Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends
I was pleased for it to be my turn on the SLT blog this week, because it has been a bumper week of events for our sixth form students.
Last week we saw the final goodbye for our Year 13 students who had their leavers’ party at Hamlet in Wokingham. It was a fun evening, and it was a lovely way to say goodbye to our students. They have worked so hard throughout their A-levels and had a great time in their final celebrations. All the staff also really appreciated the attempts to get them on the dancefloor, some of which were successful!
We also had our annual Year 12 activity day. This event followed the Year 12 PPEs and was an opportunity to try new things and enjoy a break after working hard in preparation for their PPEs. The activities included pottery, roller skating, cooking and Brazilian drumming. There were many new skills learnt on that day which included how to cut an onion, roller skating whilst staying on two feet, how to play an agogo and how to create a monsters face out of clay. Thank you to Mrs Nyazika, Mrs Skeates and Miss Schotting for leading the sessions. The highlight of the day was the conga drumming led outside by our music Brazilian drumming instructor, it was certainly an interesting spectacle for some of our lower school lessons.
We also welcomed our upcoming Year 12 into the sixth form this week with our Year 11 into 12 induction day. The day involved subject sessions for students to be ready for their courses in September, as well as an opportunity to get to know new students joining us from other schools. Some of the afternoon activities included benchball, basketball and board games. We also had our first ever indoor sixth form BBQ due to the unpredictability of our British weather…. It was lovely to meet so many students and speak to them about their subject choices for next year and their summer plans. Mrs Thomas and I are very excited for our new Year 12 cohort.
We also had a trip to the Old Bailey and the Royal Courts of Justice with our Year 12 sociology students. They are going to study crime and deviance as a topic throughout Year 13, and they were able to sit in the public gallery of live criminal cases. It allowed students to see not only the realities of our criminal justice system, but also how robust the profession is in its analysis of evidence and constructing arguments. Students also received a guided tour of the Royal Courts of Justice and were given insight into the history and traditions surrounding the criminal justice system as well as the challenges that the profession faces today.
Although they are Year 11, they are practically already in sixth form! It was our Year 11 prom last week at Coppid Beech. There was such a beautiful range of outfits, hairstyles and footwear choices. Thank you to Ms Herron and the prom committee for organising the event. Year 11 also had their leavers’ assembly on that day in which students showed their gratitude to staff for all guidance and advice they had given them during their time at The Holt. Thank you to everyone involved in that assembly as a final goodbye to Year 11.
And finally, congratulations to Araya in Year 8 who is now a UK national gold medallist after competing the UK Judo championships. The competition was extensive as it was against 9 other teams. Following this fantastic achievement, Araya has been invited to join the England regional development squad with an eye on the 2028 Olympics. Well done Araya!
With only one more week and a bit to go, lets hope the weather stays on the sunny side..
Emma Ward
Assistant Headteacher
Head of Sixth Form
