Future School results are starting to come in and our pupils have done exceedingly well. We are just collating everything, and will publish the results in the newsletter next week. We’ve had another busy week at St Peter’s and I have loved dipping in and out of classrooms to see the work going on. This morning was our termly Board of Reference meeting. Members of the Board are welcomed into school and start the morning visiting various classes. From Nursery, where (if you are lucky) you can get your hair ‘done’, to Year 8 Maths or Science, Year 3 Art or a rousing sing-song in Senior Choir. We go through a full review of where we are at the school and look at the Development Plan. An extremely worthwhile meeting.
The evenings are getting lighter and the activity programme is really in full swing now. I love walking around at 16:30 to see all of the business taking place, from Martial Arts to Running Club, ballet to Sketching Club, as well as children beavering away in prep.
I feel a certain sadness too, at the moment, that we have not all been together as a community for a very long time. With our Carol Service and Speech Day cancelled for two years running, many new parents are not even aware of these hugely impressive heart-warming events that reinforce, and are central to, our St Peter’s community. The planning has started for next term and we are already looking forward to the St Peter’s Summer calendar of events with swimming, Sports Days, beach days, trips, residentials, the Harefield Run and Summer Fȇte. Exciting times ahead.
I have written separately to parents informing them of Mr Pritchard’s retirement at the end of this academic year after 38 years with us at St Peter’s. We will look forward to thanking him for his work at Speech Day in the Summer and will miss him hugely.
I must also let you know that sadly Mr Budgett will be leaving us at the start of the Summer term to work with a new Garden Design business. We wish Sam all the best with his new venture but will miss him hugely: in the classroom, on the Games field, as the lead on Co-curricular but also as a member of staff who brings great fun and energy to the staffroom. That man can keep scores of children entertained for hours on end and both the children and staff will miss him hugely. We will be recruiting for his replacement from next week.
After the end of this dark January, I thought I’d share a little poem with you, which I shared with our staff recently. I hope you will enjoy, as we move into February.
Unfortunately, we are still no further forward with the recruitment of a Boarding Assistant. The advert remains live and we very much hope for applications. The uptake for the evening supper and activities has been extremely sporadic since January (often with just two or three pupils), so the decision has been made to cancel the evening activity and supper provision following half-term, particularly as Mr Parker will be taking a period of paternity leave in March. We have all of our fingers and toes crossed that we will be able to open the Boarding House for the Summer term and we are considering some different options. As before, please chat to friends and encourage potential applicants.
Finally, the results of the PTA survey are in and I can’t believe how close the vote was! 40 to Gardening, 39 to Outside Gym and 38 to playtime resources. With such a split, we will speak to the PTA about trying to get all three done. We will start, however, with setting up the gardening provision and, hopefully, get a couple of the gym equipment items as a start.
Charlotte Johnston
Head
