Headteacher Weekly blog week beginning 25th January
Date: 31st Jan 2016 @ 12:16pm
It was a slow start to the week this week for myself as I was away from school for the first few days with "man flu" and then a course.
On Wednesday, I enjoyed taking the Year 5 and 6 classes for a computing lesson. As a school, we have invested recently in more hardware including laptops and I-Pads along with new schemes and software. To meet the coding aspects of the new curriculum we use the Scratch programme. Staff had training on it last week so I was looking forward to putting my new skills to the test. We were using code to create an interactive quiz - complete with scoring and sound effects. I was amazed how quickly the children picked it up. When my quiz that I created had a "glitch", the Year 6 pupils were quick to help me "debug" and Alanah corrected the programming. Later in the term, I can't wait to create a Space Invader style game - Zogg the Invasion! I am sure the children will be showing me how it is done! If pupils want to do it at home, the Scratch programme can be easily downloaded for free.
As part of our School Food Plan, one of our objectives is to invite Chefs into the school to work with the children. Junior Chef made some delicious chocolate recipes linked to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. They got to learn where the food comes from and how it grows, the importance of healthy foods and lifestyle and then got to prepare and make the food for themselves. In Year 5 and 6, later in the year they plan to look at planning and preparing a 3 course healthy meal. Can't wait for that.
This week, Mrs Higley delivered her talk to parents on the new assessment procedures. I know parents found it incredibly useful. Throughout the term, we are looking to put on various information evenings for parents. Recently, we had the maths and next up is the Grammar talk. There have recently been huge changes to the grammar curriculum and the bar has been raised. I am sure Mrs Wakefield's course will be extremely helpful for parents when supporting their pupils with the grammar homework; particularly when asked to highlight expanded noun phrases or identify modal verbs!
It was another busy week for sport. Mr McKie has been busy preparing the pupils for the basketball tournament at the crack of dawn! All the hard work paid off as both teams performed so well. Team 2 got 2 draws but sadly did not make it the semi-finals. Team 1 won all their games and made it to the final without conceding! It was Bickerton in the final and Harry E clinched it with a great score for us to win 1 - 0. It was a great evening and I know the parents who came to support us enjoyed it as much as I did. And in the football on Friday, it was like the theatre of dreams! Illness and injury and ravaged the squad, so Travis from Year 4 was given the chance to play in the Upper Junior team. 2 - 0 down at half time and Travis went on to make his debut. Just 10 minutes later we were 3 - 2 ahead with Travis scoring two of them!! Sadly, Christleton scored with the last kick of the game to make it 3 - 3. But it was a terrific game and great performance.
It has been nice to have some feedback from some parents that their children have been coming home talking about our values assemblies. I have been talking about attitudes to learning and for the children to have perseverance, resilience and tenacity in whatever they do. I have asked the pupils to go online and discuss when they last didn't give up and kept on trying so I look forward to reading those at the weekend.