Each year group had a range of activities tailored to the particular challenges ahead for them. Year 7 had a programme to help them settle in, make new friends and find their way around, as you can see below. One student left saying the day was "awesome" and lots of fun! A new school can be challenging, and my team and I will keep a particularly close eye on them in the coming days.
Year 9 had an introduction to Key Stage 4, and the demands ahead of their GCSE courses. Year 11 looked at revision strategies and 'Growth Mindsets'; how to turn difficulty into success. Our Year 12 students, fresh from their GCSE triumphs, had an induction into Sixth Form life, and spend Monday at the University of Hertfordshire.
As you may already know, our GCSE students again outperformed national expectations in English and Maths, and many of them are rightly proud of their achievements now they have successfully joined our Sixth Form. Our Sixth Form results enabled over a third of our leaving students to gain entry to Russell Group universities, the most prestigious in the country. I'd like to congratulate students and staff on all their successes.
My beginning of term assembly used our school motto of 'Proud to Belong'. I am proud of the accomplishments of the students over the summer, and I am proud to welcome record numbers of new students through the doors this week. An exciting year lies ahead!