Dear parent

Welcome to the new Grammar Notes! You have found your way in! Easy, wasn’t it?!

You will notice that Grammar Notes in this format is a series of articles. There are two ways to navigate through these. You can either scroll up or down, or click on the tabs in the box on the left of a desktop, or at the top on a mobile device. When scrolling, you will notice that when you get to the end of one article, the next one will pop up if you keep scrolling. The tabs to the left or at the top are a summary of the articles available to view. Clicking on them will take you directly to that article. You will also see, at the top of the page, links to the GrammarNet (Parent Portal) and our calendar, and the desktop version also has links to our website, facebook page and Twitter account.

We have started with Mrs Doherty in the office being the only person who can create and publish content within the new system. Staff are receiving an overview and professional development with the idea being that we end up with a significant number of creators taking photos and videos and/or writing content to publish to you and the wider community. We can create content within the system and with a few clicks send it to our Facebook page, Twitter account, email to you or save it just for Grammar Notes. We will also introduce pupil reporters who will create engaging content to share with you by capturing learning, teaching and the day-to-day life at our school.

We hope you like this new format, and welcome your feedback. We want to embrace the technological era we are in and use it where it can make a difference and improve what we are aiming to do. Using this tool will save Mrs Doherty approximately four hours every Tuesday putting together the old Grammar Notes, then to have it not widely read. We view this as a great tool to enhance communication and share what is happening in and around our school in an engaging and simple manner. We hope you do, too.

Hockey and netball come to an end this week. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who has represented our school each and every week and played with true Grammar determination, grit and respect for the opposition and umpires. Thank you, too, to the parent and Grammarian coaches, managers and umpires. We very much appreciate all you have done to ensure the sports’ programme is a success. Thank you, also, to the staff who have coached, managed and supported teams, especially Miss Tattershaw, Ms McCormack and Mr Matai for your organization.

With winter waning, the Cricket season approaches, and we will be sending home a survey in the next few days about cricket for the upcoming season. Please keep an eye out for this and reply by the deadline so we can make decisions in time, before club registrations are due.

I wish our Y7&8 Cantamaths teams all the very best for the big event on Wednesday. It is a white-hot atmosphere and a real test of thinking calmly under pressure. I look forward to seeing you in action!

Three sleeps to go…Beat The Teachers is nearly here! Uh oh! Lucy Vance, Nicole Vance and Finella Guttman vs Mr Bertie, Mr Foster and me. Two laps each around Cranmer Square – fast and furious. These girls are Canterbury rep cross-country runners. I’m nearly 46 and don’t run. What could possibly go wrong?! It is all for a great cause: to raise money for a kidney for Maddie Collins and/or the Kidney Foundation. Thank you to those who have sponsored either the girls or the teachers using the buckets in the Girls’ School or the school office. The Race takes place at 1.00pm on Friday in Cranmer Square and the whole school is coming out to watch. [No pressure then! Editor] It would be great to raise as much money as we can so please come along, have a laugh at me, and sponsor either the girls or the teachers. I secretly think the girls are panicking…they wouldn’t want to lose to three teachers…the banter back and forth has been great!

See you on Friday!