AVON VALLEY SCHOOL
MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER
Fortnightly News
16th February 2018
Dear Parents and Carers,
Being the Headteacher of Avon Valley is a massive privilege and it is always a real pleasure to
walk round our school during the day and see the very high standards that students are attaining in
the classroom. In particular this week, I have enjoyed visiting Mr Whitehead in Science and
watching Yr 7 students separating salt from rock salt, and Miss Titman’s Year 11 art class who are
in the process of preparing for the final stages of their GCSE course. Strangely, this term, I find
myself back in the classroom again as I am covering a Year 9 statistics class. I am finding it a real
pleasure to be teaching again and to have the opportunity to work with a group of students over a
period of time. The teacher I am covering, Miss Hunter from the maths team, is making a good
recovery but I have already told her that I am in no hurry to give her the group back!
Despite the pleasure of being at Avon Valley every day working with our students and staff, I feel
that we are living in a very difficult educational climate at the moment. Today I have met with Mark
Pawsey, our local MP, to express my concern about the lack of funding in education and the lack
of appropriate provision for children with Special Educational Needs within Warwickshire. I know in
doing this I am adding my voice to many Headteachers across Warwickshire who are very
concerned about the squeeze on school services. The government may say we are better funded
than ever but, as you all know, schools are responsible for far more than they used to be, and
stretching the money to cover our vast range of responsibilities becomes increasingly difficult.
Increasingly I find that all too often it is the most vulnerable
students within our school system who lose out. I am sure that if
you feel as I do and would like to add your voice to mine and
that of other Headteachers and parents, Mr Pawsey would be
interested to hear from you. I feel that it is important we make
ourselves heard, and stand up for our children who have no
voice of their own on the political stage.
It has been a busy half term and, as we break up today, I know
that many students will be looking forward to a well earned rest.
Spare a thought though for our Yr 11 students who will be
revising for the second week of their mock exams which take
place when we return, and for the staff who will be busy marking
papers through their ‘holiday’!
Alison Davies
Headteacher
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