What a wonderful week we’ve had in school! The children have been in good spirits, helped along by plenty of sunshine earlier in the week. Long may it continue!

This week we’ve been focusing on celebrating reading, something that lies right at the heart of our school community. Classrooms have been buzzing with book discussions, story sharing and activities designed to spark imagination and a love of reading. The children have shown such pride in talking about their favourite books, and it’s been lovely to see them recommending stories to one another.

A huge highlight, of course, was World Book Day. The effort and creativity that went into the children’s costumes was absolutely fantastic! From classic characters to modern favourites, so much imagination went into the day, thank you for your support with this. Staff were just as excited to join in, and it was wonderful to see the whole school united in celebrating the joy of books.

We also held our second running club session this week, and it was another great success. The children’s motivation, teamwork, and energy were wonderful to see. It’s quickly becoming a much‑loved part of the week, and we are so proud of everyone who is taking part.

We are delighted to welcome Miss Merricks back from Uganda today. She has had an incredible and meaningful experience during her visit and has returned full of stories, insights, and inspiration. The children have already enjoyed hearing about her time there, and we know her experiences will enrich many of the things we do in school over the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, we are very excited to welcome parents into school next week on Monday 3.30 – 5pm and Thursday 1 – 5.30pm to share and celebrate the children’s fantastic work. The children are eager to show you what they’ve been learning and creating. If you haven’t yet booked a timeslot, please remember to do so via the school website—your visit means a great deal to the children, and we don’t want anyone to miss out.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We hope you have a restful and enjoyable weekend.

Mrs Mavin

We’ve reached the end of our first week back, and what a lovely week it’s been! The children have come back full of smiles, stories, and an impressive amount of energy for February, and it’s been a real pleasure seeing everyone settle in so quickly.

We had our very first Running Club session this morning, and I have to say—it was a brilliant start. A huge well done to all the children who turned up bright and early, ready to run, jog, hop, skip their way around. If this morning is anything to go by, Fridays are going to become a very lively start to the day!

On Thursday, I had the chance to attend a Flourish Education training session. It was all about the unique strengths of small schools and how they can truly thrive at the heart of their communities. I found myself encouraged by all the ways this already rings true here at Bicton—our sense of togetherness, the way families support the school, and how our children really are known as individuals. It was a lovely reminder of just how special our little school is.

Parent–teacher consultation bookings have now gone live, so hopefully everyone has managed to get a time that works for them. If not, just let the office know and we will arrange an alternative date.

Please have a look at the Diary Dates posted this week.  I hope that by giving you these dates well in advance, it gives you chance to make any arrangements you need to.

All in all, it’s been a really positive start to the half term. Thank you for your continued support, the friendly chats at the gate, and the general cheerfulness that makes the school such a wonderful place to be!

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

Mrs Mavin