Dear
Parents/Carers,
Unbelievably,
today marks my final edition of the newsletter as I prepare to leave the
building one final time next Tuesday. Whilst I am excited about my new venture
in Barnsley, leaving Cookridge is obviously an act that I undertake with
sadness. It has been an absolute privilege to lead this wonderful school since
2011 and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of all of your
lives, if only for a short while. I have worked with very many dedicated
friends and colleagues whom I have admired greatly for their individual special
qualities. I have worked alongside hardworking and dedicated governors. I have
met wonderful parents whose support I have always been very grateful for. But
most of all – I have met the most fantastic bunch of children I could ever have
imagined and I will miss each and every one of them greatly in the months
ahead. Cookridge children are unique, a fact that I recognised immediately I
stepped into the building before even deciding to apply for the job! They are
full of confidence, spirit and spark and their positive energy, enthusiasm for
life and learning and their wonderful, warm friendliness fills the atmosphere.
I have not taken very many ‘quiet’ walks around school during the past three
years, for I have always been greeted with enthusiastic ‘hello’s’ and news of
what they are up to. My office has never been a quiet sanctuary, for it has
most often been bursting at the seams with children collecting their head
teacher’s awards, again bursting with news of their success. Even assemblies, notorious for their silence,
have rarely been so at Cookridge, for I have loved hearing every tit-bit of
news your children have shared with me throughout the years – even as they come
into assembly in supposed ‘silence’! So, when I leave the building on Tuesday I
do so with a great sense of pride in everything they have achieved and a great
sense of certainty that your children will continue to fill that big old
building with joy and laughter, will continue to charm the new staff beginning
in September and will absolutely continue to be loved by the new staff team as
they have been by us all – it is impossible not to! I have asked them to
remember just one of the many things I have told them during the past three
years for it is something I truly believe – our young people have the world at
their feet and they can be whatever they want to be in life: the future is
theirs to craft and I wish them every happiness in their individual journeys.
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful children with me. I wish you all
my love and good luck for the future.
‘Be Brilliant’ Wednesday
Wednesday
brought bright sunshine, balls, butterflies, bees, and hundreds of bikes to
school; all with one intention - to raise awareness and funds for the Battens
Disease Family Association. The exercise bike in the hall was busy all day with
children desperately cycling away, clocking up the miles. We managed to cycle 44 miles in total which could get us
all the way to Barnsley and BACK! The Pinnacle catering staff created some
excellent 'B' fayre, there were burgers, brownies, bogies (just kidding!), and
broccoli - all delicious and all part of a brilliant day. We collected money in
buckets and sold buns for bunce, and we couldn't have done any of it without
your contributions, so if you baked a bun, wore a wrist band, rode a bike, had
a butterfly painted on your face then THANK YOU! Your hard work is much
appreciated because we raised an incredible £707.94 for this wonderful cause,
which is especially close to our hearts knowing and loving Ellie-Mae as we do,
and welcoming Caleb to the crew in September, too. One million thanks to Miss
Hobson and Mr Gamble for being their brilliant selves and bringing FUN to
Cookridge all day on Wednesday, to the entire staff team who helped the day go
with a bang and thank you to you all for joining in this fun event, giving
freely your buns and pennies and showing your support to a family in your
community – you were truly brilliant. Congratulations
to Ali Adoul who won the £30 love to shop vouchers and
to Hannah Stratton who won the family museum ticket.
Universal
Free School Meals
From September all children
in Reception, Y1 and Y2 are entitled to enjoy a school meal completely free of
charge as part of the Government initiative announced last year. This is great
news as we know how good the quality of our school dinners is and would love
more children to enjoy them! If you would like your child/children to continue
or to start to have a school meal in September please return the slip
sent out 20th June to the office. If
we do not receive your slip or a note we will presume you require a PACKED
LUNCH.School meal prices for the rest of school have a slight
increase to £2.00 (Year 3 & 4) and £2.05 (Year 5 & 6) per day. If you
have any dinner monies outstanding, please settle by Tuesday so you can start
the new school year afresh. Thank you.
FREE Family Fun summer sessions
If you are looking
for places to go during the long summer break, look no further. The Family Fun
sessions below include outdoor games, building and making things and lots more! No
booking needed - just come along and join the fun! Further
information is available on ESNW website: esnwcluster.co.uk
Session 1 Wednesday, 23rd July 1 -3 at Holy Name Primary School
Session 2 Wednesday
30th July 1-3 at Holt Park, off Farrar Lane
Session 3 Wednesday
6th August 1 -3 at Ralph Thoresby School
Session 4 Wednesday
13th August 1 -3 at Silk Mill Bank
Session 5 Wednesday
20th August 1-3 at Ralph Thoresby School
Sports News
Y5/6 Rounders - Last night some pupils from Year
5/6 competed in a rounders competition at Ireland wood Primary School where we
finished second. There were some superb batting skills on display with
Mackenzie Turner, Liam Jones, Matty Caines, Nathan Brown and Matthew Hampshire
all hitting numerous rounders throughout the event. Willow Driscoll-Duke proved
a fantastic bowler (with less than 24hours notice) and Sophie Russell was a
reliable fielder who manned third base expertly. Charlotte Shields and Cecy Mwashako
also fielded well, with a super catch each and overall it was a fantastic team
effort in stifling heat. Thank you to all the parents who turned up and
supported the children in the event, it really does make competitions that bit
more special for each child!
Across the course of this year, sports at
Cookridge really has become a very strong feature of our school and I have two
people to thank for that: Mr Gamble and Mrs Woods have formed a formidable team
and have offered very many opportunities for our pupils to compete in local
competitions. They are currently taking delivery of brand spanking new kit for
our competitors to wear at events and I am confident that, under their
leadership, sports will continue to flourish. Many thanks to both of them for
the enthusiasm they bring to this aspect of school and for the hours invested
in your children’s sporting endeavours.
Dates
Please make use of next year’s term dates, available on the website,
when booking holidays for the year ahead:
http://www.cookridgeprimaryschool.org.uk/parents/school-calendar.php . Let me also
remind you of the training days set for the coming year:
Monday
1st September 2014
Tuesday
2nd September 2014
Friday
24th October 2014
Thursday
2nd April 2015
Friday
26th June 2015
So,
once we break up on Tuesday, pupils return to school on Wednesday 3rd September after a long and sunny summer
(fingers crossed!)
Next Week…
Just
a couple of key events next week (phew!) with Monday’s Leavers Coffee Morning
9-10 (please come along if you can) and Leavers Lunch with the children
(featuring an extra special, secret surprise!)
Tuesday
is all about Y6 as they prepare to
leave Cookridge behind them for their next adventure. Leavers Assembly begins
at 2pm on Tuesday 22nd July. It will be a sad day as we wave off
this bunch of fantastic young people... My final line in my final newsletter at
Cookridge is dedicated to you guys: you have been incredible and I have never been more proud of anyone than I
am of you lot as you set sail for pastures new: good luck, you motley crew! ;0)
Have
a wonderful weekend,
Sam
Bailey
