This week, Arts Council England is celebrating the 3,000 Artsmark schools who are ‘putting arts and culture at the heart of education’. St Joseph’s College has been part of the Artsmark community for 10 years, retaining the highest level of Gold awarded by Arts Council England.

Information Communication Technology has been replaced on the National Curriculum by Computing. The aim being to provide pupils with a clearer understanding of how computers, software, the internet and search engines actually work.

When choosing the best school for my son and daughter, I looked very carefully at the opportunities they would have. Opportunities not only academically but in extra-curricular activities, such as music, sports, languages and adventure.

As our Prep School children take to their new and exciting adventure playground, it’s a good time to reflect on the importance of outdoor learning – whether that be in the school grounds or further afield on school trips and excursions.

Much press coverage has been given over to the new GCSE grading system that will be introduced for Mathematics and English this summer. However, many people (including parents and employers) are still confused as to what they mean and why the change was needed in the first place.

School holidays provide a valuable time for teaching staff, allowing us to catch up, reenergise and refocus. Our recent professional development day with Jenny Mosley centred on positive ideas and initiative, creating a team-based and affirming ethos that extends throughout the school.