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Sixth Form
Sixth Form

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Headteachers Blog

Here, you can find a monthly review of what has been happening at the school from the Headteacher, Mr P Lewis.

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Archive

  • November 2023

    Published 29/11/23, by Peter Lewis

    For a some of our older pupils in the school, examinations have dominated November.  A number of Year 11 pupils have been sitting GCSE Maths and GCSE Numeracy examinations, the results of which will be available in January from the WJEC.  There have also been a number of internal examinations with all of our Year 10 pupils having sat their English Literature mock exam in readiness for the external exam in January.  Year 10 pupils have also been undertaking Science practical exams this month. 

    Building on the work that we are doing with our parent community, as mentioned in last month’s blog, I am very grateful to the team of Year 7 and Year 8 parents who engaged in our first focus group this month.  The particular focus of this session was assessment and feedback as part of the new curriculum and there was a very useful discussion along with some great suggestions which will be implemented by the school.  Again, thanks to all the parents who were involved in this.  Please look out for information on our next focus group which will meet in February where our Deputy Headteacher Mr Bruton will be shining a light on the new curriculum. 

    We have also been busy recruiting staff throughout November.  St Cyres School continues to attract high quality candidates for advertised posts and I am pleased to report that we have now appointed a fulltime Welsh teacher until August 2024, a part-time permanent teacher of Religion, Value and Ethics who will start at the school in January 2024, and a part-time Receptionist and Admin Assistant who starts with us this week.  Congratulations to the 3 successful candidates and we very much look forward to working with you.

    Finally, for November, we have been ‘on the road’ with our Performing Arts Roadshow, visiting a number of Primary Schools in the area.  This has been a great success and our pupils have had very positive feedback from working with primary pupils.  It was great to see our 6th Formers leading these sessions with such energy and enthusiasm.

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  • October 2023

    Published 27/10/23, by Peter Lewis

    As the days get colder and the nights get longer, pupils and staff are looking forward to a well-deserved half term break. It is also time to reflect on what we have achieved in the last 8 weeks.  Our Year 7 pupils are now firmly established and have settled extremely well into secondary school life, and all other Year groups have settled into their studies at various levels.  It has been pleasing to see pupils working with such a positive attitude, and that will stand them in good stead throughout the academic year.

    One of our school aims for this academic year is to work more closely with our wider community, and particularly parents.  We know that we get the best from pupils when the school, the pupils themselves and their families all work closely together.  This half term, we have had no fewer than 12 community events, and these have ranged from our usual parents’ evening to discuss academic progress, through to GCSE information evenings for Year 10 and Year 11, a coffee afternoon for our new Year 7 parents, parent focus group, and our very successful Open Evening.

    One particular community event to note was ‘Cultures Evening’ which was held at the end of October.  The last week of the half term has been devoted to ‘culture’ and, in the curriculum, we have been looking at how various cultures have influenced the world in which we live.  The week culminated with an amazing evening where we celebrated the various cultures that are within our school through music, dance and poetry and it was lovely to see so many pupils on the stage performing in front of a very appreciative audience.  It really was a wonderful evening and one which will be repeated next year!

    And so finally for October, can I thank all parents and family members, and the wider community who have helped make these community events such a success.  Community events are only successful when the community supports them so a huge thank you from me.  I wish all members of our community a relaxing and restful half term holiday.

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  • September 2023

    Published 04/10/23, by Peter Lewis

    September is always a time for fresh starts.  As well as welcoming 210 new Year 7 pupils into our St Cyres community, all of our other pupils progress to the next stage of their education with pupils progressing through to their GCSE and A Level studies.  It has been lovely to see pupils and staff return to school after a busy summer holidays, full of enthusiasm for what is ahead.

    I am pleased to report that our Year 7 pupils have settled into school life remarkably well.  As well as our usual transition activities early in the new term, we also welcomed Year 7 pupils and parents to an evening where we presented our approach to teaching and learning through the use of digital technologies.  As well as presentations on safeguarding, parental engagement and other important Year 7 information, pupils were also issued with their school iPads which have been used in earnest ever since.  We also invited Year 7 parents to the school at the end of September for coffee and cake and to meet staff and other parents.  It was lovely to see so many in attendance and a great opportunity to build community which is so important in school life.

    We have also held a number of other parent community events during September with an information evening for pupils joining us in our 6th Form in Year 12 and a parents’ evening for pupils in Year 11 which was very well attended and a very positive evening.

    As well as community events within the school, Miss Hirani and I have also been on something of a roadshow around many of the primary schools in the area this month, talking to Year 6 pupils about moving to Year 7 in St Cyres School next September.  We have had a lovely welcome in all of the schools we have visited, and some fabulous questions that have been asked by the Year 6 pupils.

    Finally, it is also appropriate to reflect on this summer’s examination results and I am delighted with the achievement of all of last year’s Year 11 and Year 13 pupils.  Both year groups achieved the best results that the school has ever achieved and we are very proud of them.  There has been a huge and sustained improvement in external examination results over the last 4 years in all indicators and the school continues to go from strength to strength in all areas, thanks to the support and dedication of all staff, strong support from parents, and the commitment and hard work of our pupils. 

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St Cyres School, Sully Road, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, CF64 2XP

02920 708708

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