Latest News

Priory School Open Evening - Thursday, 19th September

Parent Forum - East Sussex Parent Carer Forum

Build a Resilient Child Workshop - Thursday, 6th June at 6pm

We are excited to be hosting a special workshop from our partners Action Your Potential, called ‘Build a Resilient Child’ this Thursday at 6pm. This workshop is for all parents, carers and young people and it is focused on how parents, carers and students themselves can build a resilient brain everyday.  The workshop will also explore the impact of a phone-based childhood on the mental health of young people and offer guidance and solutions based on evidence-based approaches. The presence of smartphones in schools and wider society presents an increasing problem for school leaders to manage, and you may recall that I shared my concerns with parents and carers about the impact of smartphone usage on the developing teenage brain last year. The workshop promises to be exciting, engaging and passionately delivered, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic with parents and carers. You can view a  promo video here, and sign up for the workshop here.  Mr Curtis-Brignell.    

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

It was Neurodiversity Celebration Week in school last week. We have had a week of assemblies helping students understand what we mean by neurodiversity and celebrating neurodiversity here at Priory. Neurodiversity is about recognising that everybody’s brain works differently. Both children and adults have their own unique way of thinking, interacting and experiencing the world.  We more commonly think of neuro diversity as an umbrella term for: ADHD, ASC, Tourette’s and dyslexia. The World Health Organisation say that worldwide 1 in 100 people have autism, here in School we have 94 students with an ASC diagnosis.  ASC and ADHD have to be diagnosed by a psychologist and currently the waiting list to get this done is between two and three years, so there are many more students on the pathway who receive support in school. There are also students with obvious traits who choose not to get a diagnosis. Whilst many of us would recognise traits in ourselves of ASC, ADHD or dyslexia, this does not mean we would get a diagnosis, as the thresholds are high.  If you are concerned that your child does show traits and would benefit from the diagnosis, please make an appointment with your SENDCo or your GP.  There are both positives and negatives of being neurodiverse, but the world is essentially set up for the people who are neurotypical.   Young people with ADHD often have engaging personalities, can be quick decision-makers and have an abundance of enthusiasm for interests.  The positives of autism often include honesty, integrity, logical thinking, hyperlexia and being very detail orientated.  Those with dyslexia can be creative, making connections, visualising ideas, and communicating well. School can be difficult, but many neurodiverse young people go on to achieve great things later in life.   Let us not just be aware but celebrate difference. We can read books and blogs written by neurodiverse people, listen to podcasts, shine, a light on their talents, passions and fortitude. Let’s avoid harmful stereotypes, use positive language be curious, admire and be an advocate. If you’d like to know more, please check out some of the websites below: CLASS+           Amaze            Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust If you would like a book to book an appointment with one of the SENDCos , please click on the link.            

East Sussex Youth Cabinet

We are pleased to announce that Lola G in Year 8 has recently been elected to the East Sussex Youth Cabinet by the students in her year group.  The East Sussex Youth Cabinet consists of young people aged 11-18 who run co-produced campaigns and work with local leaders to bring about change and improve services.  Lola will be representing the students of Priory School in this new role and we know that she will do an excellent job.  Well done, Lola!    

Wellbeing Ambassadors

We are starting the recruitment process for a team of Student Wellbeing Ambassadors!  The Ambassadors will act as a mentor for a fellow student who is struggling; providing emotional support, listening and helping them to find their own solutions to their problems.  All Ambassadors will be provided with training from the anti-bullying charity Kidscape. Any students interested in taking up this opportunity should speak with their Head of Year, Tutor or Reception to obtain an application form—entries will close at the end of Term 5.  

South Down National Park's Youth Photography winner!

Congratulations to Jessica B in Y8 who won the 11-17 years category of the South Down National Park’s youth photography competition with her image of a cow at Woodingdean, Brighton.  Fitting the brief of “a new perspective” the picture has won Jessica and her family a trip to Marwell Zoo in Hampshire.  Well done Jessica, what a wonderful picture!

Alice - Priory School Production

Tickets for Alice are almost sold out!  This photo was taken at our last Saturday rehearsal where we had a special guest visit from Ember Dimoglou - Ms Dimoglou’s beautiful Labrador who helped collect up the croquet balls in Act Two and was especially excitable when the White Rabbit came running onto the stage. Ember provided brilliant fun for our cast while they were waiting for scenes, playing fetch on the school field, supportive well done cuddles when the students came off the stage and barks of support when the rest of us applauded. She has had a brilliant preview of the show already!  Click here to grab yourself some tickets https://www.trybooking.com/uk/DDCN. 

World Book Day

We celebrated World Book Day in style last week.  The winners for best costumes were: Best Student - Lukas as the Cheshire Cat with 46 votes.  Best Staff member - Miss Noone as the Lorax with 59 votes.  Closely followed by Miss Fraser as Miss Trelawney.  As well as dressing up, we also read a short story across the course of the day The Impossible Planet, by Philip K Dick.  A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the day a positive celebration of books and reading.  

UNICEF Children in Gaza crisis appeal - bake sale

Students and staff at Priory are extremely concerned by the continuing violence in Gaza. 3.1 million people are in need nationally with over 1 million children affected by the violent conflict in Gaza following the brutal attacks in Israel on 7 October. Violence is taking a terrible toll on the lives of children and families.  We are raising money for the UNICEF Children in Gaza Crisis Appeal by holding a bake sale at break time in the Main Hall on Tuesday 12th March. Please donate generously - either baked goods to sell or money for students to buy cakes. You can also donate via the link above and there will be a donation point at the bake sale.     

Priory School Production

Tickets for our 2024 school show Alice, a new adaptation of Carroll's classic by Sheffield playwright Laura Wade, are now live and can be purchased following this link: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/DDCN  However, this is not Alice in Wonderland as we know it…The play opens with a funeral wake, where a grieving Alice sits unmoving in amongst an array of emotionally distant parents, annoying schoolteachers and concerned relatives all mourning the death of her older brother Joe, who died in a road traffic accident. As the classic phrases of “time’s a healer” float around the room, the depths of Alice’s grief intensify until the White Rabbit appears to set her on a quest into Wonderland: “there’s something you need to go through before you can go back.” The familiar figures of family and friends mysteriously disappear, but not for long as they reappear later through clever double casting... Carroll’s tale has always ventured beyond a fun children’s story, but Wade’s adaptation interprets Alice’s journey through Wonderland as one of deep healing and acceptance of grief and loss. Unfortunately we cannot offer ticket swaps between days, so please make sure you double check which date you are purchasing tickets for before completing check out.  DATES: Wednesday 20 March - Friday 22 March 2024 7-9pm with a 20 minute interval. LOCATION: Priory School Main Hall, Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2XN. TICKETS:   £7 for adults and £3 for children.  Unreserved seating, first come, first served.  REFRESHMENTS: Available for purchase from the Friends of Priory in the Canteen. 

Wine Tasting with Symposium

Wave goodbye to Dry January with the next Friends of Priory event – a wine tasting with local vintners Symposium. Limited tickets available, so don't wait too long to buy: https://go.rallyup.com/fopwine £20 per person, including eight wines and snacks, with all profits (plus 10% of wine orders on the night) going to the school.  

Kaleidoscope Drama - The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is coming to Priory School! Kaleidoscope would like to invite you all through the wardrobe this winter into the magical kingdom of Narnia for the most mystical of adventures in a faraway land. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and say hello to a talking Faun, an unforgettable Lion and the coldest, cruellest White Witch. This live theatre production will be performed by students from Priory School: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe  Priory School  Saturday 24th February 3pm & 6pm £12 Adults £6 Children Tickets available in advance only: LWW The show is suitable for the whole family from ages 4+. The running time is just over 1hr. Kaleidoscope are the performing arts partners of Priory School, they offer Drama, Musical Theatre, Film & TV Classes for students on Fridays after school at Priory School, a weekly Youth Theatre (11-18 yrs) on Wednesdays and Lamda Exam tuition in Acting and Musical Theatre.  For further details see www.kaleidoscopedrama.uk or email robyn@kaleidoscopedrama.uk with any enquiries.  

Priory School continues to be a good school.

We are now able to share with you the final version of our Ofsted inspection report, which can be read here. We are happy to be able to confirm to you the outcome that ‘Priory School continues to be a good school.’ We were largely satisfied with the inspection process and, overall, we think the report provides a fair and accurate summary of the school's current strengths and areas for further improvement. Mr Curtis-Brignell would like to thank parents again for their support. "I look forward to continuing to lead Priory towards being the leading inclusive and creative state secondary school in the region, a school in which all students acquire powerful knowledge, feel a strong sense of social connection and belonging, and become ethically-aware citizens who are ready to confidently take their place in the world."        

Priory Sensory Room Fundraiser

There is a very special evening approaching as we are fortunate to have Fyfe Dangerfield from the band The Guillemots and Mark Morriss from the band The Bluetones, offering their musical talents for our cause!  This special evening will be held on Friday 2nd February 2024 at Trinity St Johns in Lewes. Please come along to our one-off concert!  Proceeds are going directly to Priory School to raise funds for a sensory room for the main site.

Parent Forum - Ofsted

All parents and carers are warmly invited to our next Parent Forum, which will explore the inspection process, the inspection report, the school's strengths and where development is needed.  

Parent Pay - paying for food in school

  Further to previous communications, please note that the cash loading machines are no longer available in school.  Payment for meals is via ParentPay only.  It is therefore vital for all parents and carers to ensure you are able to top up students’ accounts via ParentPay.  Please email info@priory.e-sussex.sch.uk if you are having any problems accessing your ParentPay account.  Thank you. 

Christmas Jumper day

On Friday, the last day of term, we will be marking the occasion by encouraging students to wear a Christmas or festive jumper on top of their usual school uniform for the day—bright, sparkly and / or fun is the order!  Normally we do this to raise money for charity, but this year we are asking for each student to bring a tin or non-perishable item for one of our three Lewes Foodbanks . Suggested donations are: tinned meat and fish, tinned fruit and vegetables, tins of baked beans and spaghetti, pasta sauces, hot drinks (tea/coffee/hot choc), crisps/snacks/nuts/crackers for cheese, tinned sweets or biscuits or any other Christmas treats.