Anticipation is building for the House Music competition next week and tickets are available from the link elsewhere int he Friday Flyer. A cold snap is forecast for next week, so do keep an eye on the website and/or Teams for announcements regarding any adverse weather. Of course, we put pupil and staff safety first, but we do endeavour to ensure that school remains open as far as possible; should the worst happen, I would remind you that the traditional "snow day" is no longer with us, and lessons etc will be delivered remotely via Teams.

You will know that independent schools face challenging times and the budget over half term has put further pressure on the Foundation's finances with the increase to National Insurance contributions and national minimum wage changes. This comes on top of the imposition of VAT on fees and the removal of business rates relief. We realise that this is an unsettling time for parents and there is a degree of anxiety about the finances of the school as well as your own personal circumstances. We are looking at putting an information sheet for parents which will seek to provide some clarity on how your fees are spent at the school and, I hope, a degree of reassurance for the future. As you can imagine, the situation is complex and changing but we would hope to have that with you in the next fortnight or so.

Finally, on a different note, the 1st XV play RGS Newcastle in a keenly competitive match at Kingston Park this evening. It is also a memorable occasion for the boys as they play at a professional ground and I wish them well against the old rival.

Mr K McLaughlin

Principal