This week our Jessica Bolton held a parent information workshop on the topic of sharing some of the ways in which we promote, support and develop reading skills here at Merefield School. She also provided some suggested activities you could do at home to further support reading, speech and language development.

If you would like to view the materials and presentation resources from this workshop, please click on the link below.

(Link) Reading at Merefield Information Workshop 28.06.17

Where has this term gone?!! I have just come to write this blog and am horrified to see that my last blog was 2 months ago!! What happened to May and June?! Just shows how busy we have all been these past weeks! As I look through the diary I can see that every week there has been something special taking place including various sporting events, trips out, musical events, Wally Cain Dance Festival, parents reading workshop to name but a few! As always our pupils have given 100% effort and enthusiasm and all displayed impeccable behaviour. Whilst out this week at a local high school for a musical concert, the headteacher of the host school commented to me how polite and well behaved our pupils were! We all know that opportunities for our pupils to spend time with peers from other schools is invaluable to their development and I am so glad that our wonderful staff are always prepared to go that extra mile in order to make sure that these opportunities are taken up. We have taken part in so many sporting events this past year - some we have won! - and I am delighted that our efforts have been recognised by our shortlisting for the Sefton Sports Team of the Year Award!! We will be attending a special awards evening on July 12th - fingers crossed we return with the trophy!! A trophy we have won (again!) is the Sefton Green Star Eco League Award!! This is for all our recycling efforts throughout school during the past year.

Last month we asked each class to create an innovative reading space within their classroom environment! What a challenge! Each class created a truly personalised reading space that will encourage reading and enjoying books for every pupil. It was a very difficult decision to pick a winner but in the end Squirrel Class were triumphant with their beautifully thought out Reading Center with individual reading packs for each pupil. Well done to Squirrel Class and well done to everyone for all their efforts - reading is such an important part of every child's development and we have really embraced this throughout school.

Last Saturday was our annual Summer Fair and I would like to thank everyone who came along or who contributed to our prizes or bought raffle tickets. I am delighted to say that we raised just over £1200! As I explained at the fair we are currently awaiting delivery of a new school minibus courtesy of The Lords Taveners Charity, but we do have to pay £21,000 towards the overall cost - the money from the fair will be going towards this target! All fundraising efforts this next 12 months will be aimed at this minibus target. We received an email on Tuesday from a new visitor to the school who had attended the fair and who wrote to tell us that "you have a beautiful school with lots of lovely staff, family and friends - an amazingly friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all to enjoy!" What a wonderful ( and truthful! ) observation of our school!

It was wonderful to see our pupils and their siblings enjoying our wonderful Adventure Playground and I am delighted that we are now in a position to facilitate our pupils' families using the playground at the weekend and during school holidays. Letters explaining the system of purchasing a key have been sent home to each pupils' family/carers. If anyone requires any further information please speak to Gemma Parker.

Sports Afternoons are taking place during the next couple of weeks and then our end of year OSCAR Celebrations are being held on Friday July 14th - letters have been sent home but again contact the office if you have any questions.

End of Year Reports are also being sent home on July 14th with Parent Coffee morning/afternoons taking place during the last week of term.  All in all I hope that there is at least one occasion for everyone to be able to come into school before the end of term  - if not I wish you all a very happy and relaxed summer break.