5th February 2013
Dear Parent
We have yet to host the Year 7 and 8 Parents but we have thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many people at the recent Headmaster’s Suppers. These suppers undoubtedly serve to strengthen the community and I am very grateful for your excellent support.
Communication
Strangely for the first time in three or four years, last term we had to teach the new Reception Year children how to use a computer mouse. Seemingly as technology has developed young children have become accustomed to touch screens and in doing so they have lost the almost innate ability to use a mouse – perhaps change is not always progress.
You are likely to be aware of how difficult it is to keep up with developments in communication technology. Presumably in the belief that they will enhance teaching and learning, a good number of schools evidently introduce new technologies almost as they become available, however at The Downs this has never been our philosophy. For example we took some time to introduce Interactive White Boards in every classroom in order that our teachers had the enthusiasm to learn the necessary skills to use the resource effectively; we considered but did not introduce Apple iPads and pleasingly excellent alternative Microsoft tablets are now available which integrate more easily into the Windows based environment we already have in school. This ‘pensive’ strategy has served us well and we can be pleased that the school is well placed in terms of educational technology, indeed a number of senior schools have recently visited The Downs to see how we use and integrate computer technology into teaching and learning.
It is known that when judging a school some parents, wrongly or rightly, place great value in a school’s ability to communicate well. This is something that we have always appreciated and we have determined to communicate as effectively as possible however, as technology has developed so have people’s expectations. Seemingly communication now has to be multi-dimensional, easily accessible and almost instantaneous. In order to keep a-pace with these expectations I write to relate a change that we are about to implement in order to enhance our communication in the community.
Having completed the redesign of the website, it will now become much more central to our communication with parents and I encourage you in the future to visit it on a regular basis:
· News items /school events are uploaded several times a week – text, images and videos.
· Maps to all the schools we play are directly available.
· Match results are published soon after fixtures.
· The Downs Matters, letters from the Headmaster and pertinent school policies are accessible.
· Facebook and Twitter is being introduced amongst other reasons to make users aware of updates. We would be pleased of your interest as ‘Followers’ or ‘Friends’ – and indeed if on occasion you would send the digital message on to your followers and friends.
· Only accessible by password through the website, the Parent Portal will allow parents to access various pieces of information relating to their child (ren). Initially these will include Effort Grades, reports and school timetables but it is likely that this facility will evolve further over the coming year.
· The website accessible on mobile phones will demonstrate these changes although its purpose is to provide you with only essential information.
This change in our communication will be implemented immediately after half term. It is a cultural change for the community however, once embraced I have no doubt that it will prove extremely beneficial. In the meantime we will continue to use email as our primary means of sending information to you. The text messaging service will be used mainly in times of emergency.
Finally, in the event that you are particularly anxious about any aspect of your child’s schooling at The Downs, an outline of the roles of the members of the Leadership Team is included in the Parent Portal. Each member of the team is very experienced and more than capable of dealing with most issues however, if you feel it vital to speak to me, my PA Mrs Alison Felton will be very pleased to make the necessary arrangements.
Senior School Exam Results
I am pleased to relate that those eleven pupils who have recently taken the 13+ QEH and BGS Entrance Exams have achieved outstanding results. All have passed with excellent marks, three being awarded Academic Scholarships, one a Music Scholarship and one a Sports Scholarship. We are delighted with the increasingly high academic standards being achieved at The Downs and it is good to see this reflected in the public arena. Our congratulations go to all the pupils.
Mr Andy Cryer
As Mrs Hobbs will be absent on maternity leave for a year, I am pleased to relate that Mr Andy Cryer will be joining the school on Tuesday 5th February as our teacher of Speech and Drama. Mr Cryer has been a professional actor for 22 years during which time he has performed seasons in Stratford and London with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has also taken parts in film, television (Doctors, Heartbeat, A Touch of Frost…) and radio. More recently he has acted as Assistant Director in a West End production of Othello that featured Lenny Henry.
Mr Cryer has been involved in the education departments of many theatres and touring companies. He is passionate about passing on his knowledge and skill to a younger generation and I have no doubt that our children will benefit and be inspired by his experience and enthusiasm. Once established he will direct a Shakespeare production that will challenge our most ambitious and gifted actors. In the meantime we will not be entering our children into the Weston Arts Festival this term as it would be irresponsible to enter them for a public competition without being suitably prepared.
Mrs Debbie Lawrence
After half term Mrs Lawrence will work at The Downs each Tuesday morning. A Forest School Ranger she will teach exclusively in our woodland. Under the expert direction of Mrs Lawrence our younger children will amongst other things identify and explore the properties of plants and trees, cook in earth ovens and on fire pits, climb trees and use tools to build shelters and dens. In doing so they will work independently and collaboratively, learn to assess risk and to make sensible and informed decisions.
Essentially the woodland remains a natural habit but over recent months a great deal has been done in the area to facilitate and resource these types of activities. The pond is yet to be cleared however, in the meantime I have no doubt the children will enjoy Forest School and through it develop greater knowledge and understanding of the environment and increased self-esteem and confidence.
Mr Julian Stainton, The Downs School Network ‘Food for Thought’;
Thursday 7.30 – 9.00pm 21st Feb, Burgess Salmon at Temple Quay.
In my last letter I informed you that on Thursday 21st February, Mr Julian Stainton will be speaking at the next meeting of the Downs School Network. To remind you:
Julian Stainton is the CEO of Western Provident Association (WPA) and has been for over two decades. He is one of a kind and is not joining us to talk about health insurance. A regular public speaker who’s not afraid to engage with the media and speak his mind, Julian has strong and very public views that range from employees who waste time playing golf to the virtues of success and failure. He is driven by a passion for a high quality of service and excellence over mediocrity. The author Nelson Boswell once said that “the difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake” and it is on these issues that Julian has kindly offered to share his thoughts.
WPA is a leading Taunton based, UK health insurer that has served its’ customers for over 110 years. As a Provident Association they pride themselves on giving excellent value to their customers and not short-term shareholder gains. They are the only insurer, anywhere, to publish their complaints and service standards annually. Voted top service provider for 10 years running, by policy holders of all medical insurers; ranked No 1 for service by the medical profession, WPA have won numerous customer service and innovation awards. In a billion pounds of claim payments not a single complaint against WPA has been upheld by the Financial Ombudsman’s Service.
Julian will prove to be a provocative, inspiring speaker and I hope that you will determine to come and join us. Tickets (no charge) are available from the School Office. Please note that the meeting is being hosted by Burgess Salmon at Temple Quay. We are extremely grateful of their generous hospitality.
Adolescent Development – dealing with Transition; Dr Sarah Perry, Tuesday 26th 7.30pm.
On Tuesday 26th February we welcome Dr Sarah Perry, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist.
Hugely experienced, Dr Perry has found working with young people particularly interesting as it is a time of transition and experimentation and therefore, a time of many opportunities. She has done a great deal of research on preparing young people for the transition to adulthood and she is increasingly interested in promoting emotional and social wellbeing. Development psychology, attachment theory, solution focused practice and work around social inclusion underpin much of her practice.
During her overview of adolescent development Dr Perry will talk about the definitions of adolescence, the different aspects of adolescent development, mental health and supporting adolescents at home. She will also highlight useful resources and of course take questions.
It is my experience that adolescent behaviour is evident in children at increasingly young ages and parents often find this very challenging. I have absolutely no doubt that this talk will help in understanding the neurological changes that take place at this time in a child’s development. Furthermore it is suspected the guidance Dr Perry will offer in how to deal with adolescent behaviour will be extremely beneficial.
It is to be hoped that many parents will come and listen to Dr Perry’s wise words – tickets are available from the School Office. As a follow up to this talk, on Thursday 25th April, Mr Paul Dix will be talking about Behavioural Management. Mr Dix is a leading voice in Behavioural Management. A columnist in the Times, a Royal Television Society Award Winner and a key note speaker at conferences all over the world, he will also prove extremely interesting – make a note in your diary.
The Downs School Sevens – Saturday 2nd March, 12.00 noon
We look forward once again to hosting our annual sevens tournament. Twenty-eight teams will be competing, the competition again attracting the best teams in the country. We will be very pleased to welcome any parents and their families; exciting rugby will be in abundance and refreshments will be available all day. Should the sun shine it is a particularly pleasant day that most people would enjoy. In the meantime please be aware that we will need all the children in Years 5 – 8 to assist in the hosting of the event. Mr Mann will soon speak to the children and thereafter display the roles each will play, clothing requirements and pick up times. As a guideline it is usually the case that they are expected to be in school for brunch at 11.00am.
Conclusion
The Easter Term is short but in many ways it is the most tiring – dark nights, bad weather, coughs and colds. It is to be hoped that the children get a good rest and you enjoy a relaxing half term break. In the meantime I am dusting down my blue suede shoes in time for the Year 7 and 8 Valentine Disco on Friday, 7.00 – 9.30pm.
Kind regards
Marcus Gunn
1