It's hard to believe we ever had a summer(did we actually have one?)with the autumn leaves falling and the nights getting darker.
As autumn prepares for winter, we prepare to plant bulbs around the school grounds in preparation for next years springtime.
We are also starting a volunteer working party in school who are going to plan introducing some animals to the school. Currently , after asking the children , we are thinking of getting some school rabbits chickens and guinea pigs. It will all take time and careful planning to make sure we house the animals correctly , that they are safe and that the children can experience them in a positive safe way.
If you would like to join our working party we would be really pleased as we need lots of help. We would need rotas for helpers to clean the animals houses and we would also need people to look after the animals in the holidays.
The children will get great value from watching the animals grow, seeing the chickens laying eggs and helping to take care of them.
I have had some parents come to see me asking if I am leaving? Apparently someone has started a rumour somewhere that I am. Rumours always happen but I want to put your mind at rest.I am pleased to say I am staying put and have no intention to move schools ( even though there are several schools in the area looking for Headteachers). We have too much good stuff happening and our children are wonderful, you wouldn't get such a great bunch anywhere else I'm sure.
I love our school and everything it stands for , children at the centre.
Yes there have been lots of changes since I started a year ago and some have not always been popular for a small number of people. However all the changes have had 3 reasons behind them.
1 - making sure our children are safe
2- making sure our children are getting a better education
3- making sure our children have choices and are involved in the decisions made about them.
If you ever want to know more about school you can come and ask me or my staff. You can email me head@brookhillleysprimary.notts.sch.uk I will always answer you.
One of the things I said when I first arrived , which OFSTED agreed with, was that the children could do far more than they were being expected to do.
So the teachers got behind this, listened, researched and raised their expectations of the children. At the end of the year, we were proved right!Every year group had improved with some very big improvements across the school , which means this year the children are starting from a higher base than last year.
Another thing I said was that no child should ever have to come to school and feel unsafe or be subject to being hit or kicked. So our exclusion rate went up but our expectations of behaviour went up too and the children have come to school this year brilliantly behaved and wanted to make the right choices.
In fact the children in school take responsibility for their own behaviour and our Year 6 children monitor the behaviour in my assembly every week and set a good example to the little ones.
Attendance is looking better as well.
Moles, our boys only class in Year 6, must like their new class as they have won the attendance prize for two weeks running. Last week they had 100% attendance which means every one of them being in school every day for the whole week. Well done Moles.
The children have asked us for after school clubs, so we have sorted it out and next week we have at least 8 clubs running after school.
Parents have asked for more advice about their childrens learning so next week will start a Tuesday night surgery for mathematics. Anyone who wishes to know more about maths in school, is stuck on how to help their child, or wants to bring their child with some homework they are stuck on, Mrs east is waiting !
Talking about change have you noticed as the weather changes there are more spiders around?
Last night I heard squealing from upstairs and found my teenage son standing on his bed holding a pillow. "There's a spider! It's huge!" he was terrified!
Now when my youngest child was born I was very scared of spiders and couldn't go near them. I set a new Years Resolution that year to be able to hold a spider by the end of the year. I did it and my fear of spiders went. I became the spider police at home and work and I found an affection for spiders I never knew could exist.
So when my son said it was the biggest spider he had seen I laughed saying I would get the little thing.
IT WAS BIG far bigger than any spider I have saved people from to date. Anyway I chased it under the bed, caught him ,( he looked like a boy spider) called him Fred and then gently cupped him in my hands to walk him down the stairs and outside.
As I started walking my son started screaming, other household members joined in and I was telling them to stop being daft. As I got to the bottom step the spider started moving quite a lot and for a split second his feet felt VERY BIG and I felt scared too! I screamed and Fred reacted by moving his feet more, the boys screamed more and it was a hilarious scene trying to free this spider out of the front door with everyone screaming and laughing at the same time, moving my feet to make sure he didn't land on them!
We laughed for ages afterwards! I now have to build my reputation back up as the spider saver.
Sometimes things we do all the time and find easy , for no reason become difficult and we have to build the ability to do things back again. I'll be back catching spiders the next time Mrs Callaghan needs me.
Look after the spiders, they eat the flies.
Mrs S x
