Cottenham Through aspiration and endeavour, we flourish
Cottenham Through aspiration and endeavour, we flourish
Dear Parents and Carers,
It was a great pleasure to welcome both our returning pupils and our new pupils to CVC this week. As we start a new academic year, I spent some time talking to them in their assemblies on Wednesday. Pupils have begun the year in a very positive and focused manner. The key to ensuring continued future success is, of course, in our work together as teachers, parents/carers and pupils to ensure that every child achieves their academic, personal and career goals, whatever they may be.
I was particularly pleased to welcome the year 7 pupils to CVC. Their enthusiasm was infectious and I have had very pleasing feedback from their form tutors and classroom teachers who told me of an excellent start to their first year with us. I look forward to the year 7 tutors’ evening on 28th September and to meeting you during the evening.
We celebrate the excellent successes of our recent year 11 pupils. I would like to congratulate each one of them on their achievements, particularly as so many across the year group exceeded the target grades for their GCSE exams. They rightly deserve to be very pleased with their achievements and we are certainly very proud of them. As a school, we are thrilled with the 2017 GCSE results which are our best results yet: 73% A*-C grades including English and maths (with grade 4 being taken as a ‘C’ grade equivalent). It is so heartening to see that all the hard work and dedication of both pupils and staff have borne such excellent outcomes; the support and guidance from parents and carers equally contributed to the excellent achievements of the pupils. I look forward to congratulating them all in person on Thursday 9th November for the year 12 Certificate Evening. I know that the staff join me in sending our congratulations to all our former CVC pupils and wish them much success in their next ventures on whichever destination path they now travel.
The journey continues, of course, for our current year 10 and 11 pupils. I spoke to them in assembly about the importance of regularly revisiting their work, to revise and to frequently seek to practise ‘retrieving’ information that they have learned in lessons. Completing their homework to a very high standard, and meeting deadlines, is equally as important. My key message to them was to have a study plan, to work steadily and to make sure that they do not leave work to the last minute. They need time to think, to practise and to revisit prior learning so that what they have learned ‘sticks,’ and ultimately, so that they can recall that information in each of their examinations.
An information evening for year 11 pupils and their parents/carers will be held on Wednesday 13th September. Previous parents/carers and pupils have told us that they found the information evening very informative and useful. I hope that you and your child/ren will be able to come along to this important event as we look to the year ahead. Mr Nash has sent you a separate letter in which he gives you more information about this event.
We continue to have very high expectations of behaviour and attitudes to learning. We also have high expectations with the presentation of work in school and have said that if clear effort is not evident in a pupil’s work, they may be asked to redraft or re-do it. Pupils have been given guidance on these expectations in all of their lessons and in tutor time; they should ask their form tutor if they have any concerns about meeting these expectations so that we can support them in this. Homework also remains a high priority for us: it should be completed to a satisfactory standard and on time. Again, if a pupil is experiencing any problems or difficulties they should talk to their class teacher or form tutor so that we can offer support and guidance.
I want to thank you for your continued support in ensuring that our pupils are dressed for school in full school uniform and that they are equipped and ready for their school day. I would ask you to maintain contact with the school if there are any difficulties of which we should be aware so that we can support any problems wherever possible. Uniform guidelines are available on the school website:
https://cvcweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Uniform-and-Presentation-July20161.pdf
Excellent attendance also remains a priority for us; pupils learn best when they are receiving the learning experience first-hand. I need to update you on the fact that the Department of Education has now authorised schools to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for single event absences of at least 3 consecutive school days or more where these absences are unauthorised because they are neither exceptional nor unavoidable. Previously there had to be evidence of historical absences: please note that this is no longer the case and has been implemented nationally with effect from 1st September 2017. Good attendance is deemed to be 95% or higher. However, at CVC we expect attendance at school to be 100%, unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence.
This September we welcomed the following new staff to the school: Dina Adjali (maths), Paul Bushen (science), Jonathan Duddy (DT), Lucy Dumbrell (first aid/admin), Chris Garton (maths), Katharine Goudie (AHT – professional learning), Rose Greener (TA), Julie Holmes (science), Simon Holmes (TA), Geoffrey Kirby (English), Claire Millett (English), Neil Morson (computing science), Ryan Nash (AHT – pastoral), Catherine Roth (RE), Annabel Walley (MFL).
We have welcomed back from maternity leave Sarah Gregory (DT) and Sarah Starr (Art, DT). We have also made some internal appointments: Chris Quach (Head of 6th Form), Frances McCullagh (Head of Science), Chris Macfarlane (Second in Science) Marta Ramilo (MFL) and Jo Stark (Food Technology).
I look forward to working with you this term in my role as Acting Principal, determined as I know we all are to give our pupils/children the best possible opportunities with which to learn and grow.
Best wishes,
Joy Hadley (Mrs)
Acting Principal
| Key dates for parents/carers | |
| Wednesday 13th September | 6.00pm Year 11 GCSE Information Evening |
| Thursday 14th September | Year 11 Geography Field Trip4.30pm Sixth Form Tutors’ Evening |
| Thursday 21st September | 6.30-8.30pm Sixth Form Open Evening |
| Thursday 28th September | Year 7 Tutors’ Evening |
| Thursday 5th October | 1.30pm Early Closure |
| Friday 6th October | Training Day |
| Tuesday 10th October | 9.15-11.15am Open Morning |
| Thursday 12th October | 6-8pm Post 16 Information Evening for Year 11 |
| Friday 13th October | 9.15-11.15am Open Morning |
| Thursday 19th October | 6.00pm Year 10 Information Evening |
| Friday 20th October | 9.30-11am Year 9 Leaders’ Festival for Year 5 |
| Monday 23rd October to Friday 27th October 2016 | Half term holidays |
| Thursday 2nd November | Year 11 Parents’ Evening |
| Tuesday 7th November | Senior Maths Challenge |
| Thursday 9th November | 6.00pm Certificate Evening (for previous Year 11 pupils) |
| Thursday 16th November | Conference Day |
| Monday 20th November to Friday 1st December | Year 11 Mock Examinations |
| Thursday 23rd November | Year 8 Parents’ Evening (form groups KLM) |
| Thursday 7th December | Year 8 Parents’ Evening (form groups RST) |
| Thursday 14th December | Year 11 Mock Exam Results DayChristmas Lunch |
School Term Dates 2017/2018
Autumn Term 2017
Training Day: Monday 4 September 2017
Training Day: Tuesday 5 September 2017
Autumn Term Starts for Students: Wednesday 6 September 2017
Early Closure at 1.30pm: Thursday 5 October 2017
Training Day: Friday 6 October 2017
Half Term: Monday 23 October to Friday 27 October 2017
Term Ends: Friday 15 December 2017
Training Day: Monday 18 December 2017
Spring Term 2018
Training Day: Wednesday 3 January 2018
Spring Term Starts for Students: Thursday 4 January 2018
Half Term: Monday 12 February to Friday 16 February 2018
Term Ends: Thursday 29 March 2018
Summer Term 2018
Summer Term Starts for Students: Monday 16 April 2018
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday 7 May 2018
Half Term: Monday 28 May to Friday 1 June 2018
Term Ends for Students: Friday 20 July 2018
Training Day: Monday 23 July 2018