Spring Term , Headmaster's 1/2 Term Letter

Spring Half-Term Update

Snow!
A huge well done to those parents who managed to encourage their children into school on Monday and Tuesday of last week when the snow came down. Gad’s must have been one of very few schools in Kent that managed to keep open and provide a normal service. Of our 57 staff; only two didn’t make it on Monday and we had just one colleague absent on the Tuesday consequently I really would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their efforts in braving the elements and getting into work on behalf of our children. I am glad to see that they set a good example of how you can overcome the odd challenge and difficulty if you set your mind to it!

For those few pupils who didn’t come in and saw the problem of a couple of inches of snow on the roads as a good excuse to bunk off school I have the following message. I would like you to bear in mind that, whether you like it or not, life is a competition. And if you want a decent job; a good home, nice car etc you are going to have to work for it. Sitting and waiting for it to all come to you isn’t really going to work. So; if you would like a decent university place, the best job, or the most rewarding career then success will go to those of you who have the grit and determination to overcome obstacles and difficulties that may get in the way and to achieve that success. Sitting at home complaining about how difficult life is won’t get you very far. So endeth the sermon! Next time it snows: make an effort, try something different and get into school. Apart from anything else those that did had a wonderful time! It’s not every day you get the chance to legitimately throw snowballs at Mrs Margetts or Miss Bassett!

New School
I hope parents who took the opportunity to visit the new school exhibition found it useful. Hopefully, even those parents who didn’t manage to come along will have seen, either the special edition of the Gazette, or had a chance to view the outdoor display boards which have been up for the past few weeks. These show the plans for the new school in some detail and explain where we are in the design and build cycle. Since then the school has appointed a professional project manager to oversee the whole project. The latest news is that we are hoping to start building - THIS YEAR - Obviously, there is still much to do, but the present UK economic downturn along with low interest rates and spare capacity in the construction industry, combine to open a window of opportunity that we should grasp with both hands.

So, after years of struggling with increasingly old and weary buildings I am delighted to announce the first phase of the new school could be opening its doors to our pupils as soon as September 2011. This will mean that all of our children will benefit from the large sports hall, new library and media centre, 380 seat theatre, as well as an open all-day café. The Kindergarten and Juniors will have their new classrooms; but even those senior pupils in our current L4 and Shell classes will be able to enjoy the new school facilities. I am sure you are all looking forward to the day when the present, rather “snug” classrooms will be a distant memory. Indeed, parents will be among the first to benefit as the new car park will be built first and will be open for use ahead of the main construction phase. The new Junior school will be built on top of the existing car park. The new car park will mean that all parents will find it that little-bit-easier to park and or drop off their children than at present.

Stabilisation of School Fees
At the recent new school exhibition a common, and understandable, concern expressed by many parents: was the likely impact that the cost of building the new school will have on future school fees. Parents are saying to us that while they are looking forward to the new school they don’t want to see school fees rising excessively to pay for it. The Governors and I have been giving this matter considerable thought for some time. Indeed we have always been committed to try and keep fees stable. In light of current circumstances the Governors have decided that the most effective way to help fund the new school, without unduly increasing fees across the board; is to do what the school did last year, and to allow an additional class of 20 pupils into Year 7 in September 2009 and each September thereafter. This will enable the Senior school to become fully three-form entry over the next four years, overlapping with the opening of the first phase of new building.

Our experience from last September, since when the current Shell, Year 7, have operated in three classes of 20 pupils, enables me to reassure you that they receive the same quality of education as every other child in the Senior school: from the same tutors, teaching the same subjects, the same everything really! I am not aware of any issues or difficulties as a result of operating three classes. Importantly the 'culture' of the school has not altered. We are determined to preserve the enviable “small school” and “family atmosphere” that Gad's has nurtured over many years. We will certainly continue with our policy of class sizes being restricted to a maximum of twenty. Basically, I am saying that the introduction of a three form entry system in the Senior school over the next several years will be transparent and will benefit everyone enormously.

Because we will be in the process of building and occupying the new school: as the new classes are assimilated over the early years; and, because the new school has more than sufficient capacity, classrooms, changing rooms, car parking and other facilities to cope; many of the perceived problems are avoided. The new school will have four times the floor area of the existing school! The advantage of the extra class is that it allows our present pupils to enjoy the benefits of the new school and new facilities sooner rather than later. It also allows us to finance the project without hiking up school fees. There will be more financial certainty for the school and it will also strengthen our ability to keep future fees in line with our commitment to stability.

Additional Subjects
A further and substantial, benefit of the new school is that it will enable us to introduce additional subjects and subject choice at GCSE. For many years parents have asked when we offer more subjects, such as art and perhaps others, into the Senior school. In the past, when the school was smaller, this was difficult as obviously the more teachers in a school the greater the salary costs which in turn are passed on to parents as tuition fees. The additional Senior school classes will enable us to employ more teachers and to expand the subject choices available to our children in future and to do so without unduly affecting school fees. This means that our pupils will be able to choose from a greater range of subject options at GCSE and which is what many parents have been requesting for a while.


Sixth Form
The new school will also help us to bring forward plans to create a sixth form. Parents will appreciate that our desires to do so at present are tempered by the size and space restrictions within present school buildings. Consequently, with its larger classrooms and the greater overall space available the new school will make the eventual introduction of sixth form education so much easier. In this way our children can be assured the benefits of an education here at Gad’s right through to university entry.

I am sure you don’t need me to point out to you that the current financial environment of the UK economy is fairly fragile. To date its impact on the independent school sector and Gad’s in particular has been minimal. But we would be foolish if we did not take factors such as the demand for places and the financial integrity of the project into consideration. We will constantly monitor and review our options in the years ahead to ensure that our children continue to get the best education possible while striving to improve and develop the school and all that we do.

Juniors -Tuck Shop
It has been noticed that a number of pupils are spending quite large sums of money in the tuck shop at break time. The consequence of this is that they frequently find that they are not hungry at lunch time and throw either their dinner or packed lunch into the bin. The tuck shop is really there to provide ‘snacks’ for the children at break time. It is possible for them to buy a snack and something to drink for £1.00. Accordingly from the start of the next half term please could parents ensure that pupils bring in no more than £1.00 daily.

CCF
There are a number of CCF activities taking place during the next half term with all cadets taking part in some live firing at Hythe ranges during March. U4 and U5 cadets will be going on Wednesday 4th March (note a date change for U4, they were originally going on Wed 18th). The L4 & L5 cadets will be going to Hythe on Wed 11th March.

Cadets can find details of the Spring Term training programme on the Intranet/ CCF/ Training Programme page. The documents are also available to download in pdf format.

Details are also on the Intranet/CCF/Documents & Forms page of the CCF summer camp. This year our week long residential camp will take place at Crowborough in Sussex. This will see cadets taking part in a huge range of challenging activities including, canoeing, abseiling, live firing, orienteering, first aid, an overnight camp, military exercises etc. The camp takes place during the penultimate week of the summer term Sunday, 28th June – Saturday, 4th July. An outline letter and parental consent form are available to download.

Music & Drama
There are a number of drama and musical events happening to keep you entertained over the next few weeks.

On Thursday, 19th March Kindergarten mums will be clutching their handkerchiefs as the Kindergarten children perform in their traditional “Mothers Day Service” at St John’s Church Higham.

On Thursday, 26th March is the traditional Spring Music Festival which will see many of those students who are learning musical instruments together with the choirs perform in this annual competition which this year will be adjudicated by Gil Singleton – MCGI, Music Operations Manager at CVQO.

Events for the Diary
Friday, 27th February, 7pm Wellington Fashion Show, information available from the School Office
Friday, 6th March, 11am – 3pm Open Day
Wed 4th March CCF Field day (U4 + U5)
Wednesday, 11th March CCF Field Day, Hythe (L4 + L5)
Monday, 16th – Fri 20th March French Trip to Le Mans (L5/U5)
Tuesday, 17th March, time tbc J3/J4 plays
Wednesday 18th March J3/J4 plays
Thursday, 19th March 2pm KG Mothers Day Service,
St John’s Church, Higham
Thursday, 26th March, 7pm Spring Music Festival,
Royal Dockyard Church
Friday, 27th March 9.30am KN/K2 Spring Assembly
Friday, 27th March 2.30pm KR/K1 Spring Assembly
Friday, 27th March 3pm Friends Easter Egg Hunt
Friday, 27th March, 3.40pm Juniors Eggs-travagansa
Friday, 27th March, 4pm End of Spring Term
Monday, 30th – Thursday, 9th April Dickens Den Holiday Club
Monday, 20th April Summer Term commences

Yours sincerely
DGC