Headmaster's Welcome
Dear Parents
I trust that, at the end of another busy week, everyone is eagerly anticipating the weekend ahead. According to the Met Office, we can expect lovely, dry weather throughout the country, with temperatures even surpassing those in Ibiza! This presents us with the opportunities to enjoy outdoor pursuits, should you be inclined, or gather with friends or family where possible, perhaps around the BBQ?
Kenilworth in Bloom judges visited our school in July and were impressed with various exhibits such as the Nursery Garden, the Sunflower Garden of Junior 4 and Junior 2's vegetable garden. They acknowledged the hard work done at the Forest School and were amazed by the students' passion, knowledge, and care towards their environment. Our school gardens were also praised for their ability to provide for wildlife. We were thrilled to receive the silver award at the awards ceremony, and our Head Boy and Girl, Deputy Head Boy and Girl, and Junior 6 Heads of Student Council, along with Mrs Burley, were all proud to accept it on behalf of the school community. I appreciate the support of Mrs Burley and the families who attended the event. Let's keep displaying our love for the environment and motivating others to do the same.
Soren, Darcy, and Lexi-Jean fared very well at the ISA National Indoor Ski Championships in Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre, last week. Their confidence and determination on the slopes were truly inspiring. Our school provides various competitive sporting opportunities, and skiing is one of them. Mr Stedeford is keen to find out if other passionate skiers would like to participate in this competition next year.
The upcoming parent consultation evenings are just around the corner and will be held on Tuesday 17 and Thursday 19 October. You will receive a direct link to the online booking system (this evening), which will allow you to reserve your time slot. These meetings serve as a valuable opportunity for parents to discuss their child's progress in their new class, near the start of the academic year. For Junior 6 students, the emphasis will be on their mathematics and English coursework as they prepare for entrance exams. This presents an excellent chance for parents to engage in their child's education, and I encourage you to take advantage of it. For the rest of the school, a large part of the focus will be on pastoral matters, approach to school life, involvement and participation in school and general enthusiasm and attitude. Getting these aspects right will feed into all-round success.
Our Head Boy and Girl Blythe and Evie and their Deputies, Arthur, and Beatrice and RE and Ethos captains, Elsie W-P and Josie-Jean beamed with pride at their collaboration meeting with our Foundation Senior School, Princethorpe College Prefects Chloe, Zara and Grace. I was immensely proud to hear about their creative ideas and exciting projects for the coming year.
The school photographers will be visiting us on Tuesday 10 October to capture class, individual, and siblings' photos. As such, I kindly request that you ensure your child comes to school dressed in their winter uniform, as this will help create a uniform and smart look in the photos. I look forward to seeing lasting memories of your child's time with us captured on camera.
Father Kevin will be in school on Thursday morning to lead the Rosary Assembly. During the assembly, Father Kevin will be sharing his knowledge and insights regarding the significance of the Rosary, providing the pupils with an opportunity to further enrich their spiritual understanding. Pupils who have a rosary are welcome to bring their own rosaries to this momentous assembly.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your understanding and cooperation in following procedures for collection/drop off and parking. Health and safety measures always need to be uppermost in our procedures, including at drop-off and collection times. Your adherence to these guidelines has also helped us to start building stronger relationships with our neighbours.
I feel a warm sense of joy and appreciation when I see the kindness of those who have contributed to our Food Bank. This really shows the empathy and generosity of our school community, and I am most grateful to Mrs Forino, our RE coordinator, for co-ordinating this outreach initiative at school. During our Harvest Mass, Father Kevin emphasized the significance of showing love and compassion to others, and of looking at the world with a positive perspective. As we head into the winter season, many families may encounter significant challenges in providing food and warmth for their loved ones. I want to express my sincerest gratitude to everyone who participated in the collection. Every single donation is genuinely appreciated and will make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Congratulations to our Stars of the Week: Michael and Matilda – Nursery; Elliot and Henry – Rec; Imogen and Teddy - J1; Nirvair and Theoharis - J2; Grace and Xanthe - J3; Hector and Archie - J4; Diya and Theo - J5; Hollie and Adreena - J6. As always, I appreciate all the hard work invested by our children each day and it is a privilege to celebrate and acknowledge this whenever possible. Well done to all of our stars of the week and to those who were awarded Da Vinci’s for their superb efforts in various subjects. Congratulations to the pupils who have excelled outside of school, in various pursuits, and who were recognised at today’s assembly. Our inter-house music competition has progressed through the first round – well done to all pupils who entered. We were treated to a wonderful music presentation, with a powerful earth care message, by both Junior 5 classes. I was so pleased to see many pupils taking themselves outside of their comfort zones as they were all involved in the performance. Henry, in Junior 4, played the piano exceptionally well – the result of his hard work and talent – excellent, Henry! Our sports teams all fared very well over the past week; well done to everyone.
I hope that you are able to enjoy some relaxation time this weekend; there is much sport to watch, including the rugby and cricket world cups and further ‘interesting’ football. Have a lovely weekend with your families.
God bless
Rob Duigan
