Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Y2 Football Match v Melbourne

  Mon 17 Jun 2024 S Tague

  On Friday 14th June some of our Y2s took part in a football match against Melbourne Infants. This was supposed to be a multi-school tournament but for various reasons it became just 2 schools. This didn't stop us from playing and in two games our Y2s drew one and lost one. They all had a great time and behaved perfectly. Thanks to the parents for supporting and thanks to Mrs Jones for helping out too.

  

• Mr Tague's Trip to Kenya 25th May - 2nd June 2024

  Tue 04 Jun 2024

  As I mentioned in my newsletter (24thy May) I shared with you that I was heading to Mombasa, Kenya to visit the schools we have been twinned with for the past 3 years. Along with another headteacher and teacher, we set off on our travels not quite knowing what to expect. None of us were prepared for the level of poverty that the children we are linked with actually live in and this was the biggest eye-opening aspect of the trip. On the second day there we did go on a safari to the Tsavo East game reserve - 13,000 square kms of wildlife! The accommodation had perhaps the best views in the world - overlooking the Savana grasslands packed with wildlife. We did see a huge range of wild animals - too many to list but we saw elephants, giraffes, hippos, zebras and lions but no rhinos (as they are in Tsavo West). There's no doubting that this part of the trip was amazing and a genuine bucket list item. You will notice that 'Hodgie', the Year 1 class mascot, also accompanied me on my trip and loved the safari!  The Tuesday and Wednesday were our school visits. Previously we'd only ever met selected staff and children/students on live video link ups so this was very exciting to meet them all in person! The Global Schools' Project runs alongside the Kids' League Kenya charity which offers life changing scholarships to promising students to fund them through school, college and university to find a better life. We visited the home of one such success story, Yvonne, who lived in the slum area and attended one of our schools. Now 25, and a civil engineer university graduate, Yvonne was able to break away from the poverty where she and her family lived. Visiting her home makes you grateful for what we have in the UK and the homes that we live in - her home comprised of one small room containing a bed which all 7 family members lived, ate and slept. This toilet was shared with 5 other families. Despite the poverty, the children and students gave us the warmest welcome you could possibly receive. What they don't have in materials they have in abundance of love, smiles and a love of education. Each school welcomed us with open arms and a song and dance. We got to talk to the children and look at their work. They asked us questions and we asked them questions. I am convinced that children are children no matter where you are in the world but some children are born into better opportunities that others. We were able to hand over gifts - footballs biscuits and diaries (things they wanted) which they were so grateful for. On Friday we visited a coral regeneration project which King Charles had only just visited a few weeks before! In fact I snorkelled out to see his very own coral which was an amazing site. One of the guys, who is involved with the project, talked to us about their gardening project they were doing to help local famers and families - he ended up with one of my Derby tops! It was a fast paced and tiring week but a life-changing experience that I am so glad I did. It was nice representing our school and now gives more meaning to the video link ups we do in future. Attached is a very small selection of the hundreds of pictures I took and unfortunately I can't attach videos here. 

   

  Best wishes,

   

  Mr Tague 

  

• Y3-4 Prominent Cup

  Tue 04 Jun 2024 S Tague

  On Monday the 3rd of June Mrs Clamp and I took two teams to compete in the Prominent Cup at Melbourne Sports Partnership. Our mainly Y3 team did well and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to compete and won one of their games against local rivals Findern - many of which were team mates from their Repton Casuals Saturday team! The Y4 team (pictured) came second in their group and lost in the final to Willington. A huge well done to all the boys and girls who played and to the parents that supported. As always their behaviour was excellent!

  

• PTA Duck Derby 2024

  Tue 14 May 2024 S Tague

  Sunday's PTA Duck Derby was a huge success and helped raise nearly £1000 for our children so thank you very much. A huge thank you for everyone that helped from selling ducks, clearing the brook and marshalling the ducks to the finish line to selling refreshments! Thanks also to Repton School for the use of their field and to the staff that supported. Thanks also to James, the farmer, for strimming the vegetation and tipping the ducks into the brook at the start. A great event which shows our wonderful community in its best light - well done everyone!

  

• Litter Picking

  Fri 10 May 2024 K Riley

  Our school councillors and other children went out onto the playground and field today to pick up litter.  The school council had raised the issue of litter in their meetings and wanted to do something pro-active to help with this.  We therefore bought 7 litter pickers with the kind donation from the PTA and set about litter picking.  We will make this a regular occurrence from now on, ensuring that our school is neat and tidy! 

  

• Visit from Heather Wheeler MP

  Fri 10 May 2024 K Riley

  Today Heather Wheeler MP visited our school.   She spoke to the children in assembly about her role as a MP and the different jobs it entails. She then took questions from the children about different aspects of her role.  Afterwards she met with the school council and discussed her role further, discussing British Values, particularly the aspect of Democracy. It was a great experience for our children to meet with a real MP. 

  

• PTA Duck Derby Build up Live on BBC Radio Derby

  Fri 10 May 2024

  This morning we were live on BBC Radio Derby in the build up to our PTA Duck Derby. It is the first time the event has run since before Covid so there is much anticipation in the air! At 7.20am members of our PTA and their children joined Mr Tague at Brook End to be interviewed by Radio Derby to do a mock race! Thanks to James the farmer that gave the children a milkshake from Mercia Milk. You can still sponsor a duck for £2 available from the school office or at the start line on Pinfold Lane before 2pm on Sunday. See pictures below from this morning. 

  

• Y5 Whitemoor Lakes April 2024

  Wed 01 May 2024 S Tague

  Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of accompanying Y5 on their residential to Whitemoor Lakes. The children pushed themselves to their confidence limits through some new experiences - sleeping away from home for the first time is a challenge in itself. The children behaved perfectly at all times and were a credit to RPS - well done! Here is a small sample of some of the pictures...

  

• Playtimes

  Wed 01 May 2024 S Tague

  The first phase of developing playtimes is under way this week. Thanks to our School Council and our PTA we are now using the activity picnic benches - the children love them! We are also adding some colour with our chalks - it's lovely seeing the children being creative! 

  

• EYFS Easter Bonnet Parade

  Wed 27 Mar 2024 K Riley

  Our EYFS children in Robins had an Easter Bonnet Parade today.  We were so impressed with the creativity and effort that was put into all of the hats.  A massive thank you to all of our parents and carers! Our parade was lovely. 

  More pictures are on our Robins class page.