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17 December 2012

Dear Parent/Carer,

Another year is coming to a close, and we find ourselves at the end of the Autumn Term.As always, much has happened this term and I hope that our website, Christs Chronicles,parent email, texts and Twitter allow you to keep up to date with everything that ishappening and about to happen.

At the end of November, after the feast of Christ the King, we held our annual AwardsEvening at St Mary Magdalene Church in Richmond with Olympic medalist, AlanCampbell, as our guest of honour. It was another wonderful evening that celebrated thesuccesses of our pupils. There was a record number of last years year 11 who returnedto receive their GCSE certificates which demonstrated their affinity to our school.However, as Alan Campbell said, Better Never Stops and we shall continue to strive foreven greater success with the pupils who we are privileged to educate in partnership withyou.

For your information, the Governing Body continue to explore the advantages anddisadvantages of Academy Status and will inform you once the decision is made, whichmay not be until the end of this academic year.

As for the expansion of our school, we are due to accept 150 pupils in the new Year 7from September 2013 and, if planning permission is approved, building work is due to startin July for the new sixth form due to open the following September 2014.

You will be aware that my resignation has been accepted by the Governing Body and I willleave Christ's School at the end of the Spring Term to take up the post of Principal of StRichard Reynolds College, Twickenham. A panel of Governors has been established to

recruit my successor, with the hope that they will take up post in September 2013. MrsDixon has been appointed acting Headteacher for the Summer term. I have everyconfidence that she will provide a seamless transition and I am sure you will offer her thesupport that I have always been grateful for, in this interim period.

I am delighted to inform you that Mr Morris has accepted the role of Director of Post-16Learning and he will lead this exciting development at least until the end of this academicyear. I am also pleased that Ms Needham will take on the role of Subject Leader for PE forthe same period and Miss Bartlett will become the tutor for 7E.

I was very impressed by the response to the inaugural Winter Sports Day, and am grateful

for the hard work and planning from a number of colleagues, not least Mr Morris and Ms

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Needham. The atmosphere around school, despite the temperatures, was so positive;and the event enabled a successful launch of our revised House system, with fiercecompetition between Attenborough, Elizabeth, Turing and Dickens Houses.

At the end of term we say goodbye and thank you to Ms Lauria for all her work in Dramaand English, and welcome Mr Edmondson in January who will replace her, includingbecoming the new tutor for 7B.

Ms Bromly will spend next term on a secondment at Waldegrave School for Girls and MsRobb will join our Leadership Team from Waldegrave in a reciprocal arrangement. Wewish them both well.

During Christmas break please reflect on the Autumn term with your daughter/son. Thesimple mantra is that we expect pupils to arrive to school, every day, on time, in full schooluniform, ready and equipped to learn. This is followed so well, by so many of our pupils

and we are grateful for the continued support of parents and carers in supporting this.During the break please check uniform to ensure that it complies with our expectations ifin doubt check with your childs form tutor or refer to the school website or your childsdiary. Footwear should be formal school shoes. Blazers should be worn with overcoats,not replaced by them. Students should use their diary as a planning and organisation tool.Thank you to those parents who do check and sign it every week and use it tocommunicate with their form tutor. It should be something that your child is proud to showyou or anybody else.

Our Annual Carol Service was held at Holy Trinity Church on 13 December. The pupilswho took part in narrating, the choir and our orchestra helped to produce a memorablereflection on the true meaning of Christmas and special thanks must go to Ruth Scott, ourChaplin, and Mr Wilson, Head of Music, for all their hard work co-ordinating the Service.We are very fortunate to be able to use Holy Trinity Church every year and thank theReverend Trevor Patterson for accommodating us. Afterwards, we were grateful to themembers of our PTA who supplied festive refreshments. If you are willing and able to takea more active role with the PTA the next meeting will be held on Monday 14 January 2013at 7.00pm in the Music block, and they will be delighted to welcome you.

Term ends on Friday 21 December at approximately 12.30 in time for the celebration ofChristmas. The new term begins in 2013 on Monday 7 January at 8.30am with an INSET

day for staff. Students should return on Tuesday 8 January at 8.30am. This will be thestart of Christs 300th year as a faith school in Richmond and we hope to mark this historiclandmark with a number of events, not least a Service of Celebration at St MaryMagdalene Church on Saturday 18 May. Please make a note of this date and spread theword, particularly to former staff and pupils.

For your information and to forewarn you, we have employed the services of the UKsleading monitor of parental, pupil and staff perceptions to undertake a major survey of thelevels of your and your daughter/sons satisfaction with all aspects of our school early inthe Spring Term. The survey will be paper based and require less than 30 minutes of yourtime to complete. More details will follow in the New Year.

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Thank you for your continued support over the year. It is very much appreciatedDuring Advent we look forward and prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Christ asthe child of Bethlehem. I trust that in all the activity of this time you will be able to findmoments of stillness and some space for reflection to prepare to receive that most

precious gift of new life in Christ.

We all look to a world renewed and transformed through the all enveloping love of God,who through his Son offers himself to the world.

The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness did not overcome it.The true light, which enlightens everyone,was coming into the world. John 1: 5 and 9

As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, I trust you will experience the peace, love and joy

of this time.

All members of the staff team here at Christs wish you and all your family a happy andblessed Christmas and a joyful New Year.

Yours faithfully

R.E. Burke

Headteacher