Posted Dec 19 - 2024Headteacher's Newsletter
what's happening at Chesham Grammar
Posted on: October 7th 2022
Head's Blog
I hope that those of you with a child in year 8 who attended our Information Evening last night found it useful. The week after next, we will be holding our transition meetings for parents of year 7 students. This will enable your child and your child's tutor to meet to discuss the first few weeks at CGS. Students stay with their tutor for the duration of their time in the school so this is a good opportunity to meet the member of staff with whom your child will spend time each day for the next seven years.
THIS WEEK AT CGS
This week, all year 7 classes have undertaken geography fieldwork in Chesham, investigating and comparing the environment in the town centre, which has started the process of building their geographical skills. Those in year 11 have been involved in small group careers workshops, aimed at getting them to carefully consider all the post GCSE options. 
As I write this, those studying A level English Literature are departing for Stratford for a weekend in the Warwickshire town in which Shakespeare​ lived. Thank you to Mrs Fisher and Miss Lindsay for taking the students. On Monday, a group of students studying GCSE or A level Fench will be heading to Lyon for a week spent immersing themselves in French language and culture. 
These experiences are invaluable and again, thanks to the staff involved: Miss Occhionigro, Mrs Proctor and Mrs Lewis.
WELL DONE TO…
...Radha in year 7 who has passed grade 3 electric guitar. Congratulations to Tilly in year 13 who has been awarded a Commendation for the essay she entered for the Young Economist of the Year Award as well as to Freya in year 7 who won two gold medals in her swimming club championships last weekend, taking 5 seconds off her 50m freestyle personal best. Finally, thank you and well done to Aven and Alex in year 13 as well as to Dylan who left year 13 in the summer and who is now at university. They worked hard, alongside Mr Ellis, to get the school accredited as an Eco-School, gaining a coveted Eco-Schools Green Flag. The Eco-Club is leading our work to make the school more environmentally friendly and is raising eco-awareness amongst the school community. I am delighted that their hard work has been formally recognised in this way.
It is always lovely to receive positive feedback about our students from people outside the school and I was delighted to hear that four of our Sixth Formers, Freddie, Leheam, Amir and Sanne, so impressed the organiser of a recent local charity event at which they volunteered that she got in touch with us. They were 'helpful, polite and pro-active, a real credit to Chesham Grammar School'. Well done!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO…
Sienna in year 13 who celebrated her 18th birthday this week and to Thandie, George, Luke, Atul and Matthew in year 7 who have recently had their 12th birthday. As always, I enjoyed meeting with them all for birthday tea.
FOCGS MEETING
Next Tuesday, 11th, we have the first Friends of Chesham Grammar School meeting of the school year. This is taking place here at CGS at 7.30pm Please do come along. The FoCGS raises a significant amount of money for the school each year and all parents are welcome to attend to contribute their ideas. I look forward to seeing you there.
EXPEDITIONS RETURN TO CGS
We are delighted to be able to reintroduce expeditions to our visits programme this year. Those in the current year 12 have been made aware of the option to undertake an expedition to Slovenia next summer and I do hope that many of those who were due to undertake this when they were lower down the school will - finally - get to go...three years later than originally planned! Thank you to Mrs Dax for setting this opportunity up. The expedition is open to any year 12 student. We are also launching an expedition for those currently i n year 11.
This will take place in the summer of 2023, when they have finished year 12 and the group will travel to Cambodia. An information evening for both expeditions is taking place this Wednesday. For Slovenia, it will be at 6pm and 7pm for Cambodia. These are both being held in the main school hall.
SPORT THIS WEEK
It has been another busy week of sport with a number of fixtures taking place. Headlines include a 1-5 win for the U13 girls in County Cup football v The Grange School while the year 8 boys beat Sir William Borlase's Grammar School 48-5 in rugby and the year 10 girls A and B teams both beat Wycombe Abbey School. The year 8 boys continued their winning form in football with a 4-1 win v Parmiters School in the National Cup. The scores were 23-18 and 19-10 respectively. Well done to everyone who has represented the school this week and to the staff for making this happen. After half term, we will be restarting rugby training for girls which was both popular and successful last year. Further details will follow. Please find details of the sport and PE schedule for next week here.
PARKING
At the end of the school day, some parents are waiting for their child on the double yellow lines on the road up to the Leisure Centre. Please do not park or wait here; doing so causes significant issues with the traffic. A reminder to also drive with extreme caution on or around the site if dropping your child off or collecting them and to park legally and considerately if waiting in roads around the school. Thank you.
With best wishes for a relaxing weekend.
Annmarie McNaney
Headteacher
