Wow – well September flew by in the blink of an eye, my oh my!! I am rhyming for a reason by the way – Mrs McIver announced the theme for this Year’s House Poetry Competition in assembly today. Children can gain points for every entry as well as individual prizes and the first overall House prize of the academic year.

This week saw Year 7s doing their CATs tests, not to see who will be Mr Mistoffelees in a drama performance but to check cognitive progress and allow us to make targets to check their progress.  The 7 boys also played their first football match of the season, narrowly losing their English Schools’ Cup match.  The Year 8s and 6s returned to a normal curriculum after the excitement of the previous week, although some of the 8s enjoyed their first outing as Sports Leaders.  As we are in October thoughts generally turn to Hallowe’en at the end of the month and I thought Year 5 had been getting in some early practice this week, however it turns out they had been making their own blood and looking at all the different bits within.

Some of the children got to be filmed during lessons this week, not as part of the new series of either Waterloo Road or Bad Education, but as part of the OTI programme for the staff.  After the initial nerves of being on camera were overcome, things carried on as normal and the feedback from the mentor was all positive.  If you have any questions about the OTI programme then please contact me.

Next week is a busy week with author visits, sports fixtures, Year 8 Enterprise groups begin trading and the small matter of Open Evening where we open our doors to prospective parents and use our current crop of Ralphies to show off how brilliant they are.

This week saw the start of clubs; 99.9% of all the girls in the school therefore went to netball club and there were a good number at Key Stage 3 rugby. Other clubs and things are ongoing so please get your children to check the boards for information; we are always on the look out for new and interesting ideas and/or people to run clubs for the children so please speak to Mr Morgan if you would like to get involved.

We had our first sports fixture of the year with our Year 8 boys comfortably winning their first round match in the English Schools Cup against Etonbury Academy.

Preparation was the key focus of the week: the staff were making early preparations for the first Cross-Curricular Day as well as beginning to think about Open Evening; the Year 6 team and children were getting excited (ready) for their residential trip to PGL next week; the Year 8s were preparing vegetables for their Food Tech lessons and thinking ahead to all the activities of Business Enterprise week; the Year 5s were preparing themselves for what they thought were extra computing lessons but turned out to be online baseline assessments; and the Year 7s…well…i’m sure they were preparing for something.

Assembly themes this week started with Mr Fuller talking about teamwork and how it can support people within a school and their wider lives, he didn’t bring in his guitar and sing, maybe next time.  Friday’s assembly focused on British Values – a theme that will run throughout assembly and PSHE lessons this year – and in particular this week, tolerance.  Ask your children about what things we should be tolerant of in school.  On Thursday morning Reverend Alan and one of his youth workers explained to all our Key Stage 3 children about the new youth club taking place in the community centre every Sunday.

Finally I end with a plea (or few); my senior team and I have been out this week after receiving reports both about the parking of cars and the driving around school.  People are using Perowne Way to pull u-turns before dropping off outside school, which is making crossing the road for our pupils and all those trying to get to RDC increasingly dangerous.  We encourage our parents to drop their children off at the community centre and then the children can walk the short distance into school using the crossing; as a working parent I understand the time pressures on getting to work but an extra couple of minutes to drop off safely, for everyone, is surely worth it.  On the subject of parking please can we also be considerate when parking in Perowne Way and Britannia – considerate of people’s driveways and of pedestrians.

It is supposed to be a lovely weekend, I’m sure like many of you I will be spending it ferrying my children from their various sporting and social activities – I remember playing sport and having a social life..a long time ago – so I will at least be trying to enjoy the weather!!  Hopefully many of you will be supporting RDC’s Family Fun Day on Saturday, helping to raise money for their new learning space – which will be amazing!!

Welcome back everybody.

As I returned to school on Tuesday, the place was a hive of activity – admin staff getting the children’s timetables sorted; teachers busily preparing classrooms; Mr Verderame and his site team painting and cleaning; and builders, hard at it trying to finish all the work we have had done renovating the outside of the building.  I tentatively asked if all would be finished for the start of term and received reassuring nods – ‘Good’ I thought, because there is no way I could keep the school closed for over-running building works…I clearly still have a lot to learn as a Headteacher!!

Staff returned in earnest on Wednesday to continue prepping and undertake First Aid training, the school resembled something of a cross between ancient Egypt and a scene from Saving Private Ryan with people wandering around in bandages and slings.  Rest assured that should anyone now need medical assistance in school there are a whole host of people ready, willing and able to assist them; I am half expecting to enter a classroom on a learning walk to discover an entire class of children placed in the recovery position just so the teacher and assistant can practise!!

Thursday saw a scene of much excitement and drama.  First the excitement – Year 5s!!  They came in with beaming smiles and what was most pleasing was that they left pretty much the same way and they all returned on Friday so something must have gone well.  They spent the day acclimatising to their new surroundings, doing activities like a treasure hunt using school maps and getting to know you exercises with their new tutors.  Now the drama – no gas, which meant no food!!  Thankfully Mr Rowe and his team are a resourceful bunch and commandeered the Food Tech room to produce another Ralphies delicious delight – disaster averted.

And so to Friday – quite like these 4 day working weeks, only 2 of which with children, must mention it to the Governors – the return of the masses.  It was actually really nice to hear and feel the buzz of energy around school as it filled up because schools are very eerie places when there are no children in them.  Planners and timetables given out, suntans compared, summer holiday gossip exchanged…and that was just the staff!! Tutor time, break, assembly, lessons, lunch, few more lessons, home – sorted day one (two) done, only another 189 to go!!

My assembly focused on new beginnings and the fresh start a new school year can bring.  I introduced the new faces in school, most notably Mr Fuller the Deputy Head – you will have to ask your children for the analogy I used to introduce him.  I also challenged the children to think big and have big ideas for themselves this year, asking them to think about what they want to achieve and what they could achieve and what they need to do to achieve this.  I shall leave you with my favourite poem by Marianne Williamson which is where I drew my inspiration to ask the children to think big and also fits nicely with being ‘Proud to Achieve’.  Have a lovely weekend.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?  Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.  It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Week two – a proper five day week – is over!!

The biggest thing this week was Cross-Curricular Day on Thursday, always eagerly anticipated and thoroughly enjoyable.  Lots of different activities going on through the day: the Year 8’s were re-enacting the famous football match of the first world war and making propaganda posters; the Year 7’s got to burn food to check for calories; the Year 6’s made cous cous; and the Year 5’s did an orienteering course cunningly devised by Mrs Brown.

Our Year 8’s have certainly had a busy week what with taking part in the National School’s Maths Challenge and making muffins of their own recipe as part of their Food Technology assessment.  Some of the recipes/flavours were interesting, both sweet and savory choices and I know Miss Lumsden was impressed with both the ideas and their culinary skills.  The most intriguing came from Calwyn Bluemental with his recipe.  Sadly, even after being promised many tasters by many pupils, I didn’t get to try any – so they must have been good!!

Assemblies this week focused on May Day and the British traditions surrounding it on Wednesday; whilst today I introduced the children to some independent learning ideas based around what to do if they are stuck or ‘don’t get it’! Mrs O-D sparked the idea by showing a video [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrSUe_m19FY[/youtube] which all the children found hilarious, until we compared it to them in class.  So today I introduced the 5Bs to help you when you are stuck; the fifth is asking the ‘Boss’ who could be the teacher in school or a parent with homework, try asking your children what the other 4 B’s are.

Next week has lots of important events, beginning with Standon’s May Day celebrations on Monday; the General Election, which we will be discussing with the children this week; Bikeability for some Year 5’s; and of course the most importantly of all – Star Wars Day!!  If you are still a floating voter or just generally interested in which political party is ‘right’ for you, the the website – who should you vote for – might be of interest.

Finally, please remember that there is no school on Monday, so please enjoy the long weekend and if you are off to Standon May Day then don’t forget to visit the RSA stall.

Have a great weekend…and May the Fourth be with you!!

Not sure what all the fuss is about…this running a school lark is pretty easy!!!!!!!!

With Mrs Hinton and the Year 7s in France I got my chance to test drive my leadership skills ready for next term. As I drove away from school this evening (it was still standing) I was absolutely shattered – a good indicator that I’d been busy!!

I wasn’t the only one mind you as the Year 8s had been working with Anthony Glenn on their Shakespeare performance of Romeo and Juliet all week culminating in a performance to parents yesterday evening.  It was wonderful to see the children working as a group and really supporting one another.  It was an excellent showcase of their talents and I am sure that anyone who watched it, like me were suitably impressed and entertained.

Lots of sporting action has been going on lately, Mr Morgan and Miss Bickerstaff have been practically living in the minibus! District netball tournaments for the Key Stage 3 girls with the Year 7s reaching the final. The Year 5s also competed in the mixed High5 netball tournament winning lots of matches.  This afternoon our Year 6 boys were narrowly beaten by Greenaway in the 9-a-side District Cup Final after just failing to qualify for the County Cup Quarter-Finals.  We wish the girls luck next week in their county tournament.  The highlight of recent sporting endeavours has to be the Key Stage 3 girls winning the Lady Taverners County Cricket Tournament and progressing to the regional event to be held at Leicestershire CC with the winners of that playing at Lords.

My assembly today looked at mindsets and how they can either help or hinder your thinking and success. Perhaps try asking what the difference between a fixed and growth mindset is.  I showed everyone how using positive self-talk can change their outlook, instead of ‘I can’t do it’ use ‘I can’t do it yet’.  I showed them a clip of the greatest self-talker ever – Muhammad Ali – as well as some of the biggest failures to never give up – ask your children who some of them were.

Special congratulations should go to Katie S in Year 6 as she is the first pupil to get their Diamond certificate for 80 merits – superb effort!!

Next week the focus moves to the end of term and the end of an era as we say goodbye to Mrs Hinton as she retires for a well deserved break. She is the reason I came to the school, so you can either thank her or blame her, and I will always be grateful for the time I’ve had working with her.  For those of you worried about whether I am capable of filling her shoes…I won’t even bother trying as she is a size 5 and I am a size 10!!

Have a good weekend and remember life is not about waiting for the storms to pass but learning to dance in the rain☔️