Start of the new school year!

Welcome back to the new school year. The children have settled in well to their new classes and are enjoying getting to know their new teachers. They all look so smart in their uniforms too!

I have really enjoyed walking around the school and observing the children already engaging in their learning. This year the whole school will be focusing on developing language across all areas of the curriculum. All our staff will be ensuring that our pupils are  engaging in conversations and discussions and the pupils will be encouraged to extend their vocabulary. It is even happening out on the playground at lunchtime. During one game involving bubbles this week, Trish (one of our lunchtime supervisors) was encouraging the children to come up with a range of words to describe the bubbles. She introduced them to the word ‘cluster’. It just shows that at Guildford Grove, we use every opportunity possible to encourage our children to learn. 

What I love about the new school year is that children have an opportunity to start afresh. I have been so impressed with how many children are keen to improve how often they read at home and how keen they are to try their best in their learning. The photos below show you two great examples of this!

Mrs Robson was delighted with Finley who had shown huge improvements in his speedy maths. He had managed to achieve an amazing 50 out of 50!

Sofia was sent to show me her reading record. She had managed to read at home every day and sometimes even twice a day. Well done Sofia!

I would encourage parents to regularly share books and stories with their children at home. This will really help them expand their vocabulary. Ask your children regularly if they know what some of the words mean and if they don’t know, help them to understand by looking it up in a dictionary. Check the next day if they have remembered the word and what it means!

Many thanks,

Rona Mackie

Headteacher