The hugely popular ‘Careers Fest’ took place at Epping Forest College last night and was extremely well attended. The event has exhibitors from a wide variety of employers, universities and sixth form schools and colleges and it was good to see so many Roding Valley students present. I am sure that everyone who attended will have found the evening useful and informative and I would like to thank our Careers Officer, Mrs Mason, who was one of the key organisers of the event. Parents of Year 9 students, please remember that our ‘Options’ Evening is taking place on Thursday 13th February 2014. It is essential that we have up to date contact information for parents on the school system should we need to get in touch with you. It would be appreciated that if parents change the home telephone number or their mobile number, or that the ‘emergency contact’ changes, the school are kept up to date with these changes. This also applies to email addresses as we send a lot of information electronically. I would ask for parents assistance in this matter. I am attending a meeting on Monday afternoon regarding our 6th Form bid. Progress has been slower than we were told it was going to be at the outset of the bid, however my understanding is that the bid is in the advanced consideration of deliberation by the Department of Education. I will keep parents informed as and when I hear any further information. There have been 2 email communications that have gone home to parents this week that I would like to draw attention to. The first relates to reports from another secondary school in the Epping Forest area regarding girls being approached after school by a man in a ‘small white van’. The matter has been reported to the police but I would ask that students from RVHS remain vigilant, travel home in groups of friends and alert us and the police should anything out of the ordinary happen on the way home from school. The second relates to the introduction by Essex County Council of a parking enforcement scheme that targets dangerous and illegal parking outside of schools. Epping Forest is one of the areas where the patrols will be taking place and I would urge all parents to consider their parking, particularly in Brook Road, at the end of the day. We have some upcoming events that I would like to bring o your attention: We are hosting a Key Stage 3 Creative Arts Evening on Tuesday 11th February and tickets are £3. Further details are contained in the main section of the bulletin. There will be another Friends of Roding Valley Disco for Year 7 students on Friday 7th March 2014 and tickets and information for this event will be distributed soon. Finally the return of the ever popular Friends of Roding Valley Quiz Night takes place on Friday 28th March 2014. Details of how to book tickets for this event will be distributed in due course after the half term holiday. I wish you all a good weekend. Paul Banks Headteacher
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