Headteacher blog 26th February

In my opinion, the government’s education policies and practices are a shambles. This open letter sums up the dismay as regards the KS2 Year 6 assessments very well:  https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/one-primary-teachers-open-letter-government-standards-expected-are  Many of the concerns expressed about Year 6 here apply equally to Year 2 (and the expectations in the year groups in between).

Furthermore, I do not support the government’s obsession with abolishing local authorities and making us all become academies. The fact that very few primaries schools in Leeds have chosen to become academies surely tells us something….  I am writing to the minister on behalf of Leeds Primary Headteachers’ Forum about this very issue this week.

Today is a sad day for the school as Mrs Lambert leaves to pastures new after 20 years association with the school. For most of that time she has been the junior school’s learning mentor and she has worked with hundreds of children and their families. Her commitment to the school and its children has been remarkable and has included lots of extra curricular activities such as Farfield Fun youth club. She is moving to Bramley St Peter’s Primary School for a full time mentoring role and we offer our heart-felt thanks and our very best wishes for the future.

In our infant briefing meeting this morning, we all concluded that we have had a great week! Reception reported that their children were showing more maturity and focus; Year 1 have had a good week despite Ms Sedman’s unfortunate absence (the supply teacher was very impressed by behaviour and standards, especially in maths) and Year 2 teachers were delighted by how standards of writing, and motivation to write, was soaring amongst their children!

Key Stage 2 continues to be a delight – we have never had such an overwhelmingly calm, well behaved key stage – and some lucky Year 5 children enjoyed a tremendous day at The Depot on Wednesday in a climbing competition. Lots of children also got the chance to play Gaelic Football this week and the coaches are coming in every week until Easter to work with some children in Year 4. Next week, some children in Year 6 will get the chance to spend time on a climbing tower that is coming to school on Tuesday.  All the year groups in KS2 have resumed their farming lessons – I love it when seed trays and propagators start filling up the greenhouse and popping up around school: Spring is coming!  The children have had more input into what we are growing this year; already we have leeks and tomatoes being sown and we have even had a special request for Brussels sprouts!