End of Year Letter

21 July 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

As we come to the end of the school year, I am writing to share some key information with you that will prepare you for the start of the new academic year in September.

This is also an opportunity for me to wish you all an enjoyable summer break and to thank you for your support over the year. As I have said to you many times, it is working in partnership that creates the greatest opportunity for your child (or children) to live out our mission statement of ‘living life to the full‘.

Can I also direct you to our July newsletter (link below) to see in more detail what a wonderful end to the year we have had:

Newsletter link

Examination results

Results for Year 13 will be available on Thursday 14 August 2025 from 8:00am-10:00am and Year 12 pupils receiving unit results can get these from 9:00am-10:00am in the Sixth Form Area.

If you have any questions regarding review of marking for A-Level or Level 3 vocational courses please read this booklet for information: GCE Post Results

Year 11 GCSE pupils can collect their results between 9:00am-11:00am on Thursday 21 August 2025 from the front of the school.

Year 10 pupils who have sat a community language or unit exam can collect their results from 10:00am-11:00am on 21 August 2025.

If you have any questions regarding review of marking for GCSE's or Level 2 Vocational courses please read this booklet for information: GCSE Post results

Staffing Updates

It is with great sadness that my first update in this regard is to bring to your attention the death of a colleague, Ms Linda Ojukwu. Linda only joined us at the start of this academic year, September 2024, and due to a cancer diagnosis very early on in her employment with us was not able to maintain her teaching commitment as she would have wanted. She died recently in Manchester and was fortunate to have her sister with her at the time. Both Dr Otchere and Ms Murehwi were in attendance at her funeral. We pray for both the repose of her soul and for her family.

This term we say goodbye to a number of long serving staff – we thank them all for their wonderful contributions and wish them well for the future.

Farewell, our thanks and good wishes go to:

Mrs Patel - Lead Practitioner Mathematics

Mr Aiken - Head of IT/Computer Science

Miss Alleyne - Head of Media / Head of Year 7

I would also like to add that two great servants of the St James’ Community Mr and Mrs Frayne are both stepping down as school Governors. Stephen in the capacity of our clerk and Sheila as a foundation governor. Both were also past pupils and long serving teachers here. We wish them every happiness in their more fulsome retirement.

Online Safety, Wellbeing and Safeguarding

Over the summer, the unsupervised use of social media, messaging sites and gaming platforms often increases and so should your vigilance. Unstructured time may also impact a child’s mental health. When in school, we are able to manage these situations as they arise because we have both the capacity and expertise to do so. You may not, and so it is important you know where you can turn should you need to.

Please review the attached document and Ms Agolli’s previous communications (these can be found in the letters section of our school website) to support you with this.

2025 Summer Support - Parents

Uniform, appearance and mobile phone reminders

Following a summer concession, which removed the requirement to wear a tie and/or a jumper or blazer, we return in September to full school uniform expectations. This includes the wearing of:

a tie
a blazer or jumper with the school logo
year group specific lanyards (issued on day one of our return)
appropriate trousers (not tight fitting or flared) or a skirt of the required length

Items not permitted include:

Trainers, including those which are entirely black, other than for a PE lesson
Jewellery other than a small single stud (no more than 3mm in size) in each ear lobe
Make up

Do also note that hair that is dyed and not a natural colour is not permitted.

Please refer to our Uniform and Appearance Policy for further clarification if required on all of the above.

Do also remind yourselves and your child that we are a no mobile phone school. A pupil caught with a mobile phone in school will have it confiscated, or be sanctioned in accordance with our Behaviour Policy if using it outside of school.

To support all families with the increasing cost of uniform we are again holding an end of year, second hand uniform sale. This will take place in school (reception area) on Thursday 24 July 2025 between 10:00am and 12:00pm.

Start of term dates and times

Tuesday 2 September 2025 - Sixth Form Enrolment

Wednesday 3 September 2025 - Year 7 First Day

Thursday 4 September 2025 - All pupils return to school

All term dates can viewed on the school website: Term Dates

Finally may I reiterate my best wishes to you all for what for all, is a well deserved summer break.

God bless

Anthony Ellul

Headteacher