Nine times three and climb a tree!
LET’S go fly a kite, up to the highest height … perhaps some families did this in the holidays, inspired by the revival of Mary Poppins.
‘With tuppence for paper and string, you can have your own set of wings’ certainly strikes a chord with us at The Meadows Primary, where our school vision is for children to spread their wings and fly, with the belief that anything is possible.
Kite-flying is also one of the experiences suggested by the Education Secretary Damian Hinds as part of the Activity Passport he is sending to all primary schools in England this month. Inspired by a visit to St Werburgh’s Primary in Bristol, Mr Hinds’s scheme aims to increase enrichment for all children by encouraging them to do things such as climb a tree, visit a landmark or plan and cook a meal.
He recognises that what parents want most is for their children to be happy and healthy and says that teachers stress the importance of pupils getting a taste of the world around them and getting the chance to sample things they might not otherwise do.
Again, this chimes with us at the Meadows, where our aim is to offer fun and positive experiences that create lasting memories. We believe, as does the Education Secretary, that schools can provide a safe environment that develops resilience and encourages children to take risks, while learning from their mistakes.
Inevitably, the announcement – made, perhaps ironically, in the Christmas break – caused some controversy among teachers, some of whom think the current emphasis on the three Rs in the primary curriculum and the frequent testing of children has left little time for subjects such as the arts and sport, let alone more nurturing and broad-based activities.
However, the best schools manage to do both. It is possible to get good test outcomes without sacrificing the wider curriculum. We should know; our SATs results soared in 2018, while we continued to ensure that children remain at the heart of everything we do. We work with our parents and children to ensure we meet the needs of our whole school community.
Recently, I have had the pleasure of showing prospective parents around The Meadows, which is in a lovely setting between Bristol and Bath. Some of them have arrived with concerns about the Ofsted judgement on our school two years ago, but they soon see that this has little relevance to the education of their child, which will not even start formally for another seven months.
Some of these families are already part of our school community and we will help them to prepare their little ones for an exciting life of learning and discovery.
So on the day of the primary school admissions deadline, it’s time to send that application ‘soaring up through the atmosphere’ to let your child fly. Keep your feet on the ground and your fist holding tight to the string of your kite!