Learning and Lanterns

Date: 29th Nov 2014 @ 10:16pm

I began this week in Bolton attending an Uplifting Leadership conference, enjoying learning alongside Headteacher colleagues from Liverpool and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

We received some lovely feedback about the excellent quality of our Early Years Foundation Stage, from the two Early Years Consultants (EYC) who carried out the Early Childhood Education Rating Scale (ECERS). The EYCs spent the day with us and rated a whole host of areas linked to the learning environment. Our setting received top marks in 20 out of 32 categories and high marks overall and they said that this was very unusual. Last year we sored 5.8 out of 7 and this year our overall score was 6.2 – so we were delighted! They particularly commented on the excellent staff team and the lovely way they had of relating to the children, the good level of supervision, the high quality of the talk between staff and pupils to support learning and thinking and how happy the children were.

This wonderful outcome is a real tribute to our Early Years teaching team and a big well done goes to Mrs Williams, Mrs Wilcockson, Mrs Chapleo, Mrs Draper, Mrs Lucock Mrs Lee and Mrs Cooper along with Mrs Coates our Early Years Leader. I am very proud of all of you and delighted that our youngest children get off to a flying start.

I completed the week at the Winsford Christmas Lights switch on. Our Year 4 pupils led the lantern parade and our school choir performed to Christmas shoppers at B&M. Well done to all our pupils who represented Willow Wood Community Primary School so well.