REPORT ON THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008-2009

This report was presented at the Annual Prize giving held at Batch Country Hotel, Lympsham on Thursday 9^th July 2009.  Neil Blundell Headteacher of Bristol Cathedral School presented the prizes.

Ashbrooke House is well known for delivering an excellent education tailored to the individual needs of your child.  Pupils are happy and encouraged to seek excellence in everything.  All of the children are valued in all that they do and in every aspect of their intellectual, sporting and spiritual lives.  As you listen to this report of the past academic year I hope you will feel this has been happening in the lives of your children at Ashbrooke House School.

Once again Ashbrooke has enjoyed excellent staff stability.  Everyone who visits the school comments on the friendly, family atmosphere.  There’s a real sense of purpose and a passion for learning, but pupils and staff enjoy one another’s company.

Ashbrooke House teachers are skilled, sympathetic and specialists in the field of primary and nursery education and more than that, understand how young children learn.  Over many successful years our school has developed a meticulously planned and proven educational programme that is delivered in a stimulating, caring and safe environment.  A steady ‘gearing’ upwards of standards is thus achieved, with children throughout the school producing excellent academic and extra-curricular results year on year in preparation for a successful and fulfilling future.

At Ashbrooke we still feel there is a value in testing and will continue to prepare children for the National SATS held in May, besides independent school entry exams.  This year our results were again very satisfying with several children gaining Level 5 in English, Mathematics & Science. The average 11 year old is expected to reach Level 4.  100% of Year 6 achieved this in English and Science.  This was echoed by the Year 2 results with many children attaining level 3 in reading, spelling and mathematics – well above the expected average of level 2 at the end of Key Stage 1.

The important point about testing is that it has to have a real purpose.  We have testing so that we can establish attainment at certain times of the year, however, the teachers know the pupils and assess informally as they go.

During the year the school supports various charities through own clothes days and cake stalls.  We often invite representatives of these charities to an assembly to talk about their work and to be presented with a cheque for the money raised.  We have been raising money for Guide Dogs for the Blind for many years at Ash Brooke and early in the Autumn term we had a visit from Keltie and her owner.

Personal, Social and Health Education will soon become a compulsory part of the curriculum in England from Key Stage 1.  One of our aims at Ash Brooke is to provide a healthy rounded education with ample opportunities for exercising the body as well as stimulating the mind.

All children engage in healthy lifestyle lessons.  We encourage balanced lunch boxes and Fruity Friday has now become a firm favourite.  Upper School enjoyed a talk from a local dentist on the importance of looking after our teeth and brushing regularly and properly.

Fund raising events this year kicked off by celebrating Children in Need Day and as usual we had plenty of exciting things for the children to be involved in.  It is amazing how many coins are needed to cover an outline of Pudsey bear.  Everything took on a “spotty” look – clothes, food and even faces!

On a typical cold and blustery day the Princess Royal came to view the remains of The Grand Pier.  We were invited with other local schools to line the entrance ready to cheer, and wave our Union Jacks as she arrived.  Needless to say we were not granted a royal audience just a brief smile as she strode past, but we did make the television news that evening!

The autumn term finished with the traditional Christmas productions.  The lower school put on a production of Christmas Rhyme with Santa saving the day by helping out various Nursery Rhyme characters.

Classes 3,4,5 and 6 followed the next day with two performances of “Hoodwinked” based on the story of Robin Hood.  As always the children rose to the occasion and on both days put on outstanding performances.

The grand finale of the autumn term is of course the Christmas party with lots of traditional games, dancing and of course the arrival of a very special visitor to add to the excitement.

During the year all the children plan and take part in class assemblies sharing with the rest of the school what they have been learning.

Year 6 presented an assembly based on their history topic of Britain since 1945 which included listening to the music of different decades and wearing clothes from that era.  A trip down memory lane for many of the staff.

Year 4 gave an assembly about Vikings – showing us their longship models which they had made at home as part of their half term homework.

Year 3 presented a short play called “The Plentiful Harvest” which teaches the children about caring for the less fortunate.

At the beginning of the Spring Term snow came to Weston for the first time in living memory for many of the children.  We didn’t experience it like the rest of the country but we had sufficient to build a few snowmen and have a snowball fight.

World Book Day has become a highlight in the school calendar which the children really look forward to.  As a school we value this event to raise the profile of reading. We planned a creative approach towards this years World Book Day activities and children were asked to either design a T shirt based on a favourite book character or  bring props to support their book.  Pupils also brought along second hand books to swap.

Getting an education is the key to a life free from poverty, but 35 million children inAfrica face challenges that stop them going to school.  All the money raised for Comic Relief can help to change that.  The theme for this year’s Red Nose Day was “Do something funny for money” – come to school in crazy clothes, wear clothes back to front, inside out, or sport a funny hairstyle.  Congratulations to Libby in Year 2 who managed to wear her full uniform completely back to front!

At the start of the school year a new PTA committee was elected and they have worked tirelessly throughout the year raising funds.  For several years we have been fundraising with the aim of renewing the adventure play area and I am pleased to announce the work will finally commence at the end of July, with a grand opening at the beginning of the Autumn Term when we hope the current Year 6 will come back and declare it officially open.  Many schools are realising the benefit of having innovative play areas and see their playground as a valuable asset.  Although prospective parents are primarily interested in the schools academic capabilities, a well designed play space can contribute immensely to first impressions.  Can I on behalf of the children (who I know are going to have great fun on it) thank all the parents who have contributed to this venture over several years both in time and money.

We have had some great PTA events this year – a sponsored silence, carols by candlelight, personalised Christmas cards and tea towels, a winter warmth supper, quiz sheets and an auction of promises.  I know all the children who successfully bid for special jobs around school thoroughly enjoyed their days.

One local charity we have supported this year is Secret World the animal rescue centre at Highbridge.  We held our own clothes day and many pupils (and one member of staff) came dressed as animals.  Secret World came to assembly on Monday of this week and brought several rescued animals with them for the children to see and handle.

A large number of children in classes 2-5 entered the Weston and Highbridge Junior Arts festival with a number of well deserved first places.  Our choirs and recorder group did exceptionally well winning all the classes they entered.  Children were also entered for examination in speech and drama, piano, singing and violin with excellent results.

Music and drama plays an important part in the curriculum at Ashbrooke House.  Children in upper school learn to play the recorder and are members of the choir and orchestra.  This time for the first year Class 6 have learnt to play the ukulele.  Many of the children have lessons in speech and drama, violin, piano, singing and brass.  Children perform to a very high standard in all of these as was demonstrated at our recent summer concert which many of you attended.

So far summer 2009 has proved to be true summer – weather wise that is.  All of the major events of the summer term – school trips, sports days, school fayre – even the Year 5/6 activity week have enjoyed hot sunny days.

The annual Year 5/6 residential week to Hill House is an event which is eagerly anticipated.  Even the children in my Year 1 class talk eagerly of the time when they will be able to go and experience the thrills of kayaking, rock climbing, caving, archery and a high ropes course.  Every year the children surprise themselves and the staff with what they achieve through determination and often great effort.  It teaches the children the importance of working together as a team and I can assure you – when you are stood 7 metres above the ground on a very small platform with three other children you learn very quickly to work together!

Lower school went to Bristol Zoo for their school trip.  Like us many of the animals were finding the heat a little too much for comfort and had hidden themselves away amongst the shrubbery in their enclosures. The zoo has recently opened a wet play area and this was definitely a great attraction on a very hot day!

The PTA rounded off their fundraising by staging a Wild West fayre.  Once again the sun shone – you all came – and by the end of the afternoon we had raised £1600.

A successful sports day for classes 1 – 6 was held at Drove Road and once again it was dry and warm.  Adam Elkins won the Victor Ludorum Cup and The Victrix Ludorum was won by Elizabeth Marshall.  The Nursery and Reception class held their sports morning on the back lawn and had the honour of having an Ofsted inspector as one of their spectators.  Luke Davey won the Reception sports award.

Yes, just as things were beginning to ease up after a hectic summer term and on the two hottest days of the year so far, Ofsted decided to pay us a visit, as part of their three year cycle of inspecting schools.  Their final report will not be with us until the start of the autumn term but as before they were very complimentary about our children – both for their behaviour and work.  These are always very stressful visits and I would like to thank both my staff and the children for their sterling efforts in promoting Ashbrooke as a happy hardworking school.

At Ashbrooke House we have a strong tradition of good manners, politeness and high academic standards – qualities which we firmly intend to hold on to.  The very broad and balanced curriculum that we offer is one of our strengths.  I wish to thank all the staff for their dedication and sincere efforts in fostering the welfare and education of your children.  We look forward to another year of continued development.

We hope all our leavers will remember happy times at Ashbrooke and recognise that they are now better prepared to face the next stage of their educational journey.  This year two of our Year 6 children are moving on to Bristol Cathedral School, one to Redland High, two to Sidcot, one to Colston Girls, six to Churchill, one to Worle, one to Broadoak and one to Backwell.