The start of term was very quiet at the school with the Year 10s and 11s in Spain and Year 5 to Year 9 away on a residential trip. These trips are eagerly anticipated in the school. They are times of team building and of gaining the experience of being away from home without the family.
The Year 10s and 11s stay in a house owned by friends of the school near to a small village called Antequera near Malaga. The trip includes a visit to the Alhambra and the Torcals which is a mountainous park where the students enjoy climbing huge rocks. Each day included a task such as talking to the locals and shopping for the day’s food, jewellery and presents. This year they also were able to swim in the freezing Mediterranean Sea at Nerja. This experience left them with an incredible treasury of experiences and self confidence.
The younger children were in Chichester with CYE (Christian Youth Enterprises), staying on a boat and enjoying sailing, kayaking and generally messing about on the river. If you can remember the week it was very wet weather-wise but this only affected the activities on one day and being wet was the intention. The children were really fired up and excited by what they were able to do and how many times they capsized! It has to be said that the accommodation was fantastic and the youth workers who helped, exemplary. This trip spoke to the children’s whole being.
Now we are all back together and the Year 10s and 11s having completed their controlled assessments are busy preparing for their GCSEs and some for an A level as well.
This term we have lots to look forward to especially our Jubilee celebrations. We are having a half term “street party” to celebrate our wonderful queen, where all the families are invited to be present. We are also celebrating the Olympics in our lessons and will have a themed sports day. We are very lucky to have one of our mums working as a volunteer who makes us all feel very much part of the occasion with her reports and anecdotes. The juniors will also be taking part in the Readathon and, if you are able, would value your sponsorship.
May I take this opportunity of wishing our friends at Takeley Primary School a good move to their new premises. We pray it all goes well.
As usual you are very welcome to visit our school and see what we are doing. This is a community engaged in education and hospitality. We will have failed if you don’t feel welcomed, so test us out.