The school is now fully opened. Our attendance is high and spirits equally as positive. All the staff remain vigilant and take great care to follow our comprehensive Risk Assessments. The school looks different but the family and encouraging atmosphere remains as strong as ever. I am very grateful for the dedication shown at this time, as well as the continuing support from governors, parents, carers and the local community. We can’t believe how well the children have settled back in to school.

The governors, working with the Diocese and Local Authority staff, successfully appointed Miss Stephany Hunter as the new Head Teacher. An experience teacher, Stephany is a Deputy Head at a school in Lowestoft. We have already been in communication and she is excited to be joining the team after Christmas. I am retiring in December but know that the school is in excellent hands and poised for the next phase in its’ 160+ year old life.

The school is awaiting delivery and installation of the new cycle units, which have partly been paid for by the Friends PTA, Barningham Parish and County Council, for which I am very grateful. Since lockdown more children are coming to school by bike, which we want to encourage because we know that being outside increases our health and well-being as well as reducing the contact with the virus.

Following the hedgerow planting around our new wooden gazebo, we are also putting in a bid to develop an orchard area. Everybody in the school is focused on raising our green footprint and looking for ways to engage everybody in planting. Gardeners are wanted to help the children plant up and maintain their raised beds – postcovid, of course!

Frances Parr
Head Teacher