Thursday 26 June 2014

Friday 27th June 2014


Dear Parents/Carers,


Time is marching on through the summer weeks at a phenomenal pace. With just three full weeks before the summer holiday – hold onto your hats as we still have a lot to do! This week we’ve had Bikeability, an OPAL afternoon tea event and a trip to Ralph Thoresby for a maths event.. Busy times/fab times!

 

Staffing Changes – Summer 2014

There are a number of staffing changes happening at the end of this school year. Join with me in wishing each and every one of them all our love and good luck in the next phase of their life journey:

 

As Mr Deegan’s work supporting a Y6 pupil in school who is about to move on to high school comes to an end, he is focused on a new adventure on the other side of the world! Mr Deegan joined us in 2013 and has done a remarkable job for us – his calm and positive manner is an asset to any school and I am delighted that he has his eye on a teaching career, longer term. However, Mr Deegan will be flying to Australia in the summer to enjoy a year of fun, before he comes back and settles into a lifetime of teaching… Good luck Mr Deegan and thank you for everything you have done for us at Cookridge.

 

Coincidentally, Miss Carroll will also be flying to Australia at the beginning of the summer. Miss Carroll joined me in 2012 as a newly qualified teacher on a short term contract, initially covering a maternity leave. Miss Carroll has been talking about indulging in a few years of travelling since I first met her – and this year she has resolved to make it happen. Miss Carroll has become a confident and fabulous teacher during the (almost!) three years we’ve had her, and I’m sure pupils who have been lucky enough to be in her class will agree when I say she has been beautiful, inside and out, during her time with us… Enjoy your time globetrotting, Miss Carroll!

 

Miss Hobson also joined us at the beginning of 2012 and has led the Foundation Stage during the past two years. She is a wonderful teacher and school leader and is going on to take on a bigger role in a Leeds school in September, overseeing a 90 place Foundation stage unit. She has been an excellent member of the senior leadership team driving forward school improvement, leading maths as well as playing a key part in Foundation and Key Stage 1. Miss Hobson is full of FUN and the children in her class are always guaranteed lots of the stuff! On a personal note, Miss Hobson has been my finest friend for over ten years now and it has been an absolute joy to work so closely with her at Cookridge. I won’t half miss you in September, Miss Hobson!

 

Mrs Fletcher has also secured her ‘dream job’ at nearby Cookridge Holy Name. As the school her own children attended, and the school that sparked her teaching dream as a parent volunteer, Holy Name is one lucky school as it’s about to get one of the best Reception teachers I know! Mrs Fletcher has been an absolute trooper in her four year career at Cookridge – again joining us as a newly qualified teacher and making extraordinarily FAST progress to become the outstanding teacher she is today. She is also responsible for the birth of our wonderful inter-generational choir and should be very proud of the success she has made of that beautiful feature of our school. Keep on singing, Mrs Fletcher…  

 

Miss Fowler is also making a brave move in relocating all the way to Bristol! She has many friends in the area and fancies a big life change… How exciting! Miss Fowler has been no less than my second in command during the past three years; a colleague as passionate, committed and enthusiastic about reading and writing as me - we quickly formed what I have considered a great partnership, and I hope she feels the same!  As a teacher, Miss Fowler is incredible and brings an enthusiasm for life that should be bottled and sold. I am confident that Miss Fowler will go on to affect many, many more lives in her career – both those of the pupils she serves and the colleagues she works with. She is destined for greatness and I certainly hope that ALL her dreams come true in Bristol! Take all our love down there with you, Miss Fowler!  

 

Miss Streams is getting married this summer and is set to become Mrs Wathen. She has the dress, everything is organised to within an inch of its life and I’m sure she will be a beautiful bride! Miss Streams has recently settled into her new home on the other side of the city and has taken this opportunity to secure a post nearer home. Miss Streams also joined us back in 2011, firstly as a teacher in training and then as a newly qualified teacher in 2012. She stepped straight into a big role in the Y2 classroom and she has been simply fabulous from Day One. Miss Streams is another very talented teacher who I am certain has a very successful career ahead of her – and I’ve also got everything crossed that the sun shines as the wedding bells chime in the Summer!

Finally, we will bid farewell to Mr Green in the summer. Having worked with Mr Green as a visitor into school to support pupils prior to joining us full time last year I was well aware of the quality of his work and delighted when we secured his services.  In the 18 months since he joined us, Mr Green has brought massive amounts of support to pupils, parents and staff on all kinds of levels. Mr Green is moving into a role which draws on his strengths but also allows him the growth he craves in his ambition to be a teacher. Go for it, Mr Green – you will be brilliant.

 

With all that staffing movement, please be assured that Mrs Turner and Mr Kerr have been very selective in their recruitment of new members of the teaching team and are delighted with the quality of the teachers coming aboard in September. The class organisation for the year ahead looks like this:

 

Reception A
Mrs McHugh/Mrs Koopman
Mrs Arnott, Mrs Gibbs & Mrs Phelan,
Reception B
Mrs Skeet
Mrs Harrisson, Mrs Williams
Class 1
Mrs Briscoe
Mrs Hallatt
Class 2
Miss Golia (Foundation/KS1 Leader)
Miss Mellish
Class 3
Miss Brophy
Mrs Farrell
Class 4
Mr Kerr (LKS2 Leader)
Mrs Strahand
Class 5
Miss Delahunty
Mrs Adams & Miss Roberts
Class 6
Mr Joy
Mrs Whitwam
Class 7
Mr Maldonado (UKS2 Leader)
Mrs Horsley
Class 8
Mr Gamble
Miss Hester
Class 9
Mr Kershaw
Mrs Pattison & Mrs Harrison

 

The new team are very motivated, very enthusiastic and eager to begin their new adventure at Cookridge. You should also have received this evening your child’s class allocation letter detailing which class your child is going to be in in September. All children will be spending a day with their new teacher on Tuesday 8th July and there is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s new teacher during an informal visit to their new classroom at the end of that school day – drop in and say hello and be sure to give them the big, friendly welcome they deserve!

 

Attendance

Today, we have distributed more invitations to the 100% cinema trip than ever before – which is fantastic. I am utterly delighted with attendance this year – well done and thank you to everyone… We’ve really smashed it!

National Minimum ‘Good’ Expectation
Target
2013-2014
Attendance this week
19/06/2014  -25/06//2014
Year to date
04/09/2013 – 25/06/2014
95%
96%
94.7%
96.1%
Class attendance figures for the W/E  25/06/2014
Rec A
Rec B
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Class 5
Class 6
Class 7
Class 8
Class 9
   96.4%
93.6%
93.6%
96.8%
94.3%
   97.2%
98.0%
99.7%
89.0%
94.3%
87.6%

 

Summer 2 Events

Next week’s events include:

Monday 30h June
Tuesday 1st July
Tour de France – trip to Temple Newsam
Wednesday 2nd July
Choir out – Cookridge Methodist Church Summer Tea Party.
Thursday 3rd  June
6.30pm Friends
Meeting. ALL
PARENTS WELCOME.
Friday 4th July
GOLDEN ‘BOUNCY CASTLES’ DAY.

 

Oh My Goodness: it’s Bouncy Castle Friday! Please let the sun shine!

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mrs Bailey