Wednesday 20th July - Goodbye!
It’s goodbye from me….
Officially, I am headteacher until the 31st August, however today marks my last day with the children in school, and so I thought it was a great time to wax lyrical about my time at Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School.
It has certainly been an eventful 5 years, and as a community we have been through a lot together.
When you are headteacher at Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, you become an integral part of the community. I have laughed and cried with many of you. We have mourned together and we have celebrated new births together. I have worked with many of you through the best of times and the worst of times. I have visited your homes, had cups of tea with you in my office, offered sympathy and support when necessary. Although not everyone has agreed with all my decisions, I hope it has been clear that all my decisions have been for the benefit of the children in school, and their education.
The Winshill Village Community is resilient, determined and loyal. Throughout the pandemic the whole community rallied together to support one another. I am very proud of what the school achieved during the lockdowns, and I think our Covid response was an example to others. Over the last five years, I have received many messages of support and encouragement from you all, highlighting the importance of all of us working together for the benefit of the children.
One of my proudest achievements, is establishing a staff that are amazing. They are professional, hard-working, resilient, adaptable and some of the best people I have ever worked with. The teachers, teaching assistants, office staff and everyone else, go above and beyond to support your children. To give them the best education possible, to give them more opportunities for the future and to raise aspirations. Your children are very lucky to have such a supportive staff, who everyday, are positive and optimistic about the future. You will struggle to find another school with such an excellent team of staff. I am very proud of the team and everything we have achieved together over the last five years - they have made me look good!
Your children are fabulous. Hard-working, determined and caring. I love the fact that we have developed an ethos in school, where being kind and respectful is considered just as important as doing well in a test. I love the fact that everyone knows everyone, and the children support each other, without having to be asked. I love the fact that the children are positive and proud about their school. I love the fact that they appreciate the support they are given; both academically and pastorally. I love the fact that they show kindness and respect every single day. I love the fact that despite challenges, they persevere and produce excellent results and that they enjoy celebrating each other’s successes.
The school was in a very different place 5 years ago, when I arrived in September 2017. A lot of time and effort has gone into turning Winshill Village School into the fabulous school it is now; it is more than just an OFSTED grading (although that is a positive result!); it is about the excellent teaching and learning that happens everyday at Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School. For those of you, who have been here since the start of our improvement journey; thank you for your patience, thank you for your support, thank you for your positivity and I hope you are as equally proud of the school as I am.
So, after … a flood, a stolen roof, two OFSTED inspections, three lockdowns, a global pandemic, academisation, staff coming and going, monitoring visits, awards, sports days, presentations, assemblies, family lunches, parent reading sessions, workshops, staff meetings, snow days, storms, a heatwave etc etc etc… it is time to say thank you and goodbye.
Thanks for having me Winshill Village.. it has been an honour to be your headteacher.
And I now leave you in the capable hands of Mrs Claxton (albeit temporarily).
Happy Summer Holidays everyone.
Stars of the Year
Reception: Mason & Renay
Year 1: Sasha & Imogen
Year 2: Mila & Jake
Year 3: Liam & Theo
Year 4: Dotty & Lilly
Year 5: Charlie & Chloe
Year 6: Jacob & Alaina
Headteacher’s Awards: Matilda & Travis
September
The children return to school on Wednesday 7th September.
The office will be open from Monday 5th September.
New Reception children will either be in the morning OR the afternoon on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th September.
New Reception children will be in full time from Friday 9th September.
So, for the last time from me ..
Stay well, stay safe. And let’s all stay kind.
Miss Goodson
The Drifter's Melody
Megan R. Bokowski
The time soon comes for parting,
And our time is at an end.
The rest of your life is starting,
And we have no time at all to spend.
You knew one day you'd have to go,
But thought you'd have more time.
We can't reverse time's one-way flow,
But at least you'll have this rhyme.
You had your shining moments,
Upon this life's darkened stage,
And in my book of wonderments
You'll never be just another page.
Like the exploding of a star,
You've changed me in and out.
Your light will travel with me far,
Past when all other lights go out.
