Headteacher’s Blog

Well – what a fortnight it has been!  So many amazing things have been achieved over the last two weeks and all they serve as a timely reminder to each and every one of us, that anything is possible provided that we are prepared to think outside the box, dream big and pull together.  We talk a lot about determination, tenacity and perseverance in our school and this last 2 weeks have embodied these qualities in spades!

I’d like to start with our annual sports day.  The weather conditions were perfect last Wednesday afternoon for our sporting spectacular and it was a real pleasure to invite so many of you into school once again. One of the things that I love about sports day is the healthy competition that is on display.  Many schools have shied away from competitive races over the years, suggesting that this is unhealthy for children and emotionally upsetting.  However, you could argue that winning and losing is a massive part of real life, beyond the school gates. It takes real courage to lose a race or event but it takes real class to lose well.  I was really pleased by the way in which all children, irrespective of their team, cheered and applauded every child for their efforts on Wednesday afternoon.  It was also a real pleasure to see our Year 6 pupils supporting the younger children in our school with their races – running alongside them and giving them words of encouragement.  This year, the eventual winners were Team Mars, who managed to halt Team Saturn, who were on for the hat-rick (they had won in the two previous years.)  The long distance race was the real highlight for me – it was incredibly exciting to watch and great to see the whole crowd cheering the children and encouraging them to keep going.

Our Key Stage 2 production of Joseph and His Techniclour Dreamcoat was equally as special.  Wow – I have never felt so proud of our children, as I did on the evenings of Monday 3^rd and Tuesday 4^th July.  I have to admit – I did shed a little tear at the end of the evening, after what was a heartfelt rendition of Any Dream Will Do from Alex in Year 5. The children put on two glorious performances of real quality; very professionally done too.  Our children were a real credit to their families and they represented our school with such gusto!  As I said during the evening; we may be a small school, and you could’ve been forgiven for thinking that it wasn’t possible – putting on a production of such magnitude at the Brewhouse, but we are a school with a massive heart!  There is no end to what we can achieve provided that we are not scared to revert from the safety of what we know from time to time and ‘push the boundaries.’  I must pay tribute to every member of staff who supported the event and who helped with props, scenery, chaperoning and costumes.  I’d also like to take this time to thank all parents for their help with transporting children to the Brewhouse, particularly on the morning of Monday 3^rd July. School is not only about securing academic success, as important as this is.  It is also about making memories! It is about giving our children a platform upon which to grow and develop their confidence. I know that all the children involved in Joseph will take this experience with them and look back fondly in many years to come.  For those parents who have purchased a DVD of the performance, they will hopefully arrive on Thursday this week ready for the summer break.

There was a lovely atmosphere on the evening of Friday 9^th July for our annual Summer Fayre. Thank you to all parents and family members who attended, there was so much to do at the event and it was a joyous occasion.  Even Mrs Cresswell got caught up in the festivities, filling her car with balloons so one lucky person could successfully guess exactly how many there were.  It was great to see Jeffrey and Oliver from the Wonderful Willows selling candy floss and Jasmine from Chestnuts promoting some of the stalls on the MUGA. I know that many of you had fun trying to guess which teacher was who from the selection of baby photos on display!  Thanks to all the FPTA members for planning the event and setting up during the day – we are still to finalise the total amount raised but we will let you know the figure, as soon as we have it.

You may have noticed that a new art display has been put up in the reception area over the last few days.  Pingle School have been busy working with every class for the last 2 months, showing them a range of different art techniques such as scraffito and tie dye.  We asked for their help in April as we wanted a new display to showcase our school vision for all to see in reception and the staff have really delivered.  When you are in school again, please take a look for yourself.  The children have really enjoyed learning the new art techniques and working with the Pingle art teachers.

Last Thursday, we had a bit of a fright!  We were invaded by lots of young aliens, dressed up for their Space Picnic WOW day.  We were completely amazed by all of the wonderful costumes – lots of effort and time must have gone into kitting out the children.  I popped into Wonderful Willows and Outstanding Oaks on a few occasions during the day and the children were all having a brilliant time making cakes, completing craft activities and playing games.  Thank you parents for all of your efforts; it was really worthwhile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a real pleasure to welcome our new Reception pupils into school for the final Fly on the Wall session this week also.  It has been great to see the children growing in confidence with every visit, and many of them did not want to leave on this occasion.  Mrs Smith read them all a very special story about our school, so they know what to do when they join us in September.  As part of the story, the children got to know some very interesting characters that you will begin to see around the place from the start of next year.  The children were introduced to Peter Perseverance, Emily Enjoyment, Amber Awe and Wonder, Christopher Compassion and Ernie Excellence.  Keep your eyes peeled for these characters around school next year – they’ll be there to give you a real helping hand.

On Friday last week, it was Move-up Day and a chance for all children to join their new classes for a taster day before they break up for the summer holidays.  I set all of the children the challenge of coming up with a new name, in Collective Worship on Friday morning.  They sure did deliver; Next year our classes will be named after woodland animals rather than trees.

Happy Hedgehogs – Reception & Year One (Mrs Smith)

Super Squirrels – Year One & Year Two (Miss Gillies)

Brilliant Badgers – Year Three & Four (Miss Popple)

Funky Foxes – Year 5 (Mrs Dyke)

Wise Owls – Year 6 (Mrs Weston)

This coming week, we turn our attention to the new academic year.  On Monday this week, Year 6 visit the Odeon Cinema and Prezzo for their leavers’ treat – I’m sure that they’ll have an amazing time – capping off a really successful year for them all.  On Tuesday, I will be bringing a Mr Bill Moore around school.  He will be coming into school to take Collective Worship next year, following Reverend Janet’s move to Lincoln a few weeks ago.  I am sure that you will give him the real Coton welcome!   Also on Tuesday, Michaela will be back in school for the final time this school year.  Our Dance Club will be showcasing all of the dances that they have learnt this year – we hope to see parents in the audience from 9am.  We are also expecting the delivery of a manikin doll to display our new school uniform – this will be placed in the reception area so you can have a sneak peak at how smart it looks, ready for next year.  On Wednesday, our School Improvement Partner, Mrs Claire Hodgson-Walker, will visit us to reflect on our achievements this year and to formulate a plan for next year.  Remember, we are really proud of the way that our school never stands still and is rapidly improving.  As I have said before, there is still much work to do if we are to keep up with the pace of change nationally but things are going in the right direction.  We hope to share our new school improvement plan with you in September, so you can see what is in store for your child.

Right, that’s it for another week – just before I go I’d like to remind you that on Friday this week, It is our final assembly in the church.  This will be the Year 6 Leavers’ service and a chance for all of the children to reflect on their last 7 years at Coton school. It starts at 2:30 – so get there early to grab your seats. Make sure that you bring your tissues – it is always a tearful occasion but one that will make you feel incredibly proud.

One week to go – enjoy it!

 

We’ve all been rather busy in school this week, as we prepare to end another school year on a high note.  We have a packed diary of events coming up before the end of term, aimed at bringing pleasure and enjoyment to everybody connected with our school, bringing the whole community together, as one.  In busy times such as this one, it is always important not to lose sight of why we have so many different things happening.  The simple answer is – for the children.  We want to give our children the very best opportunities that we can, experiences which will stay with them for a lifetime, and in the process, teach them that they can do anything that they want to in life, provided that they are not afraid to have a go at new challenges.

Maximus from Outstanding Oaks took on a challenge of his own on Friday. He had a go at this year’s Year 1 Phonics test.  He performed very very well and it was a real pleasure to have a knock on my door with his good news.  Mrs Smith is going to be using this year’s National Phonics Test as a diagnostic tool for the current EYFS children so that we can really hit the ground running with phonics in September, to continue their learning.  Phonics will be a big focus for us next year as we work to improve our whole school approach and ensure that these vital skills are firmly embedded.

We were most disappointed to have to cancel our Annual Sports Day this past week.  We were really unlucky with the weather but it hasn’t dampened our spirits.  Sometimes, these ‘hurdles’ come to test us to see if we are made of strong stuff!  We’ll have another go at it on Wednesday 12^th July from 1:15pm, we really hope that you’ll be able to join us for this rescheduled event.

I have just came back from the Brewhouse, setting up for this week’s forthcoming Key Stage 2 production of Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat.  The ‘sandy effect’ floor is now in place and the rostra is in position, with help from Little Theatre Company and the free van hire courtesy of Star Foundation. We look forward to welcoming you in the audience over the next couple of nights – I am sure that all of the children will shine out and make you proud. Any remaining tickets that you wish to purchase can be ordered from the school office – hurry, to avoid missing out.  We are going to be having this production recorded on DVD also, selling copies for anybody who is interested in a lasting memory of the production.  More information will be out shortly about this, should you wish to make an order.

Also this week, I am going to be doing Pupil Progress meetings with your teachers.  This is something that we do every term, closely monitoring the amount of progress that every child is making.  These are always very productive discussions and we often identify what we can change about the provision that we offer the children in lessons moving forward.

On Thursday this week at 3:30, we have another Fly on the Wall session for new EYFS parents and their children.  It was wonderful to see our new intake in the classroom, a fortnight ago.  We look forward to meeting you all once again; getting the children familiar with their new surroundings and comfortable, ready for their start in September.

And… don’t forget our Summer Fayre this Friday too!  It starts at 6pm and it is always a real community affair!  Bring all your family and friends so that we can all get together and raise vital funds for our school. Mrs Mack and the team have been working really hard to make sure that there are lots of interesting stalls and events happening during the evening.  New families, who will be joining us in September, are very welcome too.

I would just like to gently remind all children about remembering to show respect in school over the remaining weeks of term.  It is a busy time of year, with lots of exciting things happening but that doesn’t mean that we forget the values that we all hold dear. Respect should be given to everyone and everything in our school and I was a little disappointed to hear that a very small minority of children had forgotten this at lunchtime on Friday.  Don’t let yourselves down – I never usually have to speak to you about this!

Just before I leave you, keep an eye out for some important letters over the next few weeks.  Annual Reports will be sent out during the week commencing 10^th July, along with a letter about which class your child will be in next year. Children will spend a day with their new class teacher on Friday 14^th July.  We will also be writing to you all about our uniform policy for next year, following our consultation with parents and the children themselves over recent weeks.

Right, the sun has come out so I’m off out into the garden to read some of the lovely comments that your teachers have been writing about you all in their annual reports. See you next week

This week’s blog question is: What is the rescheduled date for our sports day?

I can’t believe that we have 4 weeks of school remaining for this academic year – where has the time gone?  We have been so busy getting on and enjoying ourselves over recent weeks, we have barely had a chance to take stock.  We have hit that time in the school year where there seems to be lots and lots going on every single day, as we prepare to end the year on a real high.  The ‘summer run-in’ is always an enjoyable time of year but also one which stirs a range of emotions.  Whether it is the amusement and excitement of taking part in end of year festivities, the sadness of saying goodbye or maybe even the uncertainty surrounding what will happen next. One thing is for certain, we have a packed programme of events to get involved with.

Last week, we had our first EYFS Fly on the Wall session for new Early Years’ pupils.  It was really great to meet many of our new parents once again and more importantly the children who will be joining us.  I gave myself a little head start with the learning of their names and I was pleasantly surprised with how many I had actually remembered from when they came to visit earlier on this year.  We have more Fly on the Wall sessions planned for the new intake on July 6^th and July 13^th.  Transition into our school is so important. It is a big deal starting a new school and this is the reason why we are doing all that we can to make the next step seem all the more easy.

Also last week, I met with our Parent Council on Tuesday evening.  We had a really productive meeting and discussed many things which had been passed on to the representatives for each year group.  We are quite unique in the fact that we have a parent council body – it is yet another way that you can get your voice heard.  We are a very approachable school, open and honest at all times in your child’s best interests. We really appreciate it when you come into school, to let us know your questions and queries, as it means that we can answer them quickly and give you the correct information first hand. However, you can also pass on your questions to a Parent Council Representative and they’ll be able to raise your query at one of our termly meetings.  We pride ourselves in all the work that we do and the time that we invest into working with you all.  As I have said before, we don’t get everything right, but we always strive to improve and do our best for every child and family.

I was really impressed with some of the Year 5 and 6 pupils this week, who showed me some brilliant work that they had been doing with Ms Challinor in Computing. Both Sonny and Thomas had been developing their expertise using Paint software for a real life purpose.  The children were set a challenge of designing and making a programme cover for the forthcoming Key Stage 2 production in their lessons and the results were fabulous.  Ms Challinor and I have already decided that we will try and display some of them as part of the front of house display at the Brewhouse next week.  The best design will be chosen to go on the front of our programme.  As I said in my letter to Key Stage 2 parents last week, this year we have successfully managed to rehearse for the production without it being at the detriment of key aspects of learning. Many aspects of the art, music, dance, RE and computing curriculum are being covered as part of the rehearsal process during ‘Joseph Time’ and English and Maths lessons have been well safeguarded in the process.

We had a real week of sport last week in school.  Our children really enjoyed their badminton sessions courtesy of Star Foundation on Thursday.  The coach, Mr Moore, was really enthusiastic and he couldn’t believe how well-mannered and polite our children were.  It was great to see the children involved in a different sport to one, which they are familiar.  I had good reports from the staff who attended the Key Stage 1 Mini Olympics event on Friday as well.  Many of our newer families may not be aware but we subscribe to be part of the Derbyshire School Sports Partnership. This gives us access to a full programme of sporting events with other schools, ran by specially trained coaches in the county.  Many of these competitions are at ‘neutral’ venues in Swadlincote and the surrounding area. Each event has its own set of rules and arrangements and sometimes we are limited as to how many children can take part. Also, there are very few sporting competitions put on for the younger children in Derbyshire, so we felt it was important to give our younger children the opportunity to be involved in this event and I know that they all enjoyed taking part.  I’d like to take this time to give a ‘shout-out’ to Mrs Mailer for organising this event and also Mrs Dyke, Mrs Harris, Mrs Thorne and Mrs Brace who all went along with the children.   Many of our staff give up their own time to arrange these events and also to go along to them – without their dedication we would not be able to offer these opportunities, so I thank them greatly.

Over the next few weeks, we have lots of other exciting things planned.  This Thursday, 29^th June, it is our annual Sports Day from 1:15 pm.  The school gates will open around 1pm, once the children have come in from lunchtime, for you to get your seat alongside the track on the field.  Obviously, for safeguarding reasons, we have to keep the children and parents separate during the afternoon, whilst the event is taking place.  The parents’ area will be just outside the MUGA, parallel to the racetrack and the children will sit on the other side of the track on the far side of the field.  At around 3:15 we will have a presentation and then children will be sent into school to get their belongings for home. We will safely hand-over the children in the usual way, using our Dedicated Pick-Up List.  If for any reason, we decide to cancel the event, it will be through one of two reasons; inclement weather on the day or the racetrack being too slippery because of rainfall.   You will see from the ‘dates for your diary’ section of our website that we have a substitute date for sports day planned in on Wednesday 12^th July @ 1:15.  Please do not telephone us on the morning of Sports Day to check whether it is still on, as the lines will already be busy. We will notify you by text if we have to cancel at short notice – there will also be a note added to the ‘General Announcements’ section on our website.

Also this week Mr Evans, one of our Governors, is in school to talk to Mrs Weston about the developments that we are making in maths at present.  Maths is an important subject as you all know, and gradually, we have been sure to develop our teaching of the subject so that it keeps up with the pace of change nationally.  There has been much in the news about the concepts ‘mastery’ and ‘reasoning’ and much of our work this year has centred on these approaches with the introduction of ‘And Finally’ tickets.  Next year, we will be making further changes to our teaching so that we can continue to embrace these new approaches, in addition to focussing on the ‘basics’ recognised as having a big impact on attainment and progress – arithmetic and times tables.

The Key Stage 2 children are almost ready for their end of year production, baring a few last minute rehearsals this week. Remember, we have hired the Brewhouse for this production as we will be able to have access to microphones and stage lighting.  The Brewhouse can also hold more people in the audience, which means that each family can have more tickets to the event.  You will have received a couple of letters about the arrangements over recent weeks but just to confirm once again:

• The performances take place during the evening on Monday 3^rd July and Tuesday 4^th July at the Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton. Performances start at 7pm
• During the evening, the children will need to arrive at 6:15pm and be handed over by their parent to a teacher in the bistro area
• On the evening of the performance, the only thing that your child needs to bring is a drink and a pair of blue/black/Grey jeans or trousers. We will hand out their Joseph T-Shirt once they arrive at the Brewhouse. No fizzy drinks please.
• The children will stay with their teacher until the performance ends – approximately 9:15pm. They will be brought back onto the stage in the auditorium by their teacher, for collection, once everybody in the class is changed.
• Tickets will be issued this week, coming home with your child. Additional tickets can now be purchased from the school office.

As part of this experience, the children in Key Stage 2 will be spending the whole day at the Brewhouse on Monday 3^rd July until 4pm.  Just to confirm arrangements for the day:

• Parents who have said that they can take their child straight down to the Brewhouse in the morning of 3^rd July or those who have arranged for a family relative or friend to take them, need to arrive between 9:15 and 9:30. A teacher will be waiting in the bistro area and we will register the children once they arrive.
• During the day, all of the children need to be wearing comfortable clothes and they will require a packed lunch.
• At 4pm, children will need to picked up from the Brewhouse by their parent (or somebody on the Designated Pick-up List) to go and get some tea. We will dismiss children from the bistro area, one class a time.

Don’t forget that this Friday, it is Non Uniform in lieu of tombola donation for our forthcoming Summer Fayre, scheduled to take place on Friday 7^th July between 6 and 8pm and The Pingle School are joining us this week also – to complete the work on our new display outside Mrs Cresswell’s office.

To end this week’s blog, I’d just like to join our school community in wishing the Reverend Janet Turville all the very best as she leaves us for pastures new today.  Reverend Janet has worked extensively with our school over the last 15 months and she has become very well known to all of our children, working with them in school and taking collective worship regularly.  I like to join everybody in thanking her for the contribution she has made to our school improvement journey over recent months. God bless and P.E.A.C.E be with you.

This week’s Blog Box question: What time does Sports Day start this week?

It has been a couple of weeks since I last posted on here but rest assured, our school has been a hive of activity over the last fortnight.  Every member of our team has been working really hard to deliver the necessary improvements to drive our school into the new academic year and ensure that the current academic year ends on a high note.

I am very proud of all that has been achieved this year and when walking around our school I can see that the diet we are giving the children in classrooms is improving day to day. Over the last few weeks, I have seen greater opportunities being provided for the children to write in foundation lessons, teachers using time wisely by tailoring their teaching to groups of pupils rather than solely aiming it at the whole class and children who are able to recount what they have been learning rather than what they have been doing.  There is no doubt that we must keep up this improvement as we head into the new academic year, there is still much work for us to do, but it is really encouraging to see things moving in the right direction after all of the hard work that everybody has put in.

Due to some staff absence, I have spent 2 days teaching this week, preparing the children in Key Stage 2 for their forthcoming production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. I always enjoy the chance to do a spot of teaching myself and to work with our children. I think the children enjoy seeing their Headteacher ‘at the chalk face’ also.  With the exception of the finale, every song for our Joseph production is now choreographed and it is a real pleasure to see the children participating with such gusto. Mrs Weston was really impressed with Key Stage 2 on Thursday when we started to run the show. Some of our scenery arrived this week also, so a number of children were involved in the painting of it.  If you cast your mind back to January when we announced that we would be undertaking such a monumental project, many probably questioned whether it would actually be possible. However, as I have said many times before, if you aim high and think creatively, anything is possible and our children have certainly risen to the challenge. Sometimes you have to be brave enough to dream big – we can do anything if we put our mind to it. With 2 ½ weeks to go, we’d ask that the children continue to practise their words and the dance moves so we can put the gloss on the production to end the year on a real high.  I sent a letter home last week about the arrangements for Monday 3^rd July, please make sure you familiarise yourself with the details.  Tickets are now on sale and these can be ordered through the office, we are restricting you to 5 tickets in the first instance so that everybody gets a chance.  Remember, we are doing this because ‘awe and wonder’ really matters at our school.  Being one of the key words in our new school vision, it is important that we live what we believe in.

Another word in our school vision is ‘excellence’ and over the last few weeks both the governing body and I have been talking about a few things that we need to focus on in order for attainment to rise further in our school next year.  Last week at governors, we were looking at our Attendance & Lateness Policy.  Coming to school regularly is really important so that children can make academic progress in line with their potential but also so they can develop good relationships with their peer group. We are going to be producing a parent friendly leaflet outlining our policy so that everybody understands our procedures and the rationale behind them.  Just lately, we have had a number of parents requesting a leave of absence from school, and in line with guidance from the Secretary of State, we have unfortunately been unable to grant them.  We have also had a number of children being persistently late at arriving in the morning.  We appreciate that occasional lateness or absence from school is sometimes unavoidable but we want to make sure that we track this more effectively in the best interests of all children.   By doing this, we’ll be able to support any families who need any help with this and we’ll be able to better reward those children who come to school on time every day because being punctual is a good habit to get into for their future life.  Keep your eyes peeled!

Mrs Weston spent some time looking at Maths books across the school on Monday this week.  If you have read our school improvement plan, you will have seen that we have been working on giving greater challenge in lessons this year – through the implementation of reasoning activities but also through the feedback we are giving children in our marking. She was really pleased to see that ‘purple pen’ work was consistent in all classrooms and your teachers are giving you ample time to respond to their marking.  Although this was the focus, Mrs Weston did notice that some children have got exemplary presentation.  Remember, if you are working in your maths book, make sure you use a ruler and also the squares.  There was a small group of children who were not putting a neat line through their errors and neither were they writing a digit in each square.  We’ll be following up on this next term – remember, we have high expectations of everybody in our school.

It seems like all of the uncertainty surrounding the general election results has still not subsided.  However, in school the result of our mini election was much more decisive.  On Thursday last week, all of the children visited our polling station and completed their own ballot paper – voting for a political party of their choice.  I know that some classes looked at the party manifestos prior to voting so they could make a really informed decision about who they wanted to vote for. Rather than being influenced by what they see in the news or on social media. The results of our election were as follows:

Conservatives – 49 votes

Labour – 24 votes

Green Party – 21 votes

Liberal Democrats – 8 votes

Ukip – 4 votes.

Having a voice, is a really important part of living in Great Britain that one should not take for granted.  We are so lucky to live in an active democracy.  Being part of a democracy not only means that we get to vote in general elections, it also means that we have to respect the outcome of them. Over the last few months, our School Parliament has been giving us their thoughts on our school uniform and I had the chance to put their thoughts to parents at my termly Cuppa and Cake meeting last Friday morning.   I always enjoy talking to parents about how we can further improve our school –  it is really helpful to get their views on some of the things that we feel need to change in the future.  We had some really positive feedback from all the parents who attended about some of changes that the children wanted to make and also the reasons behind them. I would like to reassure all parents that we would never want parents to incur any significant expense in the process and any uniform changes that we do go on to make will be subject to a transition period.  We have spoken at length about how expectations of children and schools continue to rise and how we must make sure that we carry out the necessary cultural changes to be certain that our school continues to move forward, not getting ‘left behind.’  When thinking about uniform – the word ‘excellence’ springs to mind.  Half of the battle with ‘excellence; is about looking the part. Being smart and proud around school can ensure that we have the right mind-set to do well.  As a school, we also have to make sure that we prepare the children for when they leave us and join a much bigger school. We have chatted a great deal about the ‘Coton bubble’. By the time our children leave us, we want them to be best prepared to face the wider world with confidence.  I am meeting with Parent Council next week, so we hope to have more news about uniform very shortly.

Also last Friday, we had so many children who had earned their Privilege Time.  Remember, every time you a child gets 25 points, they will be issued with a special pass which can ‘cashed in’ within one month.  I will continue to liaise with the children about how we can develop Privilege Time into the new academic year – I know that there are many exciting things that we can set up so it continues to be a special time for those children who deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and effort.

A massive thank you to all the dads and grandads who attended our Father’s Day lunch this week.  It is always a really good event for the children and the kitchen staff never fail to amaze me with how they manage to prepare so many meals at the same time as delivering a very good quality of service.  I’d like to personally thank Mrs Farmer in the kitchen and all of her team for their hard work on Wednesday this week.  We will definitely be planning this event for next year – so look out for it in September, when the new diary dates are released.

I had a glowing report from Michaela and Mrs Mailer on Wednesday evening after the Dance in the Forest event. Our children really showed off their talent and behaved impeccably, representing our school well. I’d just like to pay tribute to Mrs Cresswell and also Mrs Mailer for giving up their evening to support Michaela at the event. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it on Wednesday evening but it was great to hear so many positive reports when the staff came into school the next morning.

I’d also like to say a big thank you to those children who added post-it notes onto the big question board this week.  In response to our big question; a really important question to ask Jesus is, Sophie from Eager Elms asked why terrorists target innocent people and Oliver from Hazels asked why there is suffering in our world.  I hope to see lots more post-it notes on there next week.

Speaking of next week, we have the first of 3 EYFS Twilight Fly on the Wall Sessions for the new intake.  We really enjoyed meeting our new families last week and we look forward to getting to know them a little better over the coming weeks.  As I said to all of the parents last week, we are approachable, open and honest.  We don’t get everything right but we work tirelessly to offer the very best that we can and develop strong working partnerships with all parents.

To finish with this week, I’d just like to spare a moment to reflect on the awful event in West London this week.  I cannot imagine how those victims from the tower block fire must be feeling after losing their loved ones and all of their possessions.  Our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time as they continue to rebuild their lives and I hope they all get the answers that they rightly deserve.  I think we can all take strength from the public show of support by the local community and the country as a whole, with the many donations of food and clothes.  When a community is united, it can be pretty special.

This week’s blog question: Who won the election that we held in school last week?  I will be pulling the winner out at our next parent assembly on Friday 30th June.

See you next week, have a wonderful weekend. Happy Father’s Day

 

We’ve had a very busy few weeks and some glorious weather too which has added to the buzz around school.  The summer term is always an enjoyable one where we turn our mind to our summer holiday escape. However, I’d like to start this week’s blog on a sombre note.

You will all have witnessed the terrible atrocities in Manchester this week and the pain and anguish this has caused for many families and young children.  On behalf of the school, I’d like to send our condolences to all the families who have been affected by this week’s tragic events and thank the emergency services for their gallant efforts in tending to the victims.  I was immensely proud of our children in years 1-6 for the way in which they showed true compassion yesterday, in our special collective worship.  We stood up and held a one-minute silence to reflect on what had happened and to pay our respects.  It is a very big world out there and however much we try to protect our children from what is happening in the news, we have to prepare them too.

On a more upbeat note, Years 5 and 6 have been recovering this week after their annual residential to Shugborough Outdoor Education Centre. I paid the children a visit on the Thursday evening whilst they were away and joined in with the camp fire – they were all having an amazing time.  I know I may seem slightly biased but our children were fantastic; I am told that their behaviour at camp was exemplary.  I would just like to extend a massive thanks to the staff who went on the residential – they worked some very long hours and voluntarily went along in the best interests of the children. Some staff members had very limited sleep during the week also.  Without our dedicated staff team, we simply wouldn’t be able to offer the children this opportunity so thank you to Mrs Weston, Mrs Brace, Miss Popple and Mrs Mailer.

Outstanding Oaks and the Wonderful Willows went on a trip this week too.  They visited the National Space Centre in Leicester as they had been learning about the Solar System.  They all looked like had a brilliant time and the weather was glorious yet again.  It was really good to see the whole of our lower school joining together and talking about what they had been learning.  I’d like to thank the volunteers who joined us for this – it was a real help to us and made sure that the day went smoothly.  In Computing this week with Ms Challinor, the children were importing a photo of themselves onto an astronaut and writing about what they HAVE learnt. Over the next few weeks, I look forward to seeing many more pieces of writing about the trip.

On both Wednesday and Friday this week, we have had a photographer into the school.  On Wednesday, the photographer spent a whole day with us, taking plenty of great pictures for our new school prospectus.  We have been working hard on this over the last month or so, we want to really celebrate all of the improvements that we have made to our school and entice people to come and learn here.  You’ll be really pleased with the finished outcome when you see it – it will be printed in time for the start of next half-term. Following the implementation of our new school vision also, we wanted to make sure that this was communicated vibrantly so that everybody connected with our school knows what we are striving to achieve.

Speaking of improvements, Mrs Weston (our Maths Leader) had a sneaky peak in books this week to see how the children were getting on with the concept of ‘reasoning.’  You may have heard the children mention the ‘And Finally’ tickets that we give out at the end of a lesson.  These tickets are to challenge all children to think deeper in maths by solving a problem or justifying a calculation.  Mrs Weston was really pleased with how the children are all doing and she has some more exciting plans for September – where we will be stepping up the reasoning even more.  ‘Reasoning’ is a huge part of the curriculum now and both myself and Mrs Weston will be keeping a close eye to see that you are being challenged at all times in your maths lessons.

I’ve had to give some children a little nag this week about their actions outside on the playground and around school.  One of the best things about our school is how well-mannered the children are but some children have let me down a bit this week.  It is really important that we continue to get the simple things right – being honest when we make a mistake, lining up for dinner quietly and calmly and saying please and thank you.  Even though it is the end of a busy term and we are approaching the end of the school year – I still expect the ‘Coton Standard.’  One of our school words is ‘excellence’ and this means doing our best at all times and constantly striving to improve.  If we let things slip then it will stall our drive forward.

A big thank you to Jacob from the Outstanding Oaks who made me really proud on Tuesday, when he brought some of his wonderful writing to me.  Jacob has worked really hard this week and Mrs Mailer was pleased with how much he has progressed.  Progress is really important as our children journey through every year of school – it isn’t just about passing the SATS test or getting top marks in spellings.  It is about children getting better and better from their own individual starting points.  Next term, I will be doing a ‘book look’ to see which children have taken big strides forward since Easter.

Thank you to the Outstanding Oaks for their wonderful assembly this afternoon in the church.  They gave an incredible performance and were really really brave. We encourage all classes to perform in front of parents and their peers (as you know) because we believe that it fosters a sense of awe and wonder and develops self-confidence. I particularly loved the ‘Singing in the Rain’ bit!  I can’t believe how much they have all grown up! All of the children said their lines clearly and confidently – well done to all of them!  I’d also like to thank the parents who helped them to learn their words at home.  Finally, thanks to the staff for putting it together.  It was a great end to the half term.

I’d just like to advertise a few things that will be happening on the first week back after the holidays.  On Monday 5^th June we have an INSET day, on Tuesday 6^th June we have a new intake meeting for EYFS parents joining the school in September.  On Wednesday, we will be holding our very own General Election in school and counting up the results ready for the real thing on Thursday.  Finally, on Friday 9^th June, I will be holding an informal Cuppa and Cake session for parents.  One of the things that we will be discussing is the changes to school uniform from September.

Before I leave you, just a few reminders.  Thank you for your co-operation with fidget spinners over the last week.  We issued an alert last week requesting that these are not  brought into school, in addition to other toys from home.  We are really pleased to say that we have not seen any in school this week.  Also, please remember to send your child into school with a sun hat and a water bottle as we move towards the end of the school year.  It has been really hot this week and we have tried to limit the amount of sun exposure during the hottest hours of the day.

Have a wonderful week – take care in the sun!

P.E.A.C.E be with you

This week’s Blog Box Question: Who impressed me with his writing this week?

Another week has passed and lots of new developments are in the pipeline as we continue our momentum and drive forward.

Story of the Week: A new sports kit

On Thursday afternoon, we had a special delivery of 16 brand new sports shirts containing our new school badge, courtesy of generous sponsorship from Enterprise Workwear and local company, Pallex.  We have entered many sporting competitions against other local schools this year and I know that many children and parents have longed for a new kit so that we look the part when we go out representing our school across the county. We are thrilled with the results and I know the children were too! Miss Popple selected some of the children who have taken part in several competitions this year to model the kit for a photograph on Thursday afternoon.  Next time your child signs up for a competition (whether they are in Key Stage 1 or 2), they will be able to borrow a kit from us.  Mrs Mailer and Miss Popple will be devising a special system to ensure that we keep our kit well looked after and we don’t lose any shirts.  I am sure that you will all be pleased with the results.

Once again, I’d like to say a big thank you to both Pallex and Enterprise Workwear for their generous donation of the kit.  It will make a big difference to the image of our school when we are out at other schools.

Coton Champions of the Week: Team Y6

Well, after months of preparation, they ‘smashed it!’ I was one very proud Headteacher this week when I oversaw the administration of the Y6 SATS tests.  Not only did the Year 6 children complete their tests, they did so with calmness and maturity.  There has been so much in the media, as there always is at this time of year, about the place of the SATS tests in shaping a child’s educational journey.  Many educational professionals dislike the fact that children as young as 11 are given the tests and also despise the fact that so much emphasis is placed on them.  However, despite our feelings, we have to prepare the children to do their best and to cope with them given that they are statutory for all 11 year olds up and down the country and how mighty prepared they all were!  I’d like to pay tribute to their hard work, determination, and perseverance – not everything in life is easy and there are many challenges that you will have to face as you enter the ‘big wide world,’ but you were a credit to our school last week – I am an immensely proud of each and every one of you.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Year 6 team (Mrs Weston, Mrs Brace and Mrs Whyman) who went the ‘extra mile’ over recent months to get the children in a position where they could attempt the tests and have a reasonable chance of success. I know that they have worked tirelessly to ensure that they are providing ‘excellence’ on a daily basis.  In addition to the Year 6 team, I’d also like to extend my thanks to every other staff member in our school. The Year 6 SATs tests are the culmination of 7 years of hard work and every Coton adult has contributed to the academic journey of the children over the years. Our whole staff team have their ‘fingers crossed’ that the results will show what the children can truly do.  The outcome of the tests will be released at some point in July and whatever the children go on to achieve – we will be very proud of their efforts.

Finally, we’d like to thank, you, as parents.  Thank you for embracing the opportunities to get involved and attending the workshops that we have put on.  I know that the children will have benefited from your support.  It all makes a difference.

Soundbite of the Week: Rocco from the Outstanding Oaks

This week’s soundbite goes to Rocco, who visited my office on Thursday this week to show me what he had been learning.  Rocca was able to demonstrate his counting skills in 2s and 5s and he got to some really ‘lofty’ numbers.  It was also good to hear him recite the days of the week.  We are really pleased with the progress of our Early Years children this year.  Over the next few weeks, we’ll be getting in touch with the new intake ready for September.

Learners of the Week: Champion Chestnuts

The Chestnuts just keep getting better and better!  I have taken lots of visitors around school this week and every time I enter their classroom they are fully engaged in their learning and there is a good working atmosphere.  Having the right conditions for learning to take place is vital if the children are going to make the amount of progress that we require them to make.

On Friday, they all had an amazing time on their trip to Gladstone Pottery.  I have been reliably informed that they all showed our school off in a good light. Thank you for this Chestnuts, I expect nothing less!

In other news…..

This week, I have been working on a new prospectus for our school.  Now we have a new school vision – it is important that we celebrate all the good things that we do and promote all of the hard work that is put in by all.

In addition, I have been liaising with Miss Forrest and the School Parliament about our uniform for September.  You will remember from my blog last week that we are working to get our new logo onto our school jumpers ready for September. We will have some samples to show you all very soon and I will be liaising with our Parent Council too.  Please remember, that if we do make some changes to our school jumpers, we will phase in our changes so that existing school jumpers can still be worn, if they fit.

Joseph update – it is starting to come together really well!  This week, the brothers were set in another dance routine and Mrs Weston worked with the angels.  It is all getting pretty exciting and many of our parents got a sneak preview on Wednesday evening through the window of the hall.  We also gave a little preview to Mrs Poynton, who visited us on Friday afternoon.  Please may I ask that all children keep practising their songs words – particularly if they are a Narrator.  Many children have lots and lots of words to learn and by simply listening to the CD, the words will go in!

Mrs Cooper and Mrs Clarke (two of our governors) have been into school this week to look at our Attendance Policy and to devise a policy on lateness.  We have worked hard over the last 12 months to really improve our attendance figures and we now need to ensure that this continues so that our children go on to achieve what they are capable of.  Any absence from school should not be taken lightly and nor should lateness.  We do have a small minority of families who are persistently late and this is detrimental to a child’s learning in the classroom.  Lessons start promptly in our school and every minute of learning time is used wisely to ensure that the children are making accelerated rates of progress.  Over the next few weeks, we will be putting the finishing touches to these policies so that we have a robust approach from the good of our children.

Mrs Smith led a parent workshop on the teaching of phonics on Thursday afternoon.  As many of you will know, Year 1 pupils (and some in Year 2) will be taking part in the National Phonics Test in June.  This is carried out in all schools across the country and is an important benchmark to see how your child’s reading is developing as they progress through Key Stage 1.  We really hope that you found the session really informative and useful – if you missed it then please contact Mrs Smith for information.

Year 5 and 6 children go to Shugborough Outdoor Education Centre on Monday for a residential – let’s hope they get some dry weather.

This week’s blog question:  How many new sports shirts have been donated to our school?

P.E.A.C.E be with you!

This week has been a real turning point for our school, as we continue to make the necessary improvements to bring about improved outcomes for our children. Pivotal to this is our new school vision. We have talked about how our vision must drive us forward in our quest for the very best and this requires us to reflect and do things differently to perhaps how we have done them in the past. I have spent a great amount of time in meetings this week but it has been a very productive week for all connected with our school.

Story of the week: Pupil Progress meetings

This week I have sat down and had some lengthy discussions with all your teachers about how much progress the children are making in their learning. As you may be aware, from looking at our school improvement plan on display in reception, we have invested in a new assessment system that enables us to track a child’s learning journey effectively, as they go through our school. This assessment system is really useful for your teachers because it enables them to see where any gaps in learning (from the curriculum) exist and this information can inform their future lessons so their teaching is much more effective in meeting the needs of every individual child over time. Our new school vision is very much about every child succeeding in line with their potential and progressing at a consistent rate as they journey through every year group, with no ‘slippage’ or ‘falling behind’ from their starting point.

 

I have challenged your teachers to make sure that they pay close attention to the children’s capabilities and how much progress they go on to achieve in the final term of the year. Lots of our children have already made the amount of progress that we expect in a year so we will be working to ensure that these children deepen their understanding over the next few months. It was really clear that all of your teachers are working incredibly hard to do their best for every child in their class and they are determined to improve the amount of progress the children are all making.

Prior to your child’s school report going home in July, I will be organising a parent workshop on how we measure your child’s progress and handing out a really useful guide. It can be a little bit tricky for parents at the moment, as every school has their own system for measuring academic progress, following the abolishment of school levels a few years ago. Should you have any questions in the meantime please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

The ‘I wish I had a Camera’ moment of the week:

This week, Key Stage 2 have made significant headway in their rehearsals for their summer production of Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was a real pleasure of mine to work with all the 11 brothers and Joseph on Wednesday evening with Ms Challinor and again on Friday with Miss Forrest. On Friday we had Mrs Weston and Miss Popple working on song words and singing without the backing vocals in one classroom, our dance teacher Michaela Goodhead was working with the Pharoah dancers and the Potiphar Slaves in the hall, and I staged the opening number with the narrators and all the 11 brothers in Miss Popple’s classroom. Key Stage 2 was awash with ‘Awe and Wonder’ and it was sight to behold. Mrs Cresswell had a cheeky look through the hall throughout the afternoon as all the wonderful singing amazed her! As we continue to move towards the performance please remember to learn your words – there are lots of songs in this production and regular practising at home will really help to make it sound even better.

 

Soundbite of the Week:

Rosie in Eager Elms impressed me on Friday when Mrs Weston was talking about next week’s Y6 breakfast club. She said; “I want to come to Y6 breakfast club so I can wish them all luck!”

Thank you for your kind sentiments Rosie, it fills me with immense pride to see children supporting each other and showing compassion. I am sure that our whole school wishes to join you in sending best wishes to all the Y6s for next week. We are very proud of each and every one of them for their dedication over recent months and we send them lots of positive thoughts for the week ahead.

 

Coton Champion of the Week: Sophie (Wonderful Willows)

Mrs Cresswell informs me that Sophie has thought very carefully about what clubs she wants to sign up for this term and she has decided to wait a few days before signing up for the Key Stage 1 Get Fit Club with Mrs Smith, so the Year 1 children could have a chance first! As you will be aware, we try to offer a wide range of clubs over the year and give opportunities for all age groups. Again, it is great to see our children being thoughtful and showing the compassion that we talk about in school on a regular basis. Sophie – you are a real advert for our school – well done!

Learners of the Week: Key Stage 1

It has been a real pleasure to hear all of the children in Willows and Oaks talk about what they have been learning in topic this week. They have all been learning about Space and the Solar System.

Jessica from Wonderful Willows could tell me what planet we lived on, and Oliver taught me a new way of remembering the order of the planets too! In Oaks, the children could name some of the planets for themselves and I saw them making some planets, covering balloons with newspaper, ready for display. I know that Mrs Smith and Mrs Mailer have planned in lots of ‘hands-on’ activities like this for their children over the last few months – it was great to see them getting messy and having fun but learning at the same time.

 

Other children who have caught my eye this week are: Matthew and Garth from Hardworking Hazels, who got straight on with their work after entering the classroom from break time on Friday, without fussing or wasting any valuable learning time, and Seb from the Outstanding Oaks.

In other news….

This week I started work on a new school prospectus which will celebrate what our school is all about and capture our school vision perfectly. I’d like to say a big thank you to the parents who have agreed to be part of this and be interviewed about what we offer too. We are aiming to have some useful case studies to display on our website about the difference that our school tries to make to the lives of every child.

44 children cashed in their Privilege Passes and attended Privilege Time with me on Friday afternoon. This week it took part outside in the sunshine and the children had the choice of playing with the circus skills equipment, colouring, puzzles, board games or sport. Following the discussions that our governors had with the children last week, I am going to be purchasing Lego and a games console over the next few weeks too. Remember – 25 points can be achieved for anything from good work, to super manners and acts of compassion. Your teachers are watching you all of the time!

Our sports kit will be unveiled next Thursday, complete with our new school logo (At the request of School Parliament)

Next week:

Staff from the PIngle school will be joining us on Wednesday morning to work with the children in Outstanding Oaks on a new display for the reception area. This display will communicate our new school vision (P.E.A.C.E).

Mrs Smith will be holding a Phonics Workshop on Thursday afternoon @ 2:15, for any parents of children in Y1. This workshop will show parents how we teach phonics in school and prepare them for the National Phonics Screening Check that all Y1 children will complete in June. We hope to see you there.

Year 6 Breakfast Club is happening every day this week from 8:30 – don’t forget to bring your SATS slippers too. There will be free toast and juice.

Our Governors are taking part in training Thursday night once again – they will be learning about how they can develop their Link Governor role in our school.

And Finally…..

I just like to give a shout out to Thomas in Outstanding Oaks for doing a spot of gardening over lunchtime on Thursday. Mrs Left informs me that Thomas was using his initiative and pulling out all the weeds that had gathered over the drain cover on the playground. Thanks Thomas for doing your bit! Alan Titchmarsh in making!

Some parents have been asking about whether we are going to be making any changes to our school uniform ready for next September. This issue was brought up during a School Parliament discussion and some of our children suggested that they would like to add the new school badge onto red jumpers as it matches with our new sign and letterhead. The issue was also discussed at Parent Council too. We are currently looking into this and evaluating the cost as we would never want any of our parents to incur any additional cost for school uniform. Rest assured, that we will keep you in the picture and if we do decide to have a new school jumper produced, children will still be able to wear their existing one next year until they grow out of it. We hope to have some news very soon as we know that many of you will not wish to purchase a new jumper at the back end of the school year if we are intending to have a new one produced.

This week’s blog box question: How many children attended Privilege Time this week?

P.E.A.C.E be with you!

 

With only 4 days of term to go, Easter is well and truly on the way.  It is that point in the school year where there are lots of things going on and many discussions are taking place so that we can cement the improvements we have made and plan for the next academic year. I know that I speak for all children and staff when saying that a much deserved rest and recharge of the batteries is very much welcome; this will give us a chance to take stock of our achievements this term.  It will also give us vital time with our families and loved ones – to ensure that we are all in the best frame of mind to keep up the work into the summer term.

Click here to continue reading… “Mindset Matters!”