And so we reach the end of another year at Poverest! The end of the year is always a time for reflection and also a time to celebrate all that has been achieved.
I am extremely proud of the progress we have made as a school this year, building on the many years of progress we have already made. Our attendance is much improved once again and getting much closer to where we need to be. Your support in ensuring children are in school as much as possible is recognised and very much appreciated, along with the support for our school in general and the role you have in supporting your child, whether in extra-curricular activities or with their learning.
Our results for KS2 are above the National average in every subject area at the expected and higher level, apart from writing at expected. We know that as a school we have more work to do to ensure children are all competent writers by the time they leave school and this will be one of our main aims next year. Our phonics results are also wonderful, with 85% of our mainstream children passing them in Year 1. Our school has a high percentage of SEND and to achieve results that are above the National average with a higher percentage of pupil premium and SEND is a huge achievement of the hard work and dedication of every member of staff who contributes to a child’s educational journey.
A child’s school life is so much more than academic achievement and although that will always remain a high priority, the children’s enjoyment in STEM, the arts and Sports are also high priorities at Poverest. To see more children than ever before being involved in extra-curricular activities is fantastic. Our music performances, including the Fairfield Halls and the various Poverest Shows, demonstrate the excellent ability of our children. The RockySteady performance last week was a great demonstration of some very talented children.
The trophy cabinet needs an extension - the sport provision at Poverest is second to none in my eyes, but the achievements the children have achieved this year go to show it is not just taking part in different sports but that we are producing some very talented sportspeople as well. This week we had a gymnastic demonstration and the whole school were blown away by the incredible talents of the group.
We say goodbye to our Year 6 children, and what a wonderful group they have been during their seven years at Poverest. The confidence they demonstrated in their production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a shining example of them as human beings and the demonstration of many life skills that will lead them to great success in their future lives, I am sure. Well done Year 6 - you demonstrate the Poverest Values on a daily basis and we wish you all every success in your future lives and we look forward to hearing where your lives lead you in the future. Always come back and tell us all about them!
Goodbyes are always part of the end of term and we say goodbye to Mrs Cebrat, Mr Ereira, Mrs Trylska, Mrs Caulfield, Mrs Reed and Mrs Wilson. We had our leavers' assembly last Friday to say goodbye but most of all to thank them all individually for their contributions to our school and the Poverest children over many years. We wish Mrs Cebrat, Mr Ereira and Mrs Caulfield the best of luck in their new roles. Mrs Trylska is retiring after 46 years of teaching - she started teaching just before I was born! Mrs Reed has been a huge influence on so many children in her 12 years at Poverest and is taking a very, very early retirement! We wish them many happy years of exploring the World and taking holidays in term time!
We also have, very sadly, to say goodbye to Mrs Wilson, who is leaving teaching to travel the World and experience a very different way of life. Many of you will have your own fond memories of Mrs Wilson supporting you and your children. Mrs Wilson joined Poverest at the same time as me and we have worked very closely together over the years in similar roles. When we started, we talked about how we could make Poverest the best school in the World and she has been instrumental in trying to achieve that vision as part of the whole team. For me personally, she has been an absolute rock over the last 13 years and I will miss her greatly. But our dream continues and we continue to build on the very firm foundations she has helped to lay for our school. We all thank Mrs Wilson for her total dedication to our school over those last 13 years.
Finally, a huge thank you to all the staff for their hard work and dedication over the school year. It is very much a team effort to ensure we provide every child with the tools they need to succeed in life and I’m very proud of all of them and the individual roles they play in keeping the Poverest wheel spinning. I also wish Sue, Michael and the other governors for their continued support, challenge and expertise. They all help ensure the school does the best it can for all stakeholders.
I wish everyone a very happy summer holiday and safe travels if you are fortunate enough to get away. The summer is a great opportunity for families to get together and enjoy each other's company. Children will return to school on Monday, September 1st, at the usual times. We will be welcoming some new members of the team to Poverest, who I know will all be great additions.
