Ardres 2015: Clothing orders

We are able to include a printed T-shirt in the total price and there is also the option to order a personalised hoodie (name across the back) for £21.  These come in a variety of colours and sizes.

Parents have been emailed with a link to a Google form to fill in with your preferences.  If ordering the hoodie, you will need to pay an extra £21.  Please let me know if you need me to re-send the link to the form.  The sooner the better with these please as I will need to send off the order later in the term and it will save me having to chase you up.  Thank you to those who have already filled it in.

Ski Trip 2015: Update 2

Not only Ardres but also the ski trip, it's been a crazy couple of weeks ...

Fantastic news today as we were able to confirm that Skibound have agreed to increase our booking to include all those who applied by Monday's deadline and Mr Mathias has agreed to join the staff. Our thanks are due to Mr Warner and Mrs O'Neill-Roe who have worked hard behind the scenes to make this happen.

Watch this space for further updates.

Ardres 2015: Update 4

Good news all round.  We are going to be able to take all 46 pupils who applied to go by the deadline last Friday.  This is the maximum capacity of our village at the site.  I also have a couple of pupils in reserve who have asked if there are any more places, so there shouldn't be a problem if anyone needs to drop out.

I am hopeful that I will shortly be able to circulate a Google form to order clothing.  Watch this space and your email inboxes.

Full steam ahead ...

Ardres 2015: Update 3

Bookings for the trip are now closed and deposits have been paid.  I have been very pleased with the on-line form and the website which made the whole process much easier, whilst providing pupils and parents with more and better information.  I have received some good feedback and I am convinced that this is the way to go when launching trips, so expect more of that in the future.

I am now working to try to fit in all the pupils who applied.  The absolute maximum that the company can accommodate is 46 pupils if every available bed is occupied.  How many pupils are on my list in total?  You guessed it, 46.  Of course, it is more complicated than that and the actual maximum number depends on the number of girls (we obviously can't have mixed tents) and how the staff need to be accommodated.  I shall try to finalise that on Monday and let you (and Acorn) know.

So far so good, and thank you for your support.  Please email at any time if you have any queries.

Ski Trip 2015: Update 1

Owing to rather unprecedented and unexpected demand for places, the original 27 had all been taken within 24 hours of the letters being emailed out yesterday morning!  Understandably, there were some disappointed people today.

Please be assured that we are working on this and initial indications suggest that it is possible that we may be able to secure some more places and staff in order to accommodate the people currently on the reserve list.  Please do continue to bring in forms (directly to Mrs O'Neill-Roe) if you would like to go so that we can see how many extra places we need to try to get.  No promises, but we're doing all we can.  Watch this space and your email inbox.

Ardres 2015: Update 2

We have now filled the original 40 places.  However, this does not mean that the trip is full or that nobody else can come.  It is still important that anyone else who wishes to come fills in the on-line form to book a place on the reserve list, and this needs to be done by the end of the week.  I can then look into the possibility of getting a few more places, which is actually quite likely.  I do, however, need to know how many people, and the order in which they applied, hence the need to fill in the form.

It is also useful to have a few people in reserve as there are many reasons why people might change their minds or circumstances and have to pull out, and then others can be slotted in.  In the end, we very often manage to take all those who wish to go.

I am, of course, delighted at the enthusiastic response to the trip and the fact that we are going to be able to do it for the lowest price.

Ski Trip 2015: Serre Chevalier

This year's December ski trip is launching today.  Details are contained in the letter which is being emailed to all parents of pupils in years 7 to 10.  Copies of the letter and application form are also available from Mr Court, Mrs Liley and Mr Edlin, as well as the front reception desk.  I believe it will also be on the 'Letters home' section of the College website.

The completed booking form and £250 deposit need to be handed directly to Mrs O'Neill-Roe (and nobody else) by Monday 9th Feb.

Updates will be posted here.

Ardres 2015: Update 1

Recruitment is going well.  The minimum number for the trip to take place is 25 and we are now standing at just over 30 bookings.  The maximum we can take is 40, or possibly 42 if I can recruit more staff, so there aren't very many places left.  Don't leave it until the end of the week if you're thinking of booking up, as several more children have told me they are sure they are coming and we might run out of places.  I am also very hopeful that we will only need to charge the lowest price (which requires at least 35 pupils).