Congratulations to our newly appointed House Captains, who were voted for by their peers last week. Thank you to all those who put themselves forward. We are also in the process of electing our new School Councillors and will be sharing the results with you next week.

I am looking forward to welcoming parents and carers to our Parent Consultation Evenings on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th October. Booking information will be sent out next week. These meetings are an important opportunity for us to share how your child has settled into the new school year, celebrate their achievements so far and discuss their targets and next steps for learning.

I would also like to share some staffing news. Today is Mrs Davies’ last day before she begins her maternity leave. I know you will all join me in wishing her every happiness and excitement as she prepares for the arrival of her baby.

Following a rigorous recruitment process, I am delighted to announce that Miss Zoe Chesterman will be teaching in Mrs Davies’ absence. Many of you will already know Miss Chesterman through her role as a member of our support staff team and as a parent within our school community. Her existing relationships with the children and understanding of school life will help ensure a smooth transition. Miss Chesterman will continue to work within the support staff team from Monday to Wednesday and will teach the class on Thursdays and Fridays.

We are also delighted that Mrs Gairy is back in Willow Class – we have all missed her and the children were so pleased to see her.  A huge thank you to Mrs Rigby who has taught in Mrs Gairy’s absence and the whole Willow Class team who have worked so hard to give the children a wonderful start to the school year.

We are also excited to welcome two new members of support staff to our team. Miss Willoughby joins us in Key Stage 2, while Mrs Lockwood will be working across EYFS and Key Stage 1. We are very pleased to have them as part of our school family and know they will make a positive contribution to the children’s learning and development.

Finally, please remember to check the diary dates section and upcoming communications so that you don’t miss any important events over the coming weeks.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. I hope you and your families have a lovely weekend, and I look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday.

With best wishes,

Mrs Mavin

Dear Friends,

This coming Sunday is our annual Pet Service. This year, it’ll be part of Forest Church, 3pm, Leaton Forest. Do come along for an afternoon of wandering, crafts and a short service to give thanks to God for our non-human companions. You are warmly welcome to bring your pet along- we can accommodate any animal safely contained (!), dogs on leads, ponies, donkeys, horses… equally, you don’t have to bring a pet- just bringing yourselves is enough! Our service will include a pet-blessing.

We will meet at 3pm, engage with the space until about 3.45pm, and then have a short service followed by refreshments. We really hope to see you there!

With blessings,

Hannah x

Directions

If you’ve ever bought a Christmas Tree from Leaton Forest, then you know what to do! We will meet on the hard standing outside the barn where the trees are paid for. If not… 

Heading out from Shrewsbury take the Baschurch/ Berwick Road out of town (B5067)- up past the West-Mid Showground. Keep going for 3.5 miles (ish). Just after the church appears on the right, turn left into Leaton Forest (it is signposted for Christmas Trees). Follow the winding track round until you reach the car park. We will meet there. The postcode is SY4 3AP.  

Nursery
The children have enjoyed settling into their new topic, All About Me. They have been creating self-portraits and colour charts featuring their favourite colours, helping them to develop their creativity while celebrating what makes each of them unique. They have also explored different types of homes through photographs and discussions before using construction blocks to design and build homes of their own.

Willow Class
In Science, Willow Class have been exploring the school grounds looking for signs of autumn and observing how the season is beginning to change our environment. They also thoroughly enjoyed their first Forest School session, where they learned how to stay safe outdoors, identified different plants growing in the area, and, of course, ended the session with the well-earned treat of a hot chocolate and biscuit around the fire circle.

Birch Class
Birch Class have been busy scientists, investigating magnetic fields and using magnets to discover which objects around the classroom are magnetic. In Art, they experimented with charcoal to create striking night-time scenes, developing their shading and sketching skills. In English, the children enjoyed writing letters, learning how to structure their writing for a specific purpose and audience.

Maple Class
In Science, Maple Class investigated thermal conductivity and used the data they collected to create and interpret line graphs. In History, they explored the arrival and settlement of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain, developing their understanding of chronology and historical change. In English, they continued their work based on the book Gorilla, focusing on using rich and descriptive language to bring their writing to life.

Oak Class
Oak Class have been combining creativity and scientific enquiry this week. In Art, they designed their own eye-catching food packaging, considering how packaging can attract customers. In Science, they explored the circulatory system, learning about the different parts of the heart and how blood travels around the body.

It has been wonderful to see such enthusiastic learning across the school as the children continue to settle into their new classes and topics.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend,