Welcome back! We hope you all had a restful Easter break and found moments to spend time with those you love, doing what brings you joy.

As we stepped into Summer 1 Term, there was a wonderful sense of renewal across the school. This is always a unique time of year, a blend of focused preparation for the final learning opportunities of the academic year, mixed with the excitement of warmer, longer days spent learning outdoors. Our goal for the coming weeks is to balance that academic rigor with the sense of community that makes our school so special. Let’s make this final stretch of the year our best one yet!

At the start of each half term, we introduce a new focused value to our children. Before launching this term’s theme, I asked the children to reflect on which values they demonstrated during the Easter break. It was truly wonderful to hear examples of how kind, responsible and respectful our children are beyond the school gates. We explored why living our values in the wider world is so vital, reminding ourselves that these aren't just "school rules," but principles for life.

To spark their creativity, I asked the children: "If we were to add a seventh value to our current six, what should it be?" The responses were nothing short of inspiring. Isabel suggested Self-love, noting that if we are to treat others as we wish to be treated, we must first love and care for ourselves. William proposed Keeping Promises, emphasizing that reliability is the foundation of trust. And Iman sparked a deep discussion by asking, "Is happiness a value?" Together, we explored how happiness is an emotion, but being positive is a value we can actively choose. These were just some of the wonderful contributions. We concluded by linking these new ideas to our existing values, recognising that self-love is simply kindness directed inward and keeping promises is a core part of being responsible. It is a privilege to lead such thoughtful, reflective young citizens.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our brand-new school library officially opened its doors this week! Following the arrival of several wonderful deliveries from 'Libraries for Primaries,' our shelves are now bursting with high-quality stories and non-fiction treasures. Miss Lambert had the pleasure of introducing the whole school to the space and the buzz of excitement from the children was truly palpable. The library has already become a massive hit during lunchtimes; it is a joy to see so many of our children getting cozy on the beanbags and "opening new worlds" at their fingertips. Furthermore, our newly assigned Pupil Librarians have hit the ground running, demonstrating fantastic leadership and pride as they begin their roles. We look forward to seeing our students’ love for reading continue to grow in this inspiring new environment!

Yesterday was National Offer Day, the date when families of Nursery-aged children find out their primary school allocations. It is an exciting time as we prepare to welcome a new cohort of Reception children and greet the fresh faces joining our community for the first time.

We are also mindful that this transition looks different for everyone. While many of our Nursery children will be staying with us, others will be preparing to begin their Reception journey at other local schools. Please remember that being part of our community isn't just about which classroom a child sits in, once you are part of the Rockliffe Manor family, you are always part of the family. We are committed to supporting every one of our children through a confident and happy transition to their next chapter, wherever that may be.

To make way for our incoming cohort, our current Reception children have already begun their own exciting transition activities. It has been a joy to see them joining the rest of the school for our Celebration Assembly and they are incredibly eager to join us for our Singing Assemblies starting next week!

They are also beginning to grow their independence in the playground; while they already enjoy the KS1 playground during lunchtime, they will soon be exploring it during their morning playtimes as well. These small but significant steps help our youngest learners feel confident and ready for the adventures that lie ahead in Key Stage 1.

Lastly, Your Voice Matters! You told us you wanted more flexibility in our wrap-around care, and we listened. Following those successful changes, we are now looking to gain your voice to understand whether the need is there for us to expand our Nursery provision to include 30 hours of free childcare for eligible working families.

We emailed a survey yesterday to help us determine if this expansion is feasible. Please check your eligibility on GOV.UK and complete our brief Google Form here: https://forms.gle/J5WLegSAyNpNi7Go7 . Your feedback is vital in helping us shape the future of our school’s provision. We thank you for your continued support and openness. 

And, just like that the first week has flown past wishing you all a wonderful weekend and we look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday. 

With very best wishes, Mrs Cook and the Rockliffe Manor team