At the end of the summer term, our brave Headteacher Jacqueline Nicholls gingerly stepped her way across more than 2,000 tiny, sharp pieces of Lego at the school’s Summer Fayre, after pupils pledged more than £300 in spare change to see her undertake the painful challenge.
Mrs Nicholls’ bravery has helped the PTFA raise a record breaking £12,700 to spend on projects to support the school.
Playing the guitar and singing “We Will Rock You” accompanied by the children, to take her mind off the pain, Mrs Nicholls completed the challenge in style – topping off a record fundraising year for the PTFA which has also seen them organising film nights, discos, dress down days and gifts such as personalised Christmas cards and mugs to boost charity income.
The bumper fundraising tally has already enabled the school to completely replace the audio-visual and lighting equipment in the school hall, fund new, fox-proof, hen houses for the school farm, purchase more than 50 new sports kits so that children representing the school in sporting competitions can wear their school logo with pride, and provide support to a number of school events – including a performance of Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat by the upper Key Stage 2 pupils.
The Summer Fayre also saw the culmination of the school’s new Life Ready challenge for Year 5 pupils, in which 58 children grouped themselves into teams and launched nine mini-businesses, selling products or running activities at the fayre to raise money for the school. Learning about business planning, profitability, marketing, resourcing and operations, the pupils threw themselves enthusiastically into the challenge and collectively raised a whopping £663.87 from their efforts!
Said Jacque: “This has been another fantastic year for the school and I am eternally grateful for all of the support given by parents in so many ways. I am particularly proud of our Year 5 pupils, who have really stepped up to the mark and shown what ‘Life Ready’ young people they are-showing determination, self-management, organisation, problem solving and team work, in order to get the job done! Roll on next year for an even bigger challenge!”