School News

Welcome back for tomorrow after what I hope has been a fantastic summer for everyone! Hope everyone is up for another busy, but fun year, and that the children are ready and looking forward to returning to school. Thank you for the many kind gifts and words at the end of last term. It took all day to read them and a few weeks to digest a few! Too kind and too generous –but a heartfelt thank you!

I would like to officially welcome to the team Dr Crowther, Mrs Ttaris and Mr Simmons – all of whom are amazing additions to our fantastic team! We hope that they will be very happy at Cobham.

No baby news as yet from Mrs D or Miss S – but we will keep you posted!

Our aims this year are aspirational as always. Our children love all areas of their learning and we will be working incredibly hard to improve the provision and teaching in many of our foundation subjects, such as Art, DT, Geography, French etc!

People have talked much of ‘getting back to normal’ in recent weeks and we will be doing all we can to do this for the sake of the children. But some aspects of our ‘Covid Life!’ seemed to work better for everyone, especially the children. So some things may stay the same for this term.

Certainly drop off in the morning has worked well at the different gates, it has eased congestion and seems to be less busy all in one space! School will finish at 3.15pm so please be ready to receive your child at this time! The gates will be opened at 3.15pm promptly. Our one way systems will stay in place for at least the first term and we will see how it goes! Year 1 and 2 will still enter and exit via the infant playground which can be accessed by the gate at the back of the school hall! All the juniors will still be able to enter via the double gate at the front of the school and when the time comes, our youngest class will enter through the small gate at the front of the school (which will have a balloon attached!) Our picnic for the reception families was lovely and we cannot wait to have the children with us formerly!

We do not have to operate in ‘bubbles’ but we are being slightly cautious at the start of the year for many reasons! Year R, 1 and 2 will be treated as a mini bubble, then Years 3 and 4 together and then Years 5 and 6 together. This is more to do with allowing the children more space at play and lunchtimes, as well as staggering lunchtime provision generally. There were some benefits to how school operated last year and we certainly had less accidents and less fallings out, whilst children had more space and freedom to play!

Our prayers and thoughts

This Friday 3^rd September will be a non uniform day for the cost of a £1 and every Friday in September will also be a non – uniform day. An amazing and truly lovely local lady, known to many families, team members and governors needs our support. Many of you will know or have heard of Nicola Biddiscombe. Her diagnosis and its effect upon her and her family can be read at this link below.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nicolabiddiscombesmbcbattle?utm_id=2&utm_term=rBQ3E8P8Q

As a school, we cannot always support every request that is asked of us, but we do where we can. No one can read the details of the situation that Nicola finds herself in and not wish to help. A quote comes to mind, as always with me. 

“I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Edward Everett

If your child wishes to wear non uniform each Friday in September for just £1 or £4, or whatever you are able to donate, then please let them.

As we look forward to a new school year, which often feels like a fresh start for us all, Nicola’s situation is a stark reminder to us all of how precious and fragile life can be. 

Massive hugs and much love to all our families, who we very much look forward to welcoming back to school tomorrow.

Kindest regards,

Jacqui