Head Master's Message w/c 30th January

Please see below for:

• Pate's top in Gloucestershire in GCSE League Tables

• Teaching Schools Initiative update

• Y10 Geography field trips in May

• Girls Sports South Africa Tour information evening – Thurs 2nd Feb @ 7pm in OED

• INSET day Tuesday 21st February, Y8 Parents' Evening Wed 1st Feb, Y11 Parents' Evening Wed 8th Feb (4-7pm)

• Valentine's showcase – Tuesday 7th February @ 7pm in school hall & Y7-9 Disco Thurs 9th Feb @ 7pm

• Chemistry competition news

• Sporting achievements

• Half term Rugby camp at Pate's (Gloucester Rugby Club)

• Demand for minibus from Ashleworth / Hartpury / Maisemore area

It has been a great week at Pate's this week, with some super press coverage to celebrate our position as top school in the county, as well as being near the top nationally, for GCSE results, inthe league tables published on Thursday. Our Year 8 chefs also appeared on the front page of the Echo with their delicious haggis, neeps and tatties, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to all staff and students who helped out with our busiest ever prospective 6th form open evening on Tuesday. I am looking forward to the Mandarin class celebration of Chinese New Year of the Dragon next week, and staff and students are getting excited about the half term trips off to Rome and Berlin, as well as the second ski trip of the season, work experience in France and Germany and our long running German exchange.

I was in London last week for the second round launch of the Teaching Schools initiative. As the only Gloucestershire School so far announced as taking part, it is a great honour for Pate's and we will look to work with and for the benefit of schools, staff and students across the county, and further afield, in close partnerships. This will be a huge opportunity for improved staff training, research and development and for learning with and from other excellent schools. It is super to be involved right at the start of this national initiative.

Please follow this link for full details regarding the Year 10 Geography field trips (2 groups) to North Wales, 4th-6th May and 11th-13th May. Further reminders:- the newly launched girls' sports tour to South Africa (information meeting) on Thursday 2nd February at 7pm in Outdoor Education; there will be an INSET day on Tuesday 21st February and this will be a home study day for most students. Year 11 students will be in school for their employability skills day and there is an SNO Cadre for the cadets. For students working from home the VLE will be available as usual and students should check for any work set. If you have child care issues that are not resolved for 21st February then we will accept students into school, where they will be supervised and will be able to access ICT, etc. Buses will run as normal and there will be a reduced canteen service. If necessary, please book a place with Pate's reception by 9.00 am on Monday 20th February by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Charity Committee are holding a Valentine's Concert, raising funds to support medical advances for the Pied Piper Appeal, a local children's charity. They are hoping to raise money for this extremely worthwhile cause through showcasing the fantastic talent we have at Pate's. Do join them for an evening of exceptionally talented musical performances with a romantic theme, on Tuesday 7th February, 7pm in the hall - performances from the school jazz bands, Pate's Dixie Band, and many other bands and singers from a wide range of year groups. Tickets cost £5 (£3 concessions). Please click here for full details and ticket order form.

There is also a lower school disco planned by the Charity Committee for years 7-9, on Thursday 9th February 7-9pm in the school hall - put it in the diary look out for further details!

Well done to Chemistry students Ellie Wilson (Y11), George Rayson (Y10), Adam Watson (Y9) and John Greenough (Y9), who competed against teams from other schools in Top of the Bench – a national competition organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This involved quantitative practical tasks and they were judged on their ability to coordinate and work as a team, and the accuracy of their results. They got the opportunity to work in one of the best equipped teaching labs in the country and finished off the evening with a short demonstration lecture from Bristol's School Teacher Fellow, Tim Harrison. We now wait to hear news of the next round.

Congratulations to Joe Gare, Henry Mitchell, Joe Moore and Alex Chalklin, who have been selected to represent Cheltenham District Schools at the County Festival day at Kings, Gloucester on Wednesday 25th January.

Congratulations to Sophie Whitehead (Y8) who represented Pate's at the South West Biathlon Championships at Bath University and, in doing so, qualified for the National Championships.  The event combines a swim and a run. Her swim of 100m was 1.08.38 and her run of 1000m was 3.27. She will now go on to compete in the National Schools Biathlon Championships at Crystal Palace in March.

Gloucester Rugby Club is running their own camp at Pate's over half term, on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th February, from 10am until 3pm each day. The course is open to players aged between 7 and 13 and is ideal for youngsters wanting to improve their core skills. The club is offering a discounted rate for Pate's students -please click here for full details and costs. Follow this link to Gloucester Rugby Club to book a place.

We have had an enquiry from a parent who would like to look into setting up a minibus from the Ashleworth / Hartpury / Maisemore area and would like to hear from any local families who might be interested. In the first instance please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Please do keep in touch with your news and views by emailing me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yours sincerely

Shaun Fenton

Head Master