I write fresh from assembly where we celebrated and thanked our wonderful staff for organising India Day (year 4) and the visit of the Science Dome (the whole school) this week. I very much enjoyed crawling through the tunnel into the dome with year 1 and experiencing a multi-sensory hour with sound, light, rain (!) and stars. Some of our pupils went off to Millfield for a dance experience which was very much enjoyed by all.
As I was handing out certificates to the children this morning celebrating their effort, achievement and St. Peter’s Qualities (their understanding of the ‘3Cs’ - courtesy, consideration and common sense), I wondered how many other head teachers have handed out certificates this week for Bollywood dancing skills and Medieval swordfighting. Not many, I bet. And that is what makes St. Peter’s special. The time and dedication it takes to put on such a varied program, one of experiences for the children and never forgetting a sense of ‘fun’ in all that we do - and that goes on every evening too. I worked late on Tuesday night this week and listened to the shrieks and joy as the boarders played hide and seek in the dark all over Harefield. The highlight was Mr Newman who was proving impossible to find being found on a bench under a dining room table! It isn’t only the children who have fun at St. Peter’s.
I have enjoyed juice and biscuits with some chatty Year 5 children and we welcomed a group of equally chatty year 8s to lunch at Peterhouse on Monday. Mr Johnston commented on the confidence and excellent manners of the children and the children commented on the ‘awesomeness’ of the profiteroles…..
We have started to involve the local community more with St. Peter’s. We enjoyed listening to the Lympstone Brass Band joining us at Christmas, Rugby Tots are starting to run Rugby sessions in the Wessex Hall on a Saturday morning from Reception to Year 2 and we welcome parents and families to St. Peter’s who would not have been here before. Phil Cawood's’ Martial Arts club runs for children on a Tuesday evening and then family martial arts for parents and children together on a Thursday evening. Lympstone Football Club will be using some of our pitches from September for some of their weekend matches. Our school charity for next year will be Balloons, which is a local charity which supports families and children who suffer bereavement. We look forward to welcoming them to an assembly next term and will be supporting them at The St. Peter’s Ball on 1st July this year. Plans are in place for the annual Lympstone Village v St. Peter’s cricket match and we will also be welcoming parents and children from the other nurseries in the SPL group to a Summer Fun day next term.
And finally - what a wonderful thing to award both the bonus cup and the house cup to Hodgson this morning on the day of their assembly and Hodgson Day itself! Great cheering and celebrations abound. I leave you with this thought for the week on the importance of community.
Charlotte Johnston
Head
