Wednesday 21 December 2016


The end of term is finally here and everyone is looking forward to the ‘Big Day’. I myself am a little behind with my preparations as we usually break up a little earlier than the 21st and I am used to have longer to organise myself. I am really going to have to focus over the next couple of days to make sure I have everything ready on time.
The children have enjoyed their last couple of days at school. They have had parties and they have been taking part in Christmas art activities in class. As I type this they are enjoying a pantomime in the hall which has become a tradition at Little Heath. From the laughter coming from the hall it is obvious they are having a great time. We will be ending the day singing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ which always sends the children out full of festive joy. Hopefully normal calm will resume when they return in January.
Key Stage 2 held their Carol Concert on Monday night and it was well attended as always. The children did the school proud as they always do and they had to cope with the fact that the normal church sound system had broken down and so things were not the same as they had rehearsed - I was very impressed with how they coped. There was a slight technical hitch at the end with some of the words but it all added to the fun of the occasion. I would like to thank all the children and the staff for their hard work in putting the performance together and I would like to give a special thank you to Mr Spring for organising the choir and Mr da Rocha for co-ordinating the whole event.
Over the Christmas period, at all our Christmas events, we have been collecting donations for the ‘Crisis at Christmas’ charity and I am pleased to say that we raised £340.87 which I know the association will be most grateful to receive. Today was also ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ and we have collected £134.50 for the ‘Text Santa’ appeal. I would like to thank everyone for their generosity in giving to these charities.
All that is left for me to do now is wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May I also thank everyone for all the lovely gifts that I received  - they are much appreciated. I hope you manage to get some rest over the holiday and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday, 9th January.

Friday 16 December 2016


The end is nigh – and not a minute too soon for the children. Their excitement has now reached fever pitch as the big day gets ever closer – good luck managing it when we hand them over to you next Wednesday afternoon.

However, keeping with the Christmas spirit, it has been a most enjoyable week in school. We have had fantastic performances from our Foundation stage and Key Stage One. The Foundation stage sang some Christmas songs with great gusto and energy and they definitely had the ‘aah’ factor with the audience. The nativity play this year was called ‘Strictly the Nativity’ and it was brilliant. I did tell the children that the final on Saturday can only be a disappointment and I really meant that. I would like to thank all the children for giving us such a good performance and all my staff for all their hard work in putting the performances together.

I had some really good news this week from the PTA. At the Christmas Bazaar we raised an impressive £1288.20 . We have also been informed by the Rotary this week that our contribution from the Fireworks is £5776.97 which is an amazing amount of money. I cannot thank the PTA enough and the people who helped them for all their hard work in raising this amount of money. I know that recently they have been a little short of volunteers so those that do help have had to work extra hard in order to raise this money.    I will be meeting with the PTA early in the New Year with ideas of how the school would like to spend this money.

Next week may only consist of 3 days but we have a lot to pack in. On Monday and Tuesday we are carrying out some winter art activities. As well as those we are having the KS1 and KS2 parties. On the day the children have their Christmas parties they may come into school in their party clothes so they do not have the fuss of changing in the afternoon. On Monday night it is our KS2 Carol Service and this year we are allowing younger siblings to attend. I do request though that if the church does get full that pre-school children sit on their parents’ knees for the service. If we find that the church gets over full or too noisy we will revert to our former arrangements next year.

On Wednesday it is our ‘Christmas Jumper’ day. I know today is the official ‘Christmas Jumper’ day but we have always done it on the last day of term because of our pantomime. The children still have to pay a forfeit of a £1 for not wearing their uniform (they do not pay a forfeit on their party day) and we will donate all the proceeds to the ‘Text Santa’ campaign. The pantomime this year is ‘Aladdin’ and if it is as good as last year’s performance I know the children are going to have a really good time.

I hope you can have a restful weekend because the next one will certainly not be. Please remember that on the Wednesday, 21st December we finish at 2.00pm.

Friday 9 December 2016

When I was typing my blog last week preparations were in hand for the Christmas Bazaar. It was a well-received event and I would like to thank all the members of the PTA who worked so hard to make it a success. I do not know yet how much money was raised but when I have the amount I will let you know.

On Monday the girls’ football team won the Primary Girls Football tournament which was held at Dame Alice Owen. It was a hard fought tournament and our success was finally achieved by beating Wroxham in the final. After talking with Mr Mills he informed me that both teams did the school proud. I would like to thank him for training and preparing both teams for the tournament.  On the next day many of the girls who took part in the football were playing in a netball match at Cuffley. The teams were not able to replicate their success from the previous day but again gave a 100% in their performance and that is all we can ask of any team that represents the school.

Next week is super busy and it will be that way until the end of term. On Monday we have the Sharing assembly and if your child is taking part you will already have been informed. The choir are also performing at Mandeville Court. On Tuesday and Wednesday Foundation Stage and Key Stage One are putting on their Christmas performances for the parents. I am very much looking forward to watching these as they never disappoint. On Wednesday we also have our ‘Open Afternoon’ so that parents can come in and see all the learning that the children have completed this term. Ms Davis, the new Year 4 teacher will be in school on that day and so Year 4 parents can meet her informally for the first time. Thursday is our Christmas Lunch Day which is always popular with the children. After lunch the children will then all watch a film in the hall.

I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday.

Friday 2 December 2016


We cannot deny that the Festive Season is definitely here.  As I type this preparations are taking place for our Christmas Bazaar and the excitement from the children is very high – goodness knows how they are going to be by the end of term. We do try and keep lessons as normal as possible in between all the events to help keep them on an even keel as we have a very late finish this year and if they get overexcited we can experience lots of disputes.

I hope you do not think of me as a Christmas Grinch because I do love this time of year. An event that has made me especially happy is the arrival of a new trophy in the school. The children involved actually won it a long time ago but the Rotary Club who organised it did not get the trophy to me until well after the event. As you know we always take part in The Rotary Sponsored Swim every year as we help them to raise money for their charities. In recent times they have donated 50% of the money raised by the children to their respective schools and this year we were lucky enough to receive a check for £534. This is particularly good because we only had 3 teams take part from our school. One of our teams called ‘The Little Heath Nemos’ were the recipients of the trophy that we received because they managed to raise the most money of all the teams that took part. Through their efforts they managed to raise a very impressive £838. Let us hope that this great achievement inspires more teams to take part next year.  I will let you know when we are recruiting.

Next week the rehearsals for Foundation and Key Stage One will step up to make sure the children are ready for the following week when they perform for their families and friends. We also have the Scholastic Book Fayre arriving so this will be a good opportunity to buy some Christmas presents at a convenient place and will save you having to trail around a shopping centre. More details of when the Book Fair will be open will follow shortly. Some of the children in Year 1, 2 and 3 also have their flu immunisations on Thursday afternoon but luckily this is just a squirt up the nose for them so it is not too traumatic an experience and will help them remain healthier throughout the winter.

Have a good weekend and I will see you all again next week.

Friday 25 November 2016


As I predicted in my blog last week it has been a really busy day in school today. It started with the Year 4 assembly this morning which was based on the history of Potters Bar. The children had planned and prepared it themselves and everyone I spoke to said how much they enjoyed it. I would like to thank all the children for putting on such a good assembly and I would also like to thank Ms Hassan and Miss Davis for all their efforts in supporting them.

The children were extra excited today because they had two big things going on in school today. The first was that it was a ‘Mufti Day’ and so they did not have to wear their uniform and in exchange for that they had to bring in a donation for our Christmas Bazaar which is next Friday.  The other event was the ‘Big Draw’ for which we invited parents in to draw with their children. I have spoken to some parents who joined us for this and they did say that they found it a most enjoyable experience.

As I mentioned above it is our Christmas Bazaar next Friday. It runs from 2pm – 5pm and everyone is invited to join us during this time. Lessons will be continuing as normal for the children but if you are arriving at the bazaar before the end of the school day and you want your child to join you then you can collect then from their classroom. If you cannot get to the bazaar before the end of the school day then the children will be dismissed at the normal time. After school club will be running as normal as well but on this day it will be based in the nursery. I hope this clarifies any misunderstanding that some parents may have had.

I have noticed recently that a few children in KS2 are coming into school without their ties. Ties are part of school uniform and need to be worn. The children tell me they have misplaced them and cannot find them and so can I also ask, as I have mentioned before, that all uniform is labelled clearly so that we can return any missing item to your child.

That is all for now. I hope you have a lovely weekend but I know that in the run up to Christmas weekends can get very busy with all the preparations that are necessary for the festive season. I hope you do manage to get some rest though and I look forward to seeing many of you at our bazaar next Friday.

Friday 18 November 2016


Another busy week passes as we hurtle towards Christmas. We had a real treat in school this week as we had a visit in assembly from the some local cub and scout leaders. They were presenting silver scouting awards to some children in the school (which is a very good award for cubs to achieve) and they were also giving the. If you are interested in your children joining a scouting pack there are leaflets in the foyer rest of the children an outline of the activities that are provided for children through the scouting movement which will give you all the information that you need.

This week has also been ‘Anti Bullying’ week in school. This year the theme has been the ‘Power of Good’. To help remind the children of good deeds that they can do for others many of the children have written a message on a blue or silver tree bauble and these have been. This way they can get a daily reminder of things they can do to help others so the ‘Power of Good’ can be sustained throughout the whole year. hung on a trestle in the KS2 playground

Today we had a collection for ‘Children in Need’. As we were taking donations from parents I do not know the total at the moment but when I do I will let you know. 

Next week there is also a lot happening in school and it all seems to be happening on Friday. On that day we have the Year 4 assembly, the mufti day for our Christmas bazaar and it is our ‘Big Draw’ event. As it is a ‘Mufti Day’ the children have to bring in chocolate or wine to donate to the bazaar in exchange for not wearing their uniform. If you are donating wine it should be brought in by an adult. For the ‘Big Draw’ we are asking parents to come in during allocated slots to draw with their children. Art has been found to have many beneficial effects on children’s learning and well- being and if they see that their parents value art then it will encourage them to partake in art activities more frequently. Parents have been asking me that if they have two children in the school can they take them out at the same time and that is absolutely fine.

Have a great weekend – I am heading to the O2 to watch the tennis in the hopes that Andy Murray will sustain his world number one ranking – I hope he does not disappoint.

Friday 11 November 2016


I have to admit that I am glad it is Friday. We have had a lot of staff absence this week and I am hoping that the weekend will allow everyone to rest and come back on Monday full of energy. Autumn is one of my favourite times of year but it is a shame that the lovely frost brings with it a wave of bugs and viruses which make people ill.

This time last week there was great anticipation about ‘Bonfire Night’ and from the comments of those that attended people were not disappointed. It was a great night and the weather was kind to us which also helps. We had one of our biggest attendances ever which will explain why we were so busy on the barbeque stall - the stream of people queuing never stopped until we had sold out of everything. I apologise if you were kept waiting for your food but I can assure you we were serving as fast as we could – I have new respect for people who work in fast food establishments. The good thing about us being so busy is that we should have raised a lot of money and as soon as we have the amount I will let you all know how much it is.

I would like to thank again all the members of the PTA who helped to organise the Bonfire Night and to all the people who helped them on the day (and with the clear up on Sunday morning) – without that support we would not been able to put on the events that we do and raise the money for school equipment that benefits all the children. The latest thing that we are in the process of purchasing is a new set of class cameras and a set of microphones to use with the computers. The PTA are also going to furnish our new foundation unit which has now gone out to tender and we are very optimistic that they are going to start building it in April 2017 – watch this space.

Have a great weekend and I will see you all again on Monday.

Friday 4 November 2016



There is great excitement in the school because tomorrow is ‘Bonfire Night’ and many of the children are really looking forward to it. This follows the excitement that we had on Monday as it was Halloween and all the children were really looking forward to going ‘Trick or Treating’. This event always makes me feel old because it never happened when I was younger and it reminds me of how much everything has changed since I was a child. When I start thinking how much better things were when I was younger I will know that I am really old.


As usual the children have settled well back into school life after their holiday. Of course this is a very good term for them because so many good things happen in it and it will not be long before people start to mention the ‘C’ word. We have not talked about it yet in school although I do have to admit that some classes have started preparations for it so it will not be long before it is in the general conversation of the children. It seems to come round quicker every year but that could be another sign that I am getting older.


I have certainly noticed a change in the weather since I came back to school and I have seen frost for the first time this year. I was amazed though that some children have been in school without a coat. Unless the weather is really bad we do send them out at every playtime and lunchtime and they will need some outdoor garment for this. I know some children say they do not feel the cold and they may not do when they have been running around for a while but you can never tell how the weather is going to change so please make sure they have suitable clothes for the weather conditions.


That is all for now.  I will be in school for a lot of the weekend because of the firework display so I hope to see many of you then. If you want to see me I will be serving at the barbeque stand on Saturday night. Rain is not forecast but it is going to be cold so make sure you wrap up warmly.

Friday 21 October 2016


I think that my summing up of this half term would be ‘That was the half term that was‘ because it has absolutely flown by –if the rest of the year goes as quickly it will be the summer term before we know it.

Part of the reason that time has appeared to go so quickly is because it has been a really busy half term and this week has been no exception as we have had our parent consultations. It was great to see so many parents in school and to be able to share with you how your children have settled into the new school year. I always take part in the Year 6 consultations in the autumn term so I do not get to see many of the other parents but I have had a lot of positive feedback from the teachers about their meetings and that is always good to hear. Remember if you do have any concerns about your child you do not have to wait for a parent consultation to speak to us – you can ring up to make an appointment at any time.   

A parent has also informed me this week that traffic wardens have been in school road this week and did issue some parking tickets. Please remember that the parking restrictions have been put there by the council and if you are found parking in the restricted zone by a traffic warden they will issue a ticket and there is nothing the school can do about it.

A treat that we had this morning was the Year 5 assembly. It was about their space topic and it was most enjoyable to watch – a lovely end to the half term. I was particularly impressed as the children had written it themselves. I would like to thank Mr da Rocha and Mrs Onley for all their work in putting the assembly together and I would like to thank the children for putting on such a good performance.

When you return after the holiday we are at the beginning of a very exciting half term because it includes a lot of social events that are fun for all the family. The first event that we are holding is our annual Fireworks Display which is on Saturday, November 5th. You will have received a letter about purchasing tickets but if you have not got it please come to the school office and they will give you a copy. I also know that the PTA are still looking for some volunteers to help run the event so if you can give any time on the Saturday or Sunday morning to help with the clear up contact either a PTA rep in your class or leave a message in the PTA box which is found next to  the school office.

I hope you all have a great half term. I hope the weather is kind to you – wherever you spend your break – and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday, 31st October.

Friday 7 October 2016


I have had a lot of meetings this week and I had to be out for a day’s training so I do not feel that I have been in school much this week and I cannot believe it is Friday. I am also attending the Hertfordshire Primary Heads’ Conference next week so that means I will only be around in school until Wednesday morning. By attending the conference it ensures that I am up to date with all current educational developments in Hertfordshire.

I was also slightly shocked this week when people were discussing arrangements for the half term holiday because I thought that was ages away but it will be in two weeks’ time –where has all the time gone. Before we get there though we do have a Sharing Assembly to look forward to on October 17th and then we have the Year 5 assembly on October 21st. If your child is taking part in the Sharing Assembly on the 17th you will receive a letter to inform you next week.

The weather has been very kind to us on the whole but I am sure that in the next couple of weeks it will start to be more autumnal – I have already noticed the difference in mornings when it has been quite cold. Some of you have already put your children in their winter uniform but after the half term all children will need to be wearing it. May I please make a plea now that all the Year 3s who have never worn a tie do spend some time practising before they wear one in school and can I remind all parents that all uniform needs to have the child’s name in it and it needs to be in a place where it can be easily found. I have still been picking up a lot of uniform this week that is not labelled

Can I also ask everyone to check when their child has PE as there are still too many children who are coming in without PE kit. I have mentioned this before but PE uniform should be brought in on a Monday and kept in the school until Friday – it does not need to be washed after every session. It is better to wear a less than pristine PE kit for a lesson than no PE kit at all. I am thinking of introducing consequences for children who persistently forget.

As I mentioned earlier I will be out of school from Wednesday afternoon next week but in my absence Mrs Zegallo will be in charge so if you have any concerns you can see her, or you can make an appointment at the office to see me the following week.  I hope you have a great weekend and I will see you all again on Monday.

Friday 30 September 2016


I am typing this blog after our Harvest Festival. It is always a really busy occasion but one that I really enjoy. One reason is because of all the cake (obviously) but the second reason is that it is a good way to see many parents and chat to them in a slightly informal setting. The children really enjoy the occasion because they like it when their families and friends join them in school (the cake probably has something to do with it as well for them).  I do apologise to the Year 1 and Year 2 parents as I could not stay for their time slot as I had to attend an appointment I could not get out of.

This year the money raised is supporting two charities. One of them is ‘pha’ which stands for the ‘Pulmonary Hypertension Association’ and it is a serious condition caused by high blood pressure which cannot be measured by normal blood pressure equipment and people who suffer from it have to undergo a lung transplant. Unfortunately, not all the people with this condition are suitable for a transplant and even after a transplant the condition can prove fatal. The association is quite a new charity and it is one that we thought was well worth supporting.

The second charity that was selected was ‘Water Aid’. This charity works at ensuring that every person in the world has access to clean water – a fact we take for granted here. When we know how much money we raised I will inform you.

The event this morning would not have been possible without help from the PTA and I would like to thank them for all their support. The next big event organised by the PTA is the firework event on November 5th. This requires a huge amount of organisation and so if you could even offer your help for an hour the PTA would really appreciate it. A letter will be coming out soon for you to state when you can help or you could inform the school office and they will inform the members of the PTA.

I cannot believe that next week it is October although there has been a definite change in the weather this week –especially in the morning. I think it is time to be getting the winter clothes out of storage. I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.

Friday 23 September 2016


After the rain of last week it is certainly nice to be writing this blog in better conditions –the summer certainly seems to be hanging on for a little longer – long may it last. Everyone is now very settled in school and it is difficult to believe that the children have only been back for a few weeks and are in new year groups. It just goes to show what a good job the teachers do in settling the children back into school life.  

Next week there is quite a lot happening in school. On Wednesday the photographer will be in school taking pictures of family groups and all the children individually. As I mentioned in my newsletter this would be a good time to make sure your children make an extra effort with their appearance because it will be a whole year before the photographer returns again. After school, on the same day, some of the older girls will be taking part in a netball tournament at Mount Grace.

On Friday we are having our Harvest Festival in school and I look forward to seeing many of you there. The timeslots for the various year groups were included on the newsletter but I must emphasize that these are only guidelines and if you have two children in the school you can pick the slot that is most convenient to you and all your children can join you for that time. The PTA normally helps us run this event but they are having difficulty finding volunteers at the moment. If you could spare some time to support this event please either contact the PTA or let the school office know of your availability.

The school week then spills into the weekend because some of the older children are taking part in a football tournament on Saturday morning at Mount Grace. Even though it is a school event on a non-school day I am sure they will all have a good time.

With all that going on I will certainly be kept on my toes next week. I also have a couple of meetings to attend out of the school so I am sure that the week will fly. Enjoy your weekend.

Friday 16 September 2016


I know I often say this but I cannot believe it is Friday again. There has been so much happening in school this week that time has absolutely flown by. As well as our ‘Meet the Teacher ‘ sessions which some of you attended last night we had a ‘Road to Rio’ workshop in school in which most of the classes participated. Each of them was given a different country and had to learn a traditional dance from that country. They then presented their dance to the rest of the school in a closing ceremony at the end of the day which is why some of the children were a little late out and for that I apologise.

As I mentioned earlier l saw some of you last night at our ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions. All the parents I spoke to appeared very happy with their sessions as they feel it is nice to touch base with the class teacher early in the term and know what the expectations for the year are. I am sorry that Year 5 parents did not have a session as Mr Da Rocha has been struck down with a virus this week but we will hold a session for those parents next week. Although it is early in the term we have already had a number of children take ill in school. May I remind you that if your child does contract a stomach bug they should be absent from school for 48 hours. Eg. If your child is sick or has diarrhoea on a Monday the earliest that they should return to school is Wednesday.

I have had some information passed onto me that I feel I should share with you this week. A child at another school was at a skate park on their scooter when they fell off and sustained a head injury because they were not wearing a helmet. I was then informed of another child who was on their scooter and was racing along the pavement when they fell off and landed in the road and they were so far ahead of their parent that somebody else had to stop cars running over them. I am passing these stories on as a cautionary tale because although it is great that children use scooters they need to take the same precautions as if they were riding a bike and wearing a helmet is always a good idea. Parents also need to make sure that if young children are on scooters they do not race too far ahead (or go too fast) because they still need close supervision – especially in the proximity of a busy road.

School has also felt extra busy this week because all the clubs have started up again which always pleases the children. As it is the autumn term we have started our winter activities which are designed to warm the children so they have really been suffering this week with the heat as they play rugby, netball and football. The Year 6 have also been out on their bikes every day completing their cycling proficiency but I suppose it is better to cycle in the hot sun than in the rain which some had to do today.

We have a more normal timetable taking place in school next week so it should be a little calmer. Have a good weekend and I will see you all on Monday.

Friday 9 September 2016


This is my first blog of the academic year and I would like to start by welcoming you all back. I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and feel re-energised and enthusiastic for the new term. The children have settled back into school very well and although they may be a few grumbles with you at home for having to get up so early they are being very positive at school. I hope their enthusiasm can be sustained because it is a long term.

Next week school becomes even more exciting because all the extra - curricular activities start up again – make sure you have returned your letters so your children can join the clubs they have selected. We are very fortunate at Little Heath in that we have such a large selection of after school clubs which the children really enjoy. On a less positive note I did notice last year that a small group  of parents were regularly late in picking up their children from the clubs. Although we are aware that they may be very good reasons why a parent is delayed on some occasions I would ask that you are on time to pick up your children from their clubs. The staff are already being generous in giving up their time to provide the extra-curricular activities for your child and to keep them waiting on a regular basis is, I think, a misuse of their goodwill.

Next week in school we also have our ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions which are a good opportunity for you to touch base with your child’s class teacher and see what is expected of them for the year ahead.  We make them for parents only because it gives parents a chance to ask questions that they may not like to ask in front of children. If you have problems with childcare our after school club, ’Kids n Clubs’ is offering a child care service for the first session at 4.30pm (you need to ensure you contact them by Tuesday, 13th September if you would like to book your child a place. Contact with them can be made through the school office). If you are unable to make either of the sessions you will be able to find out the information from the evening on your child’s class blog – there is no need to book a separate time with the teacher to find out the information. You will get a chance to discuss your child’s individual progress with their teacher in October.

That is all for now. Hopefully the good weather will last so we can pretend it is still summer. See you all on Monday.

 

 

Friday 15 July 2016


Well the time is almost here – just one week to go and we have the long summer break ahead of us. It has been quite a chaotic week because we have had most of the Year 6 out for a day visiting their new schools and we have had all the new children in visiting us. It is hard to believe that when I first met the Year 6 they were as small as the new children that have been visiting us and I cannot believe 7 years have passed so quickly. It is true that you have to make the most of every moment of your children’s childhood because it is over in what seems like a moment.

All the other children met their new teachers this week and all appear very happy and excited for next year so that is good. Let us hope they feel as happy when they have to return to school in September after the long summer break. We are planning a themed ‘Arts’ Week’ for when they return to help make their first week back more enjoyable.

Next week will be primarily focused around the Year 6 because it is their last week. They are putting on a play for their parents on Thursday evening and this will be followed by their ‘Leavers’ Party’ which they are all really looking forward to. On Friday morning they have their ‘Leavers’ Assembly’ which can be quite an emotional occasion (especially for the parents). We will miss the children but we hope we have prepared them so they feel excited for the next stage of their education.

Have a great weekend. We have been promised some better weather but it is so unpredictable at the moment that you never know what to expect. I have a course on Monday morning which means I will not be on the gate on Monday morning so I will see you all again on Tuesday.

Friday 8 July 2016


It has certainly been an unusual week this week in school – especially on Tuesday when I was in school with some of the staff and only the children in Year 2. I think that Year 2 were slightly dreading the day and felt a little hard done by  but they actually enjoyed having the school to themselves  -especially at lunchtime when they got their meal without having to queue and then they had the whole field to themselves.

I think this week also felt a little strange because nearly everyone was at school for the Summer Fayre on Saturday. Thankfully the weather was kind to us (apart from the last 10 minutes when we had a heavy shower) and the event was a huge success. At the moment I do not know exactly how much was raised as some people still have to claim expenses but when I do know I will inform you. Once again I would like to thank all the PTA for all the time they give up in helping to organise the fayre. I would like to thank all my staff and the other people who helped out on the day to ensure that it was a success. Finally, I would like to thank all the people who turned up and spent money at the fayre – like any good show it is not a success without an audience and if we did not have people enjoying themselves all the hard work in putting the fayre on would not be worthwhile.

On Wednesday after school some of the older children took park in the Primary Schools District Sports and I am very pleased to say that we came second overall. It was a very enjoyable event and the children who took part not only gave their best in their performances but also represented the school well with their behaviour. I would also like to thank Mr Mills for all his hard work in preparing the children for the event. 

I am pleased to say that the weather has been a little warmer this week and whenever this happens we always get more children cycling and coming on their scooters to school which is great. However, could I ask you all to remind your children that they must disembark from their bikes and scooters at the first gate of the school. This is because we have a lot of people walking in and out of the school and it is very easy to run over their feet with a bike or scooter in such a small space.

As the end of term gets ever closer the weeks get very busy for everyone but especially the Year 6. Next week most of them are visiting their new secondary schools and they are also very busy with their rehearsals for their end of year show which is ‘The Tempest’ this year. While they are out on Thursday we have our new reception and nursery children visiting the school and all the other classes meet their new class teacher for next year as well. The office is also a hive of activity at this time of year as well and I have been asked to remind you that if you have any outstanding money owing to the office if could you get it in as quickly as possible so they can balance all the accounts before the end of the year.

Have a great weekend – I am hoping that Andy Murray makes it into the men’s final at Wimbledon and wins because I think that after our dismal performance in the Euros we need some positive sporting achievement to help raise the spirits of the nation.

Friday 1 July 2016


I know I probably say the same thing at this time of year but I cannot believe how little of the term is left. It is always so busy and I have so many meetings to attend and paperwork to complete that I need at least another 3 weeks more of term. My view would probably not be popular with the children but they do not need to worry because there is no chance that I will get my way.

I am typing this in the midst of preparations for our Summer Fayre. The PTA have worked very hard to put this event together and it looks like the weather is going to be kind to us which is great news. I hope to see as many of you there as possible because the more money we raise the better quality of education we can provide for your child. I will let you know how much money we raise as soon as I find out.

 I know many of you are going to be inconvenienced by next Tuesday’s strike action but the reason that it is taking place is because there have been so many cutbacks that many people who work in education are worried about how we are going to sustain the quality of learning that your child deserves . There are already some schools that are having to make cutbacks and in the near future we could be joining them unless something changes drastically. The NUT members have decided overwhelmingly to take action (and other unions could be following them) which is why we will only be open for one class next Tuesday. I could only totally close the school if I could not guarantee the safety of the remaining children on health and safety grounds and I can ensure this so we have to open.

Next week I will not be in on Monday and as many of you will not be here on Tuesday I will see all of you again on Wednesday. If you do need to contact me regarding any matters I will be here on Tuesday or you can make an appointment to see me at a convenient time. However, hopefully I will see you all at the fayre on Saturday. I will either be walking around or based at the sand pictures stall.

Friday 24 June 2016


I am writing this blog after the KS1 and KS2 sporting events. We cancelled the day yesterday because of the horrible weather forecast and although the rain did stop during the morning it was a far more pleasant day for the event today. I know parents love to attend ‘Sports Days’ and try to plan their work schedules around it but the office did receive an awful lot of phone calls on Wednesday about whether or not we were going to cancel it which took up a lot of their time. As I have mentioned in the past I do try and make decisions such as closing the school or cancelling sports days only at the last possible minute when I know I have no other choice and although the timing may not be convenient for everyone it is my duty to keep the school running as normally as possible. With our texting service we can also let people know very quickly.

Anyhow today’s event was a big success and Grangewood are the champions. I would like to thank all my staff for their hard work in making it possible and I would like to give a special thank you to Mr Mills who does put in a lot of hard work to make it all possible.

Next week is a very busy week in school because we have the parent consultations. As I have said before, these are great occasions to discuss with your child’s teacher how they are progressing with their learning. I know these conversations can become quite involved but may I ask (and I will also be speaking to the teachers about this ) that you stick to your ten minutes because the schedules can quickly become very chaotic if everyone is just a few minutes late. If you feel there is something that you would like to discuss in more detail please make an appointment at the school office to meet with the teacher at a later time.

At the end of the week on Saturday we also have our Summer Fayre. This goes ahead no matter what the weather is like so let us hope that it is sunny like last year. This is always a hugely enjoyable event that the children look forward to and I look forward to seeing many of you there. To make it a success takes a lot of organisation and planning from our PTA and the last time I spoke to some of them I know there were still short of volunteers for some of the events on the day so if you can spare an hour to help out please either contact one of them or the school office to let them know of your availability.

The money that the PTA raises goes a long way to enhancing your child’s education. The money that they have at the moment is going to help furnish a new foundation block we are hoping the school will get. Although originally the money was going to be used to build an outdoor classroom if we get this unit we will have an extra classroom in school so we will then just refurbish it (using some of the PTA money) and it will serve the same purpose as the outdoor classroom was going to do.

That is all for now. After an exciting day I am going to go home and ‘flop’ for the night. I look forward to seeing many of you next week at the parent consultations and the Summer Fayre.

Friday 17 June 2016


I know everyone starts to get excited for the end of term as they have the long summer holidays to look forward to but I always find myself wishing we had a little longer at school because there is just so much to fit in. Still, at least when you are busy the time passes very quickly and it will be the holidays before we know it.

I promised you in last week’s blog that I would let you know how the cricket team did in their tournament and I am pleased to tell you that they got through to the semi-final. As I highlighted last week this is an especially good achievement because the Year 6 were unable to take part because of their school journey so most of the children that the team were playing against were a year older. Well done to everyone who took part. I would also like to thank Mr Mills and Miss Kenwell for training and organising the cricket team.

As you know I allowed the children to watch the football in school yesterday. I have to admit I had not given it much thought until I heard that another school was closing for half a day to allow staff and pupils to watch it so I thought I would allow the children to watch it in school (if they wanted) until home-time and then they could catch the end at home. I never thought of those eager football fans who would not want to miss a minute (until it was pointed out to me) which was why I was ‘last minute ‘ in saying the children  could stay in school until the end of the game. I apologise for the lack of organisation and confusion that was caused and if England do proceed to the next part of the competition (which after yesterday’s victory is now looking likely)) and the game is on during the school day, I will make better arrangements.

We had an exciting day in school today with our school picnic to help celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. It was really nice for the whole school to eat lunch together and it all had a very relaxed feel as the children were not in their uniforms. I would also like to thank everyone on behalf of the PTA as well for all the wine and chocolate that you generously donated this morning. It is only two weeks until our summer fayre which is on July 2nd and all your donations will go a long way in helping to make it a success.

Next week in school is also a very busy one because we have the Induction Evening for new parents and then on Thursday it is our Sports Day which Mr Mills is busying organising. Remember that the Foundation and KS1 Sports Day starts at approximately 9.15am and the KS2 event starts at 1.30pm. Refreshments are being served by our lovely PTA at both events and I know they would welcome any donations of cakes and biscuits to be served with the teas and coffees. These donations can be brought into school on either Wednesday or Thursday morning.

Have a great weekend and I will see you all again on Monday morning.

Friday 10 June 2016


It is always an unusual week in school when the Year 6 are away on their school journey as it feels like the school is only half full when we only have one class missing – perhaps it is because they are the largest children in the school. They have had a great week though, probably helped by the good weather. They are returning tonight and although they are probably glad to be back home they will have made some memories this week that they will keep for the rest of their lives. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff that accompanied the children on the trip - Mrs Zegallo, Mr Spring and Mrs Ilott - for willingly giving up their time to accompany the children on the trip. Without their support it would not have been possible.

The school has not been idle in the Year 6 absence and there have been lots of events occurring in school this week. On Wednesday our girls took part in the ‘Potters Bar Schools Girls’ Football Tournament ‘ and finished a respectable third. This morning the boys took part in a football tournament and finished third in their group and as I type this some of pupils are taking place in a cricket tournament and I will let you know how they did next week. I think the teams did very well considering that there were no Year 6 in school and it gives them good practice for next year when hopefully they will hold the tournaments when our Year 6 are not on school journey.

As some of you probably know our local church is looking for a new vicar to replace the Reverend Rees and our school has been involved in the selection. As part of the interview process the candidates had to be interviewed by some of the children in the school with questions that the children had made up themselves. I do not think the candidates were quite expecting the interrogation they got. I can quite happily report though that both candidates were extremely pleasant and articulate and I am sure that either one would carry out the role well even though they do have big shoes to fill following the Reverend Rees.

Next week is also going to be an exciting week in school and not just because we have the Year 6 back. On Monday morning the school team photographs are taking place and on Wednesday the school is taking part in the ‘Potters Bar Primary School Athletics’. At the end of the week we also have our celebration to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday. As you know we are allowing the children to come to school dressed in red, white and blue and then we are all having a picnic lunch on the field (weather permitting or inside if the weather is not suitable). As we are having our summer fayre in a few weeks the PTA is also allocating this day for families to send in their donations to the summer fayre. A separate letter has gone out explaining what these donations can be.

Have a pleasant weekend and enjoy the warm weather. It is not going to be as good as it has during the week but it is still going to be better than the miserable weather we had over the half – term break.

Thursday 26 May 2016


 For those of you who regularly drop off your children in the morning you must think that I have not been in school this week because, apart from Monday, I have not been at the school gate. May I assure you that I have not taken an early holiday but I have had 3 morning meetings off the premises this week which has meant that I have not been highly visible in school.  After the half-term break this is not the case though and I will be back on the gate in the morning as usual which I love because it means I get to see all of the children every day.

While I was typing this blog I had a parent come to see me with the disappointing news that some of our parents are parking in the disabled places in the church car park without disabled passes. This is against the law and the people doing this risk been reported to the police. It is very good of the church to allow us to use their car park at the start and the end of the school day but if we keep abusing the privilege they may renege on this agreement.

I cannot believe that it is the half term break already as this half term has flown by. They do say that time flies when you are enjoying yourself so that must be a good sign. If the next half term goes as quickly it will be the summer holidays before we know it. The last half of the summer term is always busy but it is filled with exciting events such as Sports Day on June 23rd and the PTA Summer Fayre on July 2nd.  These are always highlights in the school calendar and are enjoyed by everyone who attends them. Let us hope that the sun shines on these days because it always helps to make them more enjoyable occasions.

I know all the year 6 children are hoping for sunshine the first week after half term because this is when they go on their residential trip to a Kingswood Activity Centre. This year they are going to the Isle of Wight so they have the added bonus of going on a ferry this year (and another reason to hope for sunshine). They are being accompanied by Mrs Zegallo, Mr Spring and Mrs Ilott and I think they would be happy with mediocre weather as long as they get some sleep! Joking aside, I know everyone will have a great time and for the Year 6 it will be another memorable event in their time at Little Heath which unfortunately will also be coming to the end this term but we will not dwell on this at the moment. 

All that is left for me to do now is wish you a great half term and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday. 6th June.

.

Thursday 19 May 2016


I am publishing my blog a day earlier this week as I am on a course tomorrow (I am not giving myself a four day weekend). As I mentioned in my last blog hopefully there will be no issues but if there is something you would like to discuss with me you can make an appointment to see me next week or you could ask to speak to Mrs Zegallo.

In the summer term we always allow the children to play on the field (if the weather permits) which the children love because it gives them so much more space to run around in but one of the problems is that many more of them leave their jumpers lying around. When I was on playground duty I picked up a big bundle of them but sadly I was only able to return less than half of them because they had no name in. Can I please remind you that all of the children’s uniform should be clearly labelled so that any lost item can be returned to them.  Next week we will also be putting the lost property outside so you can see it when you either drop off or pick up your child. If your child has lost some uniform this term it would be a good idea to see if it is there. If it is not collected by Thursday we will be donating it to charity.

Next week is also quite special because we only have a four day week as we have an INSET day on Friday. Before that we have a lot to pack in as it is Sharing Assembly on Monday morning and we have Open Afternoon on Wednesday for Years 1 – 6. If your child is taking part in Sharing Assembly you will have already received a letter to let you know. The Open Afternoon is an opportunity for you to share the learning that your child has covered this half-term. We start it at 3.00pm because we think it is a good idea for your child to be able to share their learning with you. I hope to see many of you there.

Have a great weekend !

Friday 13 May 2016


We had a lovely end to the week with the Reception assembly this morning. I am always amazed at how well they perform when they are so young. All the parents really enjoyed it and what was great to see was that the children enjoyed it as well. These assemblies do not just happen and a lot of hard work and preparation has gone into this morning’s assembly so I would like to thank Miss Jaeger, Mrs Aldridge, Miss Russon and Miss Southwell for all their efforts in putting it together.

Those of you who have had to come into the school in the last couple of weeks you will have noticed our growing mountain of bags in the entrance hall which were our collection of old clothes and shoes for our ‘Bags to School ‘ appeal. They were finally collected this week and I am glad to say that the school received a donation of £136.00 which is a very nice amount for a lot of old clothes. I would like to thank everyone who sent in a donation and to Mrs Holden for organising the collection.

I know I usually discuss school affairs in this blog but I thought I must just mention a lovely sight that I saw on the school field this week. I have known for a long time that we have a school fox as we sometimes see it during the day when it wanders the field when no-one is around. I thought I saw it again this week lying in the long grass when it suddenly moved but instead of being one fox it was a bundle of fox cubs. There were six in total and it was lovely to stand and watch them roll around and play with each other. Some of the after-school children saw them as well and were as delighted as I was to see them. It made me feel very lucky to work in a place where I am able to see such amazing wild life.

The weather is apparently going to change this weekend and it is going to get a little colder – let us hope that is not the end of our summer. Next week I have a lot of meetings and courses to attend so you may not see a lot of me in school. Remember if I am not around and you need to see me you can make an appointment to see me at a later date or you can ask to speak to my deputy Mrs Zegallo.

Friday 6 May 2016


At last summer appears to have arrived! The sun is shining and it is not necessary to be wrapped up in layers to go outside. I was actually hot in my office this week, which hardly ever happens. I will wait to see if this weather lasts though before I pack away all my winter clothes – I can still remember the frost of last week.

There are many benefits to the warm weather and one of them is watching sporting events and not freezing to death. This week I went to watch the ‘Le Gros’ netball tournament which is held every year at Mount Grace School. We entered two teams this year and although we did not actually win the tournament we performed very well and did win some of their matches. I would like to congratulate the girls on their very good performance and I would like to thank Mr Mills and Mrs O’Brien for training the girls so well.

It has been brought to my attention that a lot of the children are not bringing in their PE kits for lessons. In the past we went through a phase like this and I thought it had passed but apparently not. May I remind everyone that children should bring their PE in on a Monday and kept in school until Friday and then they can take it home to get washed over the weekend. It is not essential that they have a clean PE kit for everyone lesson but it is important that they have their kit for every lesson. It is important that they have their kit in school at all times because sometimes we have to change the PE sessions during a week so children will not always know which day they have PE on. I do tell the children that it is their responsibility to remember their PE things (I do not let them blame their parents) but if you could remind them about bringing it in every Monday I would appreciate it.

Every month Mrs Hopkins set a maths challenge for the children and, sadly, the number of children having a go at this has been tailing off in recent times. Remember that at the beginning of every month a new challenge is posted on the Maths Blog (http://mathslittleheath.blogspot.co.uk/).  Have a look at the one for May and encourage your child to 'have a go.'  The children who have been taking part regularly have enjoyed the challenges.  There are also paper copies of the challenge available near the desk at the school office.

The lovely weather is predicted to last over the weekend so that is good news but let us hope it lasts into next week. Even if the good weather does not last though we have a lot to look forward to because our netball teams have a match against Cranborne and it is the Reception class assembly which is always enjoyable. Enjoy the good weather and I will see you all again on Monday morning.

 

Friday 29 April 2016


I was totally thrown this week when people started talking to me about May because I thought that was in the far in the future but it is actually next week – where is this year going? Of course that could be down to my age - I was reading this week that once you get past 50 time really does pass more quickly so perhaps that is what is making me think that this year is flying by.

This morning we had a real treat in the Year 1 assembly. The children performed it beautifully and everyone who saw it thought it was excellent. I would like to thank Mrs Beadle, Mrs Wells and Miss Davis for all their work in putting it together. I would like to give an especial to mention to Miss Davis who wrote the assembly.

 Last week there was a pre-season cricket tournament in which a lot of the local schools were involved. We entered two teams and one team finished second overall and the other team got through to the semi-final before they were beaten by the eventual winners. I would like to congratulate both teams on their performance and also thank Mr Mills for organising and training the teams.

One of the good things about the summer term is that more children like to walk, bike or scooter to school which is great as it is really good for them. May I remind you that if the children travel to school by bike or scooter they need to disembark at the first gate of the school and then push the bike or scooter into the bike-shed. This is to ensure the safety of all the people who are walking into school. May I ask you to remind your child about this rule.

As I mentioned in my last blog, next week starts with a bank holiday so we have another 4 day week. We then have some of our older girls taking part in the ‘Le Gross Netball Tournament’ on Wednesday evening and then some children from Year 4 are taking part in a technical challenge on Thursday so we have a lot going on in school.

Enjoy the long weekend and I will see you all again on Tuesday, 3rd May.

Friday 22 April 2016


The summer term has finally arrived. We did get a couple of good days to start the term but it appears to have got colder again – I hope those couple of good days were not our summer this year.  I also realised when we came  back that this is the third consecutive 4 day week for the children so when they  have to do a 5 day week next week it is going to be a real shock to the system. Still, if they find it difficult to manage they do have a four day week to look forward to the week after.

As ever the children have settled back into school very quickly and all appear glad to be back - you may see a different perspective from home. It has been quite a quiet week in school as far as activities go although there was a little excitement on Thursday because of the Queen’s birthday. Before the holidays the children took part in a North Mymms Parish Council competition to design a card for the Queen’s 90th birthday and we were pleased to hear this week that two of our pupils, Bonnie and Daisy, had won. They were presented with their prizes at the beacon lighting ceremony at Hatfield House on Thursday night. Their winning entries have been printed as cards and sent to the Queen to help he mark her birthday. I would like to congratulate both girls on their success.

Next week in school the pace picks up a little as all the extra -curricular clubs start up again. When we come back at the start of a new term there are never any clubs during the first week and on the first day of term we sent out a text reminding parents of this but apparently some people did not receive the text because they thought after school activities were on. If you did not receive this text can you please check your school contact number with the office because it is possible that we have the wrong number.

On Monday morning we also have the class photographs taking place. Please make sure that your children come prepared for the photographs on Monday. We do ask that they wear their winter uniform as we think that this looks better on the photographs. You may also want them to take a little more care with their appearance so they look their best in the photo graph.

Even though the forecast is not good I hope you have an enjoyable weekend and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday.

Monday 4 April 2016


The Spring Break is finally here after a very busy week in school. Although a four day week sounds great I find you are trying to fit five days work into four so you can feel like you are chasing your tail a little bit.

The highlight of the week has been the Year 3, 4 and 5 production of ‘Hoodwinked’. It was an excellent show and the children put on a great performance. It certainly helped the end of term go out with a bang and everyone who saw it told me how much they enjoyed it. I would like to thank all the staff who have been involved in putting the performance on for all their efforts - without it the show would not have been possible. I would like to also give a special mention to Mrs Lambe who made most of the costumes and who was assisted in this by Mrs Holden. A lot of people mentioned to me how good the costumes looked and they certainly helped add extra polish to the production.

Some more of the classes have also been horse riding and this event has certainly been a huge success and a hit with the children. I do not think that I have spoken to any child who did not enjoy the experience and even though it was many of the children’s first experience on a horse they do not want it to be their last. It would be amazing if in years to come one of the children became a world class show jumper or eventer and they could thank us for giving them the ‘bug’ with their first experience on a horse.

Thursday was a sad day in Little Heath because Mrs Edwards has retired. As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter she has been replaced by Mrs Jo Munn who had a previous connection with the school as a parent. Mrs Edwards has asked me to thank everyone for their kind wishes.

When the children return after the holiday it is the summer term which means they can wear their summer uniform although could you please keep their winter uniform for their class photographs which are on Monday, 25th April.  I hope you all have a great holiday and I look forward to seeing you all refreshed and invigorated on Tuesday, 19th April.

Thursday 24 March 2016


It feels very surreal today because it is almost Easter and we are not breaking up for the end of term – I hope I remember to come in on Tuesday. I have to admit though it is good to have a mini-break before the main holiday.

The Easter break did get off to a good start at school with the Easter Egg Hunt organised by the PTA. A lot of children took part and although I was unable to attend I have had loads of good feedback from them. There was also an Easter bonnet competition and the standard was so high that they had to award two prizes. I certainly think that the children hope that this will become an annual event. I would like to thank all the members of the PTA who once again gave up their time to host an event for the school. They certainly help improve the quality of the extended curriculum at Little Heath as well as raising money to improve the quality of provision for our pupils.   

Even though it is only a short week next week there are still plenty of things going on in school. There is the much anticipated performance of ‘Hoodwinked’ which is being put on by Years 3, 4 and 5. I have been present for some of the rehearsals and it is a very good show. I know all the children are very eager to perform it for their families and friends and I know you are all going to enjoy it. May I remind you that as seating is limited no pupils from Little Heath can come to the Thursday night performance so please do not bring them with you because you will not be able to stay for the show.  All the pupils in the school will see ‘Hoodwinked’ on Tuesday. Pre-school children are able to attend the Wednesday afternoon performance.

As well as ‘Hoodwinked’ we have a ‘Sharing Assembly’ on Friday morning and an ‘Open Afternoon’ on Wednesday afternoon. We also have some classes attending the last of our horse riding sessions which are another thing which have been hugely popular with the children. Many of them are wanting to take up horse-riding which justifies our expenditure on the activity as we have encouraged the children to want to take up a sporting activity. I would like to thank Mrs Robinson and Mr Mills for organising the horse-riding for the pupils.

Enjoy your long weekend. I hope the Easter bunny pays you a visit and I will see you all again on Tuesday morning – possibly looking a little plumper after consuming lots of chocolate Easter eggs.

Friday 18 March 2016


It is nice to sit down and type this after a very active morning. As you all know it is Sports Relief today and to mark the occasion we had a ‘Family Mile’ this morning. It was a very enjoyable event and I would like to thank everyone who took part and made a donation to ‘Sports Relief’ either with cash or cakes. I would also like to thank Mr Mills for organising the event and the PTA for serving refreshments.

We also had another treat this morning with the Year 2 Assembly which was about the foods we eat. It was a very enjoyable performance and what pleased me was that the children enjoyed it as well.  As well as all the effort from the children it would not have been possible without a lot of hard work from the staff and so I would like to thank Mr Spring, Mrs Wells, Mrs Pittson and Miss Prendergast for all their efforts in putting the assembly together.

I am afraid I have to have a moan this week because we have had a little trouble this week with people parking in front of the school again. Since we started using the cones people have been very good in not parking in front of the school but just recently we have had a couple of people parking too close. One person even moved a cone so they could turn around to drive out so if you need to do this you are parking inappropriately. I have also had a complaint from a school neighbour that people are blocking access to their property whilst they are waiting to pick up their child. It is illegal to block the access to someone’s property and I have told him that if they do it again he should inform the police.   We have the parking restrictions in place for the safety of the children and I would hate for an accident to have to occur before everyone starts following them.

Due to the early Easter break next week is a four day week which I am sure everyone is looking forward to. Before that though there is still plenty happening in school. On Monday we have the Mathletics meeting for all parents in Reception through to Year 4. We have heard very good things about this programme and the positive impact it can have on children’s mathematical understanding. We are going to be trialling it for two weeks and we need your input to let us know how effective it is. The meeting is starting at 2.40pm. We were due to have a ‘Sharing Assembly’ on Monday but rather than having some parents coming into school for 2 different events at 2 different times we decided to postpone the Sharing Assembly until Thursday, 1st April.

On Wednesday we have the Easter Egg Hunt which has been organised by the PTA and starts at 3.30pm. I know this is going to be a fun activity which all the children will enjoy and I hope to see many of you there. If you have not done so already please make sure you return your participation form to the PTA box which is found at the main office

 As well as these events some of the classes are also going to be starting their horse riding activity so with so much going on it is good that we have a short week so we can have a long weekend to rest. Enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing you all again next week.

Friday 11 March 2016


Another week has flown by as the term hurtles towards the Easter break – thankfully we are seeing some sunshine so hopefully the nice weather may help us believe that Easter really is coming.

It has been quite a straightforward week in school apart from the Year 5 being at Lincolnsfield. They were there from Monday to Wednesday and had a great time. I found it amusing that when I went to see them on their return I was trying to have a conversation with them about what it was like but all I was getting from them was one word answers because they were so tired. I am sure they all slept very well on Wednesday night. I would like to thank Miss Kenwell, Mrs Fordham and Mrs Reynolds for giving up their time to organise and take the children on the trip. Mrs Fordham was celebrating a special birthday while she was at Lincolnsfield so it was good of her to still go on the trip but the children had a little celebration for her while she was there to help her feel special.

Next week we have another special event in school because it is ‘ Sports Relief’ on Friday, 18th March. To help support the occasion we are selling ‘Sports Relief’ wristbands in school (and we could do with selling a few more) for a £1. Then, on the actual day, as you were informed in a newsletter, the children can come dressed to school in sports- wear. We are then holding a ‘Family Fun Run’ and we would like as many parents as possible to join us. It will start with a dance warm up which the children have been learning in PE but all parents can join in and your children will help you with the moves. It will be followed by a run of about one mile within the school grounds. All parents who participate will be asked to make a donation to Sports Relief. We hope to see many of you there. In my original letter I said the event would start at 9.15am but it will now take place at 9.30am as it is Year 2 assembly on that morning as well. The PTA will be serving tea and coffee on the day and we are also asking for donations of cakes and biscuits to sell. These can be brought into school either on Thursday or Friday morning. Remember, all money raised does go to ‘Sports Relief’.

Quite appropriate for ‘Sports Relief’ day is the fact that we starting our horse riding sessions. All children will receive a letter so that they know what to take and which day they are going on. On Friday it will be some of the children from Reception and Year5. As you will remember we are not charging you for this as we are using our Sports premium money to pay for this activity.

Another event for the children to look forward to is an ‘Easter Egg Hunt’ which the PTA are organising. It is going to be held on Wednesday, 23rd March at the end of the school day. More details will follow in a letter from the PTA next week.

Have a great weekend. I am going to be very busy as it is my husband’s birthday and he likes to celebrate it like he is still thirteen.

 

 

Friday 4 March 2016


I mentioned in my blog last week that it was going to be an action-packed week in school and it certainly has. I did not realise that I was going to be out of school so much this week - I feel as if I should have left a photograph of myself so that people in school could remember what I looked like!

Yesterday there was great excitement in school as it was ‘World Book Day’. Thank you for putting the children in such great costumes - they looked amazing!  The ‘Welwyn and Hatfield Times’ came to take pictures of the children but when they arrived they only wanted a couple of groups consisting of 3/4  children and we did not think this was very fair so we sent them away. The teachers did take photographs of all the children so hopefully you will be able to see these on the class blogs.

On Wednesday the choir performed at the Wembley arena as part of a ‘Voice in a Million’ concert. It was a very long day for the children but they all sang really well and did the school proud. A lot of the parents of the choir came to watch and found it to be a very enjoyable experience. I would like to thank Miss Kenwell and Mrs Robinson for all their hard work in preparing the choir for the occasion.

I am sad to announce that Mrs Edwards from the school office is leaving as she has decided to retire. I know you will join with me in thanking her for all she has done for Little Heath and wish her well for the future. She will be leaving us at the end of this term and after Easter Mrs Jo Munn will be joining us in the school office.

That is all for now. Next week looks less jam-packed than this week but when I think that it rarely turns out that way. Have a great weekend!    

Friday 26 February 2016


I am very glad to be able to send you this blog this week because I have been having a lot of problems with my new laptop and it has really been frustrating me! Everything has been taking twice as long to do and my patience has been stretched to its very limit. I suppose technology is all great and wonderful while it works but it becomes the most annoying thing ever when it does not. Let us hope for better things next week.

After the half term break the children have settled quickly back into the school routine. Apart from the Sharing assembly it has been quite a normal week in school but next week there are many events taking place in school. The choir are taking part in ‘A Million Voices’ at the Wembley arena, some children are taking part in a ‘Maths Challenge’ at Haileybury School, another group are attending a Fairtrade service at ‘Our Lady and St Vincent RC’ church and of course, it is ‘World Book Day’ on Thursday. As you all know our theme this year is Shakespeare and we have asked all the children to come dressed as characters from his plays. I know all the children will not be familiar with his works but we thought that this would be a great opportunity to explain to them why he is so important and how many of his sayings are still part of our everyday language.

When I say it has been a normal week I am sort of missing the ‘elephant in the room’ because today is the day that the annual school reports go out. The teachers have spent a lot of hours in writing the reports and I hope you find their comments and suggestions useful in helping to move your children’s learning forward. I have read them all and I am happy at how they reflect the children’s progress and attitude to learning but it is obvious from reading them that some children could be applying themselves to their studies more diligently so, hopefully, if this applies to your child, you will reinforce this message at home.

Although the winter weather is still with us the days are getting longer and brighter so thankfully our sporting features calendar has started up again. The girls have a football match tonight and the boys have one next week. I always find it very uplifting when all the matches start again after winter because it is a sign that spring is on its way. It is hard to believe that it will be March next week and Easter will be over by the end of the month.   

Have a great weekend and I will see you all again on Monday.

Friday 12 February 2016


Another busy week in school but at least we have a week’s break to recover although with the weather forecast it looks like we may have to stay indoors –luckily I will not be in the horrible position of deciding whether or not I have to close the school because the roads are too dangerous for people to travel on.

On Wednesday Richard Maskrey was in school to talk to most of the school about safe usage of the internet. I was not in on the day but all the teachers tell me he was very good and got the message across to the children about what they need to do to keep themselves safe. He was a little shocked at the number of children who admitted using inappropriate social networking sites but he did tell them that they should all close them down when they got home so let us hope that they did. Richard is coming into school for one last time on February 22nd to run an e-Safety session for parents. As I informed you in my newsletter it will run from 9.15am – 10.15am. I think this will be a really useful session and I hope as many parents as possible will attend.  Thank you to all the parents who have taken the time to participate in the e-Safety survey. If you have not already done so, there is still time to take part, just follow the link that was emailed to you earlier this week. 

Yesterday in school there was great excitement because we had all our ‘Valentine’s Discos’. These are always very popular events and the children really enjoy them. I would like to thank the PTA for organising them and all my staff who helped them run the events. Let us hope that ‘Valentine’s Day’ on Sunday is as enjoyable for us as it was for them yesterday.

As I said earlier it is half term next week but when we come back after it is another action packed week.  There is the internet safety session as I have already discussed, we have a Sharing Assembly on Thursday 25th February and then on the Friday 26th February the school nurse is holding a drop – in session for parents from 8.45am – 10.00am so I will meet a lot of parents in school which is always nice.

Have a great half term and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday, 22nd February.

 

 

Friday 5 February 2016


After all the excitement of the O2 last week it has been quite a mundane week in school  - I think I am missing all the razzmatazz of show business.  We do have lots to look forward to next week though.

On Tuesday it is Safer Internet Day which we take very seriously in Little Heath. The children will be carrying out activities in class to help remind them how to keep safe when they are using the internet. We pre-empted this with a survey that we did in our Friendship Groups this week and we were a little shocked at how many of the children are accessing sites which are not age appropriate for their usage such as ‘Instagram’. The county have recently updated their safer internet use policy and we now have to keep a record of children who are using inappropriate programmes for their age. Could you please check your children’s IT devices at home to make sure that the programmes they using are age appropriate. On Wednesday we also have the county e-safety advisor coming in to school to present assemblies to the children from Year 1 upwards on e-safety. These have been modified to suit the age of the children because we do not want to scare the children from using computer programmes and devices –we just want to keep them safe while they do so.

 We have our ‘Open Evening’ from 3.00pm - 4.30pm for Years 1 – 6 on Wednesday as well. This event is to give parents an opportunity to look at the learning covered by their children over the last half term. Unfortunately I will not be in school on this evening but I will be in for the rest of the week so if you need to discuss anything with me I will be available then.

On Thursday we have our ‘Valentine’s Discos’. The KS1 and reception disco is on from 5.00pm – 6.00pm and the KS2 disco is on from 6.15pm – 7.15pm. The children do look forward to these events and it helps to bring the half term to a happy end so we hope to see many of them there. The nursery children are having their own separate disco during the day.

I know when I gave the dates out for the term I had a ‘Sharing Assembly’ listed for Monday but that is now not going to take place. We will now have that event on Thursday, 25th February. If your child is taking part in that assembly you will receive that letter next week.

As you all know we break up for the half term next Friday. School will finish at the normal time and not at 2.00pm – we only finish early at the end of the full term. Have a great weekend and I will see you all next week.