Headteacher Message

Hello all,

Welcome to the new school year. You will notice that I did not say ‘welcome back’ and that is because we have a number of new families joining us this year. Nursery, Reception, SRP, Year 1, Year 2, Year 4, and year 5 have received new children this year and what a lovely group of children  they are. It has been so nice to see the welcome these children have been given by all of our staff and all the children in their classes. I may be slightly biased, but I have been to a number of schools and this is the most welcoming school I have entered. 

I know how daunting the first day of Reception can be for a child and let us not forget their parents. Wednesday was the first day at Darell for many of our new cohort and there was some obvious reticence. Today, each and every child bounded into reception, some without a look back!  

Now, it is no good being welcoming if the school you are welcoming children into is not very good. We will always have things to work on, but after 7 years as head of the school I am really happy with where we are on our journey. This is for a number of reasons:

• The staff team: We have very little movement year-on-year and this enables us all to really get to know our children and celebrate their entire journey through the school.  

• Approachability and availability: We pride ourselves on being available. Please come and speak to us about any concerns you have. If we cannot meet you straight away, we will arrange a meeting as soon as possible. 

• The progress children make. We treat every child as an individual and support them to make progress from their unique starting point. It is not all about academic progress, as we want to develop the whole child, but we are proud of the academic progress our children make.

• Our wider offer. From debating groups to forest school experiences, we ensure that every child is able to access enrichment activities that suit them

• Our nurture team and family support worker. The school greatly benefits from having a highly skilled, nurturing team on site. We also have Belinda, our family support worker, who has supported many of our families and is so knowledgeable. Please make use of this service

• The parents' association: A more committed, kind and friendly group you would be hard pushed to find. That word again! They are very welcoming to new parents and appreciate any support you can give them and the school. I have just returned from the PSA meeting and was pleased to see how many new families were in attendance. 

• Our children: They are simply the best ambassadors for the school. They live our values on a daily basis and amaze, amuse and astound us on a daily basis.  

• Diversity is our strength. I was born and raised in Shepherds Bush and have always valued the life skills attending schools with diversity has given me. The ability to get on with anybody from anywhere has served me well in life. The fact that in a small school we have over 30 different languages is one aspect of this diversity.   

Please encourage any prospective parents you know to visit the school. You can only truly get the feel of a school by experiencing it, and we love showcasing what a great school we are.

Have a lovely weekend.

Joe Porter