12th December 2007

• There has been some coverage in the local press recently about the 2007 Key Stage Two SATs results of state schools.  Some of you may remember that I referred to our results way back in July at Founders’ Day, when they were returned after being marked externally within the same system as state schools.  However, it is only now that the state school results have been released to the public. 
     
• Last year our pupils gained more Level 5s in Mathematics and English than any of the state schools locally. I am so proud of what our boys and girls in last year’s Year Six achieved!  This is a non selective school which does not focus solely upon training its pupils up for SATs.  From reading my bulletins parents will know that there is so much more that goes on, in an effort to give the boys and girls a well rounded education.   I know that many of our ‘old boys and girls’ log on to the School’s website, where the bulletin is always posted on the news page…so: WELL DONE CLASS OF 2006-07. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD!
   
• Term Dates for Academic Year 2008-2009 are also enclosed in the Michaelmas Term report envelope.  Please note that we are currently in academic year 07-08 so the new dates enclosed are for September 2008 onwards. Once again, I encourage parents to book holidays during school holiday times, and to minimise requests for authorised absence for pupils to go on holiday and miss School during term time. 
   
• The younger pupils’ Christmas Concerts took place last week, and once again left us all feeling that in our busy lives it is always through the words of children that the true message of Christmas is made clearer to us.  Fishing for Stars was performed by pupils in Reception and Nursery, and told the story of a boy called Luke, who dreams of catching stars with his fishing net.  Whilst trying to catch an enormous star he meets some shepherds and three kings, and the star leads them all to a stable.  Pupils in 1KS and 2SW performed the story of The Gigantic Star, who felt embarrassed about looking so different to the other stars, until he realised that no matter what we look like it is what we can do that counts, and what The Gigantic Star had to do was a most important job indeed.     
   
• Pupils taking part in Kettering Eisteddfod verse speaking competitions should now have their poems to learn over the holidays.  This would be a good time for all pupils involved in the Eisteddfod to involve themselves fully in practicing, so that when we return in January, it is felt that good headway has already been made.
  Thanks to Mrs Payne and Key Stage Two staff for organising the Key Stage Two Christmas Disco last week.  Pupils had a super time and even the teachers danced!
   
• Mrs Payne, Mrs Dreyer, Mrs Marshall, Mr Holmes and Mrs Cruickshank took pupils in Year Five and Six to visit Four Seasons Day Centre and the Grange Over 60s Club, to entertain the local community with Christmas songs and poems.  Well done to the boys and girls for thinking giving of their talents to those who may be in need of some Christmas cheer.
   
• Thank you to Mrs Cruickshank’s son Fraser for coming in to School to play his bagpipes during the morning assembly on St Andrew’s Day.  Our pupils were in awe of the energy required to make a sound on this Celtic instrument, and they were particularly surprised at the volume too!  I think that our pupils were inspired to see what can be achieved with commitment and regular practice.
   
• The PTAFA Christmas Fayre was the start of the Christmas Season for so many of us.  There was an incredible effort made from so many parents: donating items to the tombolas and other stalls, running stalls and helping with catering on the big day, as well as attending the event with children.  Thank you to everyone who helped out, and with the Hall so packed out on Saturday, it really did feel as if everyone came, including the Mayor.  Before cutting the ribbon held by Alicia Breuer and Stanley Kirk, Mr Mayor reminded our pupils that he attended St Peter’s School as a boy!
   
• There are a few tickets remaining for the Turkey & Tinsel Dinner on Saturday 16th December. Please contact Mrs Sharp in the School Office to join in with this special event.
     
• The next PTAFA meeting will be on Wednesday 9th January at 7.30pm when the final sum raised from the Christmas Fayre will be revealed! 
   
• This really has been a very busy term for pupils.  The challenge for us as a School is always to be mindful that children are children: whilst they should not be stressed out or made over-anxious by academic expectation, neither should they ‘float through’ their school days, missing the opportunities that they have been given and being unaware of the need to do ones best.  To this end, teachers have used October’s Assessment Week data to challenge pupils with appropriate learning targets.  Yesterday however was a ‘different’ day……one that rewarded pupils for their efforts: Children in Nursery enjoyed Elves and Fairies Day yesterday, whilst pupils in Key Stage One and Reception Class spent a day of Christmas activities at West Lodge Rural Centre.  A trip to The Castle Theatre to see Beauty and the Beast was the treat for pupils in Key Stage Two.  Hopefully pupils will have already thanked Mums and Dads for funding ticket costs!
   
• As we approach the end of an extremely busy Michaelmas Term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your energetic support of the School.  I hope that the Christmas break affords you all some time to spend together with your families, before we embark upon Lent Term which begins on Monday 7th January 2008.