After a great summer holiday, starting back at school can be a little daunting – but it also marks the start of an exciting new chapter for your child. Before you know it, they will be making friends, learning new skills, and becoming more independent.
Here, Mrs Webster, the Headteacher at Pilgrims School, shares five helpful tips on how to get your child ready for their first day back at school.
1. Support your child’s independence
As your child prepares to return to school, it is important to help build their confidence in completing basic tasks independently.
Encourage them to dress themselves and, for ease, try to avoid clothing with complicated buttons or buckles.
It is also a good idea to have them practice putting on their school uniform ahead of their first day.
Perhaps you could ask them to find and put aside everything they think they need for school (uniform, bag, pencil case?)
2. build up your child’s social skills
In anticipation of your child settling in to their new class and making new friends, help them develop their social skills.
Role-playing with toys can be a great way to practice starting conversations and introducing themselves to new classmates and adults.
It is a good idea to set aside time each day to practice conversations, allowing your child to talk while also teaching them to listen.
You could take turns sharing the best part of your day and encourage your child to ask questions to learn more.
3. introduce a routine
During the summer holidays, it is natural for routines to become more relaxed and bedtimes to be pushed back.
However, to prepare your child for the return to school, it is helpful to reintroduce a routine that aligns with school timings. This will ease your child back into mealtime and bedtimes.
We suggest starting this routine at least a week before school begins to give your child time to adjust gradually.
4. Talk to your child about school
Discuss the exciting activities and experiences they can look forward to, which can help alleviate any back-to-school apprehension.
Ask them what they are looking forward to and what they are interested in learning, along with any worries they might have.
It can also help to regularly remind your child they are going back to school, so they feel ready for the day.
5. read a book about starting school
Reading stories with characters attending their first day of school is useful for relieving first-day nerves and providing a boost of confidence where needed.
You can find a list here of books the Book Trust have suggested for children who are starting school to help them feel more prepared.
A great tip is to read these books aloud, allowing your child to share their thoughts and feelings about the upcoming school year.
We are all looking forward to welcoming the children back to school. We can’t wait for another successful term and to see all the great things the children will achieve!
It has been a busy end to the summer term here at Pilgrims, with our children enjoying another great year packed full of fun and engaging activities. Here, Pilgrims’ Headteacher Mrs Webster looks back at a brilliant 2022/23.
From exploring the solar system to welcoming a new four-legged friend to our Pilgrims family, we have all enjoyed so many wonderful moments. Here are just a few of our favourites.
We’ve been out and about exploring
The Year 2 children began the year with a wonderful trip to the National Space Centre. During their visit to the centre, they learned all about space and had a great time exploring. One of the most exciting parts of the trip was the planetarium, where the presenter was impressed with the children’s knowledge of the planets during an interactive quiz.
Year 1 had their own exciting trip during the winter term with a visit to Shuttleworth Museum. They participated in various activities, explored the aircrafts, and learned lots of facts about aviation. They followed this up with another trip but this time to London to watch The Lion King on stage as part of their African topic.
We welcomed Maisie!
Earlier this year, we welcomed Maisie, a therapy dog in training, to our Pilgrims family. Since then, she has quickly adapted to our school community and has formed a close bond with our school dog, Jake.
Maisie’s training with a specialist canine behaviourist is going well, and we’re excited to see her become an important part of our school. She’ll be able to provide support to children in our Pastoral and SEND department.
Royal celebrations
In May, we had a wonderful time celebrating King Charles’ coronation by holding a mini coronation of our own. To honour this historic occasion, we invited residents from two nearby residential care homes to watch the assembly and join us for a celebratory lunch. While our special guests enjoyed their lunch, the children had their own picnic outdoors with their teachers and classmates.
Smiles all round
We had an exciting summer term welcoming Binky back to the school to take some beautiful photos. We can’t wait to share all the pictures with you – keep your eyes peeled on our social media channels to see them.
And let’s not forget the biggest smiles of all came after the result of our spring term ISI Inspection – we are Excellent and Outstanding, once again!
So, we have all enjoyed another amazing year – and we can’t wait to welcome you back in September!
Research has revealed that children’s wellbeing increases after they spend time connecting with nature. Here, our Headteacher, Jo Webster, explains the opportunities the children have to discover nature here at Pilgrims.
Our curriculum is divided between indoor and outdoor learning and is designed to encourage the children’s imagination and creativity. We work hard to create a stimulating and inspiring environment that allows them to flourish.
One of our school values is ‘curiosity’ and our curriculum is built on this basis – from growing fruit and vegetables in our school garden, to going on walks around our local park. Other activities range from mini beast hunts on the field, to climbing trees – outdoor learning is key at Pilgrims.
One of the ways we enable the children to discover the natural environment is through forest school sessions. We are proud to be a forest school that offers the children an alternative approach to learning. We inspire the children to build a respect for nature and a passion for the outdoors.
We are also extremely fortunate to have our own school pond and wildlife area for the children to discover new creatures and learn about plant life. The children can also learn hands-on how to monitor the life of an ecosystem. And, with this week being Garden Wildlife Week, the children will be using their ‘green’ fingers to get stuck into the school garden.
As the summer months approach, we are looking forward to taking our learning outside more – we can’t wait to see what we will discover!
It is National Vegetarian Week, which is the perfect reason to give vegetarian food a try. We asked our Catering Manager, Mrs Bhogal, for her top tips when considering being more veggie friendly.
Stock up on protein
When making vegetarian dishes, it is key to make sure you swap meat for other ingredients that provide a great protein hit. I recommend using beans, nuts, tofu, or meat substitutes such as soya mince, in your everyday recipes for a well-balanced meal.
Starchy carbs
Did you know about one third of your food should be starchy carbohydrates? Try to choose wholegrain foods wherever possible as they will contain more fibre and nutrients compared to white or refined starchy products and will help you feel fuller for longer.
Eat your five-a-day!
Aim to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables in different colours for maximum nutritional impact. How many colours of the rainbow can you eat? One third of what you need to eat every day should be fruit and veg which can include fresh, frozen, and canned! We encourage the children to ensure they eat their five-a-day every day by offering fresh fruit all day long so children can choose it for breakfast, snack time, lunch time, after school clubs or at Owls.
Simple swaps
It is easy to turn your favourite meal veggie, all it takes is a few simple swaps. Keep it familiar by using beef-style veggie mince, chicken-style pieces, bean burgers, and veggie meatballs.
At Pilgrims, our menus include a tasty vegetarian option every day. From vegetable and lentil shepherd’s pie to creamy spinach pasta bake, we ensure they always have a balanced plate of delicious vegetarian food to make sure everyone gets all of the iron and protein they need.
Our lunch menus are on a two-weekly cycle and changed each term to provide variety. You can download some sample menus to see some of the lovely vegetarian options on our What’s for Lunch page.
There’s also some of my favourite recipes for you to try at home. Why not have a go at making meatballs in tomato sauce using my tips above to create a vegetarian dish?
As the summer term begins here at Pilgrims, Headteacher, Mrs Webster, explains what each year group will be getting up to – including the school’s exciting coronation plans!
Fresh from the Easter break, we have lots planned for the summer term – from learning about Africa to exciting trips to the zoo and celebrating the King’s coronation.
Coronation celebrations
To mark King Charles’ coronation, we are holding a main school assembly on Friday 5th May, where we will be having a mini coronation of our own.
We are inviting residents from two local residential care homes to watch the assembly and then stay for a celebratory lunch.
While our special visitors are being served lunch, the children will be having their own picnic lunch outside with their class and teachers.
We are looking forward to marking this historic occasion!
Reception
The children’s summer term topic is ‘Wild and Wonderful’. There are lots of animals for the children to learn about!
We are enriching their learning with some exciting visits; these include a visit from reptiles, a beekeeper, and a ‘secret’ trip to the zoo.
In the classroom, the children will be reading stories, poetry, and non-fiction books about reptiles and mini beasts. They will also be getting creative by constructing animals using kits or recyclable materials.
We can’t wait to see what the children create!
Year 1
The topic for Year 1 this term is ‘Pack Your Trunk’.
This topic, all about Africa, has already involved the children finding a ‘lost baby elephant’ on the school field. They are now using their powers of investigation to find where it came from and how to look after it!
As part of their learning, they will also be going on an exciting theatre trip to London to watch The Lion King on stage.
Year 2
The children in Year 2 have had an exciting start to the summer term, with a three-day residential trip to Hindleap Warren: a wonderful outdoor activity centre which gives the children an opportunity to develop their confidence and to demonstrate their team-building skills as they encourage their friends (and teachers) to try new things.
Activities include jumping into deep, muddy puddles, crawling through tunnels, completing obstacle courses and even a camp fire.
We can’t wait to hear all about it and to share the photographic evidence with you all!
We have lots of new things to learn and fun activities taking place this term. We can’t wait!
Have you ever wondered what it is like to have a career working with children? Wonder no more! To mark National Careers Week, Mrs Webster, Headteacher at Pilgrims, tells us all about what it is like to inspire our children and staff every day.
Pilgrims’ school values enable everyone to feel included, respected and have a sense of belonging whether a pupil, parent or member of staff.
I am very lucky that every day at Pilgrims is filled with new adventures, challenges and achievements. No two days are ever the same! One day the children could be researching wildlife in the school pond, the next day ‘going on a bear hunt’ on the field and the next trying to create their own animated cartoon on the computer. This means that we, as staff, get to experience all of these exciting opportunities ourselves too!
The innovative and forward-thinking approach we have to teaching at Pilgrims enables everyone in our school community to become confident learners, inspiring everyone to ‘have a go’, providing them with the tools to reach their full potential.
Our purpose-built facilities provide an atmosphere that enables both children and staff to unearth their individual interests and talents. We then get to share these with one another and encourage those around us to try new opportunities and take on new challenges. In particular, our staff benefit from a wide range of training workshops so that whatever their skill or passion, we can offer them support and career development.
Each day at Pilgrims, surrounded by our inspiring children and staff, allows me to create long-lasting memories.
Are you interested in creating your own special memories and coming on an adventure with us? If so, head over to our careers page to see our current vacancies.
We are delighted to introduce you all to the latest addition to the Pilgrims family, our new therapy dog Maisie. Here, Mrs Morales, our Pastoral & SEND Co-Ordinator, and mum to Maisie, explains what the children can expect from our four-legged friend.
At Pilgrims we believe that the well-being of our pupils is just as important as their education.
So, we are all delighted to have Maisie join our school community as she begins her training to become a fully qualified Therapy Dog.
Introducing Maisie
At eight months old, Maisie is nearing the end of her training with a specialist canine behaviourist from Pets as Therapists and will soon become an integral part of school life. Maisie will support children within our Pastoral and SEND department. She has already fallen in love with the school and enjoys listening to the children read – when she’s not napping in my office!
Jake, our school dog, has been very patient with Maisie, teaching her a few tricks and showing her where we hide the treats! We know that they will become the best of friends, working together to offer support to whoever may need their help.
Why do we need therapy dogs?
Not only do therapy dogs build heart-warming relationships with the children, they also help teach empathy, interpersonal and social skills. Therapy dogs are also a soothing presence that can help build confidence, wellbeing and self-esteem while combatting anxiety and low motivation. And Jake has already shown us all the benefits of having a dog on-site.
We can’t wait for the children to meet Maisie around school and for them to enjoy the wonderful company and friendship she will bring.
Make sure to regularly visit our news page and check our social media channels for future pup-dates!
At Pilgrims, our vision is to inspire a love of learning. And what better way to do this than to surround the children with books; inspiring their curiosity, imagination and creativity!
Here, Mrs Webster, Pilgrims’ Headteacher, looks at why our library is the heart of the school.
Libraries are vital to every school environment because they provide access to reading and learning materials, as well as creating a communal area for children of all ages to enjoy. Ensuring children feel empowered to make their own choices about the books they read is crucial in creating a life-long passion for reading.
At Pilgrims we have a wonderful library space which all the children love visiting. Whether it’s to pick out a book to take home or for group story time; it’s an inspiring place which we all enjoy.
The children love to come to the library to read together, share books, research new topics and to find out lots of exciting new facts, all while stretching their imagination and inspiring creativity. And reading does not have to be enjoyed quietly in our library – it can even involve role play too. Through acting out the story they are telling, children can build upon their curiosity, and start to create and tell their own stories.
In addition, since the library was refurbished in late 2020, our new ‘learning pods’ have been very popular with the children, as they provide a quiet space outside of the classroom, where they can work together in small groups. And not only is the library the home for many wonderful books, it is also a place where children can meet up with their friends to take part in our Pastoral & Wellbeing ‘Talk Time’ sessions. We also hold year group assemblies in the library and, of course, it is also the perfect home for our Christmas tree!
Explore the library and the other exceptional facilities we have at Pilgrims in our 360 virtual tour.
Ensuring children receive the best start to their education is so important. Here, our Head of Early Years, Miss Kim Goodwin, explains how Pilgrims’ Pre School provides children with the perfect preparation for Main School.
The transition into Reception represents a big step for young people as they start their formal educational journey. However, thanks to the care and support we provide in our Pre School, that transition is seamless.
Throughout their time in Pre School, we ensure the children develop the key skills required to ensure they make the most of all the activities on offer both now and in the future. Our new Pre School provides children with the perfect environment to learn and play, both inside and outdoors, helping them to develop vital skills such as independence, social interaction and communication.
Additionally, children need the opportunity to explore and discover while being curious and creative. Our Pre School facility benefits from a large open-plan room with free-flow access to an outdoor courtyard, as well as a separate playground and garden. Children can further develop their curiosity and love of learning through a wide variety of specialist sessions which are timetabled throughout the week. These include sessions for swimming, Forest School, music, IT and PE. This varied timetable prepares our children for their transition into full time education from Reception.
Each of our three Reception classes has its own fully qualified teacher and full time Higher Level Teaching Assistant, allowing children’s learning to be tailored to their individual needs and stage of development. They are able to work at their own pace, with challenges growing as they do themselves. At every stage, our children’s imaginations are captured through inspiring topics and opportunities to investigate, question and discover. We believe this is key to their overall growth and development.
Pilgrims School guides children at every stage of their young life; through Little Pilgrims, Kindergarten, Pre School and Main School. All too soon they are ready to say “Goodbye” at the end of Year 2 and we watch with pride as they move onto the next stage of their educational journey.
We are excited to be hosting our Open Day on Saturday 12th November. So, join us to see how we can support your child by filling in this form or calling 01234 369555.