Dear Parents/Carers,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Headteacher of Altrincham College.

I am very fortunate and indeed, privileged, to have been selected by our Governors and Trust to take up this post and am excited about working alongside our staff to take this wonderful school on to the next leg of its journey. Having completed my first week here, I have been impressed by the high standards of teaching and learning and the levels of support our students are given. Students have been polite and courteous when speaking with me and keen to tell me about all the things the school does well and what might be improved, as you can imagine!

It is very important to me that we maintain high standards and ensure that every aspect of school life is as excellent as it can be. I am ambitious for our students. This week my assemblies have had a focus on the future, thinking about how we can support our young people to get the best from their time here and go on to flourish in a complex and demanding world. By that I mean I want them to leave here with the highest qualifications they can possibly achieve, knowing how to conduct themselves well, how to look after themselves and keep themselves safe, how to grasp opportunities and how to live life to the full, whilst making valuable contributions to society along the way.

Thank you for supporting us this week as we ensure students wear correct uniform. For the girls, skirt lengths need to be respectable at all times and make-up should not be discernible. A reminder too that jewellery is not permitted. For the boys, shoes must be worn (no trainers) and shirts should be tucked in. Adhering to these rules helps us all to keep the focus on the teaching and learning.

As a response to student voice and as part of a regular review of our offer, your child will also notice some changes to the canteen menu over coming weeks. We are trialling healthier options at break and lunchtime, with taster sessions for students and staff. We also hope to gradually increase our vegetarian and gluten-free offer whilst at the same time keeping prices down. I feel this is a very positive move in educating young people in making better nutritional choices and we welcome their feedback on these changes.

Thank you very much for your ongoing support of our school. Altrincham College will remain a vibrant learning community where young people thrive and grow and I will do my utmost to ensure our school goes from strength to strength in the coming years. I look forward to meeting you at Parents’ Evenings and other school events.

Ms. K. Earle
Headteacher