From the Headmaster:
It is always with mixed emotions that I come to write the final Deerstalker of the academic year.
This one more so, perhaps than many others, due to the extraordinary year we have enjoyed and due to the second group of our 'originals' leaving the school and heading to Year 7.
I shall be saying more about these thirteen young men and women in the final week of term as well as at Prize Giving and Production. Suffice to say that they will be missed.
In this edition, final sports day information, a quick glance back at the Portsmouth trip and some very sad 'see you soon's...'
Do please read the key information for the approaching week and the later collection time on Monday for the school.
Enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing you at various points next week.
Take care.
Alistair
Sports Day Information
We were so very hopeful that events post 21st June would be possible. The highly anticipated social, sports day, production and prize giving all to be squeezed in to bring the academic year to a successful close.
You will appreciate that navigating and interpreting the regulations has been a constant demand, not least when I and my colleagues are determined to provide all that we can in a safe and compliant way.
We are not permitted to hold outdoor events with more than thirty people in attendance. Even this, however, is determined by the venue and their demands and risk assessment. We can hold the sports day with children but are not permitted by St. Mary’s to allow any more than 30 parents.
I have explored various other tracks and venues who also apply this stipulation or, in most cases, are simply not permitting any spectators whatsoever.
Our Sports Day is a team event with every child competing in every event, earning points for their house. We looked at various scenarios of running individual year group sports days through the course of the day but were concerned that the ‘whole school’ ethos of such an event and competition would be lost; an occasion?
Our Prize Giving has always been a whole school affair, usually taking place just prior to Sports Day. Again, we are limited to no more than 30 people.
Throughout the last fifteen months we have done all we can to place the children at the heart of all we do. Trying to provide them with a sense of normality in a challenging and disrupted time. We also want you to feel as included as possible. As parents we simply want our children to be happy, their mental and physical health to be prioritised.
Sports Day will take place at The Mo Farah Running Track but will now (having received final confirmation) take place on Monday 28th June. All children from Reception to Year 6 will be transported to the track and they will compete with their usual gusto and effort. First and Second Steps Sports Day will take place in school on Monday 28th June, 9.30am - 10.30am. Both events will be broadcast live on zoom and recorded.
Due to the restrictions and risk assessment provided to us by the university, we are only permitted to set up the event at 2pm. I am fearful of causing consequences to you all should we overrun at the venue.
We are well accustomed to juggling the desire to provide as much as we can for the children and daring to wait for confirmation or answers from venues versus not proceeding.
In this particular case, I have been working hard (completing no less than nine risk assessments for St Marys) and numerous control measures that they are satisfied with in order to proceed at the venue.
I will need to ask for your understanding therefore, and request that collection from school, enabling the children to attend and enjoy the athletics will be at 4.00pm. Please take my profuse apologies if this causes you challenge or inconvenience. Please do not hesitate to contact me if this proves to have consequences to any plans.
School Sports Day - 2pm - 3.30pm, return to school for 4pm
For the live stream of the Nursery Sports Day (Monday 9.30am-10.30am please use the following account -
Meeting ID: 359 645 3375
Passcode: 849052
School Sports Day -
Zoom - Meeting ID: 359 645 3375 Passcode: 849052
Prize Giving will take place through zoom on Friday 2nd July at 9am - 9.40am prior to the similarly live streamed end of term production starting at 10.30am -12pm.
Zoom - Meeting ID: 359 645 3375 Passcode: 849052
We are confirming arrangements for the broadcast of the production, please allow us time to confirm the details which will be published in advance.
We have spent some considerable time discussing how to provide our Year 6 children with the very best send off at the end of their time at Park Hill. They have managed 11+ examinations and virtual school exams and visits with great determination. It was with a sense of disappointment that similar restrictions forbade even any production or sports day for our Year 6 leavers last year.
Therefore it simply seems the right thing to do, and I hope it is with our collective support as a school community, that we invite two family members of each of the Year 6 children only to join us in person for the end of term production on Friday 2nd July.
I would have much preferred the events to proceed as we hoped but we must not only abide to the regulations and the venue requirements but also to ensure we ‘simply’ play an important part in ensuring the health and welfare of each child, teacher and you, our families.
I do so hope that you will join us on zoom for these events. I am sorry that we simply cannot have all of you in person with us.
Hopefully the caution over these next few weeks will enable grater freedoms in the summer and more people to avail of the vaccinations.
Might I also encourage you to extend the invite to your wider families, grandparents, aunts, uncles etc to join us for the Prize Giving and Production to give both events as much sense of occasion for the children as possible. I think they deserve it.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
I will spare you just how old I was when I vividly remember the Mary Rose being raised from the harbour, but perhaps it is only now that I fully appreciate the engineering feat. Remarkable and a superb museum. Travelling through time, Mary Rose, HMS Victory and finishing with HMS Warrior (it is a ship, Mr Papps...)
A superb day for the children and us larger children too.
Adieu...
It is with mixed emotions that I continue with this edition. As ever, the chronology of the academic year operating on a different pace and sadly four highly respected colleagues bidding us adieu.
Mrs Kilb is sadly leaving the school for what I hope she won't mind me calling a sabbatical. A superb teacher and simply good fun around the school, her enthusiasm and loyalty to the children and school always guaranteed that she was the first to offer her time for residential trips, camping trips and talents across the whole school. I am pleased to confirm that she will not be a stranger and will be taken up on her offer of returning for supply teaching and technological support. Thank you, Hannah, for your hard work and energy throughout your time at Park Hill.
We will be joined in Year 2 by Miss Pavitra Segar who, in addition to being an excellent classroom practitioner has recently completed her Masters degree, specialising in autism spectrum disorder and will therefore be a valuable member of our team. In addition to this, Pavitra is a keen games player and coaches and plays netball and hockey. She will be meeting her new class this week.
Having had my own daughter enjoy the care and diligence of Mr Papps gave me a great insight into just how much thought he gives to challenging and encouraging those in his care. Mr Papps is again a valued member of our team and, although it is for entirely understandable reasons to pursue his own artistic career, he will be sorely missed by staff and pupils alike. Whether it is in the classroom, in art, games or across the school, his enthusiasm and humour (puns apart) endeared him to all. Thank you, Joel, for your hard work and enthusiasm for our school and children. I have some Papps originals so hopefully in years to come....
I am pleased to confirm that Mrs Katherine Forsyth will be joining us in Year 4. A teacher with over sixteen years of experience, she has taught both in the UK and internationally in Cyprus. With a particular interest in English and child centred learning, she also enjoys outdoor sports and has travelled extensively with her husbands military career. Katherine has already met her new class and will prove to be a valued member of our team.
Mrs Patel has a long association with the school, both as a parent herself with both her sons attending and more recently as a valued member of our team. This year has seen her assume responsibility emotional literacy support and working with Mrs Kilb in Year 2. She will also not be a stranger, not just in part as she lives 'just round the corner' but as she is in the final throes of setting up her own nursery which I am sure, given her work ethic and caring manner, will be a great success. Taranjit is a hugely respected and talented colleague who will be missed by all.
I am delighted to confirm that Miss Daisy Bennet will be joining our school. With a first class honours degree in Psychology and qualifications in Speech and Language Therapy and Health and Social Care and experience as a Police Cadet I am delighted that she will bring many strengths to Park Hill. Originally from Cornwall, she too enjoys the outdoors and by her own admission is something of a 'book worm.' Welcome, Daisy!
Mrs Leech, not too dissimilar to Mrs Patel, also has an association with the school as both parent and teacher. I am delighted that she too will not be stranger and has kindly agreed to be on 'stand-by' for supply teaching as she undertakes further qualifications in speech and language. Thank you, Fran, for your energy and enthusiasm. One of my many memories from the recent lockdown were Friday mornings as we played 'teaching tag' passing her as I went to teach French to Year 1 as she was leaving them having taught RE lesson to go and teach a small group in the upper part of the school to then return half an hour later to work in Year 5. This ability to deliver high quality teaching and learning across multiple age groups is no mean feat and reflective of an outstanding and highly respected teacher.
Although I am still in the final lap of recruitment for two additional teaching support roles, including a part time teacher to 'replace' Mrs Leech I am pleased to confirm that Mr John McArthur will be joining us as our new Head of PE in September. A talented teacher, John has a strong background across all sports including football, athletics and swimming. Some of our children have already enjoyed working with John who possesses a very calm and measured manner with the children. I very much look forward to working with John and returning to the full provision of sport as the COVID-19 restrictions continue to be lifted and a full return to competitive sport and swimming.
I will confirm our additional new colleagues in the coming week as final parts of the recruitment process are completed.
Key Events
Monday 28th June - Sports Day
Thursday 1st July - Inter House Tough Mudder
Friday 2nd July - Prize Giving & End of Term Production
Illness & Medical
We continue to abide with the DfE Regulations.
We ensure that anyone developing those symptoms during the school day is sent home.
These are essential actions to reduce the risk in schools and further drive down transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
We would like to remind you that if your child is absent from school due to sickness (vomiting, diarrhoea) they must be clear for at least 48 hours prior to returning to school. You must inform the school office directly on 020 8546 5496 if your child will be absent that day.
Should your child develop symptoms or receive a positive result from a PCR test for Covid-19 you must immediately inform the school office - secretary@parkhillschool.com
This email is monitored during the school day and at set intervals during the weekend. If our line is busy, we have a backup answer service where an operator can take your message and we, as a school, are alerted accordingly.
We receive daily updates to the regulations every 24 hours and this information is reviewed and any alterations to the regulations immediately adopted. We abide by the PHE and DfE advice.
We must abide by the rules, rule of six, social distancing etc for the duration of each easing (hopefully) of the restrictions. However, having reviewed movement around the site and the layout of our buildings we would like to extend the invitation to those of you who drop off your children between 8am and 8.10am and would like to, you are welcome to take your children to the classroom door (Reception, Year 1, Year 2, First & Second Steps) and enjoy the gardens and chance to see far more of the school than we have been permitted to share with you for over a year! I would ask that masks are worn and that you enjoy the chance to walk through the school just like it was before! We will naturally review this each day and communication with you accordingly. We may need to limit the numbers on site during those ten minutes and ask for your patience if required.
Social Media
#confidentcurioushappy
There are also some wonderful images from our Little Adventurers available through their own instagram page -
Useful Links -
Credits:
Alistair Bond