Well once again it seems that we are clearly seeing the effects of climate change now and the severe weather warnings keep coming. After the pouring rain of last week, we have then had the opposite extreme today with this intense heat which is forecast to continue for much of next week. I have said this before but I wanted to assure you all once again that we take the health and safety of all of our children very seriously. All classes have fans or coolers in them and we have been ensuring that the children are keeping themselves well hydrated throughout the day and that during lunch and break times, they stay in the shade as much as possible. We also opened up the main hall at lunchtime today to all of the children to watch a film in a quiet, calm space if they wanted to.

Following on from this, despite it getting warmer in the afternoon yesterday, I am pleased to say that the weather was a lot kinder to us this year and we were able to go ahead with the sports day and it all ran as smoothly as it could have done. I want to thank all of the children for taking part and I want to give a special mention to the Year 6 children and work experience students who I hope you will all agree did a grand job at leading the events. I also want to thank all of the parents for coming to cheer on their children and especially those brave enough to take part in the parents’ races at the end –there were some lightning fast runners so I’m glad I didn’t come up against them! Finally, I want to thank all of the staff who helped to run it, but especially Mr Mills for all of his hard work in organising and putting it all together on the day. Grangewood were the eventual winners for the second year in a row, so well done to them for taking home the trophy once again this year.

Next week, Year 6 are going to be away for the week on their PGL residential, rest day and visit to Stanborough lakes. Mr Chanter and I will be attending this also and I will only be in school on Thursday so if you have any queries or concerns in our absence, please make contact with Mrs Robinson who will be only too happy to help. I am sure that the school will feel much quieter without us around.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Well, I know I often talk about the weather in my blogs but I certainly do not remember a time when I was having to write about the incessant rain in June before quite like what we have experienced this week. I am not too sure that there are many people in schools who enjoy ‘wet play’ –children or adults alike –but unfortunately we’ve had a fair few of them this last week so I am hoping that this does not continue next week.

Whilst I was not actually able to be there in person to see it, I am pleased to report back on our Reception class assembly that took place this morning. I hear from all of the staff who watched it how amazing it was and though I did get to see the final rehearsal yesterday which I thought was superb, the children brought it up a notch in the real thing today and so I’m even more gutted not to have seen it. The learning that the children have clearly developed and the way in which they are able to recall and present it is absolutely fantastic and they are destined for great things as they move through the school. I would like to say a huge thanks to Mrs Sheehan and all of the Foundation Stage team for putting together such a brilliant assembly; a well done to all of the children who performed it; and a big thank you as well to all of the parents who joined us to make it so special.

Today also saw Year 4 out on their visit to Stanborough lakes which judging by the reactions of the children and staff on their return was yet another brilliant trip out. We try to encourage a wide variety of educational visits across the school and we firmly believe that the more ‘adventurous’ types of visit have many positive benefits, from developing team work and resilience to building the children’s confidence in attempting things otherwise out of their comfort zones.

Next Thursday, weather permitting, we have our Sports Day events planned. You will have received the information about this already, but for those unfamiliar to the make-up of the day, KS1 will be taking part in the morning and KS2 are in the afternoon. The events involve a ‘round robin’ of activities first of all for the children to earn points towards the overall House competition followed by the individual races held after that. It is always an enjoyable event and I look forward to welcoming as many of you to it as possible.

In the meantime, have a good weekend everyone.