18th July 2014
Dear Parents/ Carers
So there we go- another year slips by quicker still, it feels, than the previous one. I always crowd our school development plan with ambitious objectives in September because a year feels like a significant wad of time to be working with but gosh, does it flit past. In school each day is so full, so varied and in such ‘fast motion’: it is hardly surprising that the year disappears in the blink of an eye. I spoke to an ex-employee recently who said she was intent on going back into education again (having tried something else) because she had found herself ‘clock-watching’ in her present job. One never clock watches in school – I know the adults don’t and I would hope the children find little time or inclination to do so either.
In terms of the school development plan, we are constantly looking to develop the best practice we can- to develop our individual teaching and also to develop very good practice as a school that is consistent across all classes. This consistency is vital if we are to ensure our children build, as effectively as possible, on their experiences and achievements of the previous year. I think we have come a long way in this respect in the last 2 years. We have gone out to educational experts and other schools to search for the very best practice; have then brought it back and made it our own. The children’s achievements in English in the last 2 years have been testament to the progress we have made and maths is following hot on its heels. We also put a great deal of time and energy into our recruitment process because, let’s be honest, in any organisation, it is a lot about having the right people in the right place. Minchinhampton now has a strong team. I believe the governor’s recent decision to move towards academy status was a good one because it gives us an excellent opportunity to continue to improve our practice.