23 May 2025 - Letter to Parents

23rd May 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope that you have had a great week. We’ve had a good week at Orchard, with another excellent week of attendance to exams, plus more sporting fixtures against some of our local rivals, cricket practice that has seen some excellent attendance and an incredibly popular Pokémon tournament. With increasingly warm weather in Term 6 we look forward to expanded enrichment opportunities including lunchtime rounders which takes advantage of the amazing school field we are lucky to have here, which is the envy of many other secondaries!

Key Dates

Bristol Parents and Carers Coffee Morning – Tuesday 3rd June 9-11 am

Prize Giving Evening - Wednesday 18th June 7-8 pm

Y11 Leavers’ Assembly – Thursday 19th June 9.15 – 10.15 am

GCSE Contingency Dates - Wednesday 11th June and Wednesday 25th June

Y11 Prom – Thursday 26th June 6.30 pm

Y7 Transition Day - Wednesday 2nd July

Y7 Transition Parents’ meeting – Wednesday 2nd July 5.30 – 6.30 pm

Attendance 

Breakfast club is now offering basketball and board games before school. Students attending can meet their friends and enjoy some time together. All students who attend can opt to receive a free breakfast. If your child wants to attend, they need to be at the student entrance at 7.50am.

Please ensure your child arrives on time at 8.20am. We are tracking students who are persistently late and will be speaking with parents next term to identify any support needs.

Attendance and punctuality winners this week:

Year 7 – Dorchester

Year 8 – Wisley

Year 9 – Wisley

Year 10 – Wisely

Year 11 – D2

Attendance and punctuality are the first steps to success

Year 11 – Exams Information

The first week back after half term, from Monday 2nd June, looks like this for Year 11 exams – it’s a very busy one! Please can we remind you to talk to your child about leaving their mobile phones at home, or placing them in their bags, switched off, on exam days. They are not allowed to take them into exam rooms and risk losing qualifications if they do so.

GCSE Contingency Dates

Awarding bodies have let us know that the afternoon session of Wednesday 11th June and the morning and afternoon sessions of Wednesday 25th June as contingency sessions for examinations in the event of national or significant local disruption. This means that GCSE exams may take place on those dates.

Please make sure that you note these dates, especially 25th June as you prepare for summer holidays. Students need to be available if exams are being sat on that day.

Safeguarding

As we start the half term break today, we wanted to remind you of where you and your child can get support as the school will be closed until Monday 2nd June. Pupils come back at the usual time of 8.20am.

Please use these services instead:

- 999 in an emergency

- 101 for non-urgent contact with emergency services

- 111 for non-urgent health matters

- Call the Samaritans – 116123

- Off the Record (www.otrbristol.org.uk) - mental health services

- Brook (www.brook.org.uk) - sexual health services

- Call ‘Mind’ on 03001233393 – mental health charity

- Call Childline on 08001111

Whisper reports will be picked up by staff on the return to school after a school holiday and should not be used for any urgent safeguarding matters nor to resolve community matters; please contact the appropriate service as above and keep us informed of any issues when school re-opens after the holidays.

Headteacher’s Commendations

I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday, meeting students who had been nominated by staff for the Headteacher’s Commendations. I got to hear about so many student successes, including winning the player of the season award for Ashley Down Old Boys rugby, winning a national cheerleading competition, outstanding home learning and organising an additional week of work experience!

Community Events

SEND Coffee Morning

Parents and Carers of our SEND students are invited to a SEND Coffee Morning to chat with each other, and our SEND Team, on Tuesday 3rd June 9.00am- 10.30am. It will take place in the school Library; parents and carers are welcome to drop in at any time during the event. We look forward to seeing some of you there!

My Community Action Group will be running an inclusive SEND event on Saturday 14th June, 11am-3pm at Trinity Academy. See the flyer below for details. Picture 1856651045, Picture

Life Cycle are offering Bikeability courses next Thursday 29th May and Friday 30th May at Clifton High School. They offer a variety of different levels for different age groups. Your child will need a roadworthy bike to attend.

School Holiday Cycle Training Courses

A reminder that we return after the half term break, which starts today, at the usual time of 8.20am on Monday 2nd June.

For those that like to get ahead, please see the link to our website for our 2025-2026 (next school year’s) term dates. Orchard School - Term Dates & School Day

Have a restful week.

Kind regards,

 Mel Sweet, Headteacher