HEADMASTER’S LETTER JANUARY 2019
T0 PARENTS
Dear Parents I hope you have had a very enjoyable Christmas and that pupils are rested and ready for the new term. I also wish you a very happy New Year
Contents Page 1
Work on the Roofs Calendars Charities Week School Buses
Page 2
Poppy Bradley OCA Events
Page 3
iGCSEs Careers
Page 4
Staff News Bad Weather Holiday Work
Work on the Roofs
Following on from the message sent
break with consultants to appoint a
contractors engaged on the repair of the
have this in place shortly so that work on
replacement contractor. We hope to
on 29th November relating to the
the roofs can be completed.
Old School roofs, staff and Governors
have been working over the Christmas
Calendars
As usual, calendars will be distributed via Houses and there will also be spare copies at
Reception. Please do encourage your sons and daughters to take advantage of and
contribute to the broad extra-curricular programme, particularly if you sense they are
less involved than they might be.
Charities Week
Thank you to all parents, pupils and staff who supported charities week which the
Chaplain described in the last letter. The total raised was £2,750 which will be shared between Send A Cow, Smiles With Grace, Alzheimer’s Research, Centrepoint, The Bede
Griffiths Charitable Trust and the Yemen Appeal.
School Buses
This academic year we have expanded
Chigwell School Bus Routes R
the school bus service so that there is one
CNR. STONARDS HILL & THEYDON GROVE
1 Epping, Theydon Bois, Debden 2 South Woodford, Woodford Green, Buckhurst Hill
JNCT. HIGH RD & LITTLE BURY LANE
CAR PARK OF THEYDON OAK
3 Loughton, Buckhurst Hill
morning as well as two evening runs on
4 Wanstead, Ilford, Gan nts Hill, Clayhall
1
5 Chingford Proudly y provided pr by y
THE PLUME OF FEA AT THERS PUB
each of the five routes. The service is
BELL HOTEL CAR PARK
SUNNYSIDE RD
3 TRAPS HILL/ HIGH RD
managed by CoachHire.com and after
MORGAN CRESCENT THEYDON BOIS GREEN
JNCT. BROOK RD & ALDERTON HILL THE CROWN
some teething issues, we have received a
THE CRESCENT
CRIC CKET GROUND UND
number of very positive messages about
WESTBURY RD
KINGS AV.
CHINGFORD RD FIRE STATION ATIO ON STAG LANE
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the service from parents. We would like
ALFRED RD
NEWLANDS RD
to be able to expand the service further,
WHITEHALL RD BANCROFT SCHOOL
to reduce the number of pupils coming to
WOODFORD GREEN BROADMEAD RD
WOODFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
CHURCHILL MEMORIAL
school by car, and if existing or
HIGH RD SOUTH WOODFORD
2
JNCT. BARON GDNS & CRA AVEN VEN GDNS
SOUTH WOODFORD
alternative routes would be of interest,
HIGH ST. HERMON HILL
please email bus@chigwell-school.org
THE DRIVE METHODIST CHURCH
LONGWOOD GDNS WANSTEAD LANE
4 WANSTEAD STATION ATION
1
DE VERE GDNS
JNCT. GOSFORD GDNS & BEEHIVE LANE
JNCT. ST ANDREW’S RD & CRANBROOK RISE
JNCT. WESTMINSTER GDNS & CRA AVEN VEN GDNS
Poppy Bradley
Congratulations to Poppy who is a finalist
at the Lungs for Living Research Centre at
scientists and engineers. The final will be
competition have gone on to represent
UCL. The previous winners of this
in the Big Bang Competition for young
the UK in international competitions
held in Birmingham at the beginning
across the world.
of March and Poppy will be exhibiting the research project that she carried out
OCA Events
Over the holidays I attended three Old Chigwellian events, designed to bring OCs together.
These included an OC
Christmas lunch at school, a tour of the
Tower of London and the Ceremony of the Keys, and a recent leavers’ gathering. As always, it was very enjoyable to meet up
with Old Chigwellians of all vintages, many of whom have led highly successful
and interesting lives since leaving school. I was particularly pleased to hear how well
last summer’s leavers have settled into university life.
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Careers
As per my last letter, if any parent would
their chosen career path. Additionally,
at our annual careers convention, which
particular may find the following talks this
Upper Fifth and Lower Sixth students in
be willing to represent their area of work
month, all in the Sixth Form Centre, of
takes place at 7pm on Monday 25th
interest:
March, we would delighted to hear from
11th January - 12.30pm
you. Pupils find the evening very helpful and the feedback from representatives
LSE schools liaison team: talk for LVI on undergraduate application and study
suggests that they find it very enjoyable too. Please email Ms Roxanne Darkin at
17th January - 12.30pm
rdarkin@chigwell-school.org
Dr Sophie Strong OC: talk for UV and LVI on a career in medicine
In addition, if parents are able to offer work experience, older pupils find this
Coppell will email details of the Meet the
18th January - 4.15pm Presentation by Dr Daniel Leff OC, Imperial College, Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery & Cancer
which are open to all Senior School pupils.
been sent details of the Headstart courses
invaluable. Again, please email Ms Darkin.
Over the next few weeks, Mr Simon Future Programme talks for this term
Upper Fifth and Sixth Form students have
At these sessions, Old Chigwellians who
as well as the Cambridge course for
left us comparatively recently talk about
potential
their work and how they came to follow
Science.
iGCSEs
applicants
for
Veterinary
You may have read the suggestion made
arguably more demanding in some
iGCSEs, taken by pupils at many
fortunate to have the flexibility to choose
subjects. More importantly, we are
in some newspapers over the holidays that
courses that suit pupils here and prepare
independent schools including Chigwell,
them well for A level. In some subjects,
are less rigorous than the reformed GCSEs.
iGCSEs are the best option but in others,
There is no evidence that this is the case
pupils take GCSEs.
and in terms of content, iGCSEs are
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Staff News
welcome Mrs Wahida Sultana-Rahman
At the end of last term, we said farewell
and we hope she will be very happy here.
to Mrs Sarah Inch who leaves us after
many years working as a teacher of mathematics.
We also said goodbye to Miss Antonia
She has made a huge
Ross who has been teaching English here
contribution to the School during her time
since September 2017. We wish her well
with us and we wish her well as she moves
for the future.
on to pastures new. In her place, we
Holiday Work
As always, the holidays provide an opportunity for the Bursar’s teams to carry out
essential maintenance work. The roofing of Hainault House is nearing completion and
additional heating has been provided in the Dining Hall. The work to provide three new classrooms in the Junior School has been completed and these will be used for teaching from the start of term.
Bad Weather
As I said in my last letter, in the event of
school day. We would always be very
school website (www.chigwell-school.org)
mindful of the safety of pupils and staff.
heavy snow or ice please consult the
reluctant to close the School, but are
for confirmation of arrangements for the
I look forward to seeing you at the various events that will be taking place over the next few weeks and hope the new term goes well for all pupils. With best wishes Yours sincerely
Michael Punt
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TERM DATES 2019 Lent Term Staff meetings and INSET on Monday 7th January First day: Tuesday 8th January Half term: Saturday 16th February to Sunday 24th February Term ends: Wednesday 3rd April