Dear Parents,
Last week, we were delighted to welcome the internationally acclaimed pianist Clare Hammond to school. Clare performs not only to share her love of the piano, but also to inspire a wider appreciation of classical music. It was mesmerising to watch her play and our KS1 children were a superb audience, listening with great focus and curiosity. Clare’s hope is that by sharing her passion, she might spark a new one in the next generation and I am sure many of our children left feeling inspired.
We began the week with a whole-school assembly revisiting Diwali and its significance for members of our school and wider community. Together, we explored the religious stories associated with the festival and reflected on the important themes and values that Diwali represents. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and learn from one another’s traditions.
On Monday morning, we held our invacuation drill. The children were exceptional throughout and, when reflecting on the exercise afterwards, we were incredibly impressed by the calmness and confidence shown by pupils. There was very much a sense of everyone taking it in their stride. Regular practice builds confidence, and that is exactly the purpose of these exercises.
We have also opened our doors twice this week to prospective families through both an Open Afternoon and an Open Morning. As always, the atmosphere around school was fantastic and visitors were hugely impressed by our children’s attitudes towards learning, their enthusiasm for school life and the warmth of our community. Our pupils are our greatest ambassadors, and they represented the school brilliantly.
Wednesday saw our Year 6 pupils lead our school and wider community in our annual Remembrance Service. Quite simply, it was exceptional. The quality of the spoken presentations and choral contributions was breathtaking, not only in content, but also in the confidence and presence with which they were delivered. Many parents and staff commented on the thoughtful and respectful tone of the service throughout. A particular highlight was The Last Post, beautifully played by Linsu, which provided a poignant reminder of all those across the UK and Commonwealth who have served our country from the First World War to more recent conflicts. I was incredibly proud of every child involved and my sincere thanks go to the Year 6 team for their organisation and commitment in bringing the event together so successfully.
Our children have also taken part in two exciting live learning experiences this week. The first, delivered by the WWF and broadcast from the British Antarctic Survey Headquarters, allowed pupils to explore both the Arctic and Antarctic regions, discovering their unique geography, wildlife and environments. The second was a live Michael Rosen Day Poetry Party, celebrating the joy and accessibility of poetry. With this year’s theme, Silly School Stuff, children were encouraged to read, listen to and write poetry inspired by Michael Rosen’s wonderfully humorous take on school life. Needless to say, our pupils absolutely loved it!
Our girls’ football teams were in action on Thursday evening against Charlton Kings Junior School. For many of our girls it was their first experience of representing Warden Hill. The teams came away with one win and one loss, but far more importantly they demonstrated teamwork, determination and a genuine love of the game. Thank you to Mr Williams for organising and supporting the teams.
A few weeks ago, I sent out a parent survey. Thank you so much for taking the time on this. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 92% of respondents strongly agreeing or agreeing that their child is happy at school and 95% strongly agreeing or agreeing that their child feels safe. Communication was also viewed positively, with 89% of parents strongly agreeing or agreeing that the school communicates effectively. Whilst a small number of parents identified opportunities for us to further strengthen communication and consistency, the survey provides a strong endorsement of the quality of education, care and support provided by the school and the positive partnerships we have established with our families. On the note of communication our main vehicle for communication is our weekly bulletin and my weekly head’s update. Eduspot is used for reminders / or emergency updates. I hope this helps clarify communication from school.
And finally, today is Children in Need Day. The sun is streaming through the window, the school is full of smiles and has been wonderful to see everyone embracing the spirit of the day and helping to support such a worthwhile cause.
We had an extra special guest at our Junior Merit Mark assembly this morning – Max Wilkinson MP. He came to surprise the winner of his Christmas Card competition- which for the 2nd year running was a member of our school community. Huge Congratulations to Oliver who will have his design on over 25,000 cards this Christmas!
As we head into the weekend, I hope you have the opportunity to relax and enjoy some family time and I look forward to seeing as many as possible at our Spotlight Showcase mornings next week.
Warmest Regards
Georgina Flooks
Headteacher