Posted Nov 29 - 2024Headteacher's Newsletter
what's happening at Chesham Grammar
Posted on: November 19th 2021
EASY FUNDRAISING FOR THE SCHOOL
Head's Blog
2022 GCSE AND A LEVEL CONTINGENCY PLANS
Well, another week bites the dust! Year 11s are now back into the routine of normal lessons following two weeks of mocks while year 13s started their mocks on Monday. While we fully expect GCSE and A level exams to go ahead next summer we are working on our response to the publication last week of the Department for Education / Ofqual's contingency plans should exams be cancelled for a third year running. Our pledge to each exam cohort affected by the pandemic has been that we will ensure they are ready for whatever lies ahead and this year is no different. We have started to work through the details of the contingency guidance and are putting plans in place which will be shared with students and parents when they are ready. In the meantime, we continue to work towards something approaching a normal exam series in May/June, with the amendments which will be made by the exam boards to take the disruption suffered over the last two years into account. As always, if you have any questions, please get in touch with us.
EASY FUNDRAISING FOR THE SCHOOL 
On Wednesday evening, I attended the Friends of Chesham Grammar School Committee meeting and we discussed fundraising plans for the year. I would like to take the opportunity, with Christmas fast approaching, to make a plug for Shop Smart, a quick, totally painless and very easy way to help raise money for the school. Shop Smart can be used for regular shops but also for one-off purchases at any point to earn commission for the school. All of us will be spending money in the coming weeks and if you will be buying things online or in store from John Lewis/Waitrose, Sainsbury's or Argos or in store from Tesco, please consider using the Shop Smart scheme which gives the FoCGS 4% commission on any purchases made via Shop Smart. This soon adds up! If you want to know more about this, please drop Corinne, who oversees Shop Smart for the FoCGS, an email: shopsmartfundraising@gmail.com
If you are shopping at others place online, another easy way to raise money is to pick the Friends of CGS (Charity no: 295740) via Easy Fundraising or Amazon Smile. Thank you.
COUNT DOWN TO OUR CHRISTMAS FAIR!
The Friends are working hard in preparation for the Christmas Fair on December 4th and just a reminder that collections for hamper donations, details of which were sent out earlier this week, begin on Monday. Our hampers are always really popular and any items such as chocolate, toiletries, games, wine etc will be most gratefully received. All the money being raised this year will help us fund a much-needed centralised student wellbeing hub as well as the long overdue refurbishment of art and technology.
COVID AND FLU VACCINATIONS IN SCHOOL: UPDATE
As you will know, we hosted flu and Covid vaccinations recently for our students. On the day they visited, the team did not manage to vaccinate all those for whom parental consent had been given and we have been informed this week that the team will be returning to CGS on November 29th to complete the flu vaccination programme only. They are not going to be doing any more Covid vaccinations in schools. We have been asked to send this letter to parents, which explains where children aged 12-15 can go to get a Covid vaccination if parents want them to have one.
BIRTHDAY TEAS WITH YEAR 7
I have held two sets of birthday teas for year 7s this week as year 13s are doing their mocks. Happy 12th birthday to Megan, Sofia, Macie, Hari, Holly, Millie, Edward, Gabriella, Sadie and Kate. Birthday teas are always amongst the highlights of my week and it is a pleasure to talk to the students not only about their birthday but about what they are enjoying about the school. The answers to this are always wide-ranging and this week, they included 'the rugby sessions for girls on Thursdays', 'being able to choose what I want to eat in the canteen at lunchtime' and 'using a bunsen burner in science'.
WELL DONE TO...
Well done to Molly in year 9 who passed her grade 4 singing exam this week and to Dylan in year 13 who was interviewed yesterday for BBC's Countryfile. The programme is running a segment on young volunteers and Dylan was interviewed by Countryfile stalwart John Craven. The programme is set to be aired in the new year.
CROSS COUNTRY IN CAMBRIDGE
Today, two teams, our Junior Girls and Intermediate Boys, travelled to Cambridge to
take part in the regional round of the English Schools Athletics Association cross country competition. Our Junior Girls, Elena, Megan and Scarlett in year 7 and Catherine, Issy and Tegan in year 8, finished 6th while the Intermediate Boys, Callum in year 9 and Euan, Archie, Adam, Luca and Sean in year 10, finished 2nd meaning that the boys have qualified for the National Finals which take place in Newquay, Cornwall, on December 4th. Mr Stoddern and Mr Pontin accompanied the teams today and have reported that everyone ‘gave it their all’. Both were very proud of all the students. Well done to everyone and congratulations to the Inter Boys.
REVIEW OF OUR REPORTING TO PARENTS
Mr Stoddern is currently undertaking a review of reporting at CGS and would appreciate any feedback, which can be given via a short questionnaire. Your feedback will allow us to ensure our reports are useful to both parents and students. The questionnaire is appropriate for any parent who had a child at CGS in the last academic year, so year 7 parents are not being asked to complete this. Please find the link to the report here.
RADIO CHRISTMAS: GET INVOLVED
Radioâ¯Christmasâ¯2021 is a charity radio station based in Amersham, broadcasting
worldwide from 1st-24th December.⯠Shows are now being planned and there are many opportunities to take part including hosting your own show or getting involved in technical support. If you are interested, please visit their website at⯠https://radiochristmas.co.uk/
SUNDAY LATERAL FLOW TESTING
Finally, a reminder that we ask students to undertake a lateral flow test on a Sunday, ahead of the start of a new week. Any positive results should be reported via the form on our website.
With best wishes for a relaxing weekend,
Annmarie McNaney
Headteacher
