Dear Howley families,
I cannot believe that we have reached the end of another busy and successful year here at Howley. Your children have been nothing short of amazing since last September. I had the absolute honour of reading their reports. You could clearly see the progress that every child has made throughout the year, and also feel a sense of their great character and attitude. I hope you too enjoyed reading their report and celebrating all your child’s successes.
We have much to be proud of at the end of this super year, but we must take a moment to say our goodbyes to some very special staff members. You are already aware that Mr Davis and Mrs Lambert are leaving us today. We are also wishing Miss Elgerton and Miss Whitehouse a fond farewell as they embark on new roles at other schools. I would like to thank them all for their hard work and support over the years. They will be missed as part our team, but I have explained that there will always be a warm welcome waiting for them here at Howley.
I would also like to express my gratitude to our whole staff team who have worked tirelessly for the good of our children throughout this academic year. As school finances have become increasingly challenging and access to other services has become more and more difficult, our team has continued to strive to do all they can to support our children and families. Whether that is keeping our school clean and tidy, teaching and supporting our children, making sure the office (and everywhere else!) is running like clockwork or helping our children play happily together and eat their dinners - they have all been truly brilliant! Alongside our Governors and PTA, I couldn’t wish to work with a better team where everyone is committed to working together to do their very best for our children.
I have to say that the support of our families has been utterly overwhelming this year. I still cannot quite believe the success of our school fete, but it is not just large events like that where your support is evident. It is in things like your kind words on the playground or classroom door, your supportive report comments and your understanding when difficult decisions are made. Recently, it has been lovely to welcome you all to our sports days and other events where you can actually feel and witness the spirit of our school community. Thank you all for your unwavering support of all we do at Howley - it is always appreciated and means so much.
Finally, and yet most importantly, I would like to thank our children for being their brilliant selves. They make us proud every single day, not only because they achieve so much, but also because they show care for others and are determined to be the very best they can be. Our Year Six have been such superb role models for our younger children. We know they are ready to spread their wings and move onto new adventures, but we will miss them terribly. I would like to wish them all the very best for their futures, but have explained that if they ever need us, we will always be here for them. I also extend this to our families, whose journey with Howley may be coming to an end. Thank you for everything over the years. If you ever need our help with anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
I don’t want to wish our holidays away, but please don’t forget that we have two INSET days on the 2nd and 3rd September and school will re-open to children on Wednesday 4th.
Now is the time for all of our school community to pause and rest (if that is possible!) and enjoy spending time with family and friends. I truly hope you all have a lovely summer break and maybe we might even see a little sunshine for a change!
Sending you all my very best wishes for a safe and happy summer break,
Miss Lewis