Today Form I found a stone age man camped out in the middle play ground He had made camp and was resting up for the day before continuing on his Journey to Stonehenge.
Form I spent the day with him and learnt all about this life.
What a fantastic school this is! There really is not another school like it. I have seen so many children leave here as well rounded, educated and articulate young adults who have gone on to achieve great things in their lives. One became a scientist who is now on the list to become a space woman, another was part of the team who isolated a cancer causing gene. I have seen troubled children come from other schools into our small family atmosphere where they are never missed or forgotten. Soon they start to blossom and flourish and then they start to achieve. With that achievement comes pride in their success and the seeds for the future are sown.
Playground gossip always concentrates on the negative and feeds doubts and insecurities. It is so easy to forget the positive when everyone is talking a school down. This school has a big future and your children should be part of it. They should benefit from everything this school has to offer and the developements that are yet to come.
Academically we have a tradition of doing very well, whichever teachers are on the staff at the time. New teachers are carefully selected to ensure they follow the school ethos and will continue to improve our high standards. Children who pass the 11+ do not do this because of one teacher only, they do it because all the staff are involved and play a part in that child's success.100% pass rate reflects the 100% + commitment and dedication of all the staff in all the years preceding this exam..
We have always been proud of our inhouse training which has provided us with excellent teaching assistants some of whom have gone on to gain a variety of skills including Special Needs qualifications and qualified teacher status. These people know the school systems and policies inside out and are ideally placed to ensure our high standards are met in every area. Teaching assistants are not given jobs they are not qualified to do. This year some of our catering staff are studying for NVQ qualifications.
The pastoral care at Heathcote is second to none, the children here are safe, valued and proud of their achievements. We accept that all children are different and each child is treated as an individual with individual skills and needs. Everyone here is dedicated to the welfare and educational success of your children.
I shall miss this all when I retire in July but am so proud to have been part of such a special place. I will be sad not to be part of the plans that Mrs Carn and Mr Gladwin are now making. We have an exciting new teacher to take over from Mrs Hobbs, he is very well qualified for the job and enthusiastic and I am sure the children will be inspired by him. The Foundation stage area is becoming well settled and flourishing, applications are on the increase for places in this unit. The Twilight Club is very successful and yet another area where your children can thrive.
This is a wonderful school, I have every confidence that it can continue to be a wonderful school. Your confidence in the school will ensure that this is so.
With only two weeks remaining this term I cannot believe where the time has gone. It seems only yesterday that we were celebrating the Chinese New Year with several very successful events and lots of fabulous Chinese food.
On the academic front we are all extremely pleased and very proud of the children in Year V1 who recently received their results of the 11+ examination. With a 100% pass rate the children have performed superbly well. Added to which, all children sitting entrance examinations to Independent Secondary Schools have also been offered places for September.
Sport as always is high on the agenda at school with a great deal of pupil participation throughout the Prep classes. Recently our fantastic Yr V Boys Cross Country Team celebrated success at the Chelmsford Primary Schools Competition, winning the small schools league. The trophy is now taking pride of place amongst our other school trophies in the front lobby of the school. Congratulations to our team manager Mrs Rae and all boys in the team and also well done to all other children that represented the school in other year groups.
At the Brentwood Football, Netball and Chess Tournament recently attended, it was our Yr V Girls Netball Team, managed by Mrs. Howles, that took centre stage gaining second position overall. This was a tremendous achievement. Congratulations also to the Boys Football Team and our Chess Team who put in some creditable performances. Mr Gladwin and Mr Ewan, respective team managers, saying that their players showed excellent concentration and determination in their matches.
School Inter House Netball and Football Matches are scheduled for the last week of term and should prove to be a very competitive afternoon of sport. I hope the PA have organised their Netball Team as I believe that the Staff Team is looking very strong this year.
This week the School Play takes centre stage. The children are all looking forward to performing in front of a packed house and I am sure that once again we will be treated to a sparkling performance.
Parents are reminded that there are no school clubs during the school play week
It is wonderful seeing so many children attending Twilight Club. Mrs Cerikci has made it a very exciting place to be after school, with many new initiatives for the children to try out. This success has been instrumental in the school now offering a school holiday club. The first of which will be running Monday – Friday of the first week of the School Easter Holiday between 7.30am – 6.00pm. The club will be based in school but will include some exciting local visits. For further details please see Mrs. Cerikci or Mrs. Solsberg as soon as possible, as there are only a few remaining places left.
I hope that you have a very enjoyable Easter break.
Every child who entered the 11+ at Heathcote School achieved a pass mark high enough for entry to one of the local Grammar Schools. Mr. Gladwin said, "Every child at this school will achieve in one area or another, this time we are celebrating academic success and can all be very proud of this result. It is a reflection of the hard work of both the children and the dedicated staff. Well done all of you!"
