Mrs Cobb and Miss McBride attended a meeting during the morning. Yesterday Miss Graves attended a day's inservice training in PE.
The Friends of Hawkes Farm held their AGM last night. Mrs K Sellens will continue for a second year as 'chair'. The meeting agreed to fund the installation of interactive whiteboard/projector units in one more yeargoup, with the school optimistic that when some promised funding is fed into budget the remaining KS2 yeargoup will also be kitted out, leaving installations in KS1 to follow on in 2005/6.
Dates were set for
Christmas Bazaar 11th December
Friends Disco 14th January
Quiz Night 15th April
Summer Fair 18th June
The Friends hold their next committee meeting on 20th October.
Next AGM 28 September
17C Bright
Photographers were in school for most of the day for the annual round of class, group and individual photographs.
During the morning Mr Thorn, Mrs van Dijkhuizen and Mrs Sweatman met with the school's new attached educational psychologist, Andrea Morgan, and our LLSS (Language and Learning Support Service) contact, Stephanie Powell, to discuss the school's priorities for the term.
There was no staff meeting, time being given over to the final round of Performance Management meetings.
A bell has been fitted to the ICT suite door, to enable children more easily to gain readmittance.
At last Friday's Good Work Assembly a representative of Caffyns presented our three finalists with their certificates and (very substantial) 'goody bags'.
17C Dull
Sue Benson, from CfBT, visited in the afternoon to meet with the senior management team and outline the Primary Strategy programme for the coming year.
There was an Usborne Book Sale after school, organised by Mrs Brand, parent.
Mrs Cobb was away during the afternoon, visiting another school. Both Miss McRae and Mrs Harley were absent.
Mrs Palframan, currently on maternity leave, visited the staffroom at morning playtime with Bella, her baby.
15C Fair
Mrs Pamplin, whose own children came to Hawkes Farm some years ago, led a session of Top Sport training for all the teaching staff after school.
14C Wet and windy
Raise your water bottles to the completion of work on the office and entry hall. Mrs Cobb met with the architect and builders during the morning, the job was pronounced finished and the workmen's huts and skips have been removed from the playground.
Lee Johnson, from South East Water, spoke to all KS2 children this morning. The water company has given the school a water bottle for each child in the school, including KS1, to encourage regular drinking.
In the afternoon, Mrs Sullivan met with a PSHE support worker to discuss a drama project for the spring term.
18C Overcast, warm
Now that we are into the second full week of term, the days seem to be rolling by apace! Mrs Cobb is on a 2-day residential Primary Strategy training course and returns to school tomorrow. In her place, Mr Thorn attended a heads' presentation yesterday afternoon at the Cavendish Hotel, Eastbourne, about the new assessment procedures for KS1. Three of our children are finalists in a Caffyns Art competition, the results of which are announced today at an event in Brighton which, unfortunately, none of the children is able to attend.
This morning is sunny and chilly.
Sun 7C
The suite printer and a third of the PCs were mysteriously out of action for the afternoon. Mr Procter, on opening the fusebox, discovered a tripped fuse and at a simple flick of the finger got everyhting working again. Quite what caused the fuse to 'trip' is a mystery.
24C Sunny
The summery start to term continues. The Senior Management Team has begun the annual round of Performance Management reviews. The 'Ladies' and 'Gents' toilets in the main entrance remain out of use while work on them is completed.
22C Sunny
An ex-pupil (from the 1970s) visited school at the end of the day. His name was Gerald Stevens and he is now a social worker and university lecturer in Kent. He remembered Mr Wilson, recently retired headteacher, and Mrs Mumford (also recently retired), and was disappointed not to be able to meet Miss McRae, who is currently absent.
Mr Thorn took him on a tour of the school and he was pleased to spot the 25th Anniversary photo collage on the Year 5 stairs, and to be able to identify several ex-teachers.
Besides Miss McRae, Mr Lowe and Miss Porter were also absent today.
21C Sunny
During the morning a large snake was discovered beneath one of the school's refuse bins. The foreman working on the building extension had previously been a petshop owner and was able to handle the snake, which was pale orange in colour with distinct markings, and put it at its ease, while the RSPCA were called. (Certain members of staff were not so easily put at their ease!)
Mr Thorn met with Mr Munro, parent volunteer helper, and they agreed they would together run a series of FLASH workshops, to run on either Wednesday or Friday lunchtimes, commencing w.b. 20th September.
Staff met in Key Stages at the end of the day.
21C Sunny
The first day of the new school year. The weather was warm and sunny and although the grass was long, after a mid-morning welcome-back whole-school assembly, the children were able to use the field.
Five classteachers have joined the staff this term: Dee Thomas Y1, Michelle Burbidge (NQT) Y2, Michelle Harvey (NQT) Y3, Amy Graves Y4, and Melanie Bond Y5.
During the holiday the four Y5/Y6 classrooms have been fitted with interactive whiteboards and projectors.
Although there are still workmen around adding the finishing touches, the main entrance is back in use.
22C Sunny
Staff gathered together for meetings and planning, and all brought in something to be shared for a buffet lunch. At 3.15pm the Governors treated all staff to tea and cakes.
There was then a Governors Meeting at 4pm.
20C Sunny