The two reports here are from the Headteacher (Mrs Demelza Ross), and a school governor (Mrs R Doonan, representing the Parish Council).
Slaley First School Headteacher’s Report, March 2004
Numbers on roll:
Reception 12
Year 1 11
Year 2 9
Year 3 5
Year 4 7
Total 44
Nursery part-time 11
Draft proposals for Northumberland’s Education Service
Project team members have begun to visit schools to discuss the proposed options for re-organisation and to explore issues with staff. These are half-day discussions and our school has been allocated Mrs Linda Wilkin. The recent pack of information and outline proposals received in February, is the most up to date communication received into school and contains some of the most frequently asked questions about the process. Some parents have had informal discussions and expressed a range of reactions to the proposals.
Rewiring and kitchen improvements
The school has been rewired and the electricians were extremely helpful as they progressed throughout the teaching and administrative areas. However, this has entailed considerable time and upheaval for the entire staff and extra cleaning and caretaking work from Mrs Vera Jewitt. Whilst provision has been made from the project costs to pay Mrs Jewitt overtime, without her dedication the school environment would not have been as pleasant throughout the past weeks.
The lighting and access to power points is vastly improved and safety enhancements include the modern fire alarm system, heat sensors and removal of asbestos from the kitchen and cupboard areas. The school has been notified that another asbestos survey is likely but no dates have been set. The kitchen has had a new floor laid, thus improving both warmth and insulation and removing the problem of safety issues when the floor is wet.
Literacy evening
Mrs Jill Ogg (Literacy Consultant) has been working with staff. As part of ongoing opportunities to learn more about Literacy and Numeracy in school, we have offered an interesting evening on literacy for parents. There were opportunities to participate in practical activities based around reading development and to look at reading as part of the Literacy Strategy.
Arts Developments
A further opportunity for after school arts work is being offered during this half-term. Pupils have had the opportunity to work on singing, simple accompaniments using instruments, and games relating to melody, using xylophones and glockenspiels. The sessions will conclude with a drumming workshop.
An artist, Ruth Thompson has worked with the whole school on ‘Willow Sculpture’, planting living willow and using ideas and responses from both pupils and parents.
Pupils will enter Tyndale Music Festival again this year, however there is a slightly different emphasis for participants. In previous years, every school was valued for participating and then scored for a place according to musical criteria. This time the main purpose is to celebrate young people participating in music.
Mr Tony Webster, Head of Queen Elizabeth High School passed on the exciting news that Arts College Status was likely for the High School as a result of their bid. Together with similar First schools, we were part of the audit, preparations, planning and feedback before the bid was submitted and look forward to being participants in future developments in the partnership. As a school, we are still awaiting news on our Arts Mark submission.
Thinking Skills
I have had further discussions with Mr Robert Peers, LEA Advisor for Thinking Skills, and asked for ways of supporting our whole school development for staff and pupils and where possible, including Whitley Chapel and Whittonstall. It has also been agreed at Partnership level to look into the costs of a teacher-researcher to identify good practice as part of the Networked Learning Community action plan.
Courses
As part of the Leading Small Schools pilot, Mrs Ross has visited Hugh Joice C of E First School in Ford, and hosted a visit by heads to Slaley, where the focus was on different styles of teaching and learning.
Training has also been undertaken, as follows:
Mrs Ross: training for educational visit co-ordinators.
Mrs Ross and Mrs O’Neill: data analysis for managers.
Mrs O’Neill: School Sports Co-ordinator training, looking at
teaching and learning; behaviour support.
Mrs Hay: child protection.
Mrs Brailsford: thinking skills in early years.
Mrs D Ross (Headteacher)
Rosaleen Doonan: Governors report on ‘writing’
I visited the school on 17 March 2004 to observe two classes.
Mrs O’Neil’s class has 20 year 1 and 9 year 2 children. They were well behaved and had good listening skills. Mrs O’Neil read with the class a book about animals from different parts of the world. This was a hand made book prepared by the teacher using pupils work. It consisted of pictures of animals drawn by the children. As different parts of the world were mentioned in the text one child pointed to a map of the world indicating where they originated. Key questions were asked to prompt the children to think about why they had chosen their animal, and imagine the adventure they would have to bring the animal back to England. After a very interesting session the children were reminded of some of the rules for writing, including capital letters, full stops and the use of dictionaries. Following this group work they wrote their own stories. I was very impressed by the way the children applied themselves to the task in hand. They worked quietly and remained focussed. They used dictionaries and also asked help from others in their friendship groups. I asked the children to read to me what they had written. They did this with enthusiasm.
The second class I visited was Mrs Ross’s. This was a science lesson and the children’s writing recorded experiments. The group had planted seeds under different growing conditions and were writing up:
a. What they had done
b. What they thought would happen.
The children worked in groups and produced work of a high standard. I was very impressed with their precise recording and predictions of what they thought might happen. The presentation of the work was generally of a high standard with neat letter formation. When they completed this work, they returned to some earlier unfinished work on the ‘Lambton Worm’.
I conclude my report by sharing with you a piece of written work by a pupil aged 8. This work was written after listening to the tale of the Lambton Worm and concentrating on developing the fight scene.
“Brave Sir John wrenched, lashed and hacked down the Lambton worm. He stabbed him in the side whereupon the lambton worm snarled and howled. Sir John did not have his victory yet, the lambton worm was up and fighting again! Sir John lept across, to the Lambton worm and yanked out his eye balls with his (now Blood stained) sword. The lambton worm was blind Sir John stabbed the worm in the other side. The worm shrieked with pain it shrieked so loudly the town shook. Next the county shook then the continent! Then the worldshook!!! Sir John lunged and stabbed the Lambton worm in the heart the worm staggered he screamed so loudly the universe shook!!!! The lambton worm took a last fighting blow missed and fell to the ground dead, Sir John finally had his victory.” (This work is in draft form)
