This Week's News!

We have reached the end of what has been a very poignant week full of respect and reflection.

We have spent time during Collective Worship, thinking and wondering how the news of the late Queen Elizabeth’s death has affected the nation. Our thoughts and prayers, as a school family, continue to be for the royal family as they endeavour to manage their personal grief through all the public events.

On Tuesday the Key Stage 2 children reflected on the poem written by the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Floral Tribute. Armitage’s acrostic poem based on the Queen’s name, Elizabeth, includes reference to one of Her Majesty’s favourite flowers, lily of the valley. The coverage on the television of the ceremonies reflects the huge amount of respect and reverence held by the nations of the world. We can learn so much about the value of respect from watching and listening to these.

Thank you to all for the congratulations following the news from Donna Tandy yesterday about my new role as Safeguarding lead for the trust. Mrs Bird and I are excited about the opportunities this will provide within Combe Down over the next year. The role does not begin officially until term 2. This will enable us to look at the wider staffing structure during this new phase. We will share this as it is available.

We have a new Lost Property box outside the school hall. Last year we had a huge amount of clothing uncollected, as it was unnamed. It is vital that all items of clothing are named properly and the box is checked regularly. Please ask your children at the end of the day to make sure they have their jumper/cardigans, coats, bags and lunchboxes etc. If it is named we can hand it back easily. If not, teachers cannot be expected to keep track of all the items that are left around site.

Meet the Team sessions are planned for next week and staff are looking forward to meeting with you in their classrooms. We have planned the times (3.30-4.00 and 5.30pm-6.00) in response to the information gathered last term by Mrs Bird . Please do try to attend one of the sessions to find out more about the plans for the year in your child’s class and to meet the teaching team. These sessions are aimed at parents and carers so that information can be shared. They are not aimed at children.

I hope your weekend brings opportunities to share together as families and that, should you choose to, the Bank Holiday on Monday gives you chance to reflect on Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Mrs Gascoigne, Headteacher