Welcome to the first blog of another academic year. For those new to these weekly reflections, welcome. They are designed to provide an informal weekly summary of what I have been getting up to and more importantly what the pupils have been getting up to each week. They will go live on the website around 3.00pm each Friday and I will share the link via SchoolComms and Instagram. For those of you who are not new to them, thank you for returning and putting up with my ramblings.
After some really lovely weather over the summer break, it was typical that the weather for Wednesday morning was rain, rain and more rain. The opportunities for the back-to-school photo were limited and I, without coat, had to hide under the shelter on the top playground. That being said, we did manage to get out at break and lunch which was a perfect compromise. Wet plays at any time are not great, but on the first day of the year, no thank you!
I have been catching up with as many pupils as I can and spent time trying to learn the names of our new Year 3s. It will take me some time but when we start ‘Biscuits with the Boss’ with our new cohort, it will certainly help. There are a few I already know, and parents mustn’t be concerned that certain names are already fixed in my mind (both Emilys, for example) as it might be for good reasons! Honest!
Last year’s Classes of the Year, now our two Year 6 classes, have clearly hit the ground running and started as they finished. They even got some positive feedback from a group of Year 5s who have been helping me out at lunchtimes. Daisy, Violett, Zoe, Charlotte, Skylar et al. have embraced the opportunity for some Upper School responsibility and have been brilliant!
I have tried to visit the classes on several occasions across the last three days to see them in action, doing my best not to disrupt the focus and the learning. Ask the teachers and they would probably say I fail on that front.
Perhaps as a way of revenge, Miss Smith decided to bring all of Aztec Class to my office during their first day tour of the school. Not quite as big as their classroom and with my other two senior leads with me, it was a squeeze but we did all manage to fit.
Outside of touring the school, most of my time this week has been spent on start of year admin and in particular admissions related conversations. There is always some movement at the start of the year, and we have already welcomed a couple of new pupils to the school and I hope they will enjoy their time at Whitehill.
On Friday morning, we held our usual Achievers’ Assembly. With little to celebrate on individual fronts, I outlined the format of these assemblies to the new Year 3s. If any pupil has won an award, a trophy or been presented with a certificate for an event, they are welcome to bring it in, and we will celebrate it in front of the school. All I ask is that they are prepared to say a few words as to what it is and why they have it. I am pretty good at making things up, but I do need something to go on.
As well as individual achievements, we also celebrate a few class and house awards. In our first one, we celebrated our ‘Caught Being Kind’ recipients of which there were a good number. We also presented the Class of the Week trophy to Wilde Class but on reading the submissions from the teachers, it really could have gone to any of the classes this week. Again, this is just what I like to see.
As you can see from the photo below, the weather did improve on Friday and it was actually very pleasant on break duty. It also meant that, much to the delight of the pupils, we were back on the field again at lunchtime.
I have already handed out several Headteacher’s Awards including to a group of pupils from Wilde Class who read their limericks to me which they had been working on in class.
Looking ahead to next week, the diary is still relatively clear. I have been invited to join the Year 3s on their visit to Wymondley Woods which I am looking forward to as it is a trip I haven’t done before.
We also have our hustings and election for our Junior Leadership Team. A group of Year 6 pupils have been working hard over the summer to prepare their speeches and this week, worked with Mrs Burniston on checking their delivery. From what I can tell, it is a very strong field and I am looking forward to seeing who the new team will be. We will share the outcome with the school in next week’s Achievers’ Assembly.
Finally, I would like to share the appeal being run by one of our parents in collaboration with Hitchin Town Youth and Kitaid. You may also have seen the flyer shared via social media asking for donations of any type of pre-loved football kit including shirts, shorts etc. Whitehill is acting as a collection point and will accept donations up to Friday 19th September (two weeks today). Let’s see if we can help this worthy cause out and add to their collection. Thank you in advance for your support.
That is it for week one. Not the most interesting of blogs but much to relief of my dad, no doubt, relatively short.
Have a great weekend.
Best wishes,
Steve Mills
Headteacher
Relatively short, I demand a second opinion!