Monday this week needs to be marked in some way. We had our first taste of blue sky this month. It was a lovely clear day and a crystal-clear evening, so I popped outside with a few members of Cookie Club to see what we could find in the night’s sky. As well as the moon, we got a clear view of Saturn and just above the horizon was Venus. It won’t be long before I get the telescope out and we can look closely.
That was the highlight of the day. The rest of the day was pretty hectic. The school did observe an impeccable minute’s silence at 11 o’clock, however, in between the pupils working and me being in a four-hour performance review with three governors and a local authority advisor.
After school on Monday, our girls’ football team had a match against St Ippolyts, losing narrowly, 2 – 1. Once again, there were great reviews of Esme’s (Year 5) goalkeeping skills.
This week has seen me conduct quite a few more prospective parent tours. As always, when walking around the school, chatting with parents about what makes Whitehill, Whitehill, I am always so impressed with what I see in the classrooms. Pupils engaged in their learning and enjoying what they do. I always start my tours in the main entrance talking about our ‘why,’ our ‘just cause’ and the number of comments I receive in relation to our new photo displays which highlight perfectly what this is, is very pleasing indeed. I think parents see ‘we get it’.
Art quite often gets a mention in my blogs and on our social media page. This week is no exception with Year 5s receiving the acclaim for their Keith Haring inspired sculptures which the pupils are now embellishing with their motifs.
Our Year 3s are ‘full steam ahead’ now as they prepare for the Christmas production. Every so often, I can hear them singing in their classrooms as they finish a lesson or get ready for home time. It is all very exciting and now that the Christmas choir has started rehearsing (with in excess of 100 members I must add) it won’t be long before we are all feeling a little festive.
Leo and Seb (Year 4) came and showed me their computing work on Wednesday. They are learning to program and design and used careful procedures to accurately draw their initials. I was impressed with the way they were able to explain to me what they were doing. A little later, Ivy and Ellis (also Year 4) came and showed me their work and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to do some GCSE maths with them. More impressively, they understood it! Well done, Year 4.
I was on a call with the Director of Education and a few others after school on Wednesday and so was unable to get outside to watch the football matches against Highover. One of the matches was a Wix Cup game and following a 3 – 0 win, the team are through to the next round. The other, a friendly, resulted in a 1 – 1 draw.
One of the things I talk about when referencing sport and the ability to represent the school, is the amazing work Miss Gooderham does, with her team, of maximising the opportunities for Whitehill pupils to put on a school kit and take part in an inter-school game. Rotation in these friendlies is key. As a point of reference by the end of last year, just under 80% of pupils had represented the school in at least one sporting fixture of some kind.
We have a couple of ‘projects’ on the go at the moment. One is very much underway and involves making good some of the area around the pond. Mr Waluk has recycled an old musical instrument that had been condemned and turned it into a lovely archway.
The second project, which at this stage is only in my head and a few scribbles in my notebook, relates to redesigning and repurposing our library and computer suite. This is going to be a significant project in terms of time and cost and we will definitely be making use of the money we receive from our Friends’ Association. As a school which loves books and reading, I can promise you that the library is going nowhere. It might, however, be getting bigger! I will keep you updated.
I was back leading Achievers’ Assembly this week which is always a lovely thing to do. We presented Apollo Class with the Wombles (much to Mrs Bailey’s surprise). Water won the House Cup (again – they’re on a roll!) and this week, Aztec won Class of the Week.
At the start of the assembly, we welcomed back Mr Crowther, Headteacher of HGS, who wanted to return to Whitehill after his visit last week, to present our Junior Leadership Team (Sophie, Harriet, Lottie and Stanley) with a special HGS Headteacher’s Award. He was so impressed with how they answered his questions and engaged in meaningful conversation over lunch, that he felt they deserved additional recognition.
We also celebrated Indi, Thomas (Year 5) and Charlotte (Year 4) who have climbed over the O2. We were proud of Poppy (Year 3) who has received a swimming certificate and Jemima (Year 3) for her football trophy.
Straight after assembly, I headed over to our local consortium of Headteachers’ meeting. There was plenty up for discussion with many headteachers sharing similar concerns affecting their schools and also schools in general. It’s good to be able to talk things through and realise you’re not alone. I am not always able to get to these meetings but I do try and go three times a year.
At the time of this blog going live, we have our cross-country teams taking part in this year’s district competition. Following the success at last year’s event, I have everything crossed for similar outcomes. Look out on social media or in next week’s blog for news.
Year 5 dominate the calendar next week as it is their space week. They are off out to Bayfordbury Observatory on Monday and then on Tuesday, they are heading even further as we have the opportunity for them to fly into space, thanks to a VR experience in the school hall.
There are various other space linked lessons during the week which culminates in the ‘space night’ on Friday. An opportunity for pupils to return to school on Friday evening for a series of activities when it is actually dark, and they can really experience the topic they have been learning about. Fingers crossed it’s a clear night and we can get the telescope out.
On the sports front, we have a handball competition on Wednesday afternoon and then on Thursday we have our girls’ team taking part in a district competition under lights at Priory School.
I am out of school for two days next week as after school on Wednesday I am heading up to Birmingham for an NAHT National Executive meeting. It finishes on Friday lunchtime and so trains permitting, I will be back in school for the aforementioned space night.
Have a great weekend.
Best wishes,
Steve Mills
Headteacher
The archway is amazing! Mr Waluk is very talented!