Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. 

Although I was not at De Havilland yesterday, I have been hearing all about the incredible buzz of World Book Day around the school! It is always an enjoyable day for both staff and children alike. A huge thank you goes out to all our parents and carers for the effort put into the wonderful costumes. This year, part of marking the day involved children learning a poem in class. Whilst poetry is not always perceived as the most exciting part of a school curriculum, it is a vital tool in developing a child’s imagination. Poetry exposes children to rich and descriptive language they might not encounter in everyday conversation. By exploring the rhythm and musicality of a poem, children naturally develop their reading fluency and gain the confidence to find their own unique voice.

As we move into the spring and slightly warmer temperatures, we have noticed that our playground is becoming a bit of a department store for coats, jumpers and cardigans! After break times and lunch, our staff are finding a growing mountain of unnamed clothing left outside, despite regular reminders being given to the children. Whilst we want the children to enjoy their play and stay active, it is very difficult for us to reunite lost items with their rightful owners when there are no names inside. Please take a moment this weekend to ensure your child’s full name is clearly written in their different clothing items, especially coats and jumpers. A quick check with a permanent marker is often all it takes to make sure the name stays visible after a few washes. It really does save all of us time! 

Today you should have received details regarding our upcoming parent consultation evenings. These meetings are a wonderful opportunity for a discussion about your child’s journey so far this year. During the appointment, important updates on their attendance and clear projections for their end-of-year attainment in reading, writing, and maths will be shared. Most importantly, your child's teacher will discuss practical ways we can work together to support your child's learning at home. We are always so grateful for the incredible turnout at these events, which shows the strength of our school community. We look forward to seeing everyone across the two evenings and celebrating the hard work of the children.

Rounding off a busy week at De Havilland on a bittersweet high. My football team is Wembley-bound! It’s a remarkable achievement for us, mostly because we are objectively terrible and the competition is decidedly 'unprestigious'. It’s hard to celebrate, but we’ll take the win, something I imagine any Spurs supporters in our community would be grateful for right now.

Have a good weekend and I look forward to seeing all of the children next week. 

Mr Bostock

Headteacher