Message from the Head
Dear Parents,
Holly Leaves will wing its way to you over the next week and you can enjoy a look at this last year for all the school – thank you to Lucy for pulling this all together.
We started this week with Mrs Howlett’s last assembly. Some amazing photos of students and staff over time. It is sad when teachers move to other schools, and we will miss Mr Firth and Mrs Howlett terribly, but we do plan to remain friends and it may be possible for our Geographers to visit Mrs Howlett in Devon for our field trips! My thanks to these dear colleagues for their support and hard work and wishing them both every happiness and success in new roles.
Reflecting on the year, we have remained as ‘open door’ as we possibly can, given restrictions around GDPR legislation, but I hope you feel listened to. We try very hard to get ‘things’ right but we are human and will not always satisfy every expectation. I am always open to a phone call, email or visit and we work hard to ensure your children are happy and achieving their potential. It’s difficult times especially for teens with the relentless pressures of social media. We value all communication with our parents in helping us navigate these waters.
All schools are finding their way through the post pandemic period where anxiety levels in some children reached new heights and the familiarity of home became the norm. Some children’s normal development milestones did not happen in the same way – the lockdowns changed life experiences for children. Amidst these unusual life events, that many adults could not have imagined, Hollygirt is a small and friendly place where children can be themselves and where they receive excellent pastoral care. This nurture is priceless for children and will allow them to fulfil their potential.
As said, we don’t get everything right, but we try very hard and will always listen.
As usual, our team going above and beyond this week in running House Reward trips and days out. A big thank you to everyone in the Hollygirt community for caring for our wonderful children all year. Have a good rest and back for an exciting new academic term – with kitchens in the Senior School and a brand new Sixth Form! We will be holding our Friends of Hollygirt BBQ on the first Friday back (8th Sept) a new parent welcome evening on Tuesday 12th September and look forward to seeing some of you there.
Have a wonderful summer. Enjoy family time. I will be popping in and out of school from the end of July to see the building work progress and will pick up any emails, but I am taking some family time from Saturday. Children grow quickly and days pass swiftly, and we should count all the blessings we have. I hope you find time to pause!
Helen Barsham
Head
Message from the Deputy Head Seniors / Head of Prep
Good afternoon,
What a great week we have had. The Prep productions on Monday were fabulous – so much hard work went into these but it certainly paid off. Well done to all the children who were involved – they were amazing! Thank you to Mrs Maher and all staff who made these such a success. Thank you to parents for helping the children to learn lines and for coming to watch.
Year 6 took a trip down memory lane during their assembly on Wednesday. It was lovely to hear their favourite moments and how much they have enjoyed their time in Prep. I know they will also enjoy the move to the Senior School in September.
Yesterday, all the children in Prep visited Drayton Manor and had a fantastic time. A lovely way to end the term.
Form Teachers will be holding meetings for parents during the second week back. These will be after school from 3:45pm to 4:15pm and dates will be as follows:
| Monday 11th September | Y3, Y4, Y5 |
| Wednesday 13th September | EYFS |
| Thursday 14th September | Y1/2, Y6 |
Thank you, as always, for all your support over the year. I hope you all have a wonderful Summer break and I look forward to seeing you in September.
Have a lovely weekend,
Victoria Wright
Head of Prep