Dear Parents,

What’s the Matter? A question we regularly ask, especially with Mental Health Day marked on Monday. But this week, this question was also the starting point of our annual STEAM Week.

Solids, liquids and gases are called the three states of matter, although even the youngest of our pupils was introduced to plasma! Properties of each matter were explored through experimentation, adding heat, freezing with liquid nitrogen and adding force. Whilst Science has been on school syllabi for hundreds of years, we should always review its importance and significance. It is vital to teach science because it is a significant part of human culture and represents one of the pinnacles of human thinking capacity. It provides a laboratory of common experience for development of language, logic, and problem-solving skills in the classroom. Science helps children develop key life skills, including an ability to communicate, remain organised and focused, and even form their own opinions based on observation. Science also helps children develop their senses and overall awareness. The practical element of exploration is what we are most interested in; it allows our pupils to increase their fundamental knowledge, it allows for the introduction of new technology and therefore creates new applications. Fundamentally, Science allows us to share ideas and helps us to understand our world even better. What is the matter with that?! Thank you to Mr Agnew, Mr Izzard and Dr Tuck for all of their hard work! I hope that your children have returned home with an enquiring mind?!

Over the last 6 weeks each House prepared their house song for our annual competition. This morning it was show time… what an excellent opportunity for our pupils to sing together, demonstrating their strength, developing skills, and trying something different! Well done to Baden Powell, who took to the stage so confidently! Thank you to all of the staff, House Staff, Mrs Harrod and Steven. Thank you to Shrek and Princess Fiona for your cameo performance. We have also had an amazing array of pumpkins for our pumpkin carving competition. Thank you to the PA for hosting a fantastic morning of woodland activities and thank you to Mr Hinchliffe and Mr Blakeway for this afternoon and the Run and Ramble!
For those travelling to Valencia – have the most amazing experience – please look after Mr Hinchliffe, Mr Blakeway, Mrs Wren, Mrs Springer and Mrs Spence. Finally, we wish Mrs Izzard a speedy recovery from her surgery.

Wishing you all a happy half term break.

Best wishes,
Emma Neville, Head