environment.

A new building has also brought some new expectations about rules. I really value your support

Here, not in least in terms of students never bringing chewing gum to school. We all have a responsibility to keep the building in the condition we found it. Please see the poster below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally I would like to bring to your attention that we are using the lesson change pips much more rarely in the new building, and the tannoy will hardly be used at all. Without pips and the tannoy it has been a much calmer place. Many students have relied on them completely and have no idea what time it is.

Given that phones are banned, if your son or daughter needs a watch to ensure they get to lessons on time (and not everyone does to be punctual) please provide them with one.

I hope your child has enjoyed it so far, plenty more to come.

Alex Atherton

Headteacher