Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you are well and have had a good week. 

This week at De Havilland, the air was filled with extra excitement as we officially opened our full school grounds for the launch of OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning). For the first time, children from Year 1 through Year 6 had the opportunity to explore our entire site together during lunchtimes, creating a wonderful sense of freedom and community. Whilst we have navigated a few minor learning curves - most notably some unexpected radio interference with a local taxi firm and another school - the overall success has been fantastic! It was particularly heartwarming to see the younger children’s sense of awe as they stepped onto the Key Stage 2 playground for the very first time, embracing the new spaces with open arms and big smiles. To quote one member of staff this lunchtime, 'It's been so wonderful just seeing the children really playing!'

Elsewhere this week, I was thrilled to receive a visit from some children in Year 2 who came to show me some outstanding artwork! I was genuinely stunned by the quality on show and a huge shout out to Rory and Zayn in Chestnut class for the quality of their work. I also must give a shout out to Stephanie in Year Six, who broke up my stacking of chairs and cleaning of tables this lunchtime to share her stunning diary entry based on the short film 'The Piano', a beautiful moving animation created by Aidan Gibbons. If you have never seen it, I would strongly recommend giving it a watch!

Yesterday marked St. George's Day and classes across the school learnt about the patron saint of England. Whenever St George's Day comes around, I like to focus not just on the bravery of the story, but on the values it represents for us today. In a climate where media headlines can often feel divisive, it is easy to lose sight of the British Values that truly define us, none more so than tolerance. At De Havilland, we stand firmly for the opposite of exclusion; we pride ourselves on being a diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community. Just as St. George’s story has been shared across many different cultures and countries throughout history, I feel it is important to take this opportunity to celebrate the many backgrounds that make our school so unique.

Enjoy your weekend, whatever you have planned.

Mr Bostock

Headteacher