Thursday 28th April 2011

The first thing I did when I arrived at school on Tuesday morning was to visit the site and look around the progress. Most notable was the exterior of the build where the rendering is covering the front of the building and this makes it look more impressive and stylish. I spoke to the project manager this morning and we are now beginning to plan the colour scheme for the walls / blinds and carpets. He informed me that the yellow / blue windows will soon be redesigned as well. He is very happy with the progress of the build and says we are still on schedule for a July completion. This is great news.

On the inside the contractors have been continuing to plaster the walls and put up the frames for the doorways. With the under heating now in place the inside is beginning to look more completed and is no longer a skeleton or shell. I also saw the contractors working on the lift and there are plans afoot for the ICT connections we will need for our students.

Daily progress continues. The timetable is now written for next year and students here are very excited by the prospect of next year - as we all are. With the weather so lovely it really is a good time of year and everyone seems very positive and calm.

To all Year 11 students and my future Sixth Formers - good luck with revision over this long weekend. Keep up the good work and remember it will be worth it!!

Staff visit the building for the first time!

This morning, Cooper school staff visited the building for the first time. I will leave it to the staff to give their impressions of the Sixth Form building after seeing it for the first time: 'It is exciting and modern' - Miss Patchett 'Fabulous' - Mrs Devereaux 'Amazing' - Mrs Brown ''It is corporate and will make the students grown-up' - Mrs Roberts-Ablett 'Inspirational' - Mrs Greer 'Fantastic. Really nice building.' - Mrs. Brown 'Lush' - Mrs Roberts-Ablett 'It's such a fantastic place to spend time. Our students will be the envy of other students.' 'Cooper students will love it' - Miss Box 'Much better than the staff room' 'Can we have teacher training sessions in there?' 'Can the staff use the facilities?' 'I'm jealous. They are so lucky. Our sixth form wasn't like this!' 'Stunning' - Mrs Eggleston 'It's like the tardis' - Mr Chambers 'I want to see it in action' - Mrs Whiffen 'It is deceptively large' - Mrs Howells

Year 12 Induction - July

I have spent this week organising the details of the 2 day Induction programme in July. I am aiming to make this a dynamic, interactive event where all the students can begin to integrate together as well as find out about their chosen subjects by experiencing lessons. It should be a busy two days of challenge and enjoyment as well as good fun. I will write to my prospective Year 12 students after Easter with the full details of the programme of the days with more information about what to expect. But, to summarise : Wednesday 20th July 2011 TEAM BUILDING event with formal presentations For this formal and important day, students will need to dress in smart / formal clothing as there will be presentations at the end of the day. The press will also be on site. Thursday 21st July 2011 Post 16 course / departmental day This is for students to experience the 'start' of their studies. All students will be given important information about the courses they have chosen as well as experience a 'taster' lesson for each. On this day, all students will be able to wear smart-casual clothing. These days will really set the tone of what to expect next year and I look forward to welcoming you all to the start of your Post 16 studies.

GRAND DESIGNS

This has been a wonderful week of design ideas, colour schemes, paint swatches and carpet samples!

The colour schemes

I have spent this morning in the building exploring and considering the colour schemes for the interior and the exterior of the build. For the exterior, there is an agreement to change the blue/yellow panels around the windows so that the building has a more modern and contemporary feel. For the exterior, we are considering the use of a sandy colour which has flecks of glass in it.

This morning the designer was describing the use of colour and the possibility of creating subtle feature sections around the building. However, the aim will be to ensure a calm and modern learning facility. I anticipate that the furnishings and the wall art will be used to create the real dynamic sense of colour and vibrancy. The wall spaces are vast enough to lend themselves to displays of art and photography - which could be changed and rotated.

The whole building, both inside and out, will have a sophisticated and contemporary feel. I spoke to the designer about the colours of Renaissance Italy and he seemed to like that concept. We have also seen the first design ideas for the furnishings and layout of the classrooms and common room which I have in a folder to show students for feedback and suggestions.

Cafeteria

We have agreed where the plasma screens will go for displays of important school notices, national news channels and even the possibility of a sixth form channel created by the students. The designer also had some ideas for the style and location of the cafeteria facilities. There will be a large table in there for eating, socialising and working on- all at the same time no doubt! I also imagined having meetings around this table with the sixth form tutors and senior students.

Outside space

The space directly in front of the build will be paved and there are also plans to have down lighting around the building which will create an excellent evening ambiance. I imagine sunny afternoons like today will see a number of students enjoying this area. I also envisaged the possibility of using this space for the display of 3D Art or Design & Technology.

The official opening ceremony

This is now being planned!!

We have a potential date, a potential format and are drawing up the invitation list. This will be a very special, public occasion and more information about this will be issued in due course - so watch this space.

Letter to the new Sixth Form students (No.1)

Dear future Year 12 students

I wanted to thank you all for your applications for Post 16 studies and for your positive and enthusiastic support of the new Sixth Form. Many students impressed us with their application as well as the maturity displayed in the interview. Furthermore, many of the revision plans you produced showed tremendous thought and detail and I have kept copies of these for possible reference for other students.

I am currently planning the details of your Sixth Form Induction on the 20th & 21st July. I am aiming for these days to be a combination of team building and entertainment as well as providing you with a 'taster' lesson in all your subjects. I want these 2 days to set the tone of learning which you will experience in the sixth form: a time of both enjoyment and personal achievement.

We hope to have a ceremony in the new building where we can formally mark and celebrate the beginning of a new phase of your education as well as the completion of a dream that this school has been working towards for years. Mr Baxter, Headteacher, is already considering the form that this event will take. It is an event that is getting nearer by the day and is in the forefront of our minds as we plan and consider options.

The building is progressing well and on schedule for a July completion. We are currently discussing the locking system and entrance / security system. We have even begun to consider the colour of the walls and carpets. We have organisations planning designs for furnishings and also the redesign of the exterior. The ICT & Technology for each room is also in progress . These things are all happening simultaneously and all organisations working together to welcome you to the finest Sixth Form institution that we can provide. All of this is for you and for subsequent students to have a greater choice about your options Post 16.

My aim is to ensure that your experience of the Sixth Form is the best of your schooling and I am looking forward to supporting you all through your studies as well as celebrating your achievements with you.

Keep working hard on your GCSE examinations. All the hours you study for these examinations will underpin your future learning and ensure you commence your studies with confidence and ease.

Cate Mallalieu-Needle
18.3.2011

Tours of the site

I have just had a tour of the build and taken some recent photographs of the rooms to show the completion of the partitions and to give a sense of the size of the rooms and the light from the windows. These are being placed on the website. Mr Batty, the Project Manager, has informed me that he will be completing the underfloor heating from next week so there will be no opportunity for tours until this is finished. We have also had a number of visitors to the school this week who have been given tours of the build. The feedback from them has been surprise at the size of the common room and cafeteria and the amount of space for the classrooms. They have also said how impressed they have been by the overall facility.

We have also had a number of educational furniture companies on site who are offering their suggestions for the furnishings in all the rooms. Again, this is an exiting next step in the process. I spent some time with Year 11 students yesterday looking at furniture catalogues and considering colours, styles and possibilities. I have kept their labelled pages for reference for the final decisions. We are also considering having a colour theme per room and students here seemed very positive about that.

I will also be speaking to the design team shortly about the exterior of the building and their ideas for making it modern and appealing. I am looking forward to that very much. The brickwork is reaching to the top of the building now and it will be good to see it all pulled together with modern design features.

An so another week passes, more building progress is made and we move another step closer.

Our first Year 12 students

The future Sixth Form students

This is a momentous moment for the school.

I have in front of me the list of the students who will form the new Sixth Form. I am getting to know these names (and students) very well and am beginning to remember individual course choices! Mr Rushworth, the Deputy Head, is already creating the timetable for next year. We are aiming to ensure that course combinations are considered for each individual student and we are in contact with students whose options need further discussion.

Our aim throughout this entire process is to ensure that the school advises each student individually and supports students in making the right choices and decisions for them. We have had a signifcant number of applications and each student is considered and processed individually.

Offers of places in the Sixth Form

I am in the process of writing to students with the outcome of their application and this should be completed over the next two weeks, as I am still interviewing the last few students.

Offers of places will be dependent on GCSE grades and will be finalised on results day. I need to state publically on this blog that we have had more applications than we are able to offer places. The consequence of this is that we have had to make some very tough decisions. None of these decisions have been made lightly and throughout I have considered and balanced what is in the best interests of each applicant and what we can best provide for the majority of students.

GCSE Results Day - Thursday 25th August 2011

I would like all applicants to note that I will be running a clinic on this day, from 10 am until 2 pm. Any student / parent who would like to discuss results and options are very welcome to come and see me during this time for advice / guidance

NEW FILM

The most recent addition to the filmic updates of the progress of the build is now on the website. Once again, my thanks to the efficient and talented Mr McCarey for his expertise in this area. I hope that this video gives you a picture of the interior and size of this impressive area.

The next video instalment will be teachers who have requested to see the inside of the build.