We are very grateful to everyone, including our staff, pupils and parents, who contribute to ensuring the school’s and our pupils’ success:

‘On behalf of the Corinium Education Trust and Cirencester Deer Park School’s Local Governing Body, I would very much like to convey my huge ‘thank you’ to all staff at the end of what has been a very successful year. Simply looking at the latest news on the school’s website reveals the great richness of experiences provided for our young people in addition to their more formal studies. The feedback I get from parents always highlights the professional and engaging approach of staff which was the determining factor in their choice of school for their son or daughter. The ambition to be the best in what we do is evident in all of the school events which I attend and the conversations which I have with staff. There is no doubt in my mind that Cirencester Deer Park School is an amazing place of which to be part. That does not happen without the considerable efforts, passions and contributions of all staff – for which I thank you again. Now comes a time of rest and of spending vacation time away from school to recharge our batteries and renew our energies. I wish everyone a glorious summer.’ Graham Russell, Chair of Trustees and Local Governing Body.

Throughout the school year, but especially towards the end, we see some staff movement. This year is no exception. As this term draws to a close we say goodbye to a number of teachers. Most are moving on for preferment, while others are embarking on new adventures:

• Miss Jackson and Mr Davis, who joined our English Faculty for the year, are off to Beaufort Cooperative Academy in Gloucester and Pershore High School respectively;
• Mrs Charleston is leaving us to take up a new leadership position in Maths at Swindon New College;
• Miss Rubringer has been promoted to the post of Head of Computing and Digital Learning at Dean Close School;
• Mrs Wright is returning to Severn Vale School in Quedgeley after 9 years to take up the post of Head of Languages;
• Mrs Oram will be moving closer to her home in Oxfordshire when she joins the team at Heyford Park School as Deputy Director of Science;
• Miss Rose is taking a break from teaching and moving to Devon where she plans to create her own studio and work as an artist;
• Mrs Parker, after 23 years at the school, is looking forward to her career break too. However, as a cookery teacher she hopes to continue in this field, but in a different capacity and context.

As these departures have been planned, our priority has been recruitment. We have been very pleased with the calibre of candidates applying for teaching and support staff posts at the school. In September 2018 we will be welcoming new members of staff who bring with them a range of experience and expertise. Many have already visited the school and, because of our timetable change in June, they have already met some of their classes and, in the case of our new Year 7s, their tutor groups:

• Mr Ellen will join our Maths Faculty as Assistant Head of Faculty, and Mrs Brunt, formerly our Maths Tutor, begins the new school year as a part time teacher of Maths;
• Mrs Farbus and Miss Tricker, both experienced teachers, will join our English faculty;
• Miss Dearing and Miss Simpson will join our Design Faculty;
• Mrs Mustoe, who is returning to the school, will join our Science Faculty;
• Miss Laws and Miss Ellis will join our Humanities, RP, Citizenship and PSHEe teams;
• Mr Scarrott will join our Languages Faculty as a teacher of French and Spanish;
• Mr Young will join two of our subject teams, PE and Computing and ICT.

Mrs Stephens, our Year 8 Year Leader, is also leaving us to go to university to study Psychology. We wish her good luck in her future studies. Mrs Reynolds, currently our SEN Learning Leader will move into this position from September. She is already looking forward to introducing herself to the year group and tutor team.

Sadly we also say goodbye to Mrs Wyatt who is retiring. She has held a variety of positions in the school, but most recently has fulfilled the role of English Tutor. She has worked closely with many of our pupils for whom English is an additional language and she has provided invaluable support for small groups of learners. Her targeted interventions have helped pupils of different abilities to achieve more.

We congratulate Miss Mulcahy, Head of Expressive Arts. She is getting married in August and she will return in September as Mrs Gleed. We also pass on our best wishes to Mrs Sarna (Science) and Miss Quinn (RP), both of whom are expecting babies this summer and will be taking periods of maternity leave.

To ensure we all share the same high expectations and continue to improve every aspect of our school, all new staff follow an induction programme and everyone engages in further professional development.