Headmaster's Message
Dear Parents and Friends of the School
At the end of the second week back in school, we feel fully in the groove and ready to meet the challenges of this important longer first term in the academic calendar. All of the new children have settled into their classrooms and new environment, and those that have been here longer have reset from summer mode and are back into the routine of early nights, early rises and learning in the classrooms.
This week has seen our first house meetings of the year, along with play-leader training for Year 6 children, as well as the first batch of sports fixtures. Co-curricular clubs have also started this week, and it was pleasing in assembly this morning to reflect on the broad range of activities the children have enjoyed over the last five days. Next week, there are lots more sports fixtures as well as our first educational visit to the Space Centre on Friday, not to mention the first bake sale of the year to round off the week.
I hope that you are also finding the transition back to school a smooth one and managing all of those tricky logistics of uniform, homework, travel to work and school, and for very many of you putting in a week’s hard work at the same time.
This weekend of course is an important one for lots of children in Year 6, who will be taking their 11 plus grammar school exams. There will no doubt be some nerves on the day, but I am always filled with reassurance for our children as they come into this weekend, knowing the preparation they have had here will stand them in excellent stead. It is rare that question types arise they haven't encountered before, and when they do, they have been fully equipped with the attack skills to have a go and solve problems. We wish them the very best of Crescent luck.
This week was a significant one for me personally as I reached my 60th birthday. Many thanks to everyone for their well wishes, which were very much appreciated. We also said some tearful farewells to our youngest son Hugh, who began his time in Edinburgh at university. It is not an easy transition to make when you are 18 years old, so Mandy and I are keeping a very close eye on WhatsApp messages and hoping for phone calls. We've had one so far and although the doubts are still there, I think he's going to be absolutely fine. Our eldest son James returns to the Navy in a week or so's time, so it will be a much quieter household at No57, at least for a few months.
I hope you are able to enjoy a relaxing weekend with your children.
