From the Acting Head of Senior School

To begin my first eLink article as the Acting Head of Senior School, I would like to thank all the families and special guests who attended our Foundation Day service last Friday.

In addition to honouring the roots of Girton Grammar School and Girton College, all attendees had the pleasure of hearing heartfelt readings and addresses and the impressive talents of the school’s choirs and orchestras.

Please keep in mind that all Senior School students are expected to attend events such as Foundation Day, Speech Night, House Dinners and House Carols. We kindly encourage parents and carers of students who are employed to discuss the importance of arranging their work schedules in advance to ensure they can attend these compulsory school activities and events.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

This week, it was fantastic to see so many parents and carers at our initial round of Parent-Teacher Conferences, including the families of the students I have the pleasure of teaching. This semester, we are trialling a new structure that gives families the option to choose between in-person and online conference sessions, with the online conferences scheduled to take place next Wednesday 21 May from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

Parent-Teacher Conferences provide an important opportunity to strengthen communication between educators and parents, as they discuss information about students' academic achievements, strengths and areas for improvement. This exchange of ideas sets the stage for a cooperative effort to help our students achieve the best possible outcomes.

Uniform and personal presentation reminders

With Foundation Day having passed, all Senior School students are now required to wear the formal (winter) uniform suite. Students are urged to be mindful of the following points within the Student Uniform and Personal Presentation Policy:

In Terms 2 and 3, Girton blazers are expected to be worn to and from school each day.
Shirts are expected to tucked in.
Hair that reaches or extends below the bottom of the shirt collar must be fully tied back behind the ears and off the face. Half-up/half-down styles are not permitted.
Only plain, understated burgundy or navy hair accessories (such as hair ribbons or hair ties) may be worn.
Shoes must be clean, well-polished black leather lace-up school shoes. No running shoes or sneakers are permitted in the formal suite.

Examination preparation

With our Semester 1 examinations upon us in just over two weeks, your child should now be developing a study timetable as part of their revision and homework routine. I also want to take this opportunity to remind new and existing parents of the Senior School's access to a valuable resource called the Study Skills Handbook, a website that can be accessed through the Student Services and Parent Services pages on Astra. This site provides helpful and practical tips and modules to help students improve their study skills, wellbeing, time management and organisation.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and fortnight ahead.

Mr Marcus Smalley

Acting Head of Senior School