Welcome to Primary 2019-2020

On behalf of all Primary staff, I would like to extend a warm welcome to both new and returning Primary families. As I write staff are hard at work organising rooms, sorting resources, planning learning activities and familiarising themselves with the students on their class lists. We are all very excited to welcome our students into the Primary school to begin another wonderful year of fun events, exciting learning, new friendships and personal growth.

Our Primary school continues to be a popular choice in the community for families with young children.  All year groups from Year 1 to Year 6 will again have four classes this academic year,  meaning that our Primary school will be a vibrant and dynamic place of learning for all our students. Whilst students spend the majority of their learning time in their class groups, there will be regular opportunities for students to work with their peers across the whole year group, and also with the other teachers and teaching assistants in their year group.

We believe that the most important person in our school is the student and that the relationship between the student and his or her teacher has the greatest impact on a student’s ability to progress and excel. Visitors to our school regularly comment on the positive, respectful and supportive relationships which they observe between our students and staff. This is does not happen by accident. Staff work hard to ensure that all students in their class:

• know that they are liked and respected
• know that the classroom is a safe place in which to make mistakes and to learn through failure
• know that every day is a new day and another chance to be the very best that they can be

This week Primary staff have also been fortunate to benefit from the expert professional learning provided over two days by our UK-based trainer, Ms Alison Cooper, on Talk 4 Writing. The Talk 4 Writing pedagogy provides the framework for our staff for the teaching and learning of writing from Pre-Nursery through to Year 6. Interested parents can find out more at this website:   https://www.talk4writing.co.uk/

Parents will hear more about how Talk 4 Writing works as well as how they can support their children’s progress in writing at home from our Primary Writing Leader, Mrs Anna Warman and our Primary Deputy Head, Mrs Clare Cannon.

A few new teachers have joined the Primary team this year and they are already familiar with our Primary school ethos and our focus on positivity, perseverance and participation. Together as a team all Primary staff will be working hard this year to ensure that all our students:

• have a very successful year both in and outside the classroom
• challenge themselves academically, on the sporting field, in the performing and visual arts
• develop as curious, resilient and engaged learners

Ms. Nonie Adams

Head of Primary

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