The Courier

Dear Parents

As we come to the end of the second week of the school term, it feels as if we are now fully back in the rhythm of school life. I have spent a good deal of time this fortnight out and about in the classrooms, observing the lessons and watching the children as they settle back into their learning environment.

It has been particularly pleasing to see the new Reception class settling in so well. Mrs Noyce has been a teaching assistant in that age group for a considerable time and she said to me this was the first time in her memory that there were no tears or refusals at all on the first morning. Since then, with the odd rare and entirely understandable exception, the children have come in happily and sensibly and I see them playing with each other, and with the older children, every morning on the playground.

Another highlight involved the oldest children in the school when I walked into a Year 6 Maths lesson with Ms Forth. The children were all so focused, working in groups with the two assistants who were in the room, with a range of related activities going on and the children entirely engrossed in their work. This was a great example of what learning looks like in the Upper School and it was particularly pleasing given we were only a couple of days into the term at the time. The ‘pre-season brain training’ that we offer to the Year 6 each year I hope played a part in this as well.

On that theme, everyone here sends our positive thoughts to those children taking the 11 plus exam tomorrow morning. You have prepared long and hard for this, children, over the last two years and you should go in with every confidence and all of our best wishes.

This weekend will be a very different one for us all, with an additional day out of school, on the occasion of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. We have reflected in school in various ways over the last week on the Queen’s enormous contribution to national life and there is a rather wonderful ‘memory wall’ coming together at the end of the corridor. There is more information about this elsewhere in the newsletter this week and you will also get a chance to see it at our upcoming open corridor event.

I will certainly be keeping a close eye on the televised ceremony on Monday along with many of you I am sure.

With my very best wishes to you all.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster