Dear Parents
It's hard to believe that this half-term has flown by so quickly. As we leave the dark and cold January behind and move into days of longer light, it certainly helps to lift the spirits.
We recently received the sad news of the passing of Mrs Kat Vaughan's mother, Beryl, which has made this week particularly sad for us. Beryl was a valued member of the wider school community and will always be remembered with fondness. We kindly ask that you keep Beryl, as well as Mr and Mrs Vaughan and their sons, in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
We are constantly striving to enhance and improve the school environment, motivate and enthuse pupils, and ensure that their time spent with us is happy and productive. It fills me with immense pride when we receive continued positive feedback from parents on a weekly basis. Of course, there are also various areas that need an overhaul or minor tweaks from time to time. Feedback here is also most useful. Thank you for your support in all we do, including ensuring that your child arrives at school on time as this helps to give them the best possible start to each day.
On the 3rd of February, the U10 Girls Football team travelled to Repton Prep to participate in their Girls Football Festival. The event offered the girls a chance to showcase their skills and gain valuable match experience. Competing against teams from all over the Midlands, the girls put in a tremendous effort and delivered exceptional performances. They emerged victorious with four wins and only one loss, showcasing their individual and collective brilliance. This was a remarkable display of teamwork and determination. We are immensely proud of them, especially considering their limited experience playing together. Congratulations to the team and thank you to Mr Stedeford and Mr M Duigan for coaching the girls.
During Children's Mental Health Week, the Junior 6 student councillors demonstrated outstanding initiative by helping other children to express themselves and feel heard through the theme of "My Voice Matters." This led to a sense of community, promoted well-being, and boosted self-esteem. Throughout the week, pupils were encouraged to share their concerns anonymously or with a teacher or Junior 6 councillor, and they were also encouraged to use their voices to express gratitude towards others, promoting positivity. A calm half-hour over lunch allowed everyone to connect, chat, and participate in activities. This week served as a powerful reminder that our pupils’ voices matter, and they can use them to make a positive difference in our lives and the lives of others. For more information on children's mental health, you can visit the website Children's Mental Health Week - Place2Be.
I had the pleasure of attending the performing arts events at Crackley Hall this week, and I must say, they were truly inspiring. Watching the pupils enjoy displaying their incredible musical and dramatic talents left me in complete awe of their skills and passion. It was clear that the staff, particularly Mrs Olden, Mrs Wildey and Mrs Paphitis, worked tirelessly to make the evening a success, and they certainly deserve special recognition for their outstanding contributions to the performing arts. Thank you, too, to our various peripatetic and visiting teachers. I feel privileged to have witnessed the growth of the pupils' confidence and many other skills by attend Crackley Hall’s external clubs led by Jaz Hanlon, Tania Goode and Shoshana Stokes. They are inspirational teachers.
Technology truly is amazing! The Spanish Club at our school recently used VR headsets to travel to Barcelona, accompanied by their teachers. They explored the Sagrada Familia and a tapas restaurant, and even visited the beach in Alicante. It's inspiring to see how technology can transport us to new places and provide unique experiences, and it's wonderful to see how much the children enjoyed this opportunity.
Recent assessments have confirmed the wonderful progress that our pupils have been making in the core subjects. Moving forward, the school is considering ways of keeping parents more formally informed on a more regular basis as opposed to our more regular, informal communications.
I'd like to remind you of the recent changes we made to our Aftercare booking system. These changes have been introduced to provide an enhanced experience for all involved. Please note that permanent bookings are only valid for the current term, and we kindly request that you notify your child of any Aftercare bookings to avoid any confusion. If you require a same-day booking, please ensure that you make the booking by our deadline of 1:00 pm on that day. Thank you for your continued cooperation.
I have received information that the Holiday Club is scheduled to take place from Monday, February 12 to Thursday, February 15, 2024, and is now fully booked. If you need to cancel your booking, please note that cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to the start of the event will result in a full payment fee which will be added to your fees.
We have noticed an increase in traffic congestion during our usually smooth carline. This is mainly due to some vehicles being left unattended around the roundabout and entrance, causing unnecessary delays. Many parents in carline behind an abandoned car would need to make their way to their place of work and are being unnecessarily held up. Unfortunately, one of our staff members was unable to leave the building for two hours this week due to a vehicle parked in the staff area and blocked their vehicle. To prevent such situations from happening in the future, we kindly request all parents to park their vehicles in the designated areas as advised by the school.
Congratulations to our Stars of the Week who received their certificates at assembly: Nursery – Amos and Jasper; Rec – Elliot and Amelie; J1 – Sebastian B and Bracken; J2 Aarav and Ciara; J3 – All of J3V and All of J3W; J4 – Himmy and Oscar; J5 – Mahnoor and Leo ; J6 – Evie and Jenson.
Ireland looked very good at the start of the Six Nations. It promises to be an interesting competition, particularly if the French get going. The England v Ireland match might prove crucial.
I wish everyone a most restful and happy term week with friends and family.
God bless
Rob Duigan
