Headteacher's Update 26th March

Dear all,

I began the week on Monday working with a small group of headteachers and deputy headteachers at Odyssey Teaching School Hub, based at Pates Grammar School, as part of a partnership in supporting the next generation of teachers. I had the pleasure of taking part in mock interviews and dedicating time to those at the very start of their journey into the profession. Reaching out beyond our school and into the wider community is something I feel deeply passionate about, and it was a truly rewarding experience. It was a privilege to support aspiring teachers as they take their first steps into such an important and impactful career.

On Wednesday, we welcomed Faye Heming into our school - our School Improvement Partner. As a school, we are always striving to develop further and continually refine our practice to ensure the very best outcomes for our children. It was lovely for her to see the difference and the impact that our teachers’ high expectations in handwriting are having, which was clearly evident in books across the school. She validated the work we are doing, whilst also, as always, leaving us with valuable next steps to further strengthen the provision our children receive.

Please keep an eye out for our new-look newsletter arriving tomorrow - I do hope the refreshed style is well received and that you enjoy the updated format. Do take some time to read through it and join me in celebrating our children, as we share some of the highlights and all that they have achieved throughout this term.

In particular, please take time to read about the involvement of all our stakeholders in shaping our work towards creating an inclusion statement for CKJS.

"What does inclusion look like at CKJS?"

We are inviting you, alongside the children, to share your thoughts, so that we can gather everyone’s views and, after the Easter break, bring these together to create a mission statement that is truly unique to our school. Our sincere thanks in advance for your time and contribution.

Hopefully by now you will have gathered that I am an avid reader of both adult and children’s literature. I have a long-standing relationship with an independent bookshop, Bookwagon, run by two incredible people who share the same passion for children’s literature, Bonnie and Bob. They regularly ‘pop up’ in schools, bringing their wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to inspire and motivate children to read - not only the newest titles on the shelves, but also those books they personally treasure.

We are therefore thrilled to be welcoming them into our school for a ‘pop-up’ event on Monday 20th April - so please do save the date. During the day, they will introduce the children to a range of age-appropriate, high-quality texts, and there will also be an opportunity to purchase books at the end of the day. We are very excited about this event, and further information will be shared with you in the first week back after the Easter break.

As we reach the end of a wonderfully busy term, I would like to thank all of our wonderful children for working incredibly hard over the last term. Whatever the Easter holidays may have in store for you - time with family, quiet moments to recharge, or a little adventure - I hope it is filled with joy and rest. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 13th April, refreshed and ready for the exciting term ahead.

Wishing you all a very happy and enjoyable Easter.

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Beccy Andrews