Letter from Mr Young 08/05/2024
Dear Parents and Carers
I trust you all enjoyed a restful Bank Holiday weekend. I am certain those students preparing for public exams continue to use all of their time well.
As a community we are continually looking to develop our ethos to improve and strengthen our community so it is compassionate and understanding but also aware of how we as people all interconnect and the impact our actions have on each other.
As a school staff and the Principal, we are fortunate that the vast majority of parents and students support our ethos and vision as well as the values and principles we work towards every day to make Rainford High a positive, inclusive and vibrant community.
I am proud that the school is significantly oversubscribed and has been for the last decade because of the provision and balanced educational journey we offer.
As Robert Kennedy said
“It is not more bigness that should be our goal. We must attempt, rather, to bring people back to the warmth of community, to the worth of individual effort and responsibility, and of individuals working together as a community, to better their lives and their children’s future.” – Robert F. Kennedy
Unfortunately due to an increasing number of interactions between parents and the school that fail to meet our ethos of:
Everyone Matters – Polite, Kind and Respectful
Everyone Helps – make sensible choices
Everyone Succeeds- Work hard and keep going.
I am writing to you to request some consideration of how your communication and actions can impact on the school team. I am proud that the school team tries to go above and beyond for students and parents but the negative is that it is perceived as the norm. On an increasing number of occasions parental communication is unreasonable and the desired outcome and expectation unrealistic.
To be a community we must work together but we also must apply our ethos and expectation to every situation. Rainford High will always strive to deliver the very best but a little more understanding would support the school team in delivering this. An example of this is the use and misuse of disabled parking, although the school appreciates parking is limited could we all please be considerate around ensuring the disabled parking is used correctly by blue badge holders only.
I hope you and your child have a great final term of the year, and I would like to wish all of our Year 11 and Year 13 students good luck with their examinations later this term.
Many thanks for your support.
Ian Young
Principal
Travel Disruption
Dear Parents and Carers
Significant road works in the Billinge Area will affect the Main Street and Newton Road between the 13th and 19th of May.
Newton Road will be closed from Monday 13th to the 19th May and there will be traffic signals on the Main Street.
This will mean the 157, 781 & 782 services will omit Newton Road, and students should catch the bus on Main Street or Garswood Road.
We are aware this could affect journey times to school and would advise that if you have a public examination you take this into account on your journey to the school.
Letter from Mr Young 12.04.24
Dear Parents /Carers,
Over the last two years more than £100,000 of public money has had to be used by the school to repair toilets due to mindless vandalism, inappropriate behaviour in toilets that has led to damage caused by our young people who are unable to use toilets appropriately.
As Principal I have therefore decided to take a sensible cost effective approach to support student learning and the sensible use of toilets by limiting the number of toilets available during lesson times. This is an approach that has proved successful in other secondary schools.
Students will have access to toilets throughout the day.
All the currently available toilets will be accessible before school and at break and lunch time. The toilets at break and lunchtime will continue to be supervised by school staff to ensure toilets are used sensibly and appropriately.
There will be a block of toilets available during lesson time that will be accessed with class teacher agreement as has always been the case. These toilets will be monitored to ensure usage once again meets normal standards and expectations. This will also support the school in safeguarding all of our young people even more effectively.
Can I remind students that disabled toilets are provided for those students with disabilities and additional needs not for the general convenience of the student body who already have access to toilets throughout social time and during lessons when agreed by staff members.
As a community our interconnectedness is clear if our actions are negative and carry a significant cost the school will be unable to provide the levels of support and staffing we have done in the past if this situation is allowed to continue. I am certain as parents/ carers and responsible adults you agree with this sensible and proportionate response to an unacceptable situation.
Kind regards
Ian Young
Principal