Headteacher blog 20th October 2023

It’s been a wet end to the week but a good one nonetheless. Year 3 enjoyed their Stone Age Day although it was much damper and muddier than last year. Life in those times will have been hard! Year 1 had two successful reading and phonics workshops, highlighting the importance given to the rapid acquisition of reading skills at any early age. On Tuesday, our wonderfully organised PTA held three successful discos, including a new, quieter, more relaxed disco that seemed to go down well.

On Wednesday evening we had our termly full governors’ meeting. The governors were very pleased with our recent Ofsted report and passed on their thanks and gratitude to staff. We have parent governor vacancies currently – could you contribute to the further success of the school?

I have had a couple of meetings this week relating to finance difficulties. On Monday, key partners were invited to an information session around the financial challenges for the council: £33.9 million shortfall this year and a further £59 million of cuts needed the following year. This won’t affect schools too much directly – schools are funded separately – but will affect services that the school and our families use. On Thursday I was part of a panel looking at bids from Schools in Financial Difficulties. All maintained schools contribute to a shared fund to help schools in deficit that have exceptional issues. The number of bids has increased and it is harder and harder to show that any particular school’s circumstances are exceptional, especially around falling rolls and costs associated with SEND. Sadly, we declined more bids than we approved.

To finish more positively, we had our biggest turn-out for years at last weekend’s cross-country event. These massive races regularly attract up to 150 runners in each one. Schools must have a team of at least 4 runners to score. Our U9 boys team came third overall which is a great achievement. Well done to everyone who participated (wearing new blue running vests courtesy of the PTA). Unsurprisingly, this afternoon’s cross-country event has been postponed.