Monday 1st Dec | Head of School Letter
While the cold weather might have settled in last week, the atmosphere inside the school was anything but chilly, with lots of exciting learning and high-level extra and supra-curricular opportunities taking place across the year groups.
We saw fantastic engagement, from our Year 7 and 8 students attending a fascinating farming talk and our all-girl quadcopter team competing in the National Final, to our Year 13 Biologists and Human Biologists enriching their A-Level studies at the University of Birmingham. Additionally, the entire High School Musical cast and crew were polishing their final performances, ready for Wednesday's curtain up! Well done to Year 7 and 8 for completing their reading assessments in the main hall this week – we were very impressed with the way they handled the challenge successfully. It has been a really rewarding week!
National Quadcopter Final
Our all-girl Year 8 team were fantastic ambassadors for the school at the recent National Quadcopter Final competition. While they didn't place in the top three this year, the girls were, by far, the youngest team competing and showed tremendous character. Mr Clawson, along with Mrs Hutley, commented on how proud they were of the team's performance. They managed the rush hour Tube, presented their work to a room full of adults, and demonstrated every one of the 6Cs, alongside a huge amount of evidence of Healthy Relationships. The team is already planning their strategy for next year! Congratulations to Erin W, Ava B, Penny B, Phoebe C, and Emily F on their outstanding effort and commitment.
A-Level Science Live
I had the joy of accompanying Mrs Smith and our Year 13 Biologists and Human Biologists to A-Level Biology Live at the University of Birmingham on Monday last week. Students had the invaluable opportunity to listen to several Biology Professors share their latest research, directly linking cutting-edge science to the A-Level Biology and AAQ Human Biology specifications. All the speakers encouraged students to consider careers as research scientists. Highlights included Professor Gilly Forrester demonstrating how non-invasive stress tests can measure a person's stress levels by detecting heat in their face - see her research here: Your nose gets colder when you're stressed. These thermal images show the change, and Dr Tim Lamont took students on a journey through coral reef ecology and regeneration engineering. Professor Jennifer Rohn also shared the infectious nature of laughter, explaining that a close connection to the person laughing increases the likelihood of joining in. During the event, a chief examiner gave two excellent sessions focused on mastering exam techniques and effectively managing command terms in exams. Thanks to Mrs Smith for organising the trip and expertly driving the minibus to the centre of Birmingham and back!
High School Musical: Show Week is Here!
The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here! GET READY FOR EAST HIGH! The entire school is buzzing as our phenomenal cast and crew shift into performance mode for High School Musical. This is it: the curtains go up this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! Every ticket has been snapped up, and the dedicated team - who are now truly All in This Together - have been polishing their final notes, dazzling choreography, and dramatic moments. We can promise audiences an electrifying, spectacular show that will have you soaring, flying and singing Breaking Free all the way home. Thank you to all the families of cast and crew who have supported the show through picking up/dropping off for after school and weekend rehearsals. Thanks also go to our most incredible Performing Arts teachers, Miss Mayhew, Mrs Pinto and Mrs Holmes for all their energy, enthusiasm and encouragement - Prepare, Aspire, Succeed all the way!
Farming Talk
We were delighted this week to welcome Tracy, a local farmer from Bucksum in Long Crendon, who delivered an insightful and engaging talk to our Year 7 and 8 students. Tracy provided a fantastic real-world perspective on modern agriculture, covering crucial topics such as sustainability, tackling food waste, and the importance of eating seasonal vegetables. Students learned firsthand about the daily challenges faced by farmers, from managing unpredictable weather patterns and dealing with pests, to understanding the wider economic demands of running a local business. This session brilliantly supported our Science curriculum by connecting key concepts like climate change and ecosystems directly to the local environment and global issues, while also highlighting diverse career pathways in food science, agriculture, and sustainability. Tracy and her husband, David, were recently named two of the NFU's Community Farming Heroes 2025. If you’d like to learn more and support local, the Bucksum farm shop is open every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning. You can find more details at: Bucksum Thanks goes to Mrs Moore and the Science team for organising this opportunity.
Annual Christmas Food Bank Collection
A reminder that the final day to send in foodbank donations is Friday 5th December 2025. Thank you for the wonderfully generous donations already made to support those in need during the holidays.
Changes to the Detention System
A reminder that the new detention system starts from today, Monday 1st December 2025.
TCS Safeguarding Newsletter
The latest Safeguarding newsletter from Mrs Hankin, DSL has been published: TCS Safeguarding Newsletter November 2025
Free Parenting and Youth Support Sessions
Buckinghamshire Family Service have released the dates for free parenting and youth sessions, for the period of January – March 2026. These sessions are expertly designed to empower parents, children, and young people by helping them build stronger relationships, improve emotional wellbeing, and develop practical skills for everyday life.
Parent Courses
- Parent Puzzle Workshops (0–5 years): Fun and practical sessions to help parents understand their child’s behaviour and build a calmer, happier home.
- Little Talkers (18 months–3 years): Relaxed sessions for parents and their child to support speech and language development through play, songs, and routines.
- The Nurturing Programme (3–11 years): Learn new ways for parents to connect with their child, manage behaviour calmly, and strengthen family relationships.
- Talking Teens (11–18 years): Support for parents to improve communication with their teenager and reduce conflict.
- Keeping Your Child in Mind (All Ages): For parents who want to reflect on their own relationships and parenting style to make changes that can positively impact your child’s emotional wellbeing.
Young People’s Courses
- How to… Build Confidence and Self-Esteem: Help your teenager feel better about themselves, build resilience, and navigate peer pressure and social media.
- How to… Cope with Stress, Anxiety and Low Mood: Equip your teenager with tools to manage their emotions and take steps toward a more positive future.
Children’s Courses
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Wellbeing Matters (Ages 7–11): A fun one-day workshop to help children understand their feelings, build confidence, and learn how to get along with others.
All sessions are delivered by experienced practitioners in a welcoming, inclusive environment. To view all available courses, group details, and to book a free place, please visit the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website: View courses, groups, and support | Family Information Service
Brook Parent/Carer RSE at Home Feedback Survey
Brook delivers free RSE (Relationships & Sex Education) at Home webinars to support parents and carers who want to feel more confident talking to their children about relationships and sex. These conversations can sometimes feel tricky – that’s why the Brook sessions offer practical tips and guidance to help you start and continue these important discussions at home. Brook are looking for parent/carer feedback to help them shape future sessions and resources that better support families across Buckinghamshire. Complete the quick survey for a chance to win a £15 Amazon voucher! They won’t ask for your name, and your answers will remain anonymous. The survey link is here: http://bit.ly/4hRrNzd Brook’s Parent and Carer webpage (advice, guidance and free resources) is here: RSE at home - parents and carers
Sports Report
This week brought a couple of key fixtures to the schedule, with some excellent performances from our students, particularly the U16s Rugby team, who completed their fixtures against Royal Latin undefeated—a brilliant achievement for the squad!
Our Year 7 B Netball team battled hard against AVA but unfortunately lost 16-0. The Year 9 Boys Football team played an exciting, high-scoring match but were narrowly defeated by Kingsbrook with a final score of 6-4. Our Year 10 Football team wrapped up the week with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Buckingham. Oliver H was named Player of the Match, scoring both crucial goals for TCS!
A number of other fixtures unfortunately had to be re-arranged, but we look forward to seeing those results next week!
Assemblies
Assemblies this week have a Careers theme, with each year group having a different assembly relevant to their age and next steps. Thanks to Mrs Gunn for organising five different assemblies and external speakers. Please see below for a copy of the assemblies
- Year 7 Your Intro to Careers Education
- Year 8 Aylesbury UTC
- Year 9 Aylesbury UTC
- Year 10 Bucks College Group
- Year 11 Aylesbury UTC
Year 7-11 Flu vaccinations take place today (Monday 1st).
Year 13 Parents Evening is on Tuesday this week.
Year 11 Students are off to London on Friday for GCSE Science Live.
Year 9 End of KS3 Science Exams take place on Friday.
Have a great week; thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School