Summer Message from Mr Spalding
We have had an incredibly busy summer term and a really busy year as a whole. Right up until the end our community has been fantastic and shown a wonderful spirit of adventure and care.
This term we have had many amazing events and achievements. Our years 9,10, and 11 completed their GCSE exams and did us all proud. Their attitude and application were absolutely first class.
Our departing class of 2024 had a simply magical prom at Mannington Hall. It was so wonderful to have them all together to celebrate this rite of passage.
Our silver Duke of Edinburgh students completed their expedition in the pouring rain but it couldn’t dampen their wonderful team spirit. What a tremendous demonstration of resilience and teamwork.
Our sports day was a riot of colour as always and was won, once again by Holkham. Wolterton won the overall inter house sports competition. Despite this it was Mannington who won the overall inter house trophy for the second year in succession. We celebrated these and other achievements in our joyous celebration assemblies at the end of term. Over 800 certificates were distributed from years 7-10.
Our production of Oliver was an absolute triumph. I was so proud of the way that our students, supported by our wonderful staff, were able to perform with such joy and confidence. We had great audiences who have such positive feedback about the show experience.
This week we have had a wonderful work experience and activities week. So many of our youngsters have had simply fantastic experiences in the work place and out and about on trips, visits, and residentials.
What all of the above have in common is that they are made possible by the wonderful team of staff that we have here at Aylsham High. We are so privileged to have so many wonderful professionals who are so generous with their time and their expertise. If you do get the chance as a parent/carer or student to say thank you to them please do. It means the absolute world to them.
This term we say goodbye to some well-loved colleagues and to some colleagues who have been with us on a temporary basis. Goodbye and thank you to Mr Kemp who has worked with us this year in drama and enterprise. Goodbye also to Miss Spink who worked with us this year in our history team providing maternity cover. We wish you both well. We also say a fond farewell to Mr Carrick as he moves on to the next stage of his career. I know that Mr Carrick has been an immense support to many youngsters and will be hugely missed. We also say goodbye to Mrs Flatters who retires after 19 years as parent support advisor for the Aylsham Cluster of schools. You have been an absolute legend and such a great support to parents, carers, and families across the Aylsham area.
We welcome some new colleagues to AHS. Miss Lawson has joined our English team and Mrs Everson joins our business and enterprise team. They are great teachers and we wish them every success during their time at Aylsham High.
We will start the new academic year in September with a brand new building- The Humphry Repton building- which will house our geography and history teams. We will also have a rolling programme of toilet upgrades in the main building taking place during the autumn term which will completely update these vital student spaces. We will also begin work on our community sports building which will bring a new members gym to Aylsham. These promise to be hugely exciting developments for our community. Our contractors Ovamill have been fantastic throughout our building projects so far this year. Their sponsorship of a climbing wall on our TACT Families family learning day was especially generous.
After 16 years in charge it remains as big a privilege and honour to lead this school as it did back on day one in September 2008. Headship remains the greatest job in the world in the greatest school I know- Aylsham High School.
It just remains for me to wish everyone a wonderful summer break and to thank you for all the support you have given us over the year. Have fun. Stay safe. See you soon.
Love and best wishes
Duncan Spalding
