Children in Need was a super day and my enormous thanks go to Mrs. Evans and the School Council who ran the many fundraising activities. The cake sale and break time activities were enjoyed by all and I enjoyed having lots of hugs with the children and the enormous teddy bear! Since the last newsletter, we have counted the total money raised: £641.59!
In Mrs. Wellington-Smith’s absence, I have been covering her Drama lessons with Year 3 on a Monday and Tuesday afternoon. The 09:00 Monday lesson is certainly easier than the last lesson of the day on a Tuesday! It has been wonderful to see the children progress with their presentation skills and enjoy their lessons ‘shoes off’ in the Performing Arts room.
Tuesday also brings on ‘Dog Walking Club’ with the Pre-prep. Now, I must confess, my puppy Benji has been appalling at ‘Dog Walking Club’, refusing to walk anywhere. The last time it was attempted I had to carry him (and he is quite big now) around the Abram field followed by a gaggle of six-year-olds. I joined Mrs. Glanvill in the Wild Woods where the children can find and throw sticks for Benji. We have moved all the ‘mud kitchen’ resources and placed them in the middle of the wild woods. The older children are now able to get creative in their Woods play. Gosh, what fun we had: mixing, pouring, making ‘hot chocolate’, experimenting! It was cold, but no one noticed as it was such great fun.
On Thursday, we welcomed Mr. Bart Wielenga as part of our ‘Meet the Head, parent seminar sessions’ and it was really well attended. Mr. Wielenga spoke about teenagers, the importance of developing their independence and for us parents to let them go a bit. He spoke about the concept of ‘we just want them to be happy’ when actually life is not always happy. There are tough times, too, and he wants his pupils at Blundell’s to be engaged in what they do and for them to have found meaning in their work and life. Next term, we welcome Mr. Eugene du Toit, the new Headmaster at Wellington School, to speak to our parents. The date will be confirmed in next term’s calendar.
Plans are afoot for the St Peter’s Festival next Summer, now officially named as ‘Harefields’ (I think ‘Creamfields’ was the inspiration and I like it!). Please put the 27 June 2020 into your diaries. It will be a midday Saturday to midday Sunday family event with camping, live music, family activities, deckchairs and festival food.
Charlotte Johnston, Head
