12th July 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
End of Year 2022-23 letter to Parent and Carers
This letter is to inform you of the end of term arrangements and the back to school in September start dates.
But firstly, I would like to extend our thanks to all our pupils and their families and carers for supporting the school through one of its most important years in the long history of a special SEMH school in St Helens. We moved into our new school in the middle of the term in November 2022, when we should have been in for the new school year. The pupil’s struggled with the change and the disruption. However, I am glad to say that things are really starting to settle down, and we have big plans and many new and experienced staff starting with us in September.
Our school is growing all the time as St Helens and other surrounding local authorities request places with us. We will only have 3 places in September out of our 65-number allocated to us from the Local Authority, and I already have pupils ready to fill the spaces.
I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute and say thank you to our Deputy Head Teacher, Mr David Francis. Many of you know him and have worked with him to support your children in their time here at Willow Bank. Mr Francis will still work at Willow Bank- but he is taking up a supporting role at the Local Authority for a year working on Behaviour and Attendance. He will be at Willow Bank for two days a week as a teacher.
I am sure you would all join with me and thanking Mr Francis for his service to the school, especially in the early days of Covid, when he was acting head, and keeping everyone safe. We at Willow Bank wish him well in his new position with the Local Authority.
Mrs Nicola Laughton has been promoted to Deputy Head Teacher, and we wish her well for this in the new year. We have a new Assistant Head Teacher joining us, Ms Kimberley Buck.
Last day of term arrangements
Wednesday 19th of July 2023 – ALL pupils finish at 12.15pm. They will have lunch before they go home.
September 2023 new year
ALL pupils back in on Wednesday 6th of September 2023 8.45am start as always.
I hope that you all have a happy, safe and enjoyable summer break and look forward to seeing you all in September,
Yours sincerely
Anne Kyle
Head teacher