Schools News (Including 40th birthday celebration for Leverstock Green Playgroup)

Leverstock Green Playgroup celebrates its 40th anniversary

Leverstock Green Playgroup is a harity which was opened in September 1974 and has been serving the community of Leverstock Green and the surrounding areas ever since.

The group is based in the Westwick Room of the Village Hall and earlier this month held a party to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Children’s entertainer Stripey Wipey provided the little ones’ entertainment and food , drinks, raffle and craft activities were on offer.

The party had a ‘Back to School’ theme and welcome former staff, parents and children who have attended over the years.

The playgroup welcomes children from ages two to five and boasts a safe, secure setting with a lovely garden attached overlooking the Westwick field.

There are eight members of staff committed to providing the best care and support whilst learning in a stimulating environment adhering to the Government EYFS curriculum.

Deputy manager Tracey Dignum said: “We are a pre-school environment that helps with our children to be school ready.

“Here at Leverstock Green Playgroup we believe that all children are individuals. We aim to promote their independence by providing lots of choices and allowing them time for exploring, yet being available when needed.

“We will always give recognition for their work, by either displaying it, including it in their learning journals or by praise.

“Praise will always be given to a child for effort made or achieved and to reward good behaviour. We feel it is important to listen to the children and to spend time talking with them.

“We will always try to treat children with respect and honesty and in so doing we hope to raise their self-confidence and self-esteem.”

The party raised £900 which will be used to buy artificial grass for the children to play on.

Woodfield School is still making a splash for hydrotherapy pool funds

Hemel Hempstead’s Woodfield School for children with special educational needs has so far raised around. £125,000 towards its target to help pupils with severe disabilities have a brand new hydrotherapy pool.

The school, which teaches those aged three to 19 years old, is in desperate need of a new pool and sports hall in order to give many of the children the freedom they do not have outside of the water.

The Woodfield Association School and Partners group, or WASP, haveheld many fundraising activities to help fund the project.

The latest is a family fun day to be held on Saturday, September 27 from 2pm to 7pm at the school in Malmes Croft, Leverstock Green.

There will be live music and a beer tent, BBQ and stalls. All are welcome to come along and support the pool project.

Raffle and tombola prizes will be gratefully received from those who are able to donate.

Visit justgiving.com/w-a-s-p to find out more and donate towards the project, or visit woodfield.herts.sch.uk or call 01442 253476 for more information about Saturday’s event.

Hemel Hempstead School pupils spot a Ghost, and others embark on an epic voyage

Year 11 Graphic Design BTEC students at The Hemel Hempstead School were given the exciting chance to take some photographs of a 1922 Ghost Rolls Royce this week for their ‘Car Magazine’ they are currently designing as part of their Digital Art project.

As is customary at the start of September the bold and intrepid Year 11 Geographers at The Hemel Hempstead School embark on an epic voyage to the South Shropshire hills.

The purpose of this trip is to collect data for their controlled assessment which constitutes 25% of the Geography GCSE course but it also gives students the chance to experience the V shaped valleys, waterfalls and meanders much discussed in class but rarely visited.

Students boldly clambered into Carding Mill Valley Stream on the Long Mynd to measure how the river changes along the valley and hopefully had some fun along the way.

Dagnall School consults on status change

Dagnall School is at the heart of a village that many people drive through on their way to the WhipsnadeZoo, Leighton Buzzard or the M1.

As an infant school for four to seven year olds, it has the advantage of very small class sizes.

Although most children come from the village of Dagnall, some come from neighbouring villages and others from Leighton Buzzard.

What their families are all keen to experience is a school where each child is well known to and cared for by all the staff.

The school, which started life in the church building, has always had a strong Christian ethos and along with All Saints Church, plays an important part in village life.

The school is currently consulting with all stakeholders and local residents about the possibility of becoming a Church of England School.

This will enable us to work with other nearby church schools to maximise some economies of scale as well as accessing training for staff to enrich the curriculum.

Dagnall School will continue to work with the County Council to provide a good quality of education to any child from the locality who wishes to attend.

If Dagnall School becomes a Voluntary Aided Church of England school it will continue to welcome all children of any faith, and it will continue to celebrate other cultures and enable equal opportunities for every child as it does now.

There are currently 26 children in the school. The headteacher, Rachel Heath, will be happy to answer any queries you may have about the consultation and proposed changes.

She will be able to show you around the school so you can see the opportunities it provides for some exciting learning.

More information is available at dagnall.bucks.sch.uk

Childminders to toddle for charity

A Berkhamsted childminding group will be taking part in the Big Toddle next Wednesday, October 1 raise funds for children’s charity Barnardo’s. The group are hoping to raise around £150.