What an amazing term we are having in Primary after a long summer holiday. We are excited to be back at school to see our friends, old and new, and begin academic year 2017 – 18. It is wonderful to have the children in school and there is a real ‘buzz’ of activity around the Primary Atrium.

Students are loving the new shade over the playground as well as all of the new activities, games and role-play toys that have been added to the indoor play area. It all adds to their experience of learning through play.

In classes students have begun their themes for the term, from Ancient Greece, to Crime and Punishment, to Dinosaurs! Each year group chooses a theme to build the learning around. This thematic approach to learning provides the hook to excite and engage students in their learning, and allows all of the key learning skills to be wrapped around the theme, to encourage a deeper level of understanding and exploration of a particular topic. There are indeed some subjects that won’t necessarily fit the themed approach, for example mathematics. Where the subject doesn’t fit the theme, we learn and teach the subject independently to the theme.

This year we have many wonderful challenges and opportunities for our students over and above their curriculum learning. Just this term we have residentials for Year 4, 5 and 6 who will be venturing off for 2 or 3 nights away from their parents for a challenge filled trip to promote learning, independence, teamwork and social skills. We also have the Christmas concert and Christmas Fayre, the choir singing at the Italian Embassy, Bromsgrove’s Got Talent (BGT), the TISAC dance competition being hosted at Bromsgrove, sports fixtures throughout the term, the Bromsgrove Fun Run and a range of other extended learning opportunities to inspire, stretch, challenge and excite our children in Primary. We can’t wait!

It is lovely to get to know all the children in Primary as the term continues, and a privilege to join them during such important learning years in their life. I have no doubt that the year ahead will be filled with fun, hard-work, challenge and inspired learning.

 

Christine Armstrong

Primary Principal