Dear Parent/Carer
I hope this email finds you and your family well? I wanted to get in contact as we start the Christmas holidays to celebrate another fantastic term and update you on some key areas of school life:
Standards
The term has been a real success with students responding so well to our focus of “Ready, Respectful and Responsible.” Effort levels in class, behaviour during social times and punctuality to lessons have all been excellent. Our key statistics are so positive with 260,997 merits awarded for outstanding work and only 14,717 behaviour sanctions.
Please ensure that you have signed up to the ClassCharts parent app to see your child’s merits and behaviour record as well as picking up important information about fixtures, in-house events, and to give consent for trips. The ClassCharts Parent app can be downloaded from the app store on Apple or Android, or you can login online at www.classcharts.com/parent/login. For login/password/registration problems, please contact ITSupport@southcraven.org with your name, your child’s name and your child’s Date of Birth.
Attendance
Thank you for your support ensuring your child attends school every day. Our attendance level has been lower this year than in the last few years and we will be putting some interventions and incentives in place in January.
In order to give our Attendance Team more time to support students, we will be streamlining our absences reporting systems. Therefore, from January, we will no longer accept student absence reports via email for students in Years 7 to 11.
To report your child’s absence, please telephone 01535 632 861 and select option 1. Please note that this is now the only number parents / carers can use to report a student absence.
When calling, please clearly state the following information:
- Your parental responsibility
- Your child’s full name
- Your child’s coaching group
- The reason for your child’s absence.
These changes apply only to students in Years 7 to 11. The procedure for reporting absence for Sixth Form students will remain the same.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank parents and carers for their continues support in promoting good attendance and for working with us to ensure students attend school regularly.
Apex Collaborative Trust
Our first Autumn term as part of the Apex Collaborative Trust has gone well with staff and students starting the journey of working together with the other schools in the trust. Our first big event is on Monday 5 January, when all the schools will meet at South Craven for our Trust Development Day where all staff will work together to shape the future of the trust and celebrate the launch of the new organisation.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At South Craven, we are committed to ensuring that our school community is a place where everyone feels valued, respected, and represented. As part of our ongoing work to strengthen Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across all areas of school life, we would like to invite parents and carers to share their thoughts and suggestions on how we can continue to develop this important work. Your views are vital in helping us create an environment where every student can thrive. If you would like to contribute or offer feedback, please contact Mrs Crowther - c.crowther@southcraven.org
Car Parking
Please can we remind parents, that to ensure student safety, if they are dropping off their children off at school, that they must drive round and stop on the bus circle and not stop on the small roundabout.
This Term
The Autumn Term has been a busy and exciting one, with a wide range of enrichment opportunities available to all students.
Students were offered over 30 weekly enrichment clubs, including art, debate, Duke of Edinburgh (DofE), revision sessions, and a variety of sports. Alongside this, students took part in 23 enrichment trips, including visits to IKEA, Leeds Beckett University, Stratford-upon-Avon, and London’s West End, among many others.
Our sport teams have had a fantastic Autumn term including 61 Fixtures, 3 Primary Festivals and 2 Leadership events with Skipton Tennis Centre. A huge well done to all our brilliant cross country runners who raced in the Keighley and Craven Schools XC league. There was outstanding effort from all of our runners and some great placings. The final placing will be given at the end of the cross-country season, once all five races are complete.
This Half Term, some of our Year 8 students who are interested in medical routes had the opportunity to visit The University of Leeds to attend a Medicine and Dentistry Taster Day.
With such a broad range of opportunities on offer, there has truly been something for everyone, enabling students to explore new interests, develop key skills, and gain valuable experiences beyond the classroom.
A huge thank you to all staff for their support with these enrichment activities. Today we will enjoy fantastic Christmas assemblies for all students.
Broadway and Beyond
A huge well done to our very talented cast of Broadway and Beyond for three fabulous sell-out shows! If you were lucky enough to get a ticket, we’re sure you will agree how amazing it was.
Between the band, cast and production crew, 150 students were involved, making it the most popular enrichment activity this half term. Head of Performance Mrs Crowther said, “Wow what a show! So much talent on stage! It was lovely to be able to showcase so many amazing students! Although the show is on for 3 nights what many don’t see is the months of hard work from all the students to learn their lines, the choreography, music and lyrics! All students really did “perform, believe and achieve” every night!
Mock Exams
Congratulations to our Year 11 and 13 students who have recently sat a very tough series of mock exams to prepare them for the challenges of their GCSE / A Level exams in the summer. Their behaviour and attitudes throughout the process were superb and a credit to the school. They definitely deserve their Christmas break!
Social Media
Please make sure you follow us on our social media channels (Instagram and Facebook), where we showcase student successes, news, photos and more.
Our PE and Performing Arts Faculty also have their own Instagram accounts, where they share their latest updates and exclusive photos and videos.
Next Half Term
School closes today at 12:20pm and reopens on Tuesday 6 January 2026. Next term will be busy as always with various events to look forward to including:
- Monday 5 January – Staff Training Day – school will be closed to all students
- Thursday 15 January - Year 12 Progression Evening – 6pm start
- Friday 16 January – Year 11 Mocks Results’ morning
- Thursday 22 January – Year 13 Performance Showcase – 6pm start
- Monday 26 January – SPM reports issued to all year groups
- Thursday 29 January – Year 12 Consultation Evening – 4pm start
- Thursday 12 February – This is Year 9 Parents’ Event – 4pm start
A Few Words from Mrs A Taylor, Head of School
As we close the doors for Christmas and go into our festive break.
We’d like to share fond wishes as new memories you are about to make.
When we reflect on this year, we’d like to say thank you to all.
It’s now time to relax, as Santa and his friends do call.
There’s been teaching, trips, clubs and assemblies galore.
It’s been a busy year here at South Craven, that’s for sure.
Enjoy every minute of this holiday and have a well-deserved rest,
To each and every one, we wish you all the best!
And Finally...
As always, I want to thank parents for their strong support this term and I would like to wish all students, parents and staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Please get in touch with me if you have any feedback about any aspect of school life.
All the best,
Martyn Hill
Headteacher
