24th April 2015
Dear Mellis Parent,
It is, with a certain amount of incredulity, that I note that it is officially the Summer term. It is a truism that time seems to accelerate the older you get, but it is still remarkable that we are already discussing the end of the academic year! Touch wood, the weather seems to be playing ball as well, and it is fantastic to see wellies and coats being retired in favour of summer uniform and hats. As ever with the Summer term, there always seems to be a vast amount to pack in, both academically and socially. Here are a few things to which I would like to draw your attention.
Exam Season!
We shall be starting external KS2 exams in a couple of weeks, and Years2 (end of KS1) 3, 4, and 5 will be taking their in-house assessment tests. We will be sending out class specific timetables for all of the relevant year groups this year (from Year 2 to Year 6) so that all is clear regarding what is happening and when; this information will also be on the online school diary on the website. As ever, the aim here is “to be our best”- by trying our level best. This can be achieved by encouraging a positive attitude to a challenge, a good night’s sleep before hand and by working hard, even if it means going over those times tables again! We will of course be working to make sure that all are supported to give their best shot. Please do talk to your class teacher or myself if you have any queries in this regard.
Improvement Works Around School; Revamping the Reception Outdoor Area
We have been gradually working on various repairs and improvements to the school that have been carried by parents’ workshops, the staff of the school and our handy man, Mr Terry Seeley. We are currently aiming to give the Reception Outdoor Area a significant facelift next half-term, which involves the installation of new equipment and re-turfing the grassed area. We are very lucky to have the skills of Mr and Mrs Laughlin (a Reception parent) in drawing out and fabricating some of the items we are going to install; their handiwork can be seen in the Pre-School outdoor area. Drawings of what we are looking to achieve can also be seen in the display in the office reception. Although Miss Whymark has plans afoot for some additional fundraising, what we will need, however, is a bit of a hand putting it all in! The plan is to have an MSPA workshop toward the middle of the next half-term, the exact date to be confirmed shortly. If you think you might be able to lend a hand you would be very welcome! Sarah, our Bursar, will have a list of potential helpers in the office. If you have a younger child who will be coming to the school in due course and who will benefit from this work, do give it a thought!
Traffic Outside the School…
Standard speech here1 Could drivers please refrain from turning in private drives, turning in the Telephone exchange and dropping off on the zig-zag lines. The last item is a traffic offense. Equally, given the congestion of the road, it is strongly advised that children do not exit the vehicle onto the road. Doing so just increases the chance of a potentially disastrous accident. It is appreciated and understood that it is substantially less than ideal at pick-up and collection times; however, if everyone plays the game then it makes it more bearable for all concerned.
Absence due to illness or medical appointments.
People have been very helpful by emailing teachers to notify them of their child’s illness or medical appointments. Can we also ask for the office to be informed as well, so that we are all collectively aware of what is happening. Equally, we must also have written confirmation of absence due to illness or medical appointment, even If it is retrospective. In the case of extended absence (i.e. five days plus) we will also need to see a doctor’s note to this effect. Many thanks.
End of Term Gifts.
People are often extremely kind at the end of the academic term (and indeed on other occasions), and buy various gifts for staff. The sentiment behind this is hugely appreciated, and the generosity in recent years has been truly remarkable. However, we have had some recent guidance from the Local Authority in regard to this and the essence is that such gifts should simply be a token gesture. At the risk of being a ‘damp blanket’, we collectively feel that a nice card or similar is more than enough to express any appreciation that parents or children may feel at the end of the year. In addition, we would also not wish anyone to feel pressured into buying gifts. We hope that this does not cause any offence either now or retrospectively; as said earlier, the sentiment and intent is both appreciated and valued.
The results of our Spiritual Survey.
The Foundation Governors (and in particular Mr Darrel Charles) have been very busy surveying the school in respect to its spiritual provision and its impact on the children of the school. Mr Charles has put together a very informative executive summary of his findings, which can be found on the Questionnaires tab of the school website.
And finally…
Whole School Excursion; a Victorian Day at the Beach!
We have long had a tradition of taking the entire school out on an excursion every other year. We have, historically, visited museums of every shade, taken in stage shows and generally taken the opportunity to experience something different as a collective whole. It is precisely that sense of togetherness of a small school that we want to retain; it is, I feel, one of our key characteristics, and one I personally very much value. However, as the school has grown progressively bigger, this is has become harder to do from an organisational point of view. Equally, costs have become increasingly untenable, especially when entire families take part. Most importantly, we also wanted to try out something new . . . so we have a plan for a Victorian Day at the beach – specifically Wells on the North Norfolk coast! We think it would be rather fun to decamp en masse to the far end of Wells Beach (but close by loos and the vital ice-cream stall!) and spend a day:
· Playing beach cricket, rounders and ‘stool ball’
· Having a sandcastle building competition
· Collecting shells and looking at other natural features of the beach
· Having a giant beach picnic (think ‘ice cream and lashings of ginger beer’ here, complete with gingham cloth!)
· Paddling to our hearts’ content…
· Finishing off with a fish and chip supper shipped down to the beach by the local fried fish emporium!
The opportunity to spend a wonderful day together, from Reception to Year 6, sharing in the traditional British pursuit of fun in the sand and water should be a fitting finale to the end of a busy and productive year. Full details will be forthcoming shortly but the date for your diary is Friday July 17th.
Anyway, I think that’s about it for the time being; more news as events warrant, and we’ll continue to keep you informed of upcoming events in our Thursday emails.
Best regards,
Paul Ryle
SIAMS
Outstanding