As the New Year approaches, you find yourself reflecting on the past year and 2021 was one we will not forget in a hurry. We started the year in lockdown with online lessons. Key worker children came into school with us and they were incredible, it was a very different day to the one they were accustomed to but they worked hard and we still had fun with their learning. We followed our normal timetables and we delivered our usual curriculum and this worked well and gave an important sense of continuity. It was challenging teaching very young children online but the parents helped and supported us and together, we made it work. We were very grateful for their support knowing how difficult it was for them with everything that was going on.

Schools reopening in March was a real cause for celebration. We were absolutely delighted to have the pupils back in school. Again, the children adapted to their bubbles with separate breaks and deli lunches. But we were back in the classroom, back doing face to face lessons and it was wonderful! It was a joy seeing the children back together with their friends and hearing their laughter at breaktimes in the playground.

Fyling Hall’s Got Talent was a real highlight for me and I had a brilliant time judging and watching our pupils dancing, singing, playing instruments even doing magic tricks and thoroughly enjoying performing on stage. Belle was the clear winner with a unanimous decision from the judges, her magic show was extraordinary and very funny, Matilda was in second place with her delightful dancing and Henry’s glorious singing was in third place. The first of many proud teacher moments.

The Easter Egg Competition was eggstraordinary; the standard keeps getting higher and higher each year and the results were amazing.

In April the staff started their walking challenge and what an enjoyable challenge it was. The target for each team was to walk a million steps in four weeks and that is exactly what we did. I am very proud to say that my team, The Red Hot Chilli Steppers, won! The children helped Miss Vincent-Jones and I with our daily challenges and really helped encourage us. Mr Coates was a walking machine! We enjoyed walking with Miss Gilmour and had great fun and I hope we can do a whole staff challenge again this coming year.

There are so many other highlights, too numerous to mention, but the choral speaking performances and songs we did for the Eskdale Festival were fabulous so was a real shame that we couldn’t perform them on stage at the festival but it was fantastic that we took part.

Our final two weeks of the academic year

The Summer Term brought Sports Day, a trip for the whole school to Robin Hood’s Bay and the Teddy Bears’ Picnic. It was wonderful that we were able to do most of our usual activities and we had a really great time doing them! Speech Day was held without parents but it was a very positive way to end the school year, celebrating the many achievements of our pupils, set against the glorious backdrop of Ravenscar.

The Autumn Term was as close to normal as it could be with the Christmas production being a highlight for all of the pupils. It was a tremendous show and Miss Vincent Jones and Miss Stewart worked with great enthusiasm and this rubbed off on the pupils. I think it was one of the best performances I’ve seen and I’ve seen over 20 of them! Each pupil had their moment to shine and it was a thrill to see them all so happy and confident on stage.

We asked the pupils what they have enjoyed most this term and it’s quite a long list; the Bewerley Park residential trip, Falling Foss trip, electricity circuits, the Great Fire of London and setting fire to their model houses, life cycles, animal habitats, enjoying reading Krindlecrax, making new friends, Evie being back in school (this applied to all of the teachers too), Anything Can Happen Club, swimming, forest school, lantern parade, Christmas party, Christmas play, meeting Miss Anders’ dog Bailey, music lessons and horse riding. So, I think it’s safe to say that the pupils had an enjoyable term!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the Stay and Play sessions as they were the perfect opportunity to show what we do and also show how wonderful our pupils are. I am looking forward to doing more of them next year.

I am really feeling positive about 2022 and I am looking forward to seeing what this year will bring and having more ‘proud teacher moments’.

Amanda FreerJunior School Headteacher