Gordano School
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Newsletter
No.1 Friday 11th September 2015
Attendance Line Year 7-11 - 01275 841374
Attendance Line Year 12 and 13- 01275 841380
attendance@gordanoschool.org.uk
Term dates and past newsletters can be found on our website
www.gordanoschool.org.uk
https://twitter.com/gordanoschnews
www.facebook.com/Gordanoschool
Diary Dates:
Tuesday 15th September
Wednesday 16th September
Thursday 17th September
Tuesday 22nd September
Thursday 24th September
Thursday 24th September
Friday 25th September
Thursday 1st October
Mend the Gap 2016 presentation to parents 6.30-7.30pm (Sixth
Form Lecture Theatre)
Public Art Show 5.30-7.30pm (Art and Drama Block)
Open Evening 6pm (School day finishes at 2.25pm)
General Knowledge Quiz Year 11 3.30-430pm (SC1)
Year 13 Energy Trip
World Challenge Presentation Evening 6.30-7.30pm (Sixth Form
Lecture Theatre)
European Day of Languages
Careers Convention 6-8pm (Main Hall)
Head’s Blog
Firstly, my congratulations to all of our students who sat exams during the summer. We were
delighted to see that they did so well. Our outcomes in Sixth Form increased again. At GCSE we
achieved 73% 5 A* - C (including English and
Maths) and 84% of our pupils achieved C grade or
higher in Maths with the same percentage exactly
hitting the C grade plus threshold in English. Our
strapline here is Pride : Achievement :
Community and good results in exams supports
all three aspects of this ambition.
I am extremely grateful to parents for their
support on uniform. Our young people have
come to school looking smart and ready to
achieve. This makes a real difference to our
ethos at work and I not only feel that as I visit
classrooms but I can point to the evidence that
our focus on ethos is having in results too. Of the
thousand families that we serve, the
overwhelming majority lend me their total
support and that is a priceless benefit to us.
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Our building works continue and we are almost finished on the re-roofing and insulating
project on the main block south (Learning Support and Sixth Form). The end result will be a
warm, dry(!) and much more attractive facility for us to use. Our Academy status is
continuing to allow us to access capital funds, even in these austere times, and I hope that
we will have further improvements to announce in coming months.
If you are available next week, our Art Show will be taking place on Wednesday 16th
September 5.30 – 7.30pm. This is a great event to attend and bring younger children to. The
standard of visual arts is witnessed not just in their exceptional exam results but in the great
pleasure of being affected by the power of our students’ imaginations. You may also want to
hold the date for our Careers Convention on Thursday 1st October 6 – 8pm. We will have
dozens of professions, trades and employers represented and it should be inspiring for our
young people, especially Year 9 and above.
Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to William Salisbury who has recently died. William had
served as a governor at Gordano for 15 years before standing down just a few years ago. He
was such a force for improvement and so ambitious for high standards in our school. Our
governors play a vitally important role in school life and William was a role model in every
way.
G. Lewis
10.9.15
School Open Evening– Thursday 17th September
Please note that the school day will finish early on Thursday 17th September (2.25pm) in
order to allow staff and pupils time to prepare for our Open Evening.
Prospective pupils and their parents who would like to take a look around the school are
most welcome to attend. The event starts at 6pm.
Sixth Form fundraising success
Over the summer, Elspeth McGowan and George Hancorn
represented the school and delivered a fantastic donation of
money to charity. The two charities supported were The
Grand Appeal and Cots for Tots.
£2478.50 was given In total, and the money was all
raised by Sixth formers through RAG activity during
2014-2015.
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Back-to-school reminder
Please ensure that all items of uniform, PE kit and outdoor coats are named. This will ensure
that if items are lost, they can be returned quickly to their owners.
Activities Week 2016 – Residential Trips Information
Planning has started for our 2016 Activities Week, due to take place between Monday 4 July
- Friday 8 July. The launch of residential trips for Years 7-9 will start at the end of
September and start of October.
Year 7 - 3 day House trip to a PGL Centre – Beam House, North Devon, 1 day at Bristol Zoo,
1 day in school activity workshops
Year 8 - 5 day Language trips to Spain (Andalucia), France (Paris) and Germany (Rhineland/
Moselle region)
Year 9 - Ardeche (France), Barcelona (Spain), Sorrento (Italy), Pembrokeshire (Wales)
When the residential trips are launched, students will be given an information booklet to
bring home. At this point a non-refundable deposit* to indicate your commitment will be
requested. In turn, these deposits are passed on to the Tour Operators to secure the
booking. These deposits will be collected using ParentPay so please ensure you have
activated your Parent Pay account. We appreciate that the cost of a residential trip can be
quite expensive so we will set out a monthly payment plan to help spread the payments and
to ensure that the full balance is paid by the end of March 2016. This also means we can
fulfil our contractual obligation to the Tour Operators.
*The deposits required for the Year 9 residential trips abroad are going to be in the region
of £150 - £220 which will be requested in 2 instalments due by Friday 16 October & Friday
30 October.
For Year 8 & 9 students not wishing to go on a residential visit, the "Go Gordano" range of
activities and day trips will be launched in March. As always, I am open to suggestions to
what activities the students would like to be offered. Don't forget that information is
updated on the school website throughout the year: http://www.gordanoschool.org.uk/
news-and-events/trips-activities-week/
Thanks
Katie Watts
Activities Week and School Trips Co-ordinator
Year 8 Girls HPV Injections
Please note that the date for Year 8 HPV Injections has been set for 10th November. As ever,
please could you sign and return the permission letter which has been issued to Year 8 Girls
this week.
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Public Art Show Wednesday 16th September
Local people are invited to visit Gordano School’s annual Art
Show on Wednesday 16th September. Students from Years 11,
12 and 13 have been working hard on a variety of exam
pieces and case studies. The annual ‘behind-the-scenes’
exhibition will demonstrate some
of the amazing artistic talent
nurtured by staff within Gordano
School’s Art Department.
Head of Art, Isabelle Stagg, said,
“This annual Art Show showcases some of the spectacular work
created by our talented students. We would strongly encourage
anyone who lives in the Portishead area, with an interest in art,
to pop down and see what our students have been working on
over the last couple of years.”
The range of artwork on display is incredibly varied. Some of the GCSE projects featured
include clay, organic, still life and portraits. Many of the items featured are individual
projects, and interestingly the public will be able to look through student workbooks to see
how students have developed their initial ideas and concepts into final pieces.
Current Year 13 Student, Molly Jaggard, commented,
“My favourite art topic to date was the structure project. We were encouraged to try and
use as many different media as possible in order to learn more about them. I enjoyed
working with oil pastels as they create a vibrant colour base, and they’re easier to control
than acrylic paints.”
To take a look at Molly’s finished piece, plus a huge number of other works, please make
your way to the Gordano School Art Department between 5.30-7.30pm on Wednesday 16th
September, where you will be able to view a range of styles, media and concepts, and to
chat to some of the Art Department team about the work on display.
GORDANO SCHOOL’S ANNUAL CAREERS CONVENTION
Thursday 1st October 2015 6-8pm
With over 50 stands expected, the evening will provide an opportunity to
see a large variety of display stands and to discuss with Employers,
Universities and Colleges of Further Education, opportunities and
changing needs in the world of work
Gordano School Main Hall
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
WANTED
PARENT GOVERNORS
The Governing Body has vacancies for 2 parent Governors.
The Governing Body is looking for parents to join us to help the school continue to develop
and succeed. The role of a School governor is a fulfilling and rewarding one. A background
in education is not necessary. Skills in HR, Finance, PR and Marketing would particularly
complement the current skills base within the Governing Body.
School Governors hold a strategic role:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the Headteacher and staff to account for the educational performance of the school
and its pupils, and the performance management of staff;
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure money is well spent
In-house and external training is provided and a mentor will be assigned to you to support
you as you develop to become an effective Governor.
The deadline for nominations is 12 noon on Friday 25th September 2015.
Meetings are always held in the early evening and we try to accommodate the needs of working colleagues.
If you would like to register an interest or discuss the role further please email or call Shirley
Boden, Clerk to the Governing Body, on 01275 842606 or sboden@gordanoschool.org.uk.
Sports Clubs Autumn Term 2015
Take a look at the table below for this term’s sport clubs.
BEFORE SCHOOL
(7.30am)
LUNCHTIME
Year
Year
Year
Year
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Year 8 Netball (RSH)
Year 10 Hockey (EVR)
Year 11 Hockey (EVR)
Year 9 Netball (RSH)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
AFTER SCHOOL
10 Girls Fitness (CBW )
9 Boys Rugby (JWY)
10 Boys Rugby (RES)
11 Boys Rugby (RES)
All Years Girls Football (PB)
Year 11 Girls Fitness (EVR)
Year 7 Boys Rugby (AJD)
Year 8 Boys Rugby (WDM)
All Years Badminton (EVR)
Year 10 Boys Fitness (WDM)
Year 11 Boys Fitness (WDM)
Boys basketball (JH)
Year 10 Boys Fitness (RES)
Year 11 Boys Fitness (RES)
Year 7 Netball (KJP)
Year 9 Boys Rugby (JWY)
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Gordano School Newsletter No.01
Gordano School Newsletter No.01