We have now reached the end of an exhausting term and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support you have offered this term.
The first piece of news I have for you all is that our Ofsted report has been released and I am delighted to tell you that we have achieved OUTSTANDING across the board for overall effectiveness!
This was made up by:
Leadership and Management: OUTSTANDING
Behaviour and safety of pupils: OUTSTANDING
Quality of teaching: OUTSTANDING
Achievement of pupils: OUTSTANDING
Early years provision: OUTSTANDING
We are obviously very pleased with the result and can now return in January with renewed vigour for all the challenges that lie ahead. The threat of Ofsted has now passed but I can assure you our hard work and dedication to the school will continue. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works in school for their amazing contribution towards this result and for all their hard work on a daily basis. I would also like to thank the Governors for their tremendous support. We are very lucky to have such a dedicated group of volunteers. Thank you for the number of people who responded to the Inspectors and for the positive feedback we received. The report will be put on the school website as soon as possible and will be officially published by Ofsted on 9th January 2014.
[click HERE to read the Ofsted report]
The School performances of ‘A Time for Christmas’ and The Reception’s ‘Christmas Cards’ went very well and I am pleased to be able to say that we raised a total of £951.26 through the charity collections. This is an amazing amount and I thank you all for your generosity. This will be sent off to Action Loss for Children and The Garden House Hospice Letchworth which the children chose as the charities they would like to support.
We have taken photographs of the Christmas Production and a selection will appear on the school website during the Christmas break. If you would like to purchase a CD containing these and many other photos, we will send an order form home in the New Year. The CD will be sold at cost, this is not intended as a money making exercise. However, please check with your child that they were in the photographs. Some pupils left their costumes at home so couldn’t appear!
I hope you were as impressed as I was with ‘The Orbit’ –The William Ransom Newspaper! It is a wonderful piece of work and I must congratulate the children involved for all their hard work. I would also like to thank Alison Stephenson and Liz Thorn for all their work in organising it and getting it all together. You will have seen that this edition was sponsored by The Paprika Restaurant, for which we are very grateful. It certainly added to the quality of the newspaper. If you think you or your company might like to sponsor a future edition, please contact Alison through the school.
Please use the Christmas break as an ideal time to have children’s hair cut. Please remember that the boys’ hair should be no longer than their collar and no high fashion styles. Girls hair should also be tied back if it is too long. We would also ask that no girls return wearing earrings. This follows guidance from Herts County Council Health & Safety, who also agree that earrings can be removed 6 weeks after piercing.
Today is Mrs Wheat’s last day at work before the birth of her baby. I am sure you will join me in wishing her well. If there is any news over the Christmas break I will of course Tweet the information!
As a reminder the children will be returning to school on Tuesday 6th January 2014. Please note there will be NO instrumental lessons during the first week of term or any extra curricular activities.
On behalf of everyone at William Ransom, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Yours sincerely
Mary Driver
On behalf of the Governing Body I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thank you to everyone, pupils and staff, for their hard work and enthusiasm during this term and especially during the recent very successful OFSTED visit. And the end of term Christmas show was as enjoyable as always.
2015 will no doubt bring new challenges and I hope that by working together we will ensure William Ransom School continues to deliver the highest possible standards of education for your children.
Ian Hankin
Chair of Governors