Letters to Parents & Carers

This week's Headteacher Letter

17^th July 2024

Dear Parents & Carers,

End of Year Reports Feedback

Make sure you have read the children’s reports that were sent home on Monday – and thank you to those of you who have filled in the feedback form https://forms.office.com/e/DAfxJSRQk7 Your views are important to us and we always try and take on board changes you want to see!

Northallerton Road Gate – September

From September, our Northallerton Road Gate will only be used for dropping off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon – it will not be in use during the day to visitors or Nursery parents; everyone will have to use Westminster Road entrance. This is to keep people as safe as possible on our site as we have had a number of near misses in our car park this year.

Growing Westminster Family

We are delighted that our 3 mums-to-be on the staff all delivered healthy babies this summer – congratulations to Mrs Dilger (Ireland) and baby Jack, Mrs Walker (SENCO) and baby Elliot and Miss Sharp (Madagascar) and baby Arthur.

We look forward to seeing them all when they visit school in September.

Staffing Changes for September

Mrs Hussain has decided to move on from Westminster and Class China this summer and seek new horizons – she leaves with our warmest wishes and she has asked me to pass on her thanks and love to all of the children, staff and parents. I’m sure you will all keep her in your prayers as she begins the next stage of her career.

Miss Marsden is also moving on to a new school, after being with Class Brazil for the year. She has made a big impact on the children (and the Year 6 team) and we know that she will be fantastic in her career, always carrying a bit of Westminster in her heart!

Mrs Lal, or Taz as the school know her best, has also decided to leave her role as lunchtime supervisor this summer after 19 years. I know the children and staff will miss her smile and her care and attention in the dinner hall and playground. We wish her the very best for the future.

One of our cleaners, Parminder, has also left Westminster following serious health issues – we keep her in our hearts as she continues her recovery with her family.

Tom has also left his role in the Hub working alongside Carrie and Liz in supporting families and children. I know he goes with fond memories of his time here at Westminster.

Stars of the Year

Congratulations to the following children have been recognised by their teachers for showing the school values of Determination, Forgiveness, Respect, Thankfulness, Compassion and Responsibility all year long:

Ireland – Kaiden Lee

Spain – Batula

Kenya – Rehaan

Tunisia – Abdul

Madagascar – Hassan

Mali – Yousef

Pakistan – Ledwan

Thailand – Faseeh

China – Omer

Japan – Fatima

Jamaica – Muneeb

Mexico – Walihah

Peru – Haliyya

Argentina – Maaz

Brazil – Alishba

Chile – Abdaal

Friday 19^th July

This is our last day in school – we will be having a picnic lunch on this day at school will close at 1.30pm, as it always does on the last day of a term.

Year 6 children – Friday

The children will be coming out through the main entrance one by one, slightly later at 1.40pm, for one final time to see you all. Parents are invited to wait for them on the car park opposite the main entrance – please do not squeeze up to the main entrance, leave room for your child to get their special moment, which should be worth a picture on your phone!

Thank you

Almost finally, I want to express my thanks to everyone in our Westminster community:

Children – they have risen to the occasion so many times across the year, always impressing us with their hard work and enthusiasm, as well as their sense of fun! It truly is the children that make our school so special and that is why they are always at the centre of everything we do. We are determined to continue to provide the best for them and are excited about the new things next year, which will help push your children to even greater heights!
Parents – your support and feedback has been great this year. More of you have got involved in the life of the school (assemblies, events, meetings) than ever before and we want to continue in working closely with you next year and beyond. No man is an island and no school can teach everything to the children, working in partnership with you is a privilege and I look forward to what the future brings!
Governors – a special thank you to our volunteers who work behind the scenes making sure the decisions we make in school are the best decision for our children. We are lucky to have such a special group!
BDAT – Thanks to all the staff at BDAT, who have supported our school so well during this very busy year. They do a lot of the unseen work that allows everyone here to focus on the children.
Staff – I am incredibly proud to lead our staff at Westminster. They work so hard in providing the best for your children, whether that is cleaning the toilets and sinks, planning visits, teaching lessons, standing in the rain top make sure our roads are safe, ordering food, covering absences, talking to the council on your behalf, visiting you at home to make sure everything is ok and much, much more. Working in education really does change people’s lives for the better and the staff here at Westminster should rest easy this summer, knowing that they have done just that for so many of you.

Of course there have been ups and downs and times where there have been fall outs – just like any family! But at the end of the year where Westminster got the first ‘Good’ OFSTED inspection since 2014, Year 6 results have improved and the number of smiles I see at the start and end of the day have quadrupled, we can all safely say it has been a great year.

I wish you all enough:

So finally, to all of our Y6 leavers, to the children leaving in other year groups across school, to the parents leaving our community and the staff who are moving on:

I wish you all enough sun

to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you all enough rain

to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you all enough happiness

to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you all enough pain

so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you all enough gain

to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you all enough loss

to appreciate all that you possess.