Summer Letter

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are aware of some issues regarding the school app, which means some parents and children have not received a notification of which class they are in next year. If you have not received the notification, please contact us. Other staffing updates to share are as follows:-

• Sadly, Mrs Webber in the Nursery will be leaving us after 34 years at the school. Mrs Webber is a well-known face in the school community and will be very much missed. She has worked with lots of our parents and now their children too. We hope that she enjoys her well deserved retirement.
• Mrs Frost who is a TA in KS2, will also be leaving us to enjoy her retirement. Mrs Frost has worked here for 22 years and particularly enjoyed her time at outdoor learning.
• Mr Baxter will be working for the school part-time and taking on a new role three days a week as School Sports Co-ordinator across the learning community schools. Sport is Mr Baxter’s passion and we know that he will love this change in role and will be able to benefit many pupils in improving their sporting ability. The other two days he will teach in Reception with Mrs Freshwater and Y4/5 with Mrs Dudley.
• We have appointed a new Kites co-ordinator to support the management of this. Becky Boorer who many of you may know as a parent, will be starting in September working with pupils from 3-6pm. Becky has some great ideas for activities for Kites and having different themed days which I’m sure will engage all pupils. We will also be re-starting Friday’s after school too. You can book onto these sessions using School Money.
• Miss Powley has been appointed as SENDCO from Deputy SENDCO. Miss Powley has been working really hard over the last year on studying for her National award for SENDCOs which she is soon to complete. Miss Powley will be your first point of contact for all SEN queries.
• I will be permanent full-time Headteacher from September, Mr Marchant (newly appointed) will be my Deputy, Mrs Sandercock will be Early Years lead, Mrs Emery will be Key Stage 1 lead and Mrs Dudley will be Key Stage 2 lead. Mr Webber will be our school business manager. Mrs Fleming will continue in her role as Designated Safeguarding Lead. Please use these staff as your first points of contact for their respective areas.
• Mr Douglas will be returning to his role as Head of PE at Exeter Road. We hope that he has enjoyed his time at a primary level and I’m sure that he has acquired new skills that will support him in his role at secondary level.
• Mrs Quinn has been Principal of Mill Lane for 10 years. In that time, she has overseen some major changes within the school, all of which has led to the school’s success. She will now be focussing on her role of Chief Executive Officer for Osprey Learning trust which currently consists of 1 secondary and 4 primary schools. Our school has gone from strength to strength under her leadership and she will leave behind a lasting legacy within our local community that will last a long time.
• Mr Deeming will also be working for the Trust in his role as Chief Operations Officer in a full-time capacity. He has worked at the school for 8 years and has worked with many parents and pupils in his role leading SEN, data and behaviour. He has been instrumental in raising standards across the school and improving outcomes for our community. He has supported Mrs Quinn in giving pupils the best possible primary education. He has also played an integral part in the development of our beautiful school site.
• We wish them all the best in their future paths.

Transition
Due to Covid restrictions and Exeter Road not being able to accommodate Year 6 for early promotion due to new bubbles mixing, we have made the difficult decision with Covid cases on the rise also, not to early promote for the last week of term. This is due to most classes mixing in to form new bubbles for their new classes. This will mean multiple bubble closures in the event of a case and we want to see the school year out as safely as possible for everyone, so that no-one has to isolate during the beginning of their summer holidays. We will do a transition video for all pupils from their new class teacher that will be played to them in class of everything they need to know to move up to their new teacher, as well as a video of their new classroom, entrances etc. The first 3 days in September will be with their new class teacher in their new classroom focusing on transition tasks such as getting to know you and PSHE focussed tasks.

Dates for your diary:-

Covid restrictions
With Covid restrictions set to be relaxed from the 19th July, we will be continuing with our current operational model until the end of term. Bubbles will therefore continue and face masks will still be encouraged. Please could you continue to support us with this on pick up and drop off. Guidance has been released today for what things will be set to look like in September and it is looking likely that staggered start and drops offs will be removed, bubble restrictions will end, no face coverings needed and isolation of staff and pupils will change. I will write to you before school re-opening in September to give you more information on this, but it will be likely to return to a 8.45am-3pm school day for all.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Annabelle Thomas
Head of School