1st July 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
A message for Year 6 Parents and Pupils
The last day of the school year has arrived, and for our Year 6 pupils, it is an especially poignant day.
For the first time I write this message, not only as a Headteacher, but as a parent of a Year 6 child. It is an especially emotional day, as I have not one child, but 34 children leaving the school. And I have come to admire and care for them as deeply as any headteacher could.
As a staff, we have watched these wonderful humans develop and grow into the loveliest group of children you can imagine. We have enjoyed seeing them become confident learners, quick-witted jokers, magnificent entertainers, cheery team-builders, crafty campers and so much more. It is impossible to sum up the mark they have made on our school, or to explain how much they will be missed. There are so many joyful memories to look back on and this week, the Year 6 children gave us a few more, from their outstanding performance in the Leavers’ Play – ‘I’m an 11 Year Old, Get Me Out of Here’, to the beautiful Leavers’ Mass they celebrated at St George’s Church on Wednesday morning.
And now, they move on to a very necessary rite of passage. The move to secondary school is a positive step in any young person’s life, and it leads them towards a bright future. It is undoubtedly sad to leave a place you have grown to love, but also quite exciting to embark on a new challenge.
Our 2024 Leavers have completed the first stage of their education, and we are so glad to have been there with them on the journey so far. What an honour it is for our staff members to walk alongside a child as they learn and grow in mind, body and spirit. The Year 6 pupils have made us beam with pride as we have watched them develop their skills and talents, and show love and care for each other. They are truly a credit to you, and like you, we could not be prouder of them for all that they are and all they have achieved. And now, it is time for them to take one more step along the road. And as they take that step, we want to wish them the best of luck in all they do. And remember,
Once a St George’s child, always a St George’s child!
This Week in School
We made it to the last Friday of the school year…and what a fantastic last week we have had!
As you can imagine, the focus was very much on the wonderful pupils in Year 6. They gave an absolutely stellar performance in the Year 6 Production, ‘I’m an 11-Year-Old, Get Me Out of Here’ and I know more than a few of us are still humming along to the fantastic soundtrack to the show. So many staff and parents commented on how funny, confident and talented the Year 6 children are. They really couldn’t have shone more brightly. The staff have agreed we are fully expecting to see some of these talented children in the West End, or on a TV screen in the very near future!
On Wednesday, the Year 6 pupils celebrated a beautiful Leaver’s Mass and it was a very poignant way to finish their last celebration as a class in our Church. They really were a credit to their parents and the school and I would like to thank them for setting such a wonderful example for our other pupils. On Friday, the whole school attended the Leaver’s Assembly and it was a heart-warming trip down memory lane. Yet again, the children outdid themselves! It was definitely a case of sadness, tinged with pride, joy and a little excitement for a future that looks bright for our wonderful pupils.
Before they leave for the last time, the St George’s staff and governors would like to offer their warmest wishes for the future to our beloved Year 6 pupils. Keep shining!
Mrs Weetch’s Retirement
Our much-loved Reception Class teacher, Mrs Weetch, is embarking on a new adventure, having moved to the countryside to enjoy a change of scenery and a relatively quieter pace of life. Well, in comparison to life in Reception Class! We are immeasurably grateful to her for her dedication and hard work over the last 14 years. I know how much she has enjoyed working with our littlest pupils, and how rewarding she has found the experience of guiding them through their very first, formative year at primary school. She has given countless precious memories to the children she has taught in her time at St George’s, and she will be fondly remembered by them as a warm, caring and nurturing figure in their lives. On behalf of the staff, governors and pupils, I would like to say a very big ‘thank you’ and ‘good luck’ to our one-in-a-million, true St George’s girl, Mrs Weetch. The staff will certainly be toasting her this evening, at her farewell retirement party. And we are pleased to say that she will be returning as our supply teacher in the next academic year. So, although we are sad to wave goodbye, it is merely adieu and we will see her again. Remember Mrs Weetch, once a St George’s girl, always a St George’s girl!
Parking
We are having extensive works to the school site during the summer and therefore we would like to inform you that there will be no parking at the school over the summer holidays. We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause on Sundays, as we know many parishioners and parents use the school for parking when they go to Mass. A note on this has been included in recent weeks in the parish newsletter. We are grateful for your understanding as we improve our school for the benefit of our pupils.
September
The school will be closed to pupils on Monday 2nd September (school holidays) and Tuesday 3rd September (INSET day for staff training).
The school will be open for all pupils on Wednesday 4th September.
On Wednesday 11th September we will have our Start of Year Mass in Church at 9.30 a.m and this will be led by our current Year 5 (soon to be Year 6) pupils and their new teacher, Mr Hughes. Parents are very welcome to attend this Mass.
Warmest wishes for a fantastic summer,
Edwina McDonnell
Upcoming Dates:
Monday 2nd September – School holidays – SCHOOL CLOSED
Tuesday 3rd September – INSET Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
Wednesday 4th September – SCHOOL OPEN
Wednesday 11th September - Start of Year Mass in Church, 9.30 a.m. Parents welcome.
