Week 16

Dear Parent/ Carer,

I am delighted to say that all three of our schools were open every day last week, despite the snow.  My grateful thanks to all staff and parents who helped to clear pathways through our sites to enable full opening.

I have spent the majority of my week this week at Haseltine.  We welcomed ofsted to the school on Tuesday and Wednesday for a full inspection.  While I am unable to share the contents of the report until it is published on the ofsted website, I am able to say that Ms Brumby and I were very pleased with the way that the inspection team captured the important features of the school and recognised the incredible hard work that the staff, families and children put in every day.  As soon as we are able, we will be sharing the contents of the report with you.

On Friday, I enjoyed an Aussie Breakfast in Ms Field's Reception class at Fairlawn that included Vegemite and Damper.  The children were certainly enjoying their Bush Tucker!  Such activities are part of the rich experiential curriculum that we aspire to create for children in all of our schools.  A key advantage that we have over other schools is that we have three schools working together... sharing ideas, sharing resources and sharing capacity to create a rich and exciting provision for our children.

Have a lovely weekend,
Mark Wilson
Executive Headteacher

Week 15

Dear Parent/ Carer,

In light of continued snowfall this weekend and with further snow forecast on into early next week, just a short note to say that we will be making every effort at all three schools to remain open.

Please listen have your mobile switched on for ParentMail texts, keep an eye on the twitter feeds, follow the school websites and tune into local radio for announcements about closure.  If you don't hear anything... please assume that school is open as usual.  We will carry out the necessary risk assessments as early as possible in order to make decisions that give as much notice as possible.

When we make the decision to open, we do so on the basis that we will be open for the full day.  Only if the weather circumstances changed very considerably, presenting a series risk to Health & safety, would we consider releasing children early from school.

Please try not to ring school for information.  The phones are always overwhelmed on snowy days.  It is very frustrating for those trying to get through to us having a constantly engaged line, it means that staff are diverted from other necessary duties to answering the same question over and over again and it also means that it is harder for us to contact the outside world and conduct the usual business of the school.  The rule of thumb is.... if there is any necessary change to the usual routine - we will alert you.

Of course, every family will make their own decision about any Health & Safety implications for them coming out in the snow.  If we are open... and we do plan and expect to be open... we would hope and expect children to be in school.

Have a lovely weekend and we very much hope to see you on Monday,
Mark Wilson

Week 14 - Haseltine on ofsted 100 top performing schools list

Dear Parent/ Carer,

Welcome back to the new school year.

I am delighted to report a fantastic first week back in school.  We were glad to see the children back in school on Tuesday after the Christmas Break.

Teaching staff from all three schools met together on Monday for what was a very successful Teacher Training Day as Support staff worked hard back in their own respective schools on making them look their best for the return of the children on Tuesday.  The teachers day included talks by leading education experts from around the world, including this inspirational talk by Sir Ken Robinson
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
and this one on one possible education future by Salman Khan
http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education.html

The first week back has been a fabulous one for Haseltine in particular.  Ms Brumby and I were delighted to receive a letter from ofsted informing us that Haseltine is on their Top 100 Most Improved Schools List 2012 - recognising the incredible progress that the schools has made over the past three years.  To be amongst the 100 top performing schools in the country is an enormous achievement and is a huge credit to Ms Brumby, to the staff, Governors, community and... most of all... the children.  Very well done to all and to everyone who has contributed to Haseltine's success during this period.

Pupils from Haseltine met London Mayor Boris Johnson on Tuesday to publicise the work of the charity Magic Breakfast, which aims to provide healthy breakfasts for pupils in 50 schools.  The event was covered by London Tonight, BBC London Evening News, radio and the print media.

Evening Standard Report

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/mayors-fund-gives-5000-hungry-pupils-breakfast-before-lessons-8442361.html

City AM link

http://www.cityam.com/the-capitalist/kippers-and-oats-breakfast-the-boris-way

Ms Brumby was interviewed by radio and television... something that she is becoming very used to, after appearing on CNN and Sky News just before Christmas.

These stories are great news for the whole Haseltine community and for our schools partnership.  We are very proud of the school's achievements and that they are getting the recognition that they deserve.

Week 13

Christmas Break

Dear Parent/ Carer,

We have enjoyed fabulous performances at all three schools during the course of the last few weeks, culminating in Carols by Candlelight and the Kilmorie Teachers Performance.  I have been privileged to see at least some of the shows in all three schools...

I am grateful to Nadine Bernard, Y1 teacher, who gave me this lovely write-up of the Christmas Performances at Haseltine, which captures the spirit of the performances at Haseltine and at all of our schools.

Key Stage 1, Reception and Nursery children performed the Christmas Nativity ‘It’s a Baby’.

They made us laugh, stare in awe and cry with tears of joy. They were absolutely amazing! The nursery children dressed as animals in the stable and danced away on the stage as they sang. Reception children looked absolutely beautiful in their white angel wing costume and we had 5 angels who sang together as we listened to their tiny little voices. This was certainly a teary moment of joy. Year 1 children were the wise men and carefully brought their gifts to baby Jesus and the year 2’s took on the role of shepherds. The shepherds were a bit of a nuisance for our cheeky Innkeeper as they continually knocked on his door seeking a place to stay. They completely filled his house. Thankfully the innkeeper managed to give Mary and Joseph a place to stay…in the stable. Our innkeeper did warn them that it is a bit smelly but it did provide a place of rest. Our Mary took on a soloist role and sang confidently to Joseph to assure him all will be well. It was definitely a memorable scene

To accompany the excellent acting, amazing singing and song actions we had our very own children percussion group beating the drums, shaking the shakers and tingly the triangle. Haseltine Children made us all proud.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.