Headteacher's Message, 17th November 2017

Matt Sprake (Deputy Headteacher), Paul Fisher (Chair of Governors) and I attended the Ormiston Annual Conference in Nottingham this week. It was an excellent event which allowed us all to meet with other Principal’s and Senior Leaders from across the Ormiston family and listen to educationalists from across the country. It was lovely to see Jim Nixon there who continues to work with OAT and as you can imagine, he was keen to know how everyone at CNS was getting on; he looked particularly well and is enjoying life to the full. CNS is very lucky to belong to an Academy Trust that mirrors its student-centred values and has confidence in the school leadership teams to allow them the autonomy to do what is right for the students of each school whilst ensuring support is always available.

Some of you may have seen CNS students featured on Look East on Monday night; including the incredibly talented Joanna Asher. The relationship CNS has with music in Norfolk and more recently nationally, is something we are very proud of; recent national and international opportunities to perform are a direct consequence of our partnership with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the NCYM. I am pleased that the partnership has been extended to focus on technical theatre and drama, as well as continuing the established music provision and am looking forward to welcoming the Guildhall to school next Friday.

Year 12 have completed their first mid-semester examinations and Year 11 are preparing for mock examinations in just over a weeks’ time. Internal examinations are an essential mean of preparing students for their external examinations and we place emphasis on what students are doing well in addition to the areas to improve, in order that we can offer individualised support in and out of the classroom; for this reason, we are introducing more formal assessments in year 10 as well as year 11. Guidance for how students and families can be confident in their study skills and subject learning for will follow across the year.

My youngest son and I will be at a swimming gala this weekend. I hope you have a good weekend and enjoy whatever you have planned.

Jo Philpott Twitter: @head_cns_school