Applications to join Larkmead Sixth Form are now open to external applicants
Published 28/01/25
Latest News
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2025 Arts Festival!
Published 09/06/25Details of the 2025 Arts Festival can be accessed on the link below!
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Update on Leadership at Larkmead School
Published 20/05/25Please see the recent email that has been sent out to all regarding the news.
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LARKMEAD CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2024
Published 25/11/24
Read MoreSIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING 2024
Published 15/11/24Thursday 21st November 2024 with presentation by Head of Sixth Form - Meg Knott
Read MoreLARKMEAD OPEN EVENING 2024
Published 09/07/24
Read MoreLarkmead Open Mornings 2024
Published 12/06/24Larkmead Open Mornings - Wednesday 2nd October, 9th October, 16th October and 23rd October from 9am to 10:30
We look forward to welcoming children and families to our Open Mornings to share our school with you.
Our recent Ofsted visit was our third Good inspection in a row. The report highlights Larkmead’s high aspirations, expectations, ethos and culture, alongside our strengths in behaviour, careers education, curriculum, leadership, pastoral care, personal development, safeguarding, sixth form and teaching & learning.
- This school is a very happy and inclusive place because, as one parent said, pupils ‘are at the heart of what Larkmead does’.
- Pupils are polite and respectful with staff and each other.
- Pupils feel safe and ‘seen’ here.
- Pupils are very clear that the school does not tolerate bullying or prejudicial behaviour.
- The school’s caring ethos ensures it maintains its high expectations, both academically and personally, while also continuing to provide strong support to pupils.
- The school is aspirational for all pupils academically.
- Staff manage behaviour very effectively, through clear expectations and positive relationships with pupils.
- Most pupils behave extremely well, both in lessons and during social time.
- Sixth-form students are excellent role models.
We are as every grateful for the support of parents, reflected in the Ofsted Parent Survey.
To discover what makes Larkmead a happy, successful school and to meet our students and staff, please book a tour.
For booking Open Mornings please use the link below:
BOOKING LINK - OPEN MORNINGS
Best wishes
Jonathan Dennett
Executive Headteacher
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UPDATE #8:
Published 25/01/24Dear students, parents and carers
The issues with our heating and hot water in main block have now been resolved with an initial temporary solution, so all students will return on Friday as planned.
Our external caterers will continue to offer cold food only and only at lunchtime on Friday - Wednesday, with hot food returning on Thursday. We are sorry for this ongoing inconvenience which is out of our control.
We’d like to thank students for the way in which they have managed the start of term in and out of school, and parents and carers for their adaptability and support. We are looking forward to having everyone back together at Larkmead.
Best wishes
Jonathan Dennett
Headteacher
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UPDATE #7: REOPENING INFORMATION
Published 19/01/24Dear students, parents and carers,
I am writing to update you on the progress at Larkmead and plans for the week ahead.
From Monday 22nd January we will be able to increase the number of year groups in school for face-to-face learning once again and will fully open to all students on Friday 26th January 2024.
A timetable has been created for the week (see below), allocating classes to the limited number of classrooms that can be open to students. This timetable model will run for week commencing 22nd January. Remote learning will continue for those days that students are not able to attend school in person.
Monday 22ndJan
Tuesday 23rd Jan
Wednesday 24th Jan
Thursday 25th Jan
Friday 26thJan
Yr 10
Yr 11
Yr 10
Yr 11
All students
Yr 8
Yr 9
Yr 7
Yr 9
All students
Yr 12
Yr 12
Yr 12
Yr 8
All students
Yr 13
Yr 13
Yr 13
Yr 12
All students
Yr 13
All students
Free school meals will be available for those children on the days when they are in school. We will continue to send food vouchers home in line with the government funding for those days when students are not attending. The canteen will be open each lunchtime serving cold food only.
We would like to thank students, parents and carers for your adaptability and patience.
We look forward to being together on Friday 26th January as one community.
Jonathan Dennett
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UPDATE #6: REOPENING INFORMATION
Published 19/01/24Dear students, parents and carers
After a very productive meeting with the insurance team who are coordinating the significant schedule of works, we can confirm that Larkmead will reopen for all students on Friday 26 January.
Years 8, 10, 12 and 13 will be in on Monday 22 January. The rota for Tuesday - Thursday will be shared before the weekend.
The enforced closure has been frustrating for everyone, compounded by issues with the externally supplied generator that have disrupted progress and provision on site. We thank you for your patience and messages of support.
It has been great to have our students back in this week, and we look forward to being together as one community next week.
Best wishes
Jonathan Dennett
Headteacher
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UPDATE #5:
Published 17/01/24Dear parents and carers
It has been great to have Year 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in Larkmead over the course of Monday and Tuesday, with the rota plans continuing on Wednesday – Friday as previously shared.
Year 12 will be on site for the remainder of this week. Year 13 will be directed to remote learning for Thursday and Friday. Details have been shared with the students directly.
While the catering company will be able to offer cold food at lunchtime to those students in school, it has not yet been possible for them to introduce hot food. We will keep students and parents informed of any developments in this area.
A great deal is going on to put in place an initial solution to the significant problem with our boiler house that continues to impact heating and hot water in the majority of the school.
The generator installed on-site by the electricity board has been cutting out for periods of time over Tuesday and now into Wednesday. The electricity board are aware, have attended the site each time and are on site working on things at the time of writing this message. Loss of electricity impacts those teaching areas as well as our internet, IT systems and phones. Contingency plans are being developed. We apologise for any impact on communication to the school and on remote learning.
We have a meeting with the insurance team on Thursday, after which we will be able to provide an update for the week beginning Monday 22 January.
We do appreciate the positive messages from families, alongside the patience and adaptability of students, staff, parents and carers. We will keep you informed as things develop. If you have any questions then please do get in contact with the school.
Best wishes
Jonathan Dennett
Headteacher
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UPDATE #4: MONDAY 15TH
Published 12/01/24Dear students, parents and carers,
I am writing to update you on the progress at Larkmead and plans for the week ahead.
From Monday 15 January we will be able to increase the number of year groups in school for face-to-face learning.
Year 11 has been prioritised as an exam year group, in 4 days a week. Year 10 days aim to balance their core and option lessons. We are looking forward to welcoming all students, checking in, getting back to in-person learning and setting up the week ahead.
Monday 15
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17
Thursday 18
Friday 19
11
10
11
11
11
7
8
10
9
7
A timetable has been created for the week, allocating classes to the limited number of classrooms that can be open to students. This timetable model will run for next week. We will inform staff and parents of further developments in good time. Remote learning will continue for those days that students are not able to attend school in person.
Our external catering company will be able to provide food for the different year groups who are in school each day. This will have to be cold food at the start of the week, but hot food will be in place that week. Free school meals will be available for those children on the days when they are in school. We will continue to send food vouchers home in line with the government funding for those days when students are not attending.
Year 13 are in school for their exams, with remote learning otherwise currently in place for Sixth Form classes. Plans are developing with Abingdon School and St Helens to relocate our Sixth Form teaching temporarily as soon as possible. With around 30 teaching rooms still out of action, relocation enables us to maintain the rota plans above.
We have a large temporary generator on site to supply power to those blocks affected, but we are still without central heating in Main Block (maths, humanities, business studies, PE, science), D&T, kitchens, canteen, school hall, gym, changing rooms, prep rooms and associated offices.
We are without hot water in most of those areas but have hot water in the staff, Key Stage 3 and Sixth Form toilets on the main corridor. While access to toilets is key, having no heating remains the barrier to getting more students back into school and for staff to be able to access their classrooms. The boiler house sustained significant damage, and we are working with the insurance team to understand and address the full impact of the situation, which we know to be very serious.
Those who saw the BBC South news report will have seen the flood levels across the school. The video and photos have been shared with all staff and students and will be on Facebook to share the context.
We would like to thank students, parents and carers for your adaptability and patience. We will keep everyone updated as things develop. If you have any questions, then please do contact the school.
Yours faithfully
Jonathan Dennett
Headteacher