Dear Parents/Carers,
As we break up for the Christmas holiday, I would like to take a moment to thank you for all of your support. It has been a jam-packed term, filled with enriching experiences and innovative approaches to learning that have enriched the curriculum for our students.
Looking back on the range of diverse visits and activities we have all been very fortunate. Year 4 visited the Science Museum at the start of the academic year. Whilst Year 6 went to Dulwich College to sketch portraits in the Picture Gallery. Year 5 linking to their study of Macbeth were fortunate to go to the Globe Theatre and Year 2 also went back in time to the Tower of London, they participated in a dramatic retelling of the Great Fire of London. Such hands-on experiences help bring history to life. Nursery and Reception got to go and explore our local area venturing into Oxleas Woods. Year 6 also visited the Science Museum, and Year 3 had a fantastic time at the Natural History Museum, where they delved into the survival tactics of early man.
We are undeniably fortunate to have such a dedicated and proactive parent association, as the leadership of this changes over we say farewell to the name PACE and a warm hello to PALS which now reflects the new school name. Over the term the children had a Spooktacular Halloween Disco. Our 2nd annual Firework Event, a festive start to December with the ‘Rocking around the Tree’, the whole school experienced the pantomime Robin Hood. We ended the term with a ‘super surprise’ visit from Elfis the Elf! These events have brought so much joy to the children and raised important funds to support the school. This makes a difference for all the children at Stationers’ Primary, thank you to everyone involved.
The pupil personal development, which was so rightly recognised by Ofsted, continues to go from strength to strength. Our House Captains have successfully organised several school events, with the recent Children in Need campaign, raising an impressive £300 for good causes. Additionally, they facilitated an election to establish a school council, empowering students to collaborate on initiatives aimed at enhancing our school environment. This year we are also becoming A ‘UNICEF Rights Respecting School’. The newly Elected school council are:
- Year 1 – Noah and Dominika
- Year 2 – Ella and Wren
- Year 3 – Nathan and Niamh
- Year 4 – Joshua and Noa
- Year 5 – George and Elsa
- Year 6 – Luna, Lewis, Bella, Grace and Ibrahim
We concluded the term with two extraordinary performances. In Key Stage 2, we had a Carol Service at St Mary’s the Virgin Church and a delightful rendition of a ‘Twinkly Nativity’, a nativity production performed by the Infants in our school hall. We were very pleased to have our Chair and Vice Chair of Governors, Professor Linda Drew and Mr Levanen, attend these events, they were truly impressed by our students. These events were joyous occasions that the children cherished, showcasing their talents and the dedication of our teaching staff. We also had our Governor Mr Barry Jones, attend the Christmas lunch. He was wowed by the organisation and precision of this luncheon and loved every minute with the children. I would like to extend my gratitude to Ms Sime and her kitchen team for the splendid festive lunch provided.
Ofsted and SATs Results
I would just like to say again a huge thank you to all of our school community. Having a successful Ofsted inspection is a lovely accolade to the whole staff and the children and rightly so, we continue to be Outstanding. We also received wonderful news, published in an article in the Times newspaper we were listed as 87th out of over 16,000 primary schools in the UK, placing us in the top 1% of the country. We celebrated with the children by having surprise Christmas class parties.
Stationers’ Update
I would also like to update you on our first successful bid to the Stationers’ Foundation. I had a bid approved to provide additional support for targeted interventions. Additionally, the bid has enabled us to purchase two software programmes, which support English and Maths and these will be used by all students across the school. The resources for this bid totalled £4,300 and we will begin this work in January.
Special News
We also have some very special news. Ms Charley will be welcoming her first child in April, we send her and her partner our very best wishes as they prepare for this exciting addition to their family. When we return in January we will be advertising for a temporary cover Ms Charley, when she goes on maternity leave.
As we look forward to the new year, I wish you all a very merry Christmas and eagerly anticipate welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday 7th January 2025.
Kind regards,
Mrs R England | Principal
