Dear Parents and Carers,
As we approach the end of another busy and successful week, I would like to take a moment to share some of the wonderful things that have been happening across our school. The cooler weather has certainly been a welcome relief after last week's heat, making it much more comfortable for everyone to enjoy their learning and time outdoors.
The hall has been transformed into a theatre ready for the Year 6 play, the children sound wonderful when they sing, and I've been assured by the Year 6 team that the dress and technical rehearsals went ahead without too many hitches!
We began this week with a staff meeting focused on children's executive functioning and the important role it plays in learning. Executive functioning refers to the set of mental skills that help us to plan, organise, focus our attention, remember information and manage our thoughts and actions. These skills are essential for children to become increasingly independent and successful learners.
One factor that can have a significant impact on executive functioning is the learning environment. A classroom that is calm, purposeful and free from unnecessary distractions can help children focus their attention and make the best use of their working memory. With this in mind, we have asked all teachers to carefully consider the design of their classrooms for the new academic year, reflecting on the visual demands placed on children and ensuring displays and resources support learning rather than compete for their attention. Our aim is to create environments that reduce cognitive overload, enabling all children to concentrate, retain new learning and achieve their very best.
The phrase we continually return to is: "What is essential for some is harmful for none." This principle reminds us that the strategies and adaptations that make learning more accessible for some children often benefit every child in the classroom. Our teachers are inspired to create learning environments and experiences that remove unnecessary barriers, reduce cognitive overload and enable all children to thrive.
We were extremely privileged and fortunate to welcome Alfie Watts to our school for a whole school assembly on Tuesday. Alfie won Race Across the World in 2024, and since then he has been motivated to use his experiences to make a positive difference. He has raised money for Young Minds, with the clear message that even in the darkest days you can find light and that you must “believe in yourself” - a message that resonates deeply with us here at CKJS.
This year, Alfie chose to drive a tuk-tuk from London to Norway over the course of a month, arriving back in England on 24th June. The journey was not without its challenges: he missed his ferry crossing from England to France, was stopped by police in mainland Europe, encountered numerous road closures throughout the Netherlands, and experienced multiple breakdowns of both the tuk-tuk and the follow car. However, his determination and resilience ultimately outweighed these difficulties, and he successfully completed the journey, raising £50,000 for Young Minds.
Alfie visited our school as part of his school tour to share key messages of inspiration with our pupils. He even invited a child to write a message that he will later write on his tuk-tuk. The message read: “Storms don’t last forever. Keep believing.” Thank you to Louie in Year 4 for sharing a key message for us all.
It truly was an inspirational assembly, and Alfie is a role model and inspiration to us all. We are deeply grateful for the time he gave to share his story with our children. Mr. Gaston-Nash and the rest of our team have worked hard to bring real role models into our assemblies this year, and following this success, we will continue to build on this moving into the next academic year.
Looking ahead to next week and with the temperatures creeping up and expected to reach 30°, we are asking children to come to school once again in their PE kit and trainers all week. Please ensure that the children have a water bottle and have had sun cream applied in the morning. They can bring a bottle in to school to top up during the day. With this in mind, we will once again, make sensible adjustments to help ensure that both pupils and staff remain safe, comfortable, and able to learn and work effectively throughout the day. We will be adapting the curriculum and daily routines accordingly.
For next week, please note the following:
- Children should come to school in their PE kit and trainers every day.
- Please ensure that your child has sun cream applied before arriving.
Have the most wonderful weekend, and I look forward to seeing you all next week as we head into the penultimate week of this academic year.
Warmest wishes,
Mrs. Beccy Andrews