YOU have quickly made changes to the way that teachers plan and deliver lessons, and the way they mark pupils’ work. This has improved teaching in some classes but there is still a great deal more to do. Too much teaching is inadequate and some teachers are not responding quickly enough to your higher expectations. For example, teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is patchy across the school. Pupils get clear guidance about to how to improve their work in some classes, while in others the marking is brief and infrequent.
THE new Thurrock Campus in Grays town centre will September 2014 will include restaurants, health facilities, shops and an advice centre. There will also be specialist workshop and studio spaces linked to courses for technology, media and creative arts, and facilities for art, design, logistics, engineering and IT courses.
THE HEADMISTRESS of Grays Convent school is set to quit at the end of the year. Ann Marie Brister has been head of the school since 2008 but in that time has seen it struggle to maintain its once lofty position. Schools, by their own volition, promote their school through statistics and some statistics do not look kindly on the College Road school.
WOODSIDE Academy, Grays topped the table totting up 355 bike and 152 scooter journeys to school over the week, a massive boost to normal numbers. Tim is doing his best to match the distance and has had to split the ride to match Woodside’s amazing cycling total that would have wiped him out in one go! So far he has notched up 160 miles in one ride and is planning a 200 mile ride around the east of England, ending in Thurrock to finish the challenge.
THE most surprising "disparity" comes from Harris Academy (Chafford Hundred). Its harshest critics have seen it as some form of Orwellian exam machine whilst others see it as a shining beacon of aspiration. The school has seen a meteoric rise in its GCSE results. Going from 59% in 2008 to a peak of 93% this year. However, in 2012, only 10% of students entered the Ebacc subjects and only 9% achieved a pass.
THE Backstage Centre, a production and rehearsal venue in Purfleet, was "Highly Commended" at the British Construction Industry (BCI) Awards. The BCI Awards are an established industry accolade recognising excellence in the delivery of building and civil engineering infrastructure projects.
PLANS for a pioneering “career college” in Purfleet for 14- to 19-year-olds have been announced by the government. The college is amongst a number across the country that will offer vocational training in a range of subjects including digital technology, construction, catering and healthcare reports The Independent
A-LEVEL student Dannie Slade returned from a magnificent trip to the USA where she spent a week visiting prestigious US universities and experiencing life as an American student. As part of the Sutton Trust US Programme, Dannie spent the week residing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The programme provides international opportunities for talented young people from low income families.
STUDENTS from across Thurrock attended demonstrations by dancers from The Royal Ballet on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 October. The demonstrations were part of one of the Royal Opera House’s Learning and Participation programme, Chance to Dance.
With sustainability moving up the agenda, the Awards, now in their 9th year, have become established as the most prestigious recognition of best practice within the tertiary education sector. This year 81 motivational and inspiring sustainability projects representing 53 educational institutions across the UK have been shortlisted with 216 applications entering the Awards, the highest number ever to do so.
DAVY Down is hosting another of its successful family activity days on Sunday October 13th from 1 pm to 5 pm. You just turn up at Stifford Pumping Station on Back Lane and join in any of the free giant garden games. Snakes and ladders, draughts, Jenga, Connect 4, basketball and soccer games are there for the asking, with volunteers to show you how to play.
HIGH House Production Park in Purfleet hosted its first Thurrock Council Traded Services for Schools and Academies Expo” recently, which saw over 90 per cent of Thurrock schools and academies attend the linked Headteacher Briefing and Expo event.
THIS year’s Opportunity Thurrock is taking place at the Backstage Centre, High House Production Park, next Wednesday 2nd October. Following from the success of last year’s event, which saw over 3000 people through the doors, they have moved to a larger, more dynamic venue to showcase the best of what Thurrock has to offer in terms of career opportunities, further education, higher education, and the fantastic opportunities that regeneration is bringing to the borough.
IF your child is in a class where teachers are not striking, we will send you a letter through the post to confirm that we can accommodate your child in lessons on Tuesday. We are using this method of communication to avoid any confusion for parents of children who are unsure of their teaching group. All applicable letters will be sent today so if you have not received a letter by Saturday 28th September, it means, unfortunately, we cannot accommodate your child on Tuesday so they should work at home and return to school as usual on the Wednesday.
WITH THE sun breaking through on a lovely late September day, why not take the chance to go to the Arthur Bugler Autumn fete. The fete is at St James Ave East in Stanford-le-Hope between noon and 4pm.
