School Council Careers Visit to Cockerham 

The School Council recently visited Cockerham alongside Governor Dean as part of a careers and employment-focused activity. Four pupils represented the school extremely well, working alongside Jo and Karen throughout the visit. The experience gave pupils valuable insight into different career pathways and the skills needed in the world of work. 

All involved were a credit to the school, demonstrating maturity, curiosity and confidence in their discussions. A huge well done to the pupils for their positive representation of our school community. 

Interviews 

We are delighted to share the outcomes of recent interviews, which saw Charlotte successfully appointed to a teaching role. In addition, Mike has accepted a short-term PPA cover Teaching role, providing valuable additional support across classes. 

These appointments will help increase capacity and ensure even greater focus on high-quality teaching and learning. This extra resource will allow staff to continue developing engaging and effective classroom practice. 

Curriculum Governors Meeting Highlights 

The Curriculum Governors meeting was a highly positive and encouraging session, with governors expressing genuine excitement while reviewing the progress of curriculum development across the school. They were impressed with the work staff have undertaken and how far the curriculum has developed. 

Governors would like to extend their thanks to all staff involved and are looking forward to continuing to build on this success. There is a strong shared ambition to further raise teaching and learning to an exemplary standard next year. 

Transition Evening Success 

Transition Evening was a brilliant opportunity to welcome families and share details about the journey ahead for their children next year. The evening provided reassurance, information and a chance to strengthen the home-school partnership. 

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making the event such a success. Your support plays a vital role in ensuring smooth and positive transitions for all pupils. 

Careers Programme and Gatsby Benchmarks 

Jane, our careers advisor, has shared her thanks for the way the school has embraced the changes to the Gatsby Benchmarks this year. She has particularly appreciated the welcoming and supportive environment she experiences when working with staff and pupils. 

This positive collaboration has strengthened our careers provision and ensured pupils are receiving high-quality guidance and opportunities. It is excellent to see this area continuing to develop so effectively. 

Attendance Update 

We are pleased to report that attendance has risen to 89.5% from last week, reflecting strong support from parents and carers. This is a positive improvement and greatly appreciated by the school. 

Regular attendance is essential for pupils’ wellbeing, progress and achievement. We are grateful for your continued support in ensuring children are in school on time and ready to learn. 

Communication and Inclusion Through ACC Devices 

It has been wonderful to hear about two pupils independently using their AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices to interact with each other. This is a fantastic example of communication, independence and inclusion in action. 

These moments highlight the importance of accessible communication tools in supporting relationships and learning. We are incredibly proud to see pupils confidently using these resources in meaningful ways. 

Staff Shout-Outs 

This week’s staff shout-outs go to Helen for her consistently solution-focused approach and to Jade for her ongoing support of colleagues across school. Arlene is also recognised for running the gate independently, ensuring smooth daily operations. 

Laura is celebrated for her reflective questioning, which continues to strengthen her professional practice and impact. Each of these contributions makes a real difference to our school community. 

Evidence for Learning (EfL) 

This week we recorded well over 300 EfL (Engagement for Learning) contributions, with input coming from both home and school. This demonstrates a fantastic level of engagement and shared commitment to pupil success. 

Every contribution plays a part in shaping positive outcomes for learners and we are incredibly grateful for this continued effort. Please keep this momentum going—it truly makes a difference! 

Sign of the week: Art Festival 

Symbol of the Week: Art Festival 

Coming next week:   

We’re expecting some warm weather this week, so please remember to send your child in with a hat and sun cream. 

There’s plenty to look forward to as well — Daisies will be enjoying a Stay and Play session with parents and on Saturday we have both the Art Festival and the Music Festival at More Music.