The Courier

Dear Parents and Friends of the School

Well, it’s certainly been a scorcher this week. Super-hot weather like this brings challenges in a school, particularly when it is the first week back and we are all trying to settle into our new routines. I think the children deserve great credit for handling this so well and making it through their first week. It is not easy to ask young children to run around less in the playground when they’re excited to see each other, or to remind them of the need for extra water and suncream. They’ve taken this on really well however and it’s great to see the pure energy and pleasure the children have brought to their return to school life. 

I must make a particular mention of the children in Reception who have started so calmly and sensibly this week. Mrs Pullen and Mrs Noyce have been delighted with them, and a full five days in the classroom with the temperatures to deal with has been a big ask for them. I suspect many will be happy but exhausted going into their first weekend.

We kicked off our assemblies for the year on Monday thinking about what makes a good learner. During the summer I had spent some time observing a family of woodpeckers in my garden working on the problem of how to get at the nut inside a hazelnut shell. Not only could the parent birds do this by hammering out a notch in the bark to position the nut in ready for a strike with the beak, they also passed the technique on to their young offspring who gained a lifelong skill in the process. This seemed a great allegory for the life of a school and encapsulated the values of determination and curiosity that we espouse.

We have drawn up a learner profile that we will be rolling out through the year ahead with the children that will highlight these and other key qualities which the children can build and develop as they progress through their learning journey. Please watch out in the Courier for news of this as the year progresses. 

With more of the hot stuff to come this weekend, I hope you are able to find some cool and calm respite and enjoy this Indian summer whilst it lasts.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster