It is with great pleasure and pride that I write this first message as Headteacher of Abertillery Comprehensive School. Although I have been working with pupils and staff at the school for 5 years I am excited by the opportunity to build upon the excellent progress made under the previous Headteacher, Mrs Pauline Thomas. Due to the inclement weather before Christmas I was unable to thank her for her dedication and determination to raise standards of achievement at our school so I would like to do this publicly now. On behalf of the staff and pupils I would like to wish her well in her retirement. We will all continue to work as hard as we can to ensure that the school goes from strength to strength.2010 promises to be a hugely important year in many respects. It will see changes in curriculum development, changes to the KS4 Options offer and the possibility of refurbishment throughout the school.
Curriculum design
I would like to announce that the school has been successful in its application to the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification. This is a very prestigious achievement as only a limited number of schools were successful and strict criteria had to be met. The Welsh Baccalaureate (WBQ) is an ‘umbrella’ qualification that recognises individual achievement in a core entitlement that includes Key Skills, Wales and the World, Work Experience, PSE and an Individual Investigation. If pupils reach L2 in these aspects and achieve a minimum of 4 GCSEs they will be awarded the WBQ. It is worth 4 GCSEs. As a consequence of this we will be looking to alter the options choices for pupils moving into KS4 in September.
Further information on the Welsh Baccalaureate can be found at this link: www.wbq.org.uk
The school has also been looking to reinvigorate and improve curriculum design in Y7. We have been working closely with our partner primary schools to develop a joint curriculum that will ensure continuity and progression for pupils who transfer to us from primary school. We have bought into the International Primary Curriculum - this will provide a coherent curriculum from Y3 through until the end of Y7. The curriculum in Y7 will be taught by a dedicated team of teachers who will deliver their lessons in purpose built classrooms using a more primary based style of teaching. The underlying principle is that pupils will develop better relations with their teachers, spend less time moving around the school and become more actively involved in their learning.
Inclement weather
The first two weeks of term have been severely disrupted by bad weather and I have had to take the decision to close the school. This is a decision that is never taken lightly as we would much prefer to have pupils in school receiving a first class education. However, the health and safety of pupils and staff is of paramount importance. Even after the snow has stopped falling we have to consider potential risks on the school site. Compacted snow and ice have to be cleared in order to make the school safe enough to open for staff and pupils. I would urge parents and staff to continue to show patience whilst we endure the cold snap. A useful article on how schools decide to close can be found at this link:
All information regarding the status of school with regard to opening and closing can be found on this school site. If the school is closed the BBC is informed immediately and is displayed on their website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/
May I thank you for your continued support at this exciting time in our school development and take this opportunity to wish all our pupils, parents, governors and staff a very happy New Year!
Paul Stock
Headteacher
