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Dear all, thank you for flying St George's Airline. I'm sorry about the storm clouds as we came into land at destination summer holiday, but to land here we'd no option but to hit the clouds head on.... please wait until the aircraft comes to a complete standstill on Tuesday before we take off our seat belts, and start to breach bubbles!
Who's ever flown into New York City from the West. It's an awful landing. Generally speaking, as you hit 20000ft you start to get buffeted by the North Atlantic Jet Stream. Your plane bounces around like Jelly in the sea, and you've no option to get through it. Below 100ft everything calms, and you land smoothly for an amazing holiday.
As I settle down to write my final address of the term I feel not only as though the last half term was like landing in New York, but I feel the absolute need to get the tone right. At various points in the year and a half since the pandemic really took hold, we have dared to believe that things were returning to ‘normal’ and that the learning of pupils could become less disruptive. Only a few weeks ago there was optimism as a road map was set out and the end to restrictions seemed on the cards. However, it seems that these last 4 weeks in particular has been one of the most disrupted for us. Midway through this term we had a few days where we fell like a deck of cards, the turbulence was just like landing at JFK.... let's hope now we're below 100ft, and by 3.30pm tomorrow we can all take our seat belts off and chill, for an amazing, carefree, COVID free holiday.
Whilst continuing to attempt to get the tone of this final message to you right, my daily verse popped up on my phone from the bible app and it inspired me.
"Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it was built on solid rock, and so it did not fall. Matthew 7v 24-25
You will all be very familiar with the verse and the passage of the wise and foolish builders, but one thing that stood out was the word ‘rock’. The rock in the verse is the teaching of Jesus. But the rock during COVID has been, and remains the mutual respect and support we have for each other. It has been our rock, and anchor this year. Despite our best efforts we cannot avoid the storms of life, but we can, and have, faced them with strength, or indeed as our vision states, "determined and confident knowing God is with us," and knowing we are all there for each other.
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As we approach the end of yet another quite wretched year I want to pass on once again my sincere, heartfelt thanks to everyone of our staff who have done themselves, the profession, the school and the kids proud, despite the stresses and strains of day to day life, let alone the torrent of stresses that living and working in the COVID environment has brought.
On behalf of all the staff and governors at St George’s thank you so much. And now…. Let’s once again look forward….
To our outgoing year 6 – a massive well done, and an even bigger thank you! You made it! Im not sure how, but you did, and what a performance! Incredible!
You’re now going to take hold of the tremendous opportunity that secondary school will pose with gusto, with determination…. You have proven yourself whilst in year 6 to be much more mature than perhaps we thought. Much stronger than we expected. And much more resilient than, as adults, we hoped you would have to be at this time. You’ve shown your many many qualities, and you are, I promise, now perfectly equipped to “leg it” into high school and rugby tackle to the ground and flatten any challenges that it sends your way. You can run into high school safe in the knowledge that you are perfect. You are equipped. You’re good to go and fly…. And show the entire world what you are made of.
It is not too dramatic or hyperbolic to say that the children leaving school now are the most confident, the most able, the most accepting and the most enthusiastic ever. They are brilliant, whether 11, or 16. They will go on to achieve great things, see great things and indeed be great “things” I’m in no doubt that this generation of young people are the best that the country has produced. I am proud of them, and I am excited to see what they become.
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Final Year 6 Events
It's the year 6 sleepover tonight, and I think we'll do the surprise Pizzas tonight as well - no need for tea kids before you return. (Food intolerances have be taken into account when ordering!) Kids when you come back to school tonight don't forget to bring a clean T shirt
So kids, come back to school tonight for 6pm - no earlier than 5.45pm. We'll get the pizzas in, chill on the MUGA, watch a film, then go to bed. One thing to remember to bring is a clean school t-shirt for Tuesday. We will be able to sign shirts on Tuesday. We won't be going round the bubbles, but you'll be able to sign each others.
This will then roll into a blessing on the MUGA on Tuesday. The kids, and indeed parents can have bacon barm in school, food intolerances haven't been catered for on this occasion! Parents can join us for the blessing from 8.30am, on the MUGA, wearing masks at all times and keeping socially distant. After the blessing if parents could take the kids sleeping kit home please, which will be on the MUGA.
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Can I now express my gratitude to the Reception intake 2021 – You had a choice. You chose us. Thank you. A highlight of the last few weeks has been the arrival of our new reception children. The induction activities have, like many things been disrupted. Sad I guess for adults who know what should have happened, but ok for the kids, who have nothing to compare it to! We have your induction sorted We know it is crucially important to get this transition right and we appreciate the support of parents and our Nursery feeder schools in helping make this work so well.
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And in a world of changes, some things remain the same.
Your accounts should now be clear
- Dinner Money
- Late Stay
- Breakfast Club
Thank you very much indeed to all the families who are now paid up to date! As you know, unless you have been into school to chat things through with us, should accounts not be clear alternative arrangements will have to be made for your wrap around care. Apologies for this inconvenience, but the clubs no longer have a surplus that we can draw on to cover debits.
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Ready for another year with us?
For those children returning to us, our new term starts for children on Thursday 2nd September, between 8.50am, with kids being let in from 8.45am… see you all then! (As it stands there'll be no flexible start or end to the school day)
Breakfast club will start as usual and is staying in the same room, the hall, and Late Stay will be in business from the first day – as long as your bills are cleared, picking up either on the MUGA, or the hall, again as usual.
Over summer I will update the web cal with dates that I know – so please either sync or set up a calendar app for all the dates of the year, there will be regular updates on Facebook, which Louise will upload to the website! So please keep half an eye on at least one medium to keep up to date.
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How Do Families and Students Download An Archive Of Student Work?
As we approach the end of term, I am looking at closing the SeeSaw classes ready to create the new classes for next year. You can download an archive of your children's work from this academic year. The link below should guide you through this. Please do this before Wednesday 15th July.
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/208754866-How-do-families-and-students-download-an-archive-of-student-work-
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Building refurbishments
Humorously, at least in my eyes, I have not told anyone about the building work were having done over the break! We are refurbishing the “Year 5” toilet block - the final toilet block that needs refurbishing. Massive thanks to church for giving us some funding towards this! So that will be nice to come back to!
Our new dining tables will be arriving over summer, and I've ordered a large semi permanent marquee for the junior yard. we'll put some of the old dining tables and chairs out there, and until the marquee gets stolen the kids can also eat outside - if they choose to, whether they be on school meals, or packed lunch. Al fresco dining is the way forward.
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PGL residential for our new year 6
There is still a great deal of uncertainty over residentials. They technically are permitted in September, but i'm personally not a fan right now, and if im honest, not mentally prepared to take 45 kids on a coach to mix with all and sundry. The year 6 residential has been pushed back to May 2022. We still aim to return to PGL; this will be reviewed at Christmas.
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Before we sign off.....
Parents, please join the 2nd facebook page - the parents page by clicking this link
Basically the Parents page is exactly that - a page for parents and carers. Spellings? Homework? Holidays? etc. But i want it also to be a page where over summer we swap uniform. I love spending money, i love new, but I abhor waste. Please join teh page, and recycle any old uniform - don't just offer it, ask for it! What a great, easy way to save money! So go on folks, join the "parents" page and swap, sell and support!
If you haven't yet done so, please complete the survey over the next 48 hours - the more people who reply, the more representative the survey will be. Current themes thus far - homework menu!?!? PE kits..... What are your thoughts? Do you like the homework menu? If so, log in and say so!
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/StGParentQuestionnaire
or scan the QR code
And finally how ace was Chris Beesley, and Paul K helping us out with the year 6 production. In part payment for their work I need to get an additional 80 likes on their page. So as a thank you - year 6 come on like the page, year 5.... if you want the outdoor stage next year like the page, year 2, if you want the stage for Christmas like the page - let's support his local business....
like the page please.....
http://www.facebook.com/cdseventsuk
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School Dinners Are Changing! You need to change as well....
We have enhanced the 3 week rolling menu at St George's by offering 4 choices per day fro Junior kids! The menu will be on scopay, and the website!
From September
Infant Children (You will have 3 daily options)
We will assume that you are having a universal government paid meal. you are all entitled to one. You need do nothing until you get into the juniors.
Junior Children (You have 4 daily options)
The menu choice will be on SCOpay.
You need to have pre booked your school dinner by Sunday for that week. (you need credit on your account to pre order £2.40 per meal) Make your choices for the week - you can choose whatever you want. Even, for example school meals on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday, bringing a Sandwich option Wednesday and Thursday. Just, what ever you choose on a Sunday (at the latest) stick to your choices all week! The following week you may love the menu and have a school dinner all week.... that's fine as well!)
You will be given a band in class depending on your choice.
Red - Meat choice
Green - vegetarian Choice
Blue - Jacket potato
White - Grab Bag (tuna, ham or Cheese sandwich, salad, crisps, fruit/desert, drink)
(If you are bringing a packed lunch from home - then there's no need to wear a band)
Let's give it a go! The menu will be on scopay from 23rd August for you to start ordering. (remember infant kids you don't need to do anything!)
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Lost property will be on the Junior Yard today and tomorrow!
Today - have a look for what's lost, what's yours
Tomorrow - take whatever fits your child!
Let's get rid of it all!
recycle, reuse, re claim!
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And finally…
As we prepare for next year, may I just remind you of our protocol regarding extreme haircuts, and cosmetic jewellery? We are determined to maintain, and get back to our high standards at St George’s, to that end; if you intend letting your child have ears pierced or hair coloured please do so at the beginning of the holiday. (Earrings, indeed any cosmetic jewellery is not allowed in school, and hair should be of natural colour, contain no ‘step’ and shaven no shorter than a number 2 grade.)
Whatever you are doing in the Summer I hope you and your family have a relaxing, safe, enjoyable time, and come back refreshed for a very busy, yet hopefully more predictable year.
May I conclude the letter by thanking you all most graciously for your support, encouragement and forgiveness over the year. May I wish you all a pleasant, calm and relaxing holiday, and I look forward to working with you all again next year. Take care everyone, All the very best,
Andy
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After the 17 months or so of relative incarceration take a look at these links aimed at recapturing summer, childhood, fun, challenge, exercise and simply joy and laughter.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/50-things-to-do
Government has launched a Rediscover summer campaign to promote leisure activities for children and families this summer.
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