Mr A Wheeler - Year Achievement Coordinator
Mrs A Thacker - Deputy Year Achievement Coordinator
Mrs S Ridgewell - Student Support Officer  

Click on the name to email the member of staff.

As we journey through to Year 8, students will continue to be supported by their form tutor and the year office team. We will oversee the pastoral care and academic progress of every student. We are very keen to support the children as they move from their settling in year to highly effective learners. Our expectations and aspirations will increase for all students. During Year 8 we hope to see them flourish and grow into students increasingly capable of mastering their GCSEs.

There are some key changes in Year 8, students will be placed into different teaching groups and will start to make important decisions around GCSE option choices. The children will not make final choices on their GCSE subjects during Year 8, but they will narrow the range of subjects before Year 9. The final choices of subjects will take place during Year 9. We will guide students (and parents) through this process at the relevant time. It is extremely important that students maintain focus in all subjects to ensure the widest possible range of choice.

Punctuality and attendance will continue to be closely monitored. We appreciate that absence is at times unavoidable but request that parents keep absences to an absolute minimum. Please ensure that students are in school by 8.30am ready to start period 1 at 8.40am. Parents will be contacted if attendance dips below 95% or if students are frequently late to lessons.

The student planner continues to be an important tool for home/school communication and general student organisation. Year 8 students should be spending around 5-7 hours per fortnightly cycle working at home in addition to 15 minutes reading each day. The Learning Centre is open in the mornings and after school to provide support for students needing research facilities and is well staffed to help students of all abilities.

As in Year 7, we expect students to come to school each day wearing their uniform correctly and equipped with the tools for learning. There are a great range of extra-curricular opportunities for students to get involved in. I do hope that every student in Year 8 will participate in at least one extra-curricular club.

We will report to parents via 3 ‘Progress Checks’ and have one Parent Consultation Meeting with subject teachers. If you have any concerns or wish to contact subject teachers, it’s easiest to make the initial contact via email.

Although Year 8 may prove challenging, the pastoral team are here to help. We will do all that we can to ensure students are happy and have the right tools to succeed. I look forward to continuing with the leadership of the year group and maintaining the close working relationships with both parents and students.