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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!

You may remember that last year we had a very special assembly delivered by Mr Alan Whelan. Alan is an author, a book editor and a very keen traveller. He has been working to support the development of a school in Kenya and we are helping too.We have gathered old resources and books to send to the children in Kenya, who have very little, and we have become pen pals with the children.

Preparing children for life is what school is about-this should put things into perspective.  For those of you who know me and understand my philosophy on education, this letter will come as no surprise. It isn’t often that I can discuss my views on education and my views on the testing process and current testing systems. If you walk into our school and visit classrooms, you will find creativity, children being listened to and lots of smiles and active learning. Our Year 6 children didn’t bother at all when it came to taking their SATs because they were thoroughly prepared and had been for some time. Learning didn’t change for them. They continued to thrive on a creative curriculum, where writing is exciting and grammar is taught through songs and dance moves! When children are excited and motivated to learn, they will thrive. Happiness first and all else will follow- under a blanket of excellent teaching, learning and care.

Save The Children Den Day has been ‘awesome’ and certainly a day the children will remember forever..