vale of catmose diary

The new Academic Year
You may recall from 'Contact' at the start of this academic year that I advised a change that would be made so that the academic year would start in June rather than September. Commencing this week, year 7 became year 8, year 8 became year 9 and so on. For the benefit of new parents the reasons for the change are repeated below. • It will increase the amount of time available for GCSE courses at KS4 by one term and it will facilitate the use of the summer holiday in year 10 for coursework. • This is in response to our recognition that many students struggle with the amount of coursework that they have to undertake in KS4.	• It should increase student motivation this term, when traditionally there is a feeling that we are winding down. This will be particularly beneficial for year 9, following SATs, who can embark on their GCSE courses. • It should accelerate learning at all levels. It will be beneficial for the most able and the talented and gifted because they will be moving on to new and more demanding topics earlier.
ACADEMIC YEAR 2007/8
Mon 27th Aug 2007 August Bank holiday Thurs 30th Aug Teacher training day Fri 31st Aug Teacher training day Term 1 Mon 3 Sept Students return Fri 19 Oct Students break up (Term 1 ends) Term 2 Mon 5 Nov Students return Fri 21 Dec Students break up Term 3 Thurs 3 Jan 2008 Students return Fri 15 Feb Students break up	Term 4 Mon 25 Feb Students return Fri 21st March Bank holiday (Good Friday) Mon 24th March Bank holiday (Easter Monday) Thur 3 April Students break up Fri 4 April Teacher Training Day Term 5 Mon 21 April Students return Mon 5 May Bank holiday Fri 23 May Students break up Term 6 Mon 2 June Teacher training day Tues 3 June Schools open Tues 22 July Schools close
ACADEMIC YEAR 2008/9
Term 1 Thurs 28 August Schools open Fri 17 Oct Schools close Term 2 Mon 3 Nov Schools open Fri 19 Dec Schools close Term 3/2009 Tues 6 Jan Schools open Fri 13 Feb Schools close	Term 4/2009 Mon 23 Feb Schools open Fri 10 April Good Friday Mon 13 April Easter Monday Fri 3 April Schools close Term 5/2009 Mon 20 April Schools open Mon 4 May May Bank Holiday Fri 22 May Schools close Term 6/2009 Mon 1 June Schools open Fri 17 July Schools close Bank Holidays that fall within the school term are shown within the term they occur.
Yr 11 appointments After excellent interviews and much deliberation I am pleased to announce the appointments listed below. Head boy Alastair Pinder Deputy head boys Gary Austin, Alexander McKenzie & Gilbert Watchorn Head girl Vicky Walker Deputy head girls Harriet Clewlow, Ceiwen Cloney & Sarah Wilkinson	Senior prefects Sean Anderson, Kim Barnes, Jess Boles, Fiona Crew, Nick Dearden, Adrian Dickson, Peter Dixon, Bridie Farrell, Robyn Green, Rosie Goddard, Sophie Hall, Melissa Hull, Joe Lemon, Lucy Mathias, Mike McGuire, Charlotte McCullough, Rebecca Morris, Vicky Mortimer, Charlie Muzzlewhite, Tom Rock, Naomi Sparks, Tom Stafford, Charlotte Tayor, Danielle Tofiluk, Jess Turrill, Ryan Quinn, George Watchorn & Matt Winn