From the Headmaster

Dear Parents

We have the most beautiful day here at Shiplake. Clear blue skies and crisp snow. Pupils who are here have been in a curriculum programme all morning and will have lessons again this afternoon. Where teachers have made it in to the College, we have arranged specific 6^th form classes too. Games have had to be curtailed and there is far less enthusiasm for playing in the snow today than there was yesterday!

The main Henley to Reading road has been running well this morning and staff have been able to come in from Reading. The milkman made it from Didcot and reported that the major roads were “fine”. We have decided that we will try to have a “normal” day tomorrow. We hope that, because major roads appear clear, the majority of teachers will be able to make it in. However, day pupils will be free to leave school at 3pm after lessons finish. The School Travel minibuses may not be running. Mrs Jane Jarrett will send a separate email to parents involved after 4pm today. Mr Tony Moore will make the usual Reading station run in the morning and a return journey will be put on at about 3.30pm.

We will have lessons on Saturday for Years 9 – 13 but pupils will be free to leave from 1pm. Again, Mr Tony Moore will operate the Reading station minibus. There will be supervised activities for the boarders who remain at school. Any weekly boarders for whom travel might be unsafe will be welcome to stay (parents to contact housemasters).

There are public exams scheduled for some pupils next week. The current advice from exam boards is business as usual – weather is not forecast to deteriorate significantly. We have been told that a summer resit will need to be taken if anyone can’t make it next week. I suggest that pupils involved get here early, probably on Sunday for boarders. We ought to be able to make arrangements for any day pupils who wish to stay overnight before their exam but please liaise with Mr Lawson, Mr Brown or Mrs Foakes.

We are due to run our Year 11 Trial Exams next week too. Two industrial blow-heaters have been ordered to augment the usual sports hall ones. Our invigilators should be able to get here, so we expect to go ahead as usual. Again, pupils should get here early. One of the major reasons for having trial exams is to give pupils an experience which matches the real one in the summer term. Missed exams can be re-arranged but they are seldom as satisfactory.

Please continue to look at the School Website and House Blogs for further information. If you do have any questions please contact the school office on 0118-940-2455 (manned between 0830 and 1600) or your son/daughter’s housemaster/mistress.

Kind regards

Gregg Davies