On Monday 13 June 2022, Headteacher Chiquita Henson and her team warmly welcomed parents and pupils in Year 5 to Cirencester Deer Park School’s first Year 5 Open Morning of 2022 before our visitors had the opportunity to tour the school with pupils from our (new) Year 11. At Deer Park we roll our timetable forward in June and all pupils move up a year group. This enables us to maintain the momentum of learning throughout the academic year and creates the space for us to plan for our new pupils’ Induction Days in July and, more widely, for September!

This was the first Year 5 Open Morning for over two years, as those provisionally scheduled in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled owing to the pandemic. Although families had limited access to key areas of the school site owing to our Class of 2022 sitting their final GCSE Mathematics exam paper in the Sports Hall, or because of the formal moderation of the exhibition of pupils’ GCSE Art and Textiles work in our Art rooms, they were able to see and experience the school in session. The good weather also meant they could see our outdoor sports’ facilities.

Year 5 pupils who had the first tours on Monday 13 June are all currently at primary schools which are part of The Corinium Education Trust.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Cirencester Deer Park School will be hosting additional Year 5 Open Mornings and, to help primary school headteachers and their staff plan, pupils from local schools have been invited to look around on specific days. We also have two dates for pupils from 'out of area' schools. All parents/carers and their Year 5 children who wish to attend one of these Year 5 Open Mornings MUST book a place in advance.

• Monday 20 June (9.15am to 10.45am) – Out of Area Schools. Please read Year 5 Open Mornings Invitation - Out of Area Schools. BOOKING NOW CLOSED.

• Wednesday 22 June (9.15am to 10.45am) – Powell’s and Sapperton Primary Schools only. Invitation letters have been sent direct to these primary schools to be distributed to Year 5 parents. BOOKING NOW CLOSED.

• Monday 27 June (9.15am to 10.45am) – Cirencester Primary, Stratton and Watermoor Primary Schools only. Invitation letters have been sent direct to these primary schools to be distributed to Year 5 parents. BOOKING OPEN UNTIL FRIDAY 17 JUNE.

• Monday 11 July (9.15am to 10.45am) – Out of Area Schools. Please read Year 5 Open Mornings Invitation - Out of Area Schools. BOOKING OPEN UNTIL FRIDAY 1 JULY.

‘I was really pleased to be able to meet with prospective pupils and their parents in person this year and I recognised a few familiar faces from our partner schools. It was good to be able to welcome them to the school and to listen to our pupils talk so positively about their experiences as they showed our guests around the school.’ Chiquita Henson.

During her brief welcome, Chiquita Henson, explained how she is moving into the dedicated role of Chief Executive of The Corinium Education Trust in September 2022, and introduced her successor, Richard Clutterbuck, who has been appointed to the post of headteacher at Deer Park from 1 September 2022. Richard Clutterbuck is currently Deputy Headteacher at the school, as well as a parent. He introduced Christine Ellison, who has just moved to being our Year 7 Year Leader, having been our Year 11 Year Leader working closely with pupils in our Class of 2022 over the last 3 years.

Mr Clutterbuck talked briefly about the induction journey and invited all pupils and their parents to come back to the school in September for one of our two Open Mornings (on Monday 19 or Tuesday 20 September) and our Open Evening (Wednesday 28 September). The latter presents an excellent opportunity for prospective pupils and their families to get involved in many of the activities that will be on display and to talk more directly with members of the school’s leadership team and teachers.

On their departure, our guides were commended by our guests, as was what they had seen on their tours.