Dear Parents and Carers,
It seems the children all had a lovely half term holiday with many of them enjoying the mainly fair weather and Jubilee Celebrations in their communities.
Swimming
Following a successful staff training session on Tuesday, we are now in a position to start swimming lessons in school. The children must have one piece costumes, (full tops to guard against sunburn are also allowed), swimming hats (fabric ones are much easier to put on), a towel and, if they need them, goggles – all named, please! The planned programme of regular sessions will be:
Hazel Class: Monday and Tuesday afternoons
Beech Class: Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons
Chestnut Class: Monday and Friday mornings
Oak Class: Wednesday and Friday mornings
If you are free for any of the Hazel or Beech sessions and would like to come and help, please let me know; we will then give you information required for the necessary DBS checks to be done. We will try to give the children as many opportunities to swim as we can fit in to this busy half term, so please make sure they have their kit in school every day.
Other Sporting News
On Wednesday, Mrs Hillam and I took 24 children from Key Stage 2 to take part in the Gillingham Area Athletics event at the Yeovil Arena. This has always been a highlight of the sporting calendar for the children which gives them a chance to run, jump and throw in a professional environment, competing against other schools. This event, though, has been a casualty of Covid for the last two years, so we were delighted to take part again this week. Our children did brilliantly, returning with 18 medals for sprinting, longer distance, relays, long jumps and Vortex throws – many more than we have gained in previous years, and despite being the smallest school taking part. Equally impressive, though, was the way our children all tried their very best, entered with such a sporting attitude and were wonderfully supportive of their team mates. Coupled with the usual exemplary behaviour which makes our school stand out, we are hugely proud of their all-round performance. Well done to all the children who took part. Thank you, also, to the parents who came to support and drove the children home again at the end.
Staffing Update
Ms Babiy will be going on maternity leave at the end of next week; we wish her well and we look forward to her return next Spring; she has promised to keep in touch at regular intervals! I am pleased to let you know that Mrs Batten will be taking over the teaching of Beech Class for the rest of this term and for the whole of next year. Mrs Batten already knows the class and routines well, so this is an excellent arrangement for the children and the school. We are interviewing next week for a teacher to cover Mrs Batten’s current duties and will let you know the outcome of this as soon as it has been confirmed.
I am pleased to let you know that Ms K Stockley has started this week as our new Teaching Assistant in Hazel Class. We are also interviewing next week for additional support staff for September; again, I will let you know when we have appointed.
Transition Day
Advanced notice: Year 6 children going to Gillingham will have their transition day on Wednesday, July 6th. Information about this day will be sent to them shortly. On that day, all other children will spend the morning with their teachers for next year.
With best wishes
James Stanford