Landau Forte College

Principal's Message - Summer 2010

This Principal's Message is an extract from the Summer 2010 edition of Newslink. You can download a copy from our Downloads section.

As the academic year comes to an end, we say goodbye and good luck to a number of our students as they move into further or higher education, or employment. Thank you each and all for the contribution you have made to the College and please keep in touch. We look forward to celebrating your examination successes in August.

We must also say goodbye and good luck to those staff who are leaving us. Jacqueline John is retiring from teaching, following 12 years of dedicated and loyal service to the College. There have been many students and their parents who have been supported by Mrs John during this time and many staff whom she has supported, including myself! On behalf of us all, I record our sincere thanks. Mrs John has kindly agreed to support the College visit to China in October; another example of her dedication to duty. During her time as Director of Studies for Languages a real success has been in the development of our China project. Mandarin Chinese is now taught to students in Key Stages 3 and 4 and this year, for the first time, to Year 5 children from one of our local feeder primary schools. Our students have benefited from the exchange with our partner schools in Shanghai and Jin Hua as 8 Chinese teachers have now visited and taught at the College. It is therefore appropriate to wish upon Jacqui “Ping an ru yi”: peace and may every wish come true. However, in recognition of all of the languages taught at the College over Mrs John’s Directorship I should also say: “Alles Gute!”, “¡Hasta la vista y buena suerte!” and of course, “Au revoir et bonne chance!”

Carol McKenzie leaves us after 11 years teaching within ICT and a role co-ordinating Vocational ICT. Carol started her teaching career at the College and was, in fact, a student teacher here. She is moving to another local school where I am certain she will continue to win over students with her inimitable sense of humour.

Peter Butler is moving to work at the Kingsmead School, following his 6 years as Tutor and Curriculum Leader for Religious Education. Pete and I (and many others) have had some very stimulating discussions over the years and we will miss his thoughtful and incisive comments!

Katie Fitchett, from Business Studies will also be leaving us after 5 years. Katie has some exciting plans for her future which include world travel and we wish her well. Katie was of course a student at the College and perhaps after another few years away she will again return!

Welcome to the team to our new staff: Ryan Bathew and Pui Kei Sung, Mathematics; Rebekah Cumberbatch and Rebecca Sinclair, ICT; Jonathan Rodrigruez, Religious Education and Tracy Fazekas, Business Studies. We also welcome some temporary tutors: Christina Sanjurjo, Spanish and Natalie Koromila, Dance to cover the maternity leave of Flavia Holding and Charlene Cresswell. Speaking of which, we have celebrated a number of ‘additions’ to the Landau Forte family this year: Sarah Jones, Natalie Siviter, Carol Noble, Amanda Quinn, Lauren Kirby, Jenny Burton, Louise Harrison, Charlene Cresswell, Richard Holroyd and Nick Harris all have valuable little additions to their families!

Chris Wright has rejoined the team and takes up his post as Director of Learning for Technology in August. Julie Grant, currently Director of Studies for Post 16 also takes up her new post as Vice Principal.

This year we have continued to focus on effective learning and we have seen some exciting developments to support our drive to further improve our core activities. We now have a team of staff and student learning coaches who are working across the College within and between all curriculum areas. Our drive for further improvement in all that we do continues apace and in supporting this we are mid-way through the ICT upgrade which has included an upgrade of all PCs, the installation of Community Connect 4 and Windows 7. Our restaurant has been refurbished and renamed 'Food For Thought' and there will be further refurbishment works carried out over the summer break. Our Site and Building Team are committed to providing the very best for our students and are invaluable, as are our Support Staff, across the College. Together with the Tutorial Staff they make up a formidable team of people whose energy, passion and commitment to young people never ceases to amaze me.

2009-10 has been a very special and significant year, not least for me with my appointment as Principal of the College. We look forward to the opening of Landau Forte Academy, Tamworth and wish Diane Pickering as Principal and all of the staff and students of the Academy the very best for what I know will be a very successful future.

Finally, my sincere thanks go to the students, parents, governors and friends of Landau Forte College for their tireless support. I look forward to welcoming our new students to Year 7 and Year 12: new faces, new people; same place, same mission!

Liz Coffey
Principal