Parent Bulletin 8 March

Incredibly - we are already reaching the mid-point of this short half-term with only three weeks to go until the Easter Holidays.

Thank you for your attendance at Year 11 Parents Evening on Thursday.  We were delighted to see almost every pupil and parent in the year group and go through, in detail, any gaps in pupils' preparation for their GCSEs.  Pupils' first exams are now only 2 months away (English Literature on Monday 11th May) so this is now the time that pupils must prioritise revision and maintain consistent study routines at home. Minimising distractions and keeping commitments outside of school to a minimum will help them make the most of the remaining time.  Your encouragement, structure, and support will make a significant difference to your child’s confidence and performance.

Monday marked National Offers Day for secondary pupils.  The school is becoming ever more oversubscribed with a maximum distance of the last place being offered only 1/2 a mile from the Old Town Hall.  Despite this, I am delighted that we are welcoming 74 siblings to join us in September 2026.

Pupils who have chosen to fast have continued to impress us during Ramadan.  If your child is marking Ramadan please ensure that you prioritise good sleep routines as we enter the final days to ensure that your child is able to focus and be the best version of themselves at school.  Eid is expected to fall on either Thursday or Friday of next week.  Pupils are allowed one day of authorised absence for Eid and must return the following day.  If your child will be absent for Eid, please inform the school in advance by emailing absence@arksoane.org.

Thank you for all your support with uniform standards.  We are committed to making sure that the school is free from make-up, informal shoes and trousers, skirts above the knee and clearly branded items to avoid pupils being subject to peer pressure when coming in to school each day.

Thank you to the 300 of you who have completed the parent survey.  If you have not yet done so then please do so here https://questions.tep.uk/arksoane.  The survey will take a maximum of 5 minutes to complete and will help us to improve provision - many thanks for taking the time.

I hope you enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

Regards,

Mr Neuberger

The Year 8/Year 9 Girls and Year 7 Girls Football teams competed against William Perkin last week. 

Although the Year 8/Year 9 girls were defeated, they showed strong determination. Rayah was awarded player of the match!

The Year 7 team won 3-0, with Hanin scoring 2 brilliant goals and Nadia scored a third to solidify the win!

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Lessons

Thank you to the parents who attended the consultation on our approach to teaching this content on Mon 2nd Mar. 

RSE Lessons for Year 8, 9, and 10 will be taught in PSHE lessons from WC 20th Apr – WC 18th May; there is no sex education content taught in Year 7. 

We strongly encourage all parents to allow their children to take part in these lessons. They provide young people with age-appropriate knowledge that supports their safety, wellbeing, and understanding of healthy relationships. The curriculum helps pupils develop respect for themselves and others, recognise risks, and know how to seek help when needed. These lessons are delivered sensitively and in line with statutory guidance, ensuring that content is appropriate for each age group. 

Parents have a statutory right to withdraw their children from RSE.  Due to the risks associated, we strongly recommend parents do not take up this right however, if you wish to discuss this, please email info@arksoane.org for an initial conversation.

Exploration Day

Exploration Day is on Thur 26th Mar. KS3 students will be going on the following trips:

7 Cicero, Ramesses, Pericles: British Museum

7 Alexander, Augustus, Cleopatra: Science Museum

8 Augustus, Cicero, Ramesses: Tate Modern

8 Alexander, Cleopatra, Pericles: Natural History Museum

9 Augustus, Cicero, Ramesses: St. Paul’s

9 Alexander, Cleopatra, Pericles: National Army Museum

•           Y10 students studying geography will complete their first fieldwork trip in Stratford.

•           Y10 students not studying geography will be visiting the Liberal Jewish Synagogue to expand their cultural capital and wider development. Students studying neither geography nor RP will also attend this trip. 

•           Y11 will be based onsite all day completing final preparations ahead of GCSE examinations after the Easter break

All trips are free except for St. Paul’s, which is £5 and free for students in receipt of pupil premium. All students are expected to attend all trips. 

These days are so important for broadening students’ horizons and allowing them to demonstrate our values outside the school walls. We hope your child has an excellent time on this day.

World Book Day – Friday, 6/3

We were delighted to celebrate World Book Day on Friday.  All pupils have been given a book voucher - please do encourage your child to use it.

Musical Instrument Lessons - Summer Term

Charges for the summer term for pupils who are already taking instrumental lessons have been added to iPay accounts and are due on Friday 20 March.  Pupils will only be timetabled for lessons next term if these charges have been paid.  If you have any issues regarding payments, please contact the school office at info@arksoane.org

There will be no instrumental lessons timetabled for Year 11 pupils during the summer term. 

If your child would like to start learning a musical instrument, they should speak with their music teacher.