It has been a really great first week of term! The children look shiny and bright in their new uniforms and shoes, and I have seen lots and lots of smiling faces around school. Obviously, some happy holidays have been had!

Thank you so much to any parents who have wished me well in my new role for this term. It is a real privilege to be the Acting Headteacher at Greenfield. I have been here for 18 years, and my commitment to maintaining our high standards and excellent outcomes is stronger than ever. Alongside my main role, I shall be continuing to act as Special Needs Coordinator until Miss Lewis returns in January.

We have welcomed three new teachers to our fantastic staff this week. Mr Sutton joins us as classteacher for AA Milne, Miss Stanley joins us as classteacher for Alan Ahlberg and Mrs Cast joins us as a Key Stage 2 teacher on Thursdays. They have all made a great start, and we are sure that each of them will really enjoy working here at Greenfield.

Unfortunately, Miss Hill has not yet been able to return to school as she has broken her foot. We wish her a speedy recovery and shall keep you updated on her situation. We would also like to inform you that our long-standing secretary, Helen Solly, has decided to take early retirement. Helen has worked at Greenfield since 1991 and the decision to retire was not an easy one for her. We would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all she has done at Greenfield and we send her and her husband, Eddie, our very best wishes for their future. Miss Fran Harriman and Mrs Clare Benson will continue to be your first points of contact in our front office.

As many of you know, Claire Tyas, one of our teaching assistants, has had a long period of absence due to needing to care for her husband. Claire has also made the difficult decision to resign from her post here, as her husband’s condition has deteriorated. Our thoughts are with her and her family.