Headteacher Update - Friday 9th June 2023

Welcome to this week's Weekly Update and to a new school term.

It's been a positive start to Term 6 - introductions to new learning journeys, and the chance to try new opportunities. This week, many of our pupils in Year 6 have been on their PGL residential to Windmill Hill, just outside Hailsham. We've received lots of updates from the team there, and shared a few photographs on Facebook. They have had a great time, tried some new things and no doubt made some fabulous memories. There will be some tired Year 6s this weekend!

'Thank you' to our brilliant Year 6 pupils who have stayed at school. They have been incredible role-models this week, helping out on the infant playground and setting the best example around school. I am very proud of them all.

Our children in Year 4 had their first swimming lesson at the Sovereign Centre today. They had a great session and were well behaved. Thank you to Heron Park who ferried us there and back a few times in their minibus.

We held our first 'Celebration Assembly' of this term. 'Congratulations' to all of our certificate winners this week. Our Stars are:

In our 'Term 5 Attendance Challenge' we have joint winners - both classes in Year 3 gaining 59 points. Well done to Ashe and Turing Class who both win a £20 voucher. The leaderboard is now reset for Term 6. In the '100% Attendance Raffle' the number 168 was drawn at random. Well done to Ava-Grace in Year 4. 

We have had some new children join the school this week and I am so proud of how all the children have already made them feel so welcome.

This week, we met some of our new Reception children, some for the very first time, who will be starting school in September. They collected their new bookbag and gift from the school, and had the opportunity to look around the Reception classrooms and outside areas. There were lots of happy children and this was a really positive afternoon. Our 'Stay and Play sessions are being booked up quickly for children who don't attend our Nursery.

Next week, we are welcoming the brilliant Brian Moses to Oakwood, a fabulous poet and performer. This will be a real treat for the children. There will be an opportunity to purchase one (or more) of Brian's books and anthologies. A letter was to all parents this week. We are also excited to welcome Stuart Reeves, one of the Aurora Trustees, to Oakwood on Tuesday. I am looking forward to showing him around the school.

Please check out this week's Bulletin, for more information about life at Oakwood, including next year's term dates.

I wish you all a brilliant weekend!

Ryan Laker
Headteacher