This has been another very successful term for Thrybergh School & Sports College.We started the term celebrating the best ever GCSE results and the start of our specialist status. From September we became a sports college with Science as our supporting subject and the school changed its name to Thrybergh School and Sports College. The first term as a sports college has been a very busy and exciting one.

Students’ attendance has improved continuously over the last 4 years. The whole school's attendance for Autumn term in 2005 was 81%, leaping to a massive 87.3% in 2006 and is still improving with an average of 89.5% so far this year. Persistent absence (the number of students with less than 80% attendance) continues with a 3.3% improvement since last year. We still have our sights on 92% as a target for overall attendance and we are on track for achieving this.

In November the sports centre was handed over to the school and reopened with some new facilities. If you have not had chance to see the changes, such as the new climbing facilities or the beauty salon, do call in. We are very pleased that the school and the community have been able to keep and improve this leisure facility.

We have been waiting all term for a visit from Ofsted inspectors and we are looking forward to having formal acknowledgement of the progress we have made. At the time of writing no date has been fixed for this visit, but schools are always given less than a week’s notice of an inspection. We will let parents know as soon as we are made aware of the date

At Christmas we say farewell to Mr Cross who is leaving to take up a post as Assistant Head in another school. I am sure you will all join me in wishing him well in his new position

May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support; our success over the last few years has very much been a team effort and we would not have made so much progress so quickly without your support. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

D. Pridding
Headteacher