September 2015
Dear Parents,
Welcome
I am delighted to write to you for the first time as Headmistress of Bury Grammar School Girls and would like to
offer a warm welcome to pupils, parents and teachers for whom this is also their first week. It is a real privilege
to be joining such a strong and successful school with rich traditions, high aspirations, a positive and supportive
environment and a forward-looking approach.
You may be aware that I come to Bury Grammar School Girls from The King’s School in Macclesfield, where I
was Principal of the Girls’ Division, having previously enjoyed teaching and leadership roles at The Manchester
Grammar School, Stockport Grammar School and The Queen’s School, Chester. I am fortunate to have had the
opportunity of teaching both girls and boys across the 5-18 age range and am looking forward immensely to
leading BGSG’s staff as we aim to enhance the high quality of education offered to our pupils still further.
We would like to inform you that Mr Laurence Goldberg has been elected Chair of Governors for Bury
Grammar School following Mrs Shefali Henry’s decision to step down as Chair of Governors. This change takes
place immediately. Mr Goldberg has previously held the post of Acting Chair of Governors and we are pleased
to inform you that Mrs Henry will remain on the Governing Body.
We welcome four other new teachers to BGSG this term. Mrs Clémence Banks and Miss Alexa Collier both join
us from Bury Church of England High School – Mrs Banks, who has experience of running exchange
programmes and mentoring trainee teachers, as Head of Modern Languages, and Miss Collier as a part-time
teacher of PE. The Modern Language Department also welcomes Miss Victoria Berrueco Pastor, who previously
taught students at Manchester Metropolitan University, as a part-time teacher of Spanish. Mr Seth James, a keen
sportsman, comes to BGSG from Merchant Taylors’ Girls' School as an experienced teacher of History and
Government and Politics A level.
I am very pleased to let you know that the Bury Grammar Schools have also appointed a Head of Admissions of
Marketing. Louise Henderson, who was previously Marketing and Schools Liaison Team Leader at Trafford
College, joins the teams at both BGSG and BGSB.
New roles
Several current BGSG teachers also take on important new roles this term. Mrs Vicki Hall, Head of the Junior
and Infant Schools, will now be the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the whole school and would be your first
port of call, should you have any queries or concerns about safeguarding matters. (You will be aware that a copy
of our Safeguarding Policy is posted on the School’s website.) This is a key role and Mrs Hall’s appointment, as
a Senior Manager, reflects the School’s level of commitment to safeguarding.
Ms Victoria White, whom you may have previously known as Head of English, takes over as Head of Sixth
Form and Assistant Head Pastoral on the retirement of Mrs Helen Ward. As an old girl of BGSG holding a First
Class degree in English Language and Literature and a Masters from the University of Manchester, she aims to
be promoting high aspirations, scholarship and a love of learning among the bright minds that are our sixth
formers.
Mrs Christina Woodhouse, along with Miss Jessica Elliott as her Deputy, takes over as Acting Head of Years 10
and 11 (Upper School) during Mrs Newbold’s maternity leave.
Headmistress: Mrs Jo Anderson BA PGCE MEd
Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0HH
T: 0161 797 2808 F: 0161 763 4658
E: info@bgsg.bury.sch.uk W: www.bgsg.bury.sch.uk
The Bury Grammar Schools Trustee Limited (company number 06612259) as trustee of Bury Grammar Schools Charity (registered charity number 526622).
Registered office: Farraday House, Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0HG. Registered in England and Wales
Communication with school
We are keen to communicate well with parents and to work with you as effectively as possible to support your
children in their education.
You are always welcome to come into school to discuss your daughter’s or son’s progress and well-being. The
best person for you to see is usually your child’s form tutor (in the Senior School) or class teacher (in the Junior
or Infant School). She/he will be the teacher who knows your child best and is best placed to offer support and
advice. Your child’s form teacher/class teacher can be contacted via the School office on 0161 797 2808 or by
emailing office@bgsg.bury.sch.uk
You will also receive regular email updates from School with attachments of key letters. We hope that this will
prove to be a good way of providing you with information and will help planning in busy families. These letters
will be available to download from the School’s website. If you have recently changed your email address, it
would be very helpful if you could let the School office know as soon as possible.
I also intend to publish a fortnightly blog (on a Friday), giving you news about recent events and achievements
in school and an insight to the very many things that will undoubtedly be going on: I hope you will find this
interesting and a pleasant read!
Curriculum changes
Parents of pupils going into years 10 and 12 will be aware that their daughters are about to embark upon new
GCSE and A level syllabuses in certain subjects. More information about the new curriculums will follow from
us in due course, but if you would like to know more, it might be helpful to look at the DfE website or at the
following document: ‘2010 - 2015 Government Policy: Schools and Colleges Qualifications and Curriculum’
While a new curriculum always poses new challenges, it is generally the case that good teaching and motivated
students will succeed, regardless of changes to syllabuses. You will also be reassured to hear that the new
curriculums are very much a focus for our Heads of Department this year, and that form tutors and Heads of
Year are aware of the implications for pastoral care: we aim to offer your daughters the very best support and
guidance.
UCAS advice
The Autumn Term is a key term for our Year 13 students who are looking ahead to university and preparing their
UCAS applications. They will be supported by a team of form tutors, the Head of Careers, Head and Deputy
Heads of Sixth Form and, I know, by you as parents: they will be in safe hands. More information about UCAS
applications will be conveyed to you during the Y13 Parents’ Evening on Thursday 17 September and Ms White
will be writing to you shortly about this.
While every new academic year brings with it certain changes and opportunities, the most important things about
Bury Grammar School Girls - the School’s core values, the high quality of teaching and support, the high
aspirations and the strong links with you as parents – remain of the utmost importance to us.
I hope this information is helpful and wish you and your daughter/son all the very best for a happy and
productive year ahead.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Jo Anderson
Headmistress