Well the summer break went quickly for some and slow for others. I kind of sit somewhere in the middle.I was very tired by the end of term, however I love my job so much that the end of a summer break does not feel like a chore.
I also spent a lot of time in school through the summer break, like many of my staff did.
Our Site manager, Miss Willis even came in at weekends to make sure the builders could get the work finished in time for the new term.
I was lucky enough to get away on holiday, in the middle of the six weeks. It was very strange because all three of my daughters opted out this year. They are all young adults and were doing their own thing. So it was just me, Mr S, Oscar and Henry. This worried me as it meant only one of us who likes shoe and handbag shopping!
Mr S loves mountains so I had arranged a travelling holiday taking in Switzerland, France and Italy. As I won’t fly this meant a lot of driving. I’ve attached a couple of photos for you to see. I have to say Switzerland is beautiful.
Leaving the sunshine behind in Lauterbrunnen and heading in a train, two hours later walking in snow on top of a mountain - Jungfrau is amazing. It’s also very cold in sandals! (Well I didn’t know how much snow was going to be up there).
On that train journey I met a family from South Korea. They were telling us about the education system there and the competition for jobs for the young people. They described how teenagers finish school around 4pm and then move rooms to attend language classes so they can speak English and gain better chances of a job in the world market. They leave these classes after midnight and start back at school by seven the next morning, six days a week!
As well as mountains I also had time to spend with my boys and as well as some time to rest, in preparation for another busy year in school. It is the first holiday we have not had young children with us. Henry is 14 and Oscar is 16 now,so this year it felt very different and I did kind of miss some of the things we used to do when they were younger, things they are now too cool for! I managed to lose a game of volleyball by not actually getting the ball over the net once! Anyway all in all it was a good family break. I particularly liked Rome; there was so much to see. We just had one day there but I hope one year to go back. We managed to see Paris for a couple of hours before having to come home early due to an allergic reaction I had. So that’s another one to put on the list to revisit one day.
When I came back from holiday I went straight into school, excited to see the new rooms. I was very pleased with the work that had been taking place.
Over the summer we have had a new staffroom built. This means we now have a wonderful community room that we can start using for things such as family learning , Internet access for everybody and toddler groups.
Our Vice Chair of Governors Linda is next week holding a meeting to gather some parents to help her get this off the ground. I am very excited at the prospect of being able to come into toddler group and cuddle a baby! We love babies at Brookhill!
As well as this building work we have also extended the school office to allow more space for our office manager to work. Our Deputy Mrs Burns Hopkins also now has her own office, where she can comfortably meet parents and other people.Mrs Burns Hopkins has been charged with supporting some other schools in the local area this year to raise standards in reading and writing. So she will be taking some of our magic dust and sprinkling it in other places. I am very proud of her being asked to carry out this work.
We have also been selected as one of only 7 primary schools in Nottinghamshire to lead behaviour improvements in other schools! This is because the way we promote behaviour and accept only the best behaviour is making our children happy and helping them to make better progress. The Local Authority have been very impressed with the behaviour of our children.
So the new term started and I can tell you it has been absolutely brilliant. Your children are an absolute credit to you they really are.
We are preparing for OFSTED to come and reinspect us and we want to show them that we have really improved and we offer a good education with good value for money, in a caring safe school. I feel we have this and so do my team of staff.
It’s only the first full week just finished and already the children have targets, they have carried out two weeks of Big Writing, they have TALK topics and SEAL targets. A SEAL target is a goal that the whole school aim to achieve. This week it has been to hold the door open for the person behind you, or to say thank you to the person holding the door open for you in front. Even our tots have been doing this, what wonderful children.
Our new family service where the children dish their food up to each other and they all sit down at the same time is wonderful and the children really like it.
Lunch times are calm and very enjoyable.
I took a Local Authority advisor around the school yesterday and she was very impressed with the quality of what was going on,the teaching,behaviour,everything.
So I say to you THANKYOU for supporting us, it really makes a difference.
If anyone would like to come in and have a tour of the school with a member of the senior management team then please call us as we will always make you welcome.
Have a great weekend
Mrs Sainsbury
PS we really need parent helpers in school to carry out some voluntary work , reading with children , photocopying , gardening, sewing with children or any skill that you have got you could share. Please come in and see Mrs Burns Hopkins or Mrs Goetzee if you could help.
