Headteacher blog 3rd May 2024

It has been wonderful to see children able to enjoy the grounds much more this week: finally, some warmer, drier weather allowing us to mow. We are way behind our usual horticultural schedule, with potatoes still going into the ground, but things will accelerate now. The orchard is beautiful and bursting with blossom; some girls in Year 6 made superb blossom tiaras at lunchtime. (One of those circumstances where it is ok when just a few people do it, but would be a problem if lots wanted to.) Dramatically on Thursday our bee colony decided to move house: leaving their hive and congregating en masse on an apple tree branch – the biggest I have ever seen! Our bee keepers were quickly on site and recaptured the swarm.

Other highlights of the week were a Y4 trip to Leeds for geography fieldwork – described as exceptional by Ofsted – and confirmation that our U11 football team are West Leeds champions. They now enter a ‘Champions of Champions’ competition across the city. The quality of the team’s football over the past few matches has been excellent – although their Premier League-like passing around the back has me worried! We also had 60 children at The Alhambra on Tuesday evening for the penultimate event of Show Time this year: Wicked! Members of theatre staff and the public commended our children for their politeness and good behaviour which is always good to hear. The last show is in June: a ballet in Leeds.