CLT's 2025 Christmas Card Design Competition

Huge congratulations to Alice in Year 5 who won the Chiltern Learning Trust Christmas Card competition - her design will feature on the  Trust's card this year.

Learning Superheroes - Resilient Roo Autumn 2

EYFS

Freddy

When Freddy first started in Nursery he was one of the quieter members of the class.  When he talked with the adults, we were so impressed with all the wonderful things he shared with us. However, when playing and during carpet sessions, he was reluctant to talk. It has been a joy to see him make friends and grow in confidence within the setting.  He can be heard chatting away as he plays collaboratively with the children. He now also joins in with carpet sessions, putting up his hand to answer questions and make suggestions.  Freddy you are a superstar, we are so proud of you! 

Eleni

During this half term we have been so impressed with Eleni’s willingness to be more vocal.  Responding to her name during registration was something she found daunting.  Now it is wonderful to hear her answer every time.  We have also enjoyed hearing her talking happily with friends in her play.  Eleni has developed a great attitude towards her health and self care skills. We are so proud of the progress you have made and how independent you are becoming! 

Toby

Toby has had a wonderful first term at Lark Rise. He started school not knowing anyone and has built up his friendship groups beautifully. Toby found it a little tricky to open up and talk in the setting, just nodding his head and maybe saying a few words but not telling anyone his needs and wants. This half term his confidence has grown so much that Toby uses his growing phonics knowledge to blend words, he will confidently come up to an adult, tell them information and happily acts out things we do in school. It has been absolutely wonderful to see and we are so proud of you. Well done Toby!

Leeha

Leeha has made a wonderful start to her learning journey at Lark Rise. From the moment she entered the classroom, Leeha made some wonderful friends and used her imagination to play some lovely role play games together. Leeha has been working hard to develop her fine motor skills to make marks on paper and write her name. Leeha is learning to recognise different sounds and is so proud when she recognises them in words, as we are proud of her! We are proud of the progress you have made. Keep working hard and well done for a fabulous start to Reception Leeha!

Samyar

From the moment Sam started in Robins class, he has always had the loveliest of smiles on his face - even when deep down things are worrying him. He has shown a resilient side when trying new things such as getting changed for PE and practising and performing our Christmas nativity play; but he made so much progress, in the fact that he is now confidently dressing himself and shining on stage! When something is tricky, Sam will now ask for help from a familiar adult and is always so polite in his asking. We are really proud of how far you have come already Sam, you are kind, polite and a lovely friend to others.

Kian

This half term, Kian has tried incredibly hard with his pencil control and handwriting skills. Each time Kian needs some help with correcting his pencil grip, he will say ‘oh silly me’ and immediately have a go at fixing his mistake and having another go. He never lets a small mistake get him down. With this, Kian always shows a love for learning and is keen to join in class discussions, which enables him to fully participate in lessons. The adults in Early Years feel like once we get Kian’s pencil grip and handwriting skills cracked, there’ll be no stopping him with his writing. Keep up the great practicing Kian!

KS1

Caleb

Caleb, what an amazing Autumn term you’ve had! This is one of the quickest turnarounds of resilience I may have seen at school before. Thinking back to how you were at the beginning of the year when you worried about things you couldn’t do and now seeing you try everything and thriving because of it. You’re letting go of the fear that can stop us all pursuing the things that we love; fantastic! I know you were nervous about saying your lines for the play but I watched you put yourself out there and grow in confidence to the point that you absolutely loved doing it and we just love seeing this new found resilience. Well done to you Caleb; keep it up!

Wyatt

Wyatt, I have been really impressed at how you approach your learning in school because it doesn’t matter what subject it is that we’re learning, you drive yourself to get stuck in and have a go. I have seen many instances of you trying with everything you’ve got even if it’s tricky and never really known you to give up. How amazing is that! You’re a brilliant example of a real Resilient Roo. Keep it up Wyatt and I’m sure you’ll go far! 

Hanna

Hanna is a true champion for resilience! She faces every challenge with a smile and a determination that is truly admirable. Above all else Hanna strives to be the best version of herself that she can be. She takes everything in her stride and always wants to challenge herself with her learning, often trying things outside of her comfort zone in order to experience new things. She has been a shining light in the nativity production and took every suggestion for her performance seriously, enabling her to not only learn all her lines flawlessly but to also deliver them in such a dramatically beautiful way. Hanna, the light you have inside of you shines so brightly and you embody resilience, you adapt so well to situations you find yourself in and make sure to always withstand anything that comes your way! We are so proud of you - you are a super star! 

Jayden

This last half term Jayden has truly shown how fantastic and important resilience can be. He has learned that being resilient means viewing the challenges we face as opportunities to grow. He has begun to develop the ability to bounce back from any perceived setbacks he faces with a smile and the ability to look at the positives within a situation. He is able to feel his feelings but also appreciate the impact that being kind and supporting others can have on his friends. He has learned not to allow some of his bigger emotions to completely overwhelm him and shows a determination to always try his very best. Jayden, you are such a wonderfully kind, courageous and thoughtful young man and it is a pleasure to be around your infectious enthusiasm and warmth! Well done you! 

Marcus

What a fantastic term you have had! I have been so impressed by the resilience you have shown in your learning. You have really improved your focus, and it is wonderful to see you diving into your work with such a positive attitude. I have especially loved watching your confidence grow; instead of waiting for help, you are now brave enough to ‘have a go’ and try things on your own first. This new independence is making your work shine. Keep believing in yourself! 

River

River has shown a wonderful understanding of resilience this half term. She has realised that finding things difficult is actually a normal part of learning, and she no longer lets frustration stop her in her tracks. She is learning to navigate her emotions beautifully; she accepts her feelings without letting them take over. It is lovely to see that even when she is working through her own struggles, she still has the capacity to look out for her friends and offer them a helping hand. River, you are becoming such a grounded, compassionate, and determined learner. We are so lucky to have you in our class! 

LKS2

James

James, what a lovely term you have had. At the beginning of the term, James found it a little tricky coming into school, fast forward to December and James is now completely settled in school. It has been so lovely to see James participate in all of his learning and it has been even better hearing him talk about how excited he is for his learning! Well done James, you have done very well this term and I look forward to seeing you learn even more next term. 

Ollie

Ollie found dressing up for Tudor Day a little tricky and admitted he felt worried about wearing his costume. However, Ollie chose to be brave! Instead of letting his worry stop him, he put on his clothes and took part in all the fun games and learning. Ollie showed us that resilience is about facing a challenge head-on and never letting a small fear stop you from succeeding. Well done, Ollie, on your incredible bravery! 

Haytham

Haytham, you have shown that you are a true Resilient Roo, hopping over every tricky math problem that tries to block your path. It takes real courage and determination to keep pushing through when learning new things, and your effort in continually striving for the best outcomes in your math learning is truly inspiring. Every time that you keep going and never give up, you are showing what a maths superstar you are! We don’t just see your resilience in maths but in many other areas of learning where you are always striving for the best outcome in your work. Keep that amazing attitude of persistence, because with that kind of hard work, there's no limit to how much you can achieve. Well done - we are so proud of you! 

Dollie

Dollie, when you joined LKS2 it was clear to all the adults that you were excited at the prospect of something new and different. You were eager to embrace the opportunity to be more independent. So, from the very start of the year you have shown admirable resilience. You have the heart of a champion learner; always show up giving your very best effort in your reading and writing. Even when things feel challenging, you never stop trying hard and that persistence is the secret ingredient to success! In other lessons, like science, history and geography you have shown yourself to be an inquisitive learner where you are asking many questions which shows that you are truly determined to better your understanding. Keep putting in that great effort of never giving up, keep asking those insightful questions leaving no stone unturned and watch how quickly you grow! Well done, Dollie - we are all so very proud of you! 

Zachary

This half term, Zachary has shown a renewed passion and determination to put in his very best effort with handwriting and presentation. He is keen to do a fantastic job in all of his learning but it has really shown lately how he wants to take pride in how his work looks too. It has been lovely to see Zachary take so much joy from this aspect of his learning and create work that he can look back on in future. He asks questions of his teacher to make sure he is presenting the work in the required way and, when editing and wanting to add more, he always asks the best way to do it so the work is still clear. Well done Zachary - you should be proud of the high standards you have held yourself to. 

Myra

Never shy in her learning, Myra always takes a chance to ‘give it a go’. She is always keen to have a go and push herself in her lessons, even with the trickiest new learning, and is never deflated if she isn’t right first time. Sure enough, her hand will be up again wanting to try once more until she finally secures the answer. Myra is never satisfied but always striving for more. Well done Myra! 

UKS2

Cataleya

It is an absolute pleasure to have Cataleya as a member of Hawks; she has settled in so quickly and is now fully embracing every aspect of school life.  It is not easy joining a class part way through the school year but Cataleya has shown such strength and resilience and I am so proud of her for this.  Very well done Cataleya and I know that you are going to go on to have a very successful time during your time with us at Lark Rise Academy. 

Edward

It’s been all sparkle and shine in Falcons with our class assembly and then a performance at the DCC. While some children really love this stardom for others, it can take them right out of their comfort zone. Edward, I am so proud of you for giving both of these activities a go and showing resilience to overcome nerves. 

Oliver G

Some may call you Oliver G but in Falcons maths, you are forever known as Angle King and Ratio King. You completely deserve these accolades and should feel so very proud of yourself for how far you have come. Your positive and can-do attitude has made you become the successful mathematician that you are today. Resilience and determination in bundles - well done Oliver! 

Freddie

I really love the enthusiasm and effort that Freddie puts into all of his learning.  He is so creative and always comes up with fantastic ways to present his work.  I have been so proud of how hard Freddie has been working on his handwriting.  He has shown such resilience as he works towards producing well formed and correctly positioned letters and he is now seeing the benefit of all his hard work. Very well done Freddie; I think that you are a superstar! 

Callan

Callan - you are a fantastic addition to Eagles Class. I know that coming into school can sometimes seem a little daunting to you but you have overcome this, put a smile on your face and always given of your best when you are in class. I love the way you show your enthusiasm and interest in different topics in base class, always happy to put your hand up and share your thoughts with the rest of the class. Well done for a great start to your time in Upper Key Stage Two . . . and keep up your eagerness in all your learning! 

Precious

Precious - you are such a delight to have in the class. Your warm attitude, caring ways and happy smile are renowned throughout the key stage. Where would we be without a quick hug from you when you are just checking in on us. I am really proud of the way you are working and trying your best in so many ways. I know you like to show us what you are doing to check you are doing the right thing - I would just encourage you to be confident in what you are doing as you are making some lovely progress and should be proud of yourself. 

Writing to be proud of  (Year 1)