March 13

There have been some wonderful Arnold events in recent weeks and it has been good to see so many parents here at school. Thank you for your continued support; it is much appreciated.

Last Friday's fourth annual Evening of Swing was a great success, when almost 200 guests enjoyed the playing of the Swing Band and of our new soul group, Got Soul.  As ever, the musicianship was excellent and this year it was complemented by some excellent singing from Claire Harborne, Amy Atkinson, Lauren Au, Serena Barnett, Lydia Bourhill, Tom Hammond and Amy Clark.  Well done to them all. To think that the first such event four years ago attracted 60 guests and now we have to put up the "Sold Out" signs!

Our sports teams have been busy and there are reports elsewhere on the website of our many successes.  In particular our 7-a-side rugby teams have achieved some wonderful things on their travels and, as ever, Miss DeMiranda's hockey teams have been very successful. Congratulations to the U15 XV, which has made the Lancashire Cup final, an achievement matched only by our girls' hockey teams in recent years. The recent exploits of the Junior School sportsmen and women give a great deal of encouragement for the future, and Mr. Storey, Mr. Hodgkinson and Mrs. Cole are clearly getting a great deal out of their young charges. 

I spent yesterday at the UCST annual group conference at the British Library in London. One of the many benefits of our membership of the Trust is the access to high quality events like this and yesterday was no exception. It was also a privilege to be accompanied by Charlotte Lane and Aimee Desmond of Year 9, winners of an essay competition, who joined fellow prizewinners from the other Trust schools. The girls were excellent ambassadors for Arnold, as was Samantha Lunn of our MFL department who gave a presentation to the conference. With such talented young teachers in place and with access to top quality training through UCST, our children are in very safe hands indeed.

Might I draw your attention to the forthcoming Arnold Lecture. This year our guest speaker is Dr Steven Mannion OA. Recently the subject of the TV Superdoctor series with Professor Robert Winston, Dr Mannion will talk about his work as a surgeon and his charity Feet First. Held at 7.30pm on Friday 27th March this promises to be one of those special Arnold events that you will wish you had not missed, so do try to join us. I will say the same about The Armed Man, this year's choral concert.  Miss it at your peril!

Parents will know that I have recently been in touch regarding social networking sites such as Facebook.  I would be very grateful for your support with this issue and please don't hesitate to get in touch if, in turn, you would like any support with this new technology.

The majority of the U6th students are now in receipt of university offers and so have been given the added incentive of a target to aim for, not least the seven or so with offers to read Medicine or Dentistry. Well done to them all - and good luck to those parents nursing them through what is often an anxious period!

Thank you for your continued support for this fine school.

Kind regards

Barry Hughes

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Date: Friday 13/03/2009