19th January 2006

• I am delighted to tell you that St Peter’s School has retained its Investors In People status.  This is a quality assurance mark that is voluntarily used by organisations as a business tool to improve practice, and therefore it has an impact upon the educational and social experience offered to pupils.  The certificate was awarded to us yesterday at a conference hosted by East Midlands Quality Centre.  Ultimately, the award belongs to all of the teams that serve St Peter’s School – site supervisor, catering and cleaning team, bursar and School admin officer, teachers and their support staff as well as Governors.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment to continuous improvement.
    
• Humanities Week has been this week’s ‘big feature’ for pupils.  In Key Stage One,  pupils carried out research on Australia, sharing their findings, and learning from each other in the process.  Some pupils had looked at animals and birds; others looked at popular cultural objects such as the boomerang and the didgeridoo.  The Australian flag was considered, and children found out about the seven states that make up the country and continent.
   
• In Key Stage Two, Humanities Week was marked by a Flag Hunt, with younger and older pupils pairing up and working together to complete questions located around the school. It has been good to see our pupils’ zest for general knowledge throughout this week, and this has been well nourished with geographical and historical facts displayed each day in Sunnylands.  The week will end tomorrow with a House quiz focussing upon geography and history.
   
• Pupils in Years Three to Six enjoyed a rugby workshop earlier today, presented by the organisation Sports Evolution. A representative of Rugby Evolution led pupils in a taster session, introducing them to skills that would be focussed on in more depth in a club that Mr Holmes hopes to offer after school in the second half of this term, should interest allow. 
   
• Yesterday there was a visit from Tom Baker to pupils in Years Five and Six.  This particular Mr Baker represented Northamptonshire Country Cricket Club! Our boys and girls relished the opportunity of receiving high level coaching in batting, bowling and fielding skills.
   
• We were pleased to welcome Mr Peter Lock to St Peter’s School at the end of last week.  Some parents may be aware that he coaches tennis in the area, and Miss Farrant is hoping to arrange opportunities for lessons to take place at School later in the term.  This bulletin accompanies a letter from Mr Lock, giving specific information regarding fees, and details of the teaching he can provide for pupils in Year Two upwards.
   
• Work for Kettering Eisteddfod is hopefully well underway.  I am sure that a great deal of preparation is going on at home as well as at School, and if it is not, then parents are respectfully requested to encourage their children to devote time towards practice for competitions in which they have been entered.
   
• Minutes of the last PTAFA meeting were distributed to families earlier this week.  You will have also received a letter regarding the Quiz Night, to be held on Saturday 28th January in Sunnylands Hall at 7.30pm.  Teams of six are invited to enter, at a cost of £10.  Try to come along.  It was a great event last year!
   
• Key Stage Two are eagerly anticipating French Day, on 27th January. I look forward to reporting to you on this in the next bulletin, which will be issued on Thursday 2nd February.