Friday 6th October 2023

Dear Parents/Carers,

This week we welcomed our prospective parents and children to our school at our open evening. As always our student ambassadors were brilliant, and young people were tasked with performing a short snippet of Annie, and giving tours to our visitors and showcasing their work in departments. They were a credit to the school.

Checking your Class Charts Parent/Carer Account

Earlier this term, all parent/carers were emailed a letter containing guidance on how to set up their Class Charts Parent Account along with updated Parent Login Pins. As it is not always possible for staff to call home your child’s Class Charts activity acts as our primary method of communication for behaviour, achievement, and homework. Therefore, it is important that parents and carers log in. Where possible, we recommend that you download and login via the Parent Class Charts App available on iPhone and Android. Logging in via your child’s account restricts access to other Class Charts features and notifications which we intend to introduce later this year. If you have any questions or have trouble logging in to Class Charts, please contact your child’s tutor directly

Language Ambassadors' International Bake Sale – Thursday 12th October

Morocco and Libya are facing the consequences of the recent disasters and will be for a long time to come. They are in constant need of basic supplies, as well as medical care and continuing search and rescue missions. Therefore, to offer our support, we are organising a bake sale where the proceeds will be donated to them via the British Red Cross.

We are asking students to bring in traditional, home-made bakes (eg, cakes, pastries, pies - sweet or savoury) or alternatively shop bought treats to sell on the day (all nut free). The bake sale will be cash only for Lower and Upper School and cash/card for Sixth Form. The bake sale will take place at lunchtime for Lower and Upper School and in Sixth Form for breaktime. All donated bakes can be dropped off to Reception in the morning.

Friends of SNS PTFA Virtual Meeting – Thursday 12th October 8.00pm

As communicated earlier, the Friends of SNS PTFA will be holding a meeting on Thursday 12th October on Zoom at 8.00pm. The meeting will include the election of a new Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Please see email sent earlier for joining information.

SNS Annie Production Update

We are delighted to announce that we have cast over a hundred pupils in our whole school production of Annie, with pupils acting onstage, playing in the band, and operating everything behind the scenes! If your child is involved, please remind them to check the rehearsal schedules around the department and see us in the music and drama office if they have any questions. We look forward to performing this show 13th – 15th December in our very own Damian Lunn Theatre and hope to see you there!

Year 11 Parents’ Evening – Wednesday 18th October 2023

Our first Parents’ Evening for this academic year is for Year 11 parent/carers. Parents’ evenings will return back to take place on site. Further information has been sent in how to book appointments with your child’s teachers. If you are having any difficulties in doing so, please contact your child’s form tutor in the first instance.

Year 11 Sixth Form Taster Day and Open Evening

Friday 10th November will be our Sixth Form Taster Day for Year 11 students. Students and parent/carers will be sent further information on how to make their choices next week. Our Sixth Form Open Evening is on Monday 15th January 2024 and details on how to book for this will be communicated in early December. Our applications will then open on Tuesday 16th January 2024 and close on Monday 4th March 2024.

Key dates and Local Cultural Events

Please see a link to our key dates here for this term on our school calendar that include Information Evenings, Forums, and Parents’ Evenings.

You can also find our webpage which is regularly updated, promoting local cultural events for this month using this link.

As we start October’s Black History Month, I end with Monday’s Thought of the Day shared by Ms O’Malley:

“The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.”
Ijoema Oluo

With best wishes,