Click here to have a preview of our festive band…

I don’t often cry when I hear ‘Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer’ or ‘Jingle Bells’ but I think you can see why I was getting quite emotional in band rehearsal yesterday afternoon. This is a Primary School band with children from Years 1-6 and with mainly younger children. All but three Year 6 children play in the band and what a sound they make. Our infants were rehearsing for their Nativity so they don’t feature in this video. I can’t wait to play alongside the children at the next family mass-10th December-before our Christmas Fair in school. Tell all of your friends and families and come along! If anything will bring Christmas cheer, it is our school band. I can’t describe how proud I am of the children and of the standard they have reached in such a short amount of time. They are all reading music, which is wonderful, and they come together to enjoy a shared talent.

As you know, we had our Section 48 Inspection on Tuesday and I thank you for your support and positive comments. The inspectors were a joy to have in school and they thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our children. They commented on the enthusiasm the children had and said what delights they were. We can let you know the official outcome of the inspection next week.

These videos speak for themselves. Our children really are sensational stars. We couldn’t be prouder of our children and I am sure that you will all agree that they have put so much effort into all of the performances. Our band were absolutely wonderful and we had brilliant soloists, duets and audience participation! I have to say that I have been excited all week waiting to see our Glee club debut and it was a treat. After only four rehearsals of an Annie medley, children were so animated in their performance. When I saw the delight on our Year 1 children’s faces as they performed, I couldn’t help but see some future actors and actresses.

This week has been great. The children are so helpful and they never cease to amaze me with their initiative and care for others. When I look onto the playground at break times, I see many older children interacting with and being great role models for our younger children. Today has been ‘Wear it Wild Day’ and our children were very keen to make an IMovie to mark this exciting day.

Today, Father Sony came to see Beacon Class and Mrs Kerr has been up to her old science tricks again! Father Sony came outside to do morning playground duty with me and all ran calmly and smoothly. Children were playing beautifully together and some were arriving with pretty handheld baskets or other exciting looking containers. A pumpkin passed me on my way out of the door and children were smiling. Mrs Kerr was smiling, as were all staff outside.

What a super week we have had.

I have thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with the children in a new club led by the children for the children. CAFOD Club is the newest addition to the school week, alongside a return of Reading Club and Chess Club. All of these are afternoon clubs but they are the discreet things that make our school run like clockwork.

Many things in life are a mystery. We can’t always comprehend things because the world is a bigger place than we can imagine. When you play ‘Pooh Sticks’ alongside a river and see a crawfish for the first time as a child, it is special. When you see a baby’s first tooth appear and the same child’s adult tooth appear, it is equally as amazing and special. Many things in life are like chapters in a book and we have begun our new school year chapter. I was fortunate enough to go on holiday this Summer and two words kept coming to my mind throughout: grateful and glad. Hayley Mills played a little girl in a film called ‘Pollyanna’ and she was always glad. She spread her happiness to everyone she met because of her high spirit and positivity. Glad seems to be a word underused these days. John Rutter’s version of ‘I was Glad’ is one of my favourites and I am glad every day I come to St.Francis’ school. I am glad that the new starters have settled in well and I am glad to see so many smiles every day on our playground. I am also glad that my new ‘gritting machine’ has arrived as this will save me a lot of time and heat loss during the frosty months.  Miss Taylor and I were accused of ‘online shopping’  because of my excited ‘ooohs’ and ‘that one looks a great price-let’s buy it now!’  until the member of staff caught sight of the many varied gritting machines! When I say machine, it resembles a wheelbarrow with a hole in the middle, but I’m sure it will be an excellent addition to the school team!