News for Parents

Spring Newsletter 2008

Dear Parent

It is hard to believe that we are approaching the end of another term and what a busy term it has been! Although two weeks shorter than our normal spring term, we have had to fit in the same number of events and meetings as well as an ISI inspection.

I am delighted to be able to tell you that the verbal feedback given at the end of our inspection was exceedingly positive in every area and the inspectors captured the true ethos of Sheffield High School from their interviews and observations with pupils, staff, governors and parents. We are hoping to receive the written report by the beginning of next term and will publish this on this website as soon as it is available to us.

Thank you to all Melbourne House parents who have attended our KS1 and KS2 Parent Forums this year. Our next Senior School Parent Forum has been scheduled for early in the summer term on Wednesday 30 April at 3.30pm. One of the concerns raised by parents on a regular basis at our Forum is the number of parents who persist in bringing cars on to Melbourne Avenue at the beginning and end of the school day and either parking on the pavements or reversing into the school gates. We are very fortunate that we have not so far had an accident involving one of our children, but it is only a matter of time if parents continue to ignore our advice and bring cars on to Melbourne Avenue. We have sought the assistance of the City Council in patrolling the avenue and requesting bollards on the pavement outside Melbourne House and the dining room, but we can only ensure the safety of all our children if parents follow our guidance. If you wish to arrive earlier at school to drop off your children when parking in the surrounding area is easier, Breakfast Club is open from 7.45am and the children can be left there in the care of one of our teaching assistants at no charge from 8.00am.

Details of our term dates for 2008-2009 are already available on the website in the ‘Calendar’ section and our term dates for 2009-2010 will be added shortly. Please would you bear these dates in mind when booking holidays, as holidays during term time cannot generally be authorised. When planning our term dates we always consider dates set by other local schools, both state and independent; however, our term dates are slightly longer than other independent schools, so there is occasionally a mismatch at the beginning and end of terms which unfortunately we cannot avoid.

I wish you all a happy Easter and a restful spring break.

Yours sincerely

MRS V A DUNSFORD
HEADMISTRESS

Uniform Reminders

We would appreciate the assistance of parents in ensuring school uniform is worn correctly i.e. skirts are not rolled over at the waist, jumpers do not have holes in the cuffs, no jewellery is worn except for one small gold or silver stud in each ear, scarves, gloves and hats are black or navy and should only be worn for journeys to and from school and during the lunch break.

Parents of Melbourne House girls are reminded that only the school coats purchased in the uniform shop should be worn.

Hair should be of a natural colour with no unnatural coloured extensions or highlights. If girls persistently turn up to school inappropriately dressed we will ask parents to collect them from school.

Parents of Year 9 are reminded that when their daughters move into Year 10 in September they are required to wear the plain navy skirt – minimum length 18”.

Uniform Shop Opening Times

Term Time
Monday 12.00 noon — 4.00pm
Tuesday 8.00am —4 .00 pm
Wednesday 8.00am — 4.00 pm
Thursday 8.00am — 1.00pm
Friday: Closed

Additional Opening Times
Tuesday 8 April 10.00am — 3.00pm
Wednesday 9 April 10.00am — 3.00pm
Thursday 10 April 8.00am — 4.00pm

Second-Hand Uniform

Please note the second-hand uniform sale this term will take place in Melbourne House on Wednesday 12 March 2.30 – 4.00pm. The summer term sale will take place on Wednesday 9 July.

If you have any old uniform in good condition which you would like to donate, please hand this in to the Junior or Senior School reception.

FOSH News

We currently have vacancies on the FOSH committee for representatives in some year groups. New members who have children in any year group are always welcome either on the committee which meets 3 times a year or as willing helpers at events. Our next event is the FOSH Ball on Friday 14 March which is always a lively and enjoyable evening. We unexpectedly have a very small number of tickets still available. Please contact Fiona Godbole on (0114) 230 4561 if you are interested.

Following last year’s success as the team raising most funds Mr Mozley has again entered a team to run in the Sheffield Half Marathon on Sunday 27 April. The team of staff and parents will be raising funds this year for MS and MacMillan Nurses, both charities that the school has strong personal links with. If you would like to sponsor the team please contact Mr Mozley at school.

I enclose with this newsletter a leaflet about the FOSH 200 Club. Join now and you will be eligible for the annual prize draw with prizes of £1,000 which will be drawn at the end of the summer term.

Advance warning that the next Bags2School collection of old clothing, curtains, shoes, etc will take place between 8.00 and 8.30am on Tuesday 6 May. Bags will be available from school in April.

Partnerships and International Links

We are very proud of our cultural diversity at Sheffield High School and of the partnerships we continue to develop both within our local community and internationally. These partnerships were highly praised by the inspection team when they visited in February.

We already work very closely with state and independent schools throughout South Yorkshire on a government funded project to increase the number of applications to Oxford and Cambridge universities. We are certainly reaping the benefits of this project with 9 successful Oxbridge applications this year. Mr Mozley has recently been successful in securing further government funding through the Independent/State School Partnership Scheme to develop a project with the University of Sheffield and local state and independent schools to promote the study of science among 14-19 year olds.

Our international work was also recognised recently with accreditation in the form of an Intermediate International Schools Award by the British Council for our partnerships with Schools in France, Germany, Spain, Bangladesh and USA and for our varied programme of international visits. During the Easter holiday students from Year 8 – Year 13 will be travelling to Germany and Spain on home-stay visits, to Paris for A-level students of Art, Business Studies, ICT and Economics and to USA skiing.

In February we celebrated Chinese New Year in school with a performance from the Chengdu cultural team and I am looking forward to travelling to Chengdu at Easter with a delegation from Sheffield to develop further links with the city.

Movement Evening DVD

A record of the Movement Evening is now available from the Uniform Shop. The cost is £7.50 for the double DVD which can be paid in cash, with a credit card or a cheque payable to ‘Sheffield High School Uniform Shop’.

Annual Fund

Thank you to all current and former parents, grandparents and friends who have donated to this year’s Annual Fund.

During the Easter holidays we will be installing a sun canopy in the Junior School playground and we will soon begin work on refurbishing the Senior School Hall and purchasing additional staging and sound equipment.

There is still time to make a donation, however small and a full report on the Fund will be sent out at the end of next term.

Study Leave and Examinations

Study leave for public examinations has been organised as follows:

Y11—Study leave begins on Friday 9 May from midday.
Y12— Study leave begins on Wednesday 14 May from 3.30pm. Girls return to school to begin A2 work on Monday 9 June.
Y13— Study leave begins on Friday 23 May from 12.30pm.

Internal examinations for all girls in Y7-10 will begin on Monday 2 June.

Letters to Parents since Christmas

Senior
Y7 Parents’ Evening
Y7 Space Centre
Y7 Adventure Quest Day
Y7 Language Choices
Y7-8 Head Lice
Y7-8 Second-Hand Uniform Sale
Y9 GCSE Choices
Y9 Sexual Health lessons
Y8-10 Teen Issues Evening
Y9 Choices/Parents’ Evening
Y10 Quarry Bank Mill
Y10 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh
Y10 Lake District
Y11 Silver Duke of Edinburgh
Y11 AS & A Level Choices
Y11-12 Oxbridge Evening
Y12 Oxbridge Conference
Y12 Gold Duke of Edinburgh
Y13 Consultation Evening
Y13 Registration
All Easter Ball
All New School Website
All Letter from Mrs Dunsford

Melbourne House
Rec Mrs Booker’s Sabbatical
Rec Hand Painting
Rec-Y2 KS1Parent Forum
Rec-Y6 Parents’ Evening
Y1 Heritage Museum
Y6 Language Choices
Y1-2 Head Lice
Y2 Science/Health Education
Y3 Concert
Y3-6 KS2 Parents Forum
Y4 Concert
Y5 Conwy Letter
Y5 Food Technology Project
All New School Website
All Melbourne House Newsletter
All FOSH Easter Ball
All Term Dates
All Uniform Shop Opening Times
All Melbourne House Newsletter
All Second-Hand Uniform Sale GDST Artwork permission slip letter U11 Netball Extra Practice Milk Letter U10 Netball Matches Birkdale Arts Festival School Link

Forward Dates for Your Diary

Wednesday 7 May
Health for Life

Thursday 8 May
Summer Serenade Concert

Monday 19 May
Y13 Leavers’ Evening

Friday 23 May
Y13 Leavers’ Service

Wednesday 18 – 20 June
Y5 & 6 Play

Monday 23 June
Y12 UCAS Evening

Monday 23 June to Friday 4 July
Y11 Work Experience

Tuesday 1 July & Thursday 3 July
Y7 & 8 Plays

Tuesday 1 July
Y7 & 8 Music and Drama Evening

Wednesday 2 July
Y7 Welcome Day

Tuesday 8 July
Senior Sports Day

Wednesday 9 July
Sixth Form Induction

Thursday 14 August
A/AS Results

Thursday 21 August
GCSE Results

The summer calendar will be given to your daughter as usual at the beginning of term.