Kingsway Villagers

It has been a long time in the discussion, but Kingsway is about to get its very own Children’s Centre. This will be based in the grounds of Kingsway Primary School and together these two organisations will offer much needed services for children and families, in your community.

On Wednesday 3rd February from 5.00 – 7.00pm, the plans will be on display at Kingsway Primary School for any interested residents to view. Key personnel will also be present for any of your questions and for hearing your ideas for shaping our services to your community. We will also invite you to have a look around the school and to meet the Headteacher too.

Without the support of this community, others will shape the services that are offered which may not be what you would choose. Please do come along and help us get this right. Please pass the message on to any residents you think will be interested in this event.

Thank you,

Mrs Needham (Headteacher of Kingsway Primary School)

Year 6 pupils from Kingsway School are getting together with the year 10 pupils from Beaufort School in a joint project to produce a "News Program" about Kingsway School & Kingsway Village.

The program will feature children and staff from the school as well as local parents and residents, and Mrs Bennett has asked me to invite local residents to take part, saying:

"We’re looking for input and opinions from anybody interested in giving positive feedback about the village and local area, and how we can work together to improve the local community."

If you’re interested, please call Kingsway School on 01452-881800 and let them know that you’d like to be involved.

As of 23 September 2009 Community Governor Jan Mabson is the new Chair of Governors of Kingsway Primary School.

Much to my disappointment I have had to stand down. I am working away part of the week and cannot do the Chairman’s role effectively. I will remain as an ordinary school governor and give whatever help I can. Parent Governor, Tracey Longden-Thurgood is the new Vice Chair.

I am happy to still talk to parents but am no longer the Chairman. The easiest way to contact the school is via the School website.

I knew the temporary Governing Body was going to be a lot of work when I took it on the year before the school was officially created. Since then it has been whirlwind of activity for the school, we now have more than three times the number of pupils originally predicted by the County Council.

The children from Kingsway and Copeland Park come from a huge range of backgrounds. In the past, some have been better served by the education system than others, and the staff are working very hard to try to get everybody to reach their full potential. We hope we may gain a large number of children from families moving to the area to work for Nato in the near future, and this will add another dimension to the school.

So I predict another very interesting, exhausting, but rewarding year for Kingsway Primary School, and offer my best wishes and support to Jan and Tracey, Headteacher Paula Needham and her staff.

Friday was a beautiful day, and local parents were out in force to witness the Kingsway School grand opening ceremony.

Having arrived at the gates before realising that I’d forgotten my camera I missed out on the tea, but made it back in plenty of time for the speeches which marked the start of the ceremony.
Cllr Julian Powell (Chair of Governors) and the Mrs Paula Needham (Headteacher) gave details of the phenomenal (and unanticipated) growth of the school during it’s first year, and revealed that the ribbon cutting ceremony would be done by the eldest pupils from 6 classes.

Brilliant sunshine and clear skies, accompanied by a refreshingly cool – and fairly strong – breeze, prevented the launch of the hot air balloon, but made the day perfect… The weather was spectacular!

The pupils showcase in the school hall was sensational, with children dressed in colourful costumes, performing song and dance from a variety of countries and cultures, plus a slideshow of photo’s from the School’s 1st year.

I loved the multi-cultural theme and particularly enjoyed the 1987 Seekers song "We Are Australian", which – Mrs Needham revealed – has inspired the staff to work on a Kingsway School anthem.

I have to thank young Jaden for providing one of the funniest moments when his enthusiasm got the better of him and he felt compelled to join in with the pupils, and his poor dad Lee, who had to rescue him amidst peels of laughter from the audience.

I wasn’t best-placed to get any decent pictures, but did manage to snap a (somewhat blurry) pic’ of Phoenix and some of the Kingfisher class in mid-dance.

Afterwards, it was out into the playground for the summer fayre, with stalls offering toys, books, cakes, lucky-dips, school disco’ tickets, raffles etc, and a brightly dresses – and very friendly – guy, surrounded by kids playing his huge variety of percussion instruments.

Phoenix spent all our money on a toy cash register, and a cake, (hassling me for 20p to buy back one of the iced gingerbread men that I’d made the night before) Kids!

Click the pic’s for the full-size versions, and visit our School Opening Gallery for more.

The Pupils, Staff & Governors would like to invite all Kingsway residents & parents to our:

Timetable:
1.00pm – 1.20pm: Arrival of all guests and parents (Drumming Workshop and tea/coffee in the main hall).
1.30pm – 1.50pm: Official Opening Ceremony with Hot Air balloon (weather permitting).

1.50 – 3.10pm: Courtyard arena – class events:
1.50pm: Eagle
2.00pm: Hawk
2.10pm: Hobby
Break: Classroom Activities: Heron smoothie bar, Kingfisher biscuits/cakes, Drumming etc
2.40pm: Heron
2.50pm: Swan
3.00pm: Kingfisher

Children should all be collected by parents at 3.15pm but the event will continue beyond this point and you are welcome to stay and enjoy the other events.

3.15 and 3.45pm: Demonstration & audience participation by ‘Karate World’ in small hall
3.30pm – 4.15pm or later: Summer Fayre type stalls run by the PTA, school staff & Governors.

Hi Neighbours.

First of all, my apologies for the lack of recent articles.

Since returning from my honeymoon I’ve been very busy playing "catch up" with my work.
(Being self-employed has obvious advantages when it comes to choosing your working hours but one of the biggest disadvantages is that holidays don’t really exist… You just take the time off and then make the hours up when you get back)!
To make matters worse, I’ve also been quite unwell in recent weeks, so have spent considerable time in bed or alternating between doctors, nurses, the hospital, etc… I reckon they have more of my blood than I do and they’re still struggling to figure out what’s wrong… (better not come back and say anemia – lol – it’ll be their fault)!

My thanks to Baz_k and MissC for keeping things going during my absence

Anyway… the reason for this post is a last minute reminder to all parents that – as the school is to be used as a polling station for local elections:
Kingsway Primary School will be closed tomorrow (Thurs’ 4th June).