The new school year has got off to a flying start! We have welcomed 87 new Reception children into our school (our largest ever intake number) and they are settling in beautifully. A special welcome to these new families to the Earls Barton Primary School community. All other year groups have started well and are enjoying the new challenges and new topics this year brings. We continue to promote our school vision of “Excellence in Everything” and are encouraging all children to always strive for their personal best in all that they do.

The building works to give us our much needed five new classrooms is well underway on the former staff car park between the two buildings. The new staff car park was, unfortunately, delayed, and we have been without a staff park for the whole of September. Special thanks to Heather and Greg Abbott who have permitted staff to park in the Stag’s Head car park whilst we wait for the car park completion. Due to the building works, and prioritising the safety of everyone on our school site, we have had to change the drop-off and pick-up arrangements for children. These are now working well thanks to everyone’s co-operation and patience. It will be a challenging 12 months continuing to run a fully-functioning school with a large construction project in the middle of it but we are confident we can manage it and it will certainly be worth it in the long run!

We are excited for the year ahead and have lots of positive developments and improvements we are making in school. Of note:

-Barton Blooms Passport – kindly sponsored by Scott Bader

-Embedding the “Empowerment Approach” to support children’s behaviour and help them to be pro-social and pro-learning members of our community

-Improving the Key Stage Two playground and installing a new trim trail -thanks to the fundraising efforts of our PTA

-Expanding the use of digital devices in school and using these to enhance children’s learning

-Running our own in-house nurture class to support children’s needs

-Refining and improving how we teach maths in Key Stage Two

-Supporting our teachers to be even better through embedding the use of coaching as a vehicle to improve teaching and learning

Finally, we have advertised our Reception intake tours for children starting school in September 2025 (those who are 4 before 31^st August 2025). Please see our website for further details and to book onto the presentation and tours for October and November.

We are excited for a great year ahead.

Marie Lally & Ben Morris

Co-headteachers

Headteacher, on behalf of the EBPS community.