22 December 2005

• The calendar year at school ends with the triumph of ‘The Little Red Robin’ finally remembering the important news brought by the Angel Gabriel to Mary. Her journey was long and confusing. She met dancing trees, smiling snowmen, glittering stars and bouncing hail stones along the way while pink fluffy clouds and a host of angels looked on with encouragement. At last she arrived at the inn in time to see the shepherds and kings present themselves to the Christ child in the manger. Our heartfelt thanks to all who helped with the production and the many who praised the children’s efforts and the quality of their enthusiastic participation.

• We welcomed Mrs Lund to our performances and staff lunch and she will resume her teaching duties in Class 2 after Christmas. We thank Mrs Annette Borner, who covered for Mrs Lund, and who will continue her involvement with the school teaching music to both classes. Both classes will also be fortunate to share their teaching with our final year students from De Montfort University (Miss Jessica Askew in Class 1 & Miss Lizzie Weeks in Class 2) as they complete their courses and work toward final qualification.
• School closed after the final day’s party and an extended ‘Golden Book’ assembly to reward our pupil’s many achievements.

  30 November 2005

• Mrs Jackie Smith, our departing school administrator, receives her gifts of a garden Buddha statue, Monet prints and flowers in a cheerful assembly.

  16 November 2005

• Apologies to our many fans for a lack of contribution last month - contributor’s amnesia. Also the Harvest Festival pictures will be here when the technical aspects are ‘sorted’.
• This month we are in the pre-Christmas calm and the school has still been abuzz with many ongoing and new aspects of life.
• Class 2 had a thrilling visit to ‘Hazard Alley’ to learn about and gain hands-on practise for all sorts of personal and community safety. Two follow-up visits by staff from the centre allowed a more considered response from the children extending into their Literacy work back in school.
• Class 1 have been exploring Autumn and pumpkins in the week after Hallowe’en, capturing the seasonal sounds and colours in Art for the former while saving seeds and making a pie from the latter.
• We say goodbye to two valued members of staff this month. Mrs Jane Cartwright moves on to new employment with a local firm. Class 1 had a farewell party for Jane and the whole school said farewell with a present of a new watch and a tin of her favourite Earl Grey tea. Mrs Jackie Smith relocates to sunny Australia with her family. The staff enjoyed a fine evening meal with Jackie and she takes not only our love and gratitude to the antipodes but also a fine statue of the smiling Buddha to set up in her new garden. Whilst irreplaceable, Jackie has been working alongside our new school administrator Mrs Claire Lawrence to show the daily complexity of the role.
• We were fortunate to have a visit from the Free Fruit coordinator Miss Sharon Sexton who gave a talk to the whole-school about a healthy and nutritious diet and then led a game to reinforce these issues with Years 1-3.
• Looking outside the school to a link we have pursued with Wood End First School, Stantonbury. The relationship in the past has encompassed mutual visits and is set to continue with video-conferencing in the terms leading up to the summer exchanges.

• The French weather cock donated by the Twinning Association has been installed atop the pergola in the new outdoor classroom. It was ‘unveiled’ by Mr Bill Lewis in an informal ceremony at school. Many thanks to Barry Tofts for an expert installation. We have yet to name the fine fowl.
• Governors of the school held their Annual General Meeting at which their report of the school’s continuing progress was presented to parents, a resulting question time held and staff demonstrated the wide range of ICT resources centred on the new interactive whiteboards to be found in both classes.
• Our school Nativity will take place in the week beginning 12th December.

  Calling all Former Students!!

• The school would like to hear from you about your successes in any walk of life (not necessarily academic), to be recorded on a framed logo which Milton Keynes Council are considering placing in the school entrance. Further details

  25 September 2005

• The new term and school year are well underway with only our Mrs Lund still resting her broken ankle and not fit for duty. We have sent her our best wishes and meanwhile Mrs Borner has kindly agreed to increase her hours in Class 2 to compensate.

• Class 1 welcomed the new Reception cohort and all have integrated well, becoming independent users of the resources and settling to their work. A good crop of home-grown potatoes has given several ‘boilings’ and enough to stretch to a jacket potato lunch. This fits in with our ongoing topic of ‘Ourselves’ including staying healthy and safe.
• Class 2 have been settling into some fine mathematics and a science topic studying ‘Forces’ with many fine hypotheses being invented and tested.
• Our harvest festival in St Laud’s shared the Rector's service and centred on food from around the world. Pictures will hopefully appear on the website following publication of SCAN.