Snippets from the Classroom and Beyond
No
W53 November 2006
Well,
it’s the Monday of half-term already and I’m sitting staring at an empty screen
awaiting inspiration. Don’t get me wrong, there has been plenty happening
around and about the school which I shall get to in due course but I keep
coming back to the title of this piece – “Snippets from the Classroom and Beyond”and it’s that last word which tends
to bother me. Anyway, I’ll get down to happenings at the school but you will
find the photos this month are to do with the village!
Firstly,
some staff changes are in the offing. We are going to be losing Mrs. Carole
Smith and Mrs. Sue Satchell at the end of this term.
Mrs. Smith has been at the school for nearly nine years and has always been a
really hardworking and enthusiastic member of staff who has fitted into the
friendly atmosphere of the school so well. Carole, you will be sorely missed.
Here’s to jolly good luck with the future. Miss Emily Soper
will take over from Mrs. Smith with Class 3. Mrs. Satchell will be a hard act to follow, as well.
Sue has provided the inspiration for an extraordinary standard of artwork from
the children. The arts curriculum will be taken on by all the class teachers. I
hope the future is good to you too, Sue.
A
new opportunity is opening up at the school. From half term, Mrs. Claire Tattersfield will be joining the staff on Wednesday
afternoons to teach French. This is designed to fit in with the curriculum at
QECC.
Of
course, with it being half-term, I can’t cover my tracks by nipping up to the
school office and refreshing my memory on vital items. Typically, I don’t have
the results of the soccer and netball teams from the tournament at QECC
recently. I will report back next month.
Well
done to all who took a part in the “Jeans for Genes Day recently. They raised
the magnificent total of £65.00. A very impressive total whichever way you look
at it. Congratulations.
Now,
Halloween is nearly upon us and Pumpkin is the flavour of the day. There will
be a pumpkin competition which will be judged at the end of the school day on 31st
October. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of them turn up at the Halloween
Party being organised by the PTFA. Yours truly will be reading an appropriate
story at that party, hoping not to scare himself too much !
Going
back to sport, after half term 2 students from QECC will be running a Football
Club as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. It will be grand to welcome
back Sam Strong and Rachel Retter. Thanks for
offering to help in this manner.
On now to the photographs this month. The first shot is of
the Millennium Yew. This tree was planted to celebrate the start of the third
Christian Millenium and was planted in 2000 as a tiny
little sapling about 4 to 5 inches high. This shot was taken today and shows a
strapping young tree now three to four feet tall. It continues to thrive as I
hope all of you readers do. Next photo is of the Jubilee seat at the entrance
to Glebelands. It currently looks smashing in that
area. On my way up to the shop with Jess on Saturday morning, I found out why.
Amanda and Tim Vooght, ably assisted by their son
Cameron, were working hard cleaning up and generally caring for the site. I
understand that this has been so for some time. I am sure I can speak for most
of us when I say “Thank you very much for your efforts. They are very much
appreciated.” This, of course, goes to all those other selfless people who work
so 
hard to keep the village looking good.
Finally,
as far as photos go, work has started on refurbishing the Old Thatch. Now that
the stifling bureaucracy of the planning process is over, a real start has been
made and tangible evidence of the repair work is visible.
The
calendar:-
3rd
November – Spotlight Celebratory Assembly
1st
December – Christmas Fayre
5th
December – Full Governors Meeting
11th
December – Ice Skating in
12th
December – School Christmas Lunch
14th
December – Aladdin at the Northcott – Whole School
15th
December – Carol Service 2pm and
15th
December – Autumn Term Ends
3rd
January – Spring Term Begins
Please
don’t forget all the pets in the area when you celebrate Halloween and Guy Fawkes with fireworks. It can be a wretched time for them. That’s all for now.
PGR