Annual Report for the Junior School 2005 - 2006

Click here is you wish to see the Annual Report for the Senior School

A shortened version of this was delivered by the Head of the Junior School, Andrew Holmes, at Friends and Families Day 20th May 2006

This is the report on the Junior School for the academic year 2005/6. Friends' Junior School has continued to flourish and develop over the past year and many improvements have been put in place to continually revise and re-evaluate the education provided. It continues to be a family school with a strong sense of community where children learn to learn, learn to care for others and to respect differences.

At present, the school totals 164 with 28 in the Nursery, 36 in Reception and Key Stage 1 and 99 in Key Stage 2.

At the beginning of the year, we welcomed Claire Milner to the Junior School to teach Reception. Jacky Branch has applied for and succeeded in attaining the first tier of the Upper Pay Threshold. We have also continued to recognise the importance of the continuing professional development of teachers and support staff. We have encouraged them to attend useful and relevant courses and in return, they have shown a very high level of commitment. We have also continued to tackle training and professional development for our excellent team of Teaching Assistants which has been welcomed as a continuing sign that the school is recognising the valuable and important contribution they make to school. I was appraised by David Kidd during the Spring Term and found it a positive and rewarding experience. I have discussed this document with Tony Watson.

STAFF COURSES/CONFERENCES 2005/6 YEAR

Jane Baird Certificate in Pre-school Practice CACHE Level 2 12/9 for 30 weeks SWCHS

Sue Westgarth ISC Induction of NQT's 13/9/05

Sally Manser CAS KS1 Assessment 30/9/05

Kate Richardson Hockey Coaching-Level One 2, 9 & 16/10/05 Cambridge

Tiffany Johnson Circle Time for TA's 7/10/05 Dunmow

Jane Bull Circle Time for TA's 7/10/05 Dunmow

June Linscott In tune with the beat 8/10/05 am only Great Chesterford

Jane Bull BEAM KS2 Maths/TA 13/10/05 London

June LinscottSally Day Emergent Writing 20/10/05 am only Chelmsford

Claire MilnerSandra Budd Managing Needs of Pupils with Significant Learning Difficulties 1&18/11

Jane Manley BEAM KS2 Maths 4/11/05 London

Sandra Budd Autism 6&13/12/05 Harlow

Catherine Armstrong Autism 6&13/12/05 Harlow

Sally Manser CAS Materials to support Assessment 11/1/06

Claire Milner Jolly Phonics 13/1/06 Harlow

Jacky Branch Netball Coaching 3(pm) & 5/3/06 Colchester

Claire Milner Managing Needs of Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2&16/03/06 Wickford

Tiffany Johnson Managing Needs of Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2&16/03/06 Wickford

Claire Milner NQT Course 9/3/06

Debbie Ballingall Fostering 'Quaker' in Quaker schools 15,16&17/03/06 Woodbrooke

Jane Manley Fostering 'Quaker' in Quaker schools 15,16&17/03/06 Woodbrooke

11 staff, Jane Bull, Tiffany Johnson, Cindy Monk, Beverly Young, Ellie Parry, Lucy Barnes, Sandra Budd, Sally Day, Catherine Armstrong, Jane Baird, Lynn Bayford, First Aid Course 25/04/06 In School with Tanya Bartrum

Claire Milner NQT meeting 18/05/06 Colchester

Andrew Holmes Marketing 11/05/06 London

Sally Manser Moderation of Key Stage One results 5/05/06 Friends' Junior School

Andrew Holmes East Anglian Lower School Head's Conference 18/05/06 Kimbolton Prep

Sally Day Meeting Needs of Looked After children 23/05/06 applied for

Catherine Armstrong Meeting Needs of Looked After children 23/05/06 applied for

Andrew Holmes Quaker Junior Heads Conference 9/6/06 Tregellis House - The Mount School

Sally Day Safeguarding Children 3/07/06 applied for

Catherine Armstrong Safeguarding Children 3/07/06 applied for

This significant list shows a wide range of interests and includes such diverse topics as Mentoring Newly Qualified Teachers, beating the drum with the nursery, moderating Key Stage I results, to a course run at Woodbrooke College on fostering the "Quaker" in Quaker schools. This list does not take account of the work that has gone on within the school to review the Religious Education curriculum, to look again at how we teach and approach reading within the school and the ongoing continual review of all areas of the curriculum.

As a result of this and the hard work of teachers and pupils, our National Curriculum Results continue to impress. We continue to raise academic standards within the school, without losing sight of the fact that each child is an individual or the broader, more holistic, aims of a good education.

Key Stage One National Curriculum Results

English
Speaking and Listening - 100% level 2 or above
52% at level 3

Reading - 95% level 2 or above
24% at level 3

Writing 86% - level 2 or above
10% at level 3

Mathematics - 100% level 2 or above
10% at level 3

Science - 100% level 2 or above
48% at level 3

Key Stage Two National Curriculum Results

English - 87% level 4 or above
45% at level 5

Mathematics - 77% level 4 or above
35% at level 5

Science - 93% level 4 or above
74% at level 5

It is also well worth noting that of the top five places in the entrance procedure to the Senior School, four were candidates from the Junior School.

Away from these academic matters, we do not restrict our education to the classroom. We offer a wide range of trips, activities and visitors to widen children's experience which all add to the breadth of experience which is so vital at this or any stage of education. Residential trips have once again been a core part of school life in Years 5 and 6. Year 5 spent a week at the Aylmerton Field Study Centre in North Norfolk and for the second year, all of Year 6 spent a very successful week in North Wales at Rhyd-y-Creuau. This again proved to be a very rewarding and challenging experience for all involved, studying mountain landscapes, rivers and glacial features as well as the little matter of getting all of Year 6 (and their teachers) for the second year running, in atrocious weather conditions to climb the highest point in England and Wales, Snowden. There are few primary schools, independent or otherwise that can make this boast. We did this in fairly atrocious weather conditions and were all soaked to the skin - but we became better people for it!
In order to help prepare pupils for this and as a wonderful event in itself Year 4 spent a night at a sleepover in the Science museum in London.

VISITS - YEAR 2005/06

CRUCIAL CREW 6K/6R 7/9/05/pm

RHYD-Y-CREUAU - Residential visit 6K/6R 12/9-16/9/05

ROSEMARY HUGALL TO VISIT(To talk about nursing) NURSERY 19/09/05

COLCHESTER CASTLE MUSEUM (ROMANS) 3B 23/9/05

AYLMERTON - Residential visit 5W/5B 26/9-30/9/05

KING 'HAL' TO VISIT 4M 28/9/05

FRY ART GALLERY 4M 12/10/05

FRY ART GALLERY 3B 13/10/05

POST OFFICE NURSERY 7-11/11/05

SHEPRETH WILDLIFE PARK NURSERY & RECEPTION 14/11/05

WISE MOVES - Dance 4M 23/11/05 1.45-3.45

AUDLEY END SANTA TRAIN NURSERY 14/12/05

DICK WHITTINGTON Arts Theatre, Cambridge INFANTS 15/12/05

TINTIN (CHRISTMAS VISIT) 3/4/5/6 17/1/06

BRAINTREE MUSEUM 5W/5B 1/2/06

DUXFORD IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM 6K/6R 3/2/06

WEST STOW (ANGLO SAXONS) 3B 6/2/06

SCIENCE MUSEUM SLEEPOVER 4M 10/2/06

KINETIC THEATRE INFANTS 7/2/06

KINETIC THEATRE JUNIORS 7/2/06

SAFFRON WALDEN MUSEUM 2M 8/3/06

BOYDELLS DAIRY FARM NURSERY/RECEPTION 3/5/06

VIKING TO SCHOOL 3B 4/5/06

KS1 ROAD TALKS N/R & 1 & 2 8-9-10/05/06

SHERINGHAM 2M 11/5/06

WICKEN FEN 6K/6R 18/5/06

MISUMMER NIGHTS DREAM WORKSHOP 6K/6R 22/5/06

DENNY ABBEY AND FARM MUSEUM 1D 7/06/06

PIZZA EXPRESS/BUDDHIST CENTRE 5W/5B 7/06/06

PELHAM RECYCLING 5W/5B 15/06/06

AFRICA ALIVE R/1D/2M 22/06/06

KENTWELL 4M 23/06/06

ICKNIELD WALK 5W, 5B, 6K & 6R 3/7/06

The school also continues to be proud of its reputation in music and drama, which this year began with the Harvest Celebration featuring a presentation from each group of pupils and several wonderful and entertaining pieces by the choir. Who will ever forget the Slurry Song?

Reception, Years 1 and 2 put on their usual wonderful Christmas entertainment which this year was entitled "One Night in Bethlehem". The Nursery also performed their own Nativity. For the first time Years 3 and 4 performed their own piece at Christmas - "Santa's Missing Bear". The Junior School choir sang at "The Spirit of Christmas" concert in St Mary's with other local schools and the Saffron Walden Choral Society. The Seasonal Words and Music held at the end of the Autumn Term was a credit to all concerned and again the Junior School Choir and Band took their full part.

During the Easter Term, the Junior School began preparations for the first ever Quaker Junior Schools' Joint Choirs event. Our Senior Quaker Schools have held such an event triennially and it was suggested, at the Quaker Junior Schools' Heads Conference held here in June 2005, that the Junior Schools might emulate this. Having started the ball rolling, we gladly volunteered to host the event. It was very successful, despite being held, rather inauspiciously, on April 1st 2006. Choirs from Bootham and Orchard Close (Sibford) spent the weekend in Saffron Walden singing, playing, getting to know one another, visiting the Audley End Miniature Railway, performing and finally finishing with a disco. It was a very enjoyable event as anyone who was there will testify and special mention should be made of the hard work put in by our Director of Music Martin Wilson to make this such a success.

While this was going on the Infants were working hard on their end of Spring Term entertainment and Easter Bonnet Parade. The Year 6 production is taking place later this term and is an adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" called "Dream On"
Thank you to all our peripatetic music teachers who lay the foundations on which the musical life of the school is built.

Music is clearly a key component in life at the Junior School, but we have continued in our efforts to develop and broaden the curriculum, French and German are now taught in Years 5 and 6 on a six-month rolling programme. Food Technology and Technology are also available.
A TT (Touch Typing) Club has started three mornings a week before school to help particular pupils who would find these skills useful and social skills, circle of friends groups as well as Fitness Fun early in the morning before school has started.

We have also raised a great deal of money for a wide variety of charities.
Nearly £300 was raised at the Autumn/Harvest assembly for George Mills and British Aid for Deprived Children. The annual Christmas Fair at the end of the Autumn Term raised just over £400 for the Uttlesford Crossroads Charity. We also took part in the Shoebox Appeal for Quaker Homeless Action and we have recently been visited by a representative of the NSPCC and will be raising money for this very worthy cause next half-term.

FUND RAISING FOR CHARITY 2005/06

12TH OCTOBER BREAST CANCER CAMPAIGN(WEAR PINK) £172.20

21ST OCTOBER BRITISH AID FOR DEPRiVED CHILDREN/HARVEST £291.90

11TH NOVEMBER WAR RESISTERS INTERNATIONAL- Remembrance Day £8.00

9TH DECEMBER UTTLESFORD CROSSROADS- Junior School Xmas Bazaar £422.00

2ND MARCH BOOK AID INTERNATIONAL-World Book Day £148.10

20TH MARCH WATER AID - FAIRTRADE WEEK - Yr Six Cake Sale £49.16

8th May NSPCC - Suzi Hedgecoe Events planned for second half of the Summer term

This has been another busy sporting year in the Junior School with large numbers of fixtures in football, netball, cross-country, hockey, rounders, athletics and, of course, cricket. The cricket team of 2005 deserve special mention here having gone the whole season without losing a single game. They were the winners of the Saffron Walden Kwik Cricket League as well as retaining the 6 a side Cup which we host every year. This tournament attracted 20 teams from local primary and independent schools. Last year's rounders team were runners up at the County High competition. The football team completed another fine season winning the Langley School's Tournament and for the second year running were runners up at Oundle. We also beat the Perse School boys for the first time ever. In all these competitions we are competing against larger schools and punching well above our weight. The netball team has continued to improve and been much more consistent this year winning their group in the County High tournament. The hockey teams have also acquitted themselves well in the local Primary Schools' League. The cross country continues to go from strength to strength. We hosted the fourth Inter-schools Cross-Country Competition welcoming 10 other schools to our grounds and Friends' Junior regained the overall shield. We participated in the Langley Junior School Competition again and the Under 9 boys won their event and the three other teams were all runners up.
Cadbury won the Inter House Swimming this year in the usual frenzy of 92 races admirably organised by Nigel Donachie. I would like to thank Nigel for this and for being a calm well organised presence in school this year - we wish him well as he returns to Tasmania. The swimming Galah will not be the same.

Finally, the Chess Team have just returned from the area Chess Tournament held at Dunmow School. For the second year running the school team won the small schools section and retained the overall trophy. What is particularly pleasing about this is that only one member of the team is in Year 6 which bodes well for the next year or two.

The Junior School is very proud to be holders of the Eco-schools Silver Award and we continue to make progress in this area. Signs have been put in classrooms reminding pupils and teachers of the need to save electricity and water. We held a Fairtrade week with visiting speakers and events within the school. The Cycling Proficiency program has begun this term and we are about to purchase a Wiggly Wormer compost bin. The gardening club has also been very popular and is a big success. Much work has been put in by pupils, parents, and staff to make the school much more aware of the need to improve the environment, encourage citizenship and promote healthy lifestyles.

Laptops have been further spread around the Junior school and an interactive whiteboard has been installed in the ICT room. The Junior School now has its very own website. - www.friendsjunior.org.uk

We are never complacent about what we offer and earlier this academic year we carried out a parental survey in order to try and identify our strengths and areas for improvement. Parents are very pleased with the vast majority of what the School provides especially in terms of musical opportunities, clubs and extra-curricular activities and the way pupils are treated as individuals. I was pleased to note that the School was perceived as being friendly, honest, sociable, dedicated, stimulating, calm and caring. Thank you to parents who took part - it was a very positive and useful experience and we are already acting on many of the findings.

Some quotes

"Seeing your child happy, chatty and confident and wanting to learn."

"Our children all love going to School and have grown in confidence
not least by the pupils being made and encouraged to be responsible
for themselves."

"It's great!"

As many of you may know Sally Knight is getting married to Jason Meyrick next Saturday and we wish them both the very best for a wonderful day. At half term we will be saying goodbye to Mrs Knight and hello to Mrs Meyrick!

Finally, I would like to pay a brief tribute to Andy Waters for his leadership of the School and support over the past 5 years. We both joined and arrived here in September 2001 and he has contributed hugely to the growth and development of many aspects of the school during that time. He has worked enormously hard at all levels of school life with the best interests of Friends' School at heart. He also has the distinction of being the only man I know who has more guitars cluttering his house than I do!

We at the Junior School wish Andy, Hazel, Bethan and Ryan all the best at Grenville College and for the future.
It is also very nice to see Graham Wigley and his wife Maeve here today. I would like to extend a very warm welcome from the Junior School to them both - and I am looking forward to working with Graham in September.

In this brief synopsis there is much that I have left out - but this is still a hugely impressive array of initiatives, activities and achievements, both individual and collective. I would like to finish with a big thank you to Sally Knight, Deputy Head and Sally Manser Head of Infants and all of the teachers, assistants and secretaries, that form part of a very supportive, strong and dedicated staff in the Junior School. I continue to be very grateful for all they do for the pupils, parents and for the school as a whole.

Andrew Holmes
20th May 2006