Dear Parents and Carers,
What an incredible week we’ve had. It really does feel like spring has sprung in our Reception classrooms with the arrival of the Living Eggs! As I write, we currently have three girls, one boy and two little ones who have only just hatched, so we are not quite sure yet. When Murphy and I went to visit the children, they very confidently taught us how they knew which were the boys and which were the girls… it’s all in the colour! Apparently boys are yellow and girls are orange. Every day truly is a learning day.
It has been wonderful to welcome so many of you to our Spotlight Showcases each morning. Once again, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. These moments are such a lovely way for children to share their learning and proudly show you what they have been working on.
On Monday, I facilitated one of my NPQH sessions alongside Steve Jefferies, Headteacher at Bournside. Facilitating this NPQH session also enables me to contribute to the development of future school leaders, strengthening leadership capacity across the wider system and ensuring a positive ripple effect on children’s outcomes well beyond our own school community.
On Wednesday, I spent an afternoon at Gloucestershire University as part of our ongoing partnership work to support the next generation of teachers. Alongside fellow headteacher Gary Tucker from Woodmancote, we answered questions ranging from what makes a strong application to what we look for during an interview and observed lesson. It was a rewarding experience and it is always a privilege to support aspiring teachers at the beginning of their careers.
On Wednesday evening, Mrs Gaisford and I were thrilled to welcome the Dawn Patrol team to school as part of their #MyName’5Doddie #Cycle800miles. The support teams began arriving from 7:30pm and riders continued to roll in until 10:15pm. The impact of our children’s welcome was clear to see – from the photos of children cycling their own contribution to our #cycle800miles challenge, to the huge welcome banner decorated with every child’s bike, to the thoughtful message from Mint and Mabel on the mirror and of course the incredible capes created by our children with messages of support.
The Dawn Patrol Team have now safely arrived in Ireland, and we wish them every onward success as they continue their journey to Dublin Stadium to deliver the match ball for the Ireland–Scotland game on Saturday. Our School Council have been instrumental in raising the profile of this cause, supported brilliantly by Mrs Gaisford and Mrs Sperduti, enabling the whole school to get behind the #MyName’5Doddie campaign. If you haven’t yet donated and would like to, you can still do so via our JustGiving link.
A huge thank you must also go to the families who kindly lent us the sleeping kit needed to host the 18 riders and support team. You truly made the magic happen. My thanks also to our incredible admin team for coordinating everything so seamlessly.
In other news, our Year 5 pupils visited the Skill Zone Safety Centre this week as part of their PSHE curriculum. These immersive scenarios give children valuable hands-on experiences that help them build practical safety skills they can apply in everyday life.
We have also welcomed several governors into school over recent weeks. Visits have focused on Reception, Cyber Security and AI, and Health & Safety. These monitoring visits play an essential role in ensuring continuous school improvement. They provide governors with first-hand insights into the curriculum, safeguarding and operational systems, strengthening strategic decision making and ensuring our children benefit from a well led, safe and forward thinking school environment.
Staff have also been engaging in professional learning, continuing our work on the writing framework and taking part in a handwriting session led by our writing lead, James Herbert. This work is fundamental in securing the very best outcomes for our children, ensuring they develop the strong foundations needed to communicate clearly, confidently and creatively. High-quality writing and handwriting teaching helps unlock children’s potential across every subject, giving them the tools to express ideas, organise their thinking and take pride in their work. This training will support the direction of travel in our teaching across the school.
That leaves me to wish you all a wonderful weekend. And to all the mums in our community – may your hugs and smiles be plentiful!
Warmest regards
Georgina Flooks
Headteacher