Tuesday 8 December 2009

Greenfields Winter 2009 Update

If you’re reading this, I assume that you are a Friend of Greenfields. You’ll be very interested, then, in what’s happening with your school.


I know that you are probably bombarded with information these days containing various items of Good News, Very Good News and Extremely Good News and there may even be a temptation not to read this email fully because you’ve read so many like it -but bear with me, please, because I’m trying to tell you something that is genuinely important and actually really inspiring.


You might have noticed your school has had its ups and downs. Right now, it’s on the way up -and my plan is to take it Higher Up than it has ever been. We have an improved organisational structure in place; we have some extraordinary evolutions occurring; we are about to explode with new ideas in a way you’ve probably not imagined.

  • We’re currently engaged in the biggest technological upgrade in the school’s history.
  • We’re playing a bigger role in spreading knowledge of Study Technology throughout the UK.
  • We’ll soon be offering a whole range of exciting new services and features.
  • We’re thinking “outside the box” in an effort to service you and your children better and better.
  • We’re preparing for changes in the UK education system in refreshing and imaginative ways.
  • We’re about to release a new prospectus and other new and inspiring literature.
  • We’re creating new visions of what is possible with education in this country.

As the new Head Teacher I’d very much like you to be part of all this. Come and meet me to see how you fit in and how you and your children could benefit from everything that’s going on.


And tell me you’re excited as soon as you can! Reply to this entry now!


I look forward to hearing from you!


Summer School 2009


From Summer School, we have rave results coming in from parents and children who took part.


"We changed the format this year," says Deputy Head Mark McQuade. "We opted for a set of activities and services located on-site with teachers creating interesting and engaging activities within the resources of the school, and it seems to have paid off. Teachers and pupils alike were beaming at the end and I'm getting very good feedback from everyone involved."

Enquire now about next year to avoid disappointment!


A LEVEL EXAM RESULTS!


The AS and A2 examination results came out in August and Greenfields did extraordinarily well!


Chloe Wicks (pictured) scored FULL MARKS for two out of three A Level English Literature modules and 87 out of 90 for the third, along with glowing As for Maths and Drama! In fact, Chloe has just completed her first term at Brasenose College, Oxford.


One Art student received As for her fantastic Art modules including one with FULL MARKS! She is going on to study at Brighton University, very pleased and thrilled! Another Art student received As for her two splendidly creative AS Art modules!


Another student scored A grades for his AS Maths modules!


All these A Level students are stars in their own right and shining examples of what is possible here at Greenfields!


The Computer Revolution Continues!


Parent Claire LorĂ© recently instigated a fantastic weekend of fund-raising frolics featuring a Classic Film Evening with French cuisine provided -we watched the all-time great movie “Casablanca” starring the inimitable Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman- and this was followed the next day with a sponsored swim which was family-orientated fun for all concerned.


Together, these events raised close to £2,000 towards the school’s new plan to implement advanced computer technology step-by-step across the school.


“We’re now much closer to completing the first stage of the installation of computers in the school,” says popular ICT Teacher and Network Manager Mr. David Bailey.


Greenfields is undergoing a kind of revolution.


The school with the reputation for being friendly, caring and safe is becoming friendlier, more caring and even safer. As a matter of fact, it might just be the friendliest school in the world!


“So much has happened over the last month,” says new Head Teacher Mr. Hudson. “In these newsletters we can only give you a glimpse of the whole picture. I invite you to come and see for yourself the range and scope of these positive changes.”


STOP PRESS: Mr. Hudson in London!


Stay tuned for news of a planned speech by Mr. Hudson in London! We'll let you know as soon as the details are worked out!


Greenfields New Head: Mr. Hudson


The Big News (in case you didn’t already know) is that the school has a new Head Teacher, and he is Mr. Grant Hudson. Most of you will know him -he's been our Head of English for some twelve years and has run the Sixth Form for about nine years.


Veronica Tupholme, the previous well-respected and loved Head, has been promoted to Greenfields Educational Trust management, alongside Chief Executive Beverley Croft, where she will be able to oversee academic quality in the school and the Trust's other activities, such as the Effective Education Centre and Children's House Nursery in East Grinstead.


"It's an exciting time for the school," says Mr. Hudson. "There have been enormous positive changes recently -you will read about a tiny fraction of them in this newsletter- and I look forward to meeting with you soon. We'll have a Head's Tea in the next few weeks where I'll get the chance to do just that and to find out what you need from me. In the meantime, please feel free to write or call or even drop by and find out for yourselves what's going on here!"


Exciting new Clubs and Societies

At the end of the Spring half-term Greenfields launched a whole array of new clubs and societies across all age groups.


Lower School: Miss Lesha put up several notices which Lower School children then had to sign to express an interest in the following clubs: Way to Happiness Club, Gardening Club, Choir, Cooking Club, Recorder Club, Camping Club, Arts and Crafts Club and others. Lower School students signed up for each club by the dozen!


Senior School: Lunchtime and after-school clubs have been created in the Senior School based on the activities requested by the students themselves, including: Book Club, Writers’ Society, Drama Club, Games and Cards Club, Photography Club, Film School, Sports Club, Outdoors Club and a Choir.


More Clubs will be added this half term.


The computer revolution has begun!


Popular ICT Teacher and Network Manager David Bailey briefed parents and teachers of the school recently on the school’s new plan to implement advanced computer technology step-by-step across the school. Questions were answered and Director of Studies Jeff Smith and parent Clare LorĂ© spoke to the group and many different fund-raising ideas were suggested. The implementation has been broken down into segments.


“The first step was to get an advanced interactive white board into the Lower School,” said Mr. Bailey. “That cost £3,500.”


Parents and teachers are engaged in fund-raising constantly, and welcome any help or contribution. For more details, please contact David or Jeff Smith directly at the school.


We look forward to a new era of computer technology at Greenfields!


From the Editor


Welcome to the first of our "new-look" blog entries! We hope to be able to provide you with fresh, up-to-date and exciting news as it happens on a regular basis through this medium. We hope that you'll find items of interest in each one. There's certainly enough material at this end!

"Items shown here by no means include everything that is going on at the moment," says newly-appointed Head Teacher Mr. Hudson. "The old Greenfields spirit is very much alive and well. Old friends are returning, thrilling new ideas are being implemented, education here is becoming more and more fun. The only way to be completely informed is to call in and see us! You'll be very welcome!"


Please also feel free to give us feedback on anything else to do with the school.