What an exciting week lies ahead of us.

 Y3, 4, and 5 are really gearing up for our fantastic Pantastic musical - which the whole school will see this vibrant, spectacle this afternoon in its first, full run - before a double header of shows at 2pm and 6pm tomorrow. We welcome the first taster session for our Green Start course with Groundwork Trust, after starting some initial planting around school. Meanwhile, the Easter Chocolate Afternoon tea celebration is taking place on Thursday at 3.30pm.

Don't forget: We're back to school on Tuesday 23rd April. During the first week back we're all looking at what we would do in any emergency.

Throughout the week we will be celebrating the Easter story during assembly time. Today we will hear Palm Sunday, in assembly tomorrow learn about the Crucifixion and on Wednesday our assembly will tell the story of the Resurrection.

The Big Tidy

During the next week, we're having a big tidy up around school - both inside and out. Coming to the end of the Easter term and with so many children and adults working so closely together, it often becomes a challenge keeping all the different areas of school tidy: cloakrooms, resource cupboards, classrooms. You can help us at home by clearly marking your child's name on their uniform/PE kit - we have dozens of items in our lost property trays in the front reception area of school - all there due to a lack of identification.

Parking around school

We need to keep our grounds safe for all children and students so keeping traffic to a minimum is key to this. Our school council are already considering what they could suggest to reduce traffic to and from Torver Crescent. Parents from our school should not be dropping off or collecting children from the school car park unless there are exceptional circumstances and they have school permission. 

Dismissal from school

We welcome parents/carers onto our school yard and value your interaction with staff. However, at the end of the school day, we are finding that dismissing children is becoming increasingly difficult, due to parents waiting both in front, behind and to the side of where classes line up. After Easter, we will ask parents to stand behind a designated point (in front of the bike sheds), so staff can see exactly where parents and carers are. It is a simple change, but - for safeguarding reasons - is important to prevent the possibility of children wandering off to a parent/carer waiting behind or to the side of where their class are and where teachers can't see them. I would also request that if you need to speak to a class teacher at the end of the day, please wait until their class is dismissed or request an appointment in the office. For the safeguarding of the children, our staff need to be fully focused when dismissing all their children.

Finally, I am very much a believer in: “Greet your child with a smile, not a mobile”. These years are so precious and short, those conversations at the end of the school day should be cherished, encouraged and listened to.