Headteacher's Blog

Spring Term

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

update January 24th

Welcome Back

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:36:00 GMT

A very warm welcome back to all of you for the start of the New School Year. I hope you all enjoyed the summer break, despite the appalling weather, and that the children are refreshed and ready for the term ahead.

The new Nursery class settled particularly well this morning, which is perhaps not too surprising since virtually the whole class have brothers or sisters here already. Children who have joined higher up the school have made just as auspicious a start and I'm sure we all have a happy and successful year ahead of us.

We also welcomed Mrs Pradhan as Reception Teaching Assistant. Mrs Sattar has remained with the Early Years team and is working with Nursery children. Miss Daltrey has taken over Reception class and is still smiling, as is Mrs Lamont in Year 2. Dr McMillan is relishing her new role as Y4 form teacher and Year 3 also have a new teaching assistant, Mrs Sydenham.

As usual, a great deal of work has gone on during the holidays to maintain and improve our facilities. A new roof has been installed to the main building and just a small area to the side of the school remains to be completed. In additon, the boys’ ground floor toilet has been completely refurbished and the hall has been redecorated so the school is looking fresh and new for the new school year.

Some of the events to look forward to this half term include: Chigwell and Forest under 11 football tournament and Forest Netball tournament. The Young Shakespeare Company visit to the junior school. Museum visits include, Jewish Museum (Y6) Centre of the Cell (Y5) and Museum of Childhood (Y2). Year 4 are looking forward to their Science Museum sleepover and Year 3 will be going to Bishop Stortford College. School Photographs are also booked for this half term, which ends with Open Morning to which you are all warmly invited.

Mary Bradfield

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November 2011

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to possibly the busiest half term of the year (along with the second half of the summer term).

Last half term ended with a bang (to my arm!) and although I was injured it turned out to be an uplifting experience as it showed what a marvellous group Year 4 parents are, they all rallied round and did what they could to help, ensuring that the class still got to have a great night at Science Museum. Special thanks must go to Mrs Kashman, who, after arriving at Buckhurst Hill station to wave her son goodbye, ended up accompanying them overnight – and did a great job. Also to Mrs Ormsby, who not only drove me to the hospital but refused to leave me there and stayed to take me home after what was a very long evening (Mrs Matharu, meanwhile looking after Mrs Ormsby’s son). A heartfelt thank you to all of you and for all the good wishes I have received.

One of the highlights of last term was our visit from ‘Star for Africa’ representatives who brought over a treasure box from our Zambian link school, The Dambwa Christian School. Adults and children alike were enthralled by the quality of the handmade items which the pupils included in their box, and the wonderful letters they wrote to us. We sent a similar box to Dambwa School and have replied to their letters. We are also collecting books for Read International, their representatives will be here on Monday to give the children a special assembly and to take the books already collected and ship them to Africa. We have very nearly one thousand books and are hoping to reach that target by Monday.

The other highlight for me last half term was a visit from a representative of the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE). She was most impressed with the excellent standard of teaching and learning at Daiglen and has entered us for the prestigious NACE Challenge Award this summer, when I hope we will join the select band of schools to have achieved it.

Also last half term, the junior girls entered their first netball tournament at Forest school and acquitted themselves very well. The Young Shakespeare company gave a brilliant interactive performance as ever; this year’s play was Romeo and Juliet. Dr McMillan and I went to the ISA annual Area Art Competition and entered some outstanding pieces of work from the juniors; Brooke Vexler, and Kalvin Matharu were awarded certificates of merit for their art work. Year 6 visited the Jewish Museum and Mrs Schwartz gave Infants and Nursery a lovely assembly for Rosh Hashanah (ending, of course, with apple and honey for everyone); Reverend Colley once again presided over our harvest festival , Y3 attended Bishop Stortford College Science Fair and Y2 visited the Museum of Childhood and new Mum’s lunch.

This half term, we have already had Halloween parties for the Nursery and Infant children, courtesy of the PTA and a special Diwali assembly for Year 3 thanks to Viraj’s mum, Mrs Chauhan. This week and next, Year 3 to 5 will visit the National Portrait Gallery and, of course, we have much more to look forward to as Christmas approaches.

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