It has been a very busy start to the second half of the summer term, with some additional entries this week from the very end of last term. We are busy in College preparing for the next academic year, setting the calendar and finalising the timetable, as well as all of the iCAS, iCAS Xtra and trip opportunities for 2025-26. More details on this soon! Our year 11s continue their GCSE exams throughout most of June, and we are very proud of their commitment and sustained hard work. Ms Sale also welcomed year 6 parents and carers into College this week for a Principal’s Coffee Morning and Tour; more of these can be booked via TicketSource for the next couple of weeks ahead of the transition days. 

We will also be sharing a parent feedback survey shortly; please watch out for this next week. 

Ardeche Trip 

Year 8 had an amazing time in the Ardeche last week despite a rather eventful journey there with a broken down coach and long ferry delays! The students spent a very sunny week camping at Base du Cros, enjoying a variety of outdoor pursuits from zip lines and high ropes to swimming in the river and raft building. They also visited a local French market and caves, before embarking on the Ardeche kayaking expedition, a 32km 2-day canoe excursion. As always we are exceptionally grateful to the staff who gave up their half term to support the trip. 

Hadestown 

It was second time lucky for our students going to see Hadestown in the West End at the very end of last term, after the first performance was cancelled by the theatre just before the curtain was due to go up! By all accounts it was worth the wait, and the students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the performance. 

Gold D of E 

This week our sixth formers have been on their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expedition to the Lake District, align with students from Chesterton Sixth Form and Cambridge Maths School. They walked for a gruelling three days to help them prepare for their final expedition, as well as wild camping and a number of training activities. We look forward to hearing about how they get on with their final expedition in Snowdonia! 

Carnegie Mental Health Award 

Finally, I am delighted to be able to share that IVC has been reaccredited at the Gold level of the School Mental Health Award, which is delivered by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools. The College was awarded the Gold standard for its outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision for the third time in a row following a rigorous reaccreditation process. The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools have confirmed that Impington is the first UK secondary school to have been reaccredited at Gold level for a third time, since the Award was introduced in 2017. The Award recognises the continued emphasis in College on promoting positive  mental health and wellbeing amongst staff and students, and the work that our leaders do in sharing best practice both locally and nationally.