Dear Families, Friends, Students and Staff.
Hello and welcome back in so many ways. I hope you all had a restful break, whether you had a staycation or went away. I always love the long summer break, but I also welcome the September return to school, the structure and the routine. I am delighted to say we are back up to a full Senior Leadership team with the arrival of Mr Rush (Assistant Head, Pastoral). It's also been a very real joy to welcome in our lovely new Year 7s. They seem to be finding their way around our (slightly extended) building, alongside the four students who have joined us further up in their school years. This week's Newsletter is more of a house-keeping one, with necessary notices and messages which we need to share with you. Next week we will be back with all the regular slots, especially our student stars of the week. Who will appear on the list?!
Mrs Rich – Head.
Upcoming dates for your diary.
Wednesday 18th September - Information and Coffee morning for Year 7 parents/carers in the School Hall, 8.15 - 9.45am.
Saturday 21st September - Canbury School annual Open Morning, 10 - 12 noon. All staff and students (in uniform) required in school.
Friday 27th September - MacMillan Cancer Support coffee morning (social + fundraising event). Coffee/tea, cake and chat in the School Hall for all parents/carers, 8.15 - 9.15am.
Monday 7th October - Meet the teacher for Year 7 parents/carers and parents/carers of any other student who has joined us this school year. In the School Hall, 6-8pm.
Tuesday 15th to Friday 18th October - School trip to Malaga, for those students signed up.
Friday 18th October - Break up for October half term (two weeks).
Monday 4th November - Return to school, 08.10am.
On a 'need to know' basis.
Form tutors for each year group:
- Year 7 - Mrs Julie Haines.
- Year 8 - Mr Ryan Bourgi.
- Year 9 - Mr Jeremy Barnes.
- Year 10 - Mr Alasdair McGregor.
- Year 11 - Mr Klavs Brinkmanis.
- Sixth Form - Mr Sy Hussain.
Heads of key stages:
Head of KS3 - Mrs Eynon.
Head of KS4 - Mr Brinkmanis.
Head of KS5 - Mr Hussain.
Attendance:
Student illness should be reported as soon as possible on the day and preferably before 8.10am. Please notify on each date that your child is off ill. We need to know as early as possible if a student is not coming in. This is both a safeguarding and health & safety issue.
Clubs:
A list of all clubs - at lunchtime and after school, was sent home today. Please do take some time to have a look at all the opportunities on offer and ask your child to look with you. Clubs start next week. Students should tell their tutor which club(s) they would like to join. There will be a few more to come next week, so look out for these!
Food:
We are a 'no nut and no fizzy drinks' school. Please do not send your child in with nuts or fizzy drinks. The nut request is especially important so that we may continue to keep our students and staff safe.
Leave of absence requests:
Holidays should be taken in the holiday period. Exceptional requests for other permitted absence (for example a family funeral or special celebration) should be made via reception with as much notice as the circumstance reasonably allows.
Lost property:
We have a mountain of lost property left over from the end of last term. Please ask your child to check the lost property box for their missing water bottle/uniform/sports kit/blazer etc. We will dispose of all lost property at the end of September. Please therefore label EVERYTHING your child will be bringing into school and which it is possible to label.
Medication:
Please ensure you send in your child's medication, in a sealed container (tupperware or bag) which is clearly labelled with their name and the dosage. If your child has an item like an epi pen or an asthma inhaler, please ensure they have a spare for the office as well as their personal one.
Parking:
Please may we remind parents, carers and taxi drivers to park considerately when dropping off and picking up. Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames workers have painted parking bays on the surrounding roads. This is to help visitors to the area, not just School, to park considerately. We understand that should people continue to block drives, park on double yellow lines and/or double park in the middle of the road, the council will implement residents' parking restrictions, which will make life extra difficult for us all. Please work with us. Thank you.
Uniform:
All students are expected to wear the correct uniform, unless there is a school/home agreement for an individual and which has been approved by the Head or SENCO. A high standard of personal appearance is expected at all times. We want our students to look smart in their full school uniform, e.g. have shirts fully tucked in, a standard knot in ties, wear their blazers at all times in the school building and have black school shoes. If you are dressed smart, you work smart.
All
Black blazer with school badge (Year 12 and 13 must get the green piping added)
Black school shoes
Black v-neck jumper with Canbury School logo
Plain dark coat or jacket (black/grey/dark blue) without logo
A plain school bag large enough to carry A4 size books and folders
White collared shirt (a tie is required with this style) or white shirt or blouse with revere collar (a tie is not required with this style)
School tie
Black skirt or school trousers
Black or white socks, black or skin coloured tights
Games Clothes
Canbury School black tracksuit bottoms
Canbury School green hoodie
Canbury School sports t-shirt top
Canbury School shorts
Canbury School games leggings
Waterproof jacket (not compulsory)
Trainers with non-marking soles (NOT boots)
Uniform must be worn to and from school, unless otherwise instructed by Games Staff.
All items of clothing should be clearly marked with their owners’ names.
No item of school uniform should be left at school overnight.
All uniform items are available from the Bentalls School Zone.
There is also an online purchasing facility with items being delivered directly to the school premises for you to collect at your convenience.
Up, up and away or splashing into the river - either way we had a ball.
Here are some pictures from Year 7 and 8 students at White Spider Climbing centre this week. Said Miss Lazarus: "We were particularly proud of Y7 student Arya as she wasn't even going to put the harness on at the beginning. But then having thought about it she managed to put it on and go climbing on the wall. All the students were amazing and so supportive of each other."
Seeing our students living the Canbury Values of being "Supportive, Inclusive, Respectful and Achieving" always makes us happy.
Meanwhile, Mr McGregor writes:
"The first sessions of games were a tale of two days - KS4 swanned off to their respective climbing centres and watersports with beautiful blue skies, warm weather and t-shirts, the list could go on. KS3 however, had the polar opposite - and while the climbers had a roof over their heads thoughts need to be spared for the watersports group who got just as wet on their sprint back to the bus as they did falling in the River Thames!
Thanks once more to White and Yellow Spider climbing centres, which give the students some great excuses to stretch those muscles, pushing themselves to their limits. Scaling the climbing walls whilst using different routes made up of different colour holds is a new experience for all. Yellow Spider climbing even has a tunnel and caving area where students can get lost throughout many metres of fibre glass tunnels - far too claustrophobic for Mr Barnes!
We have moved to a new venue for watersports - now crossing the river and using the facilities of the Royal Canoe Club, where Mr Hogan is a member. The staff there are incredibly skilled - and let the students test their skills out on the Thames - battling winds and currents*. Fingers crossed the weather next week will be a little kinder...."
(*you can tell he's a Geographer.....)