First and foremost, welcome back! I must say, for the first time in a long while, life felt somewhat normal during the summer holidays, and it was lovely being able to meet up with friends and family. I was lucky enough to spend some time on the beach in Wales, and probably enjoyed a few too many ice-creams in the process! It has been wonderful coming back into school and hearing about all the fun and exciting things the children have been up to over the holidays; it sounds like you have made the most of the summer break.

Secondly, I need to tell you how incredible impressed I am with how brilliantly the children have been upon returning to school. Honestly, they have come back to school with such a fantastic attitude and so well behaved; it is wonderful to see that they have such high expectations for themselves, and a determination to be the best they can be. As parents, you really should be proud.

As you are aware, this year we have decided to name our classes after peaks and mountains starting at Roseberry, a distinctive hill in North Yorkshire, and ending at Snowdon and Ben Nevis, the two tallest peaks in the UK. The idea behind this was to symbolise to children how they achieve greater feats as they grow through the school, and that although the challenges become harder, the rewards become so much richer. We want children to believe in their own abilities; every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing, and the best view comes after the hardest climb.

This year we have been fortunate enough to employ an additional teacher for each year group, allowing us to take children into smaller groups for more focused teaching. Children have been so warm and welcoming to our new staff members, and have taken to this new way of learning brilliantly.

Something else that is new for this academic year is our Jobs Board. At Bloxwich Academy Primary, we want to offer children the opportunity to not only develop educationally, but also socially. We want to instil a sense of responsibility and purpose, helping our older children to become well rounded citizens as they grow in maturity. The Jobs Board contains roles within the school community that they can apply for such as lunchtime monitor, librarian or playground buddy. The response from children has been unprecedented, and it is great to see such enthusiasm.

Most of you will have now received letters advising of the extra-curricular clubs and activities we have planned for this term for our different year groups. Places are limited therefore we ask that you return consent slips as soon as possible. We also have an array of Good to be Green events taking place over the coming weeks; please make sure you have returned your child’s consent slip so that they can take part.

During this first week back, children have been participating in a range of memorable experiences linked to the topics they will be learning about this term. Teachers have really enjoyed creating these activities for your children, and have taken plenty of pictures which can be found further along in the newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading about their experiences as much as the children enjoyed taking part.

Thank you for your continued support and your hard work over the holidays, ensuring the children returned with such positive enthusiasm. Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Ms. S. Shepherd