Message From The Headteacher – Autumn Term
Dear Parents,
What a momentous start to the academic year.
We started the term well with a whole school trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park, where we could get to know each other better and enjoy the magnificent range of wildlife on show. This trip had been postponed from last year due to the heatwave, and proved to be a great day out. This was such a contrast to the very sad news of the death of our Queen. We have been finding out more about her reign and her life in our lessons, and have made tributes in her memory.
Our new year 7s have settled well, and some of our older girls have been elected to positions of responsibility within the school. We have appointed our sports leaders, school council and prefects, and our new head girl Jasmine and her deputy Darcey have been diligently taking on their duties, confidently speaking up in public.
In response to a request from parents, we have introduced a weekly bulletin to keep you informed and to share news. We have also increased our presence on social media. I hope you find this information useful, and enjoy a bit more of an insight into life at Alfriston.
The half term has been packed with events. I hope many of you were able to attend the Fun Day at the start of the term, when the sun shone on us and we all had a lovely time visiting the stalls, meeting friends and raising funds for the school. Thanks to the hard work of the Friends of Alfriston, and other staff and volunteers, we raised over £2000. Later in the term, we held a coffee morning in support of the Pancreatic Cancer Charity, in memory of Mandy who died last year.
Last week, our year 9 girls packed their bags and headed off to the New Forest for a week of fun and adventure. It was with a bit of trepidation mixed with excitement that they faced their week ahead. However, they all had an amazing time, with feats of courage and determination, and the staff who accompanied them were impressed with their independence and “can do” attitude, making it a trip to remember. Thank you to the staff who generously gave up their time to make this special experience happen.
The Harvest assembly last week was led by the Post 16 girls, inspired by the work that they had done with One Can. They led the assembly with confidence, and told us about how they had been helping in the community. We had many kind donations of cans and food that will be shared with those who need it most.
Our new Wellbeing log cabins are almost ready for use. The team will be moving out of their current room over the half term holiday, ready for the next half term. They are looking forward to their new habitat with a bit more space, and better facilities in which to carry out their work. I hope the girls enjoy their new surroundings, and continue to feel supported and safe in school.
We’re now looking forward to the next half term, which is the lead up to Christmas! Look out for news of more events and activities, and I hope to see many of you in the school joining in with our celebrations.
Wishing you all a very happy half term,
Jinna Male