HT Blog
Friday 25th April 2025
It was good to welcome the children back to school after the Easter break and to have a shorter week to ease us in gently, thanks to the Easter Monday Bank Holiday.
The newsletter was sent home in hard copy and our usual activities started.
I was delighted to show the Local Authority Head of Targeted Education around on Tuesday afternoon and the staff completed their Cyber Security training after school.
Miss Bethany Stroud joined us for her teaching experience. She will be working with Mr Rich and Silver Class for most of the term.
We have changed our IT support company and we had our first strategic meeting with them on Wednesday morning.
Several attendance meetings were held during the week and our Curriculum Governors met on Thursday after school.
The Friends held another very successful Wine Tasting evening at Sprout and Flower.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 4th April 2025
It has been a busy final week of term and the children and staff are really looking forward to the Easter break.
Monday was internet safety day in school. Mr Karl Hopwood, an international specialist, worked with every class and ran 2 information sessions for staff and parents. It is our highest priority to keep our children safe at all times.
Our usual activities took place during the week.
Green Class enjoyed a day at Langford Lakes on Wednesday.
Mrs Cocker and I attended some virtual training called ‘Emotional Me’. This is a pilot project supporting schools to build the resilience of our year 5 children.
Mrs Clements completed the library stocktake and our lost property was in the entrance hall all week.
Mrs Cocker held maths Pupil Progress meetings on Wednesday and Mrs Shannon English Pupil Progress meetings on Thursday. Mr Griffin ran a tennis taster day on Friday for all classes.
We had a fire drill during the week and some classrooms were cleared ready for carpet cleaning during the holidays.
We said goodbye to Mrs Ross after her teaching experience in Silver Class.
School closed at 3.20 pm for the holidays.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 28th March 2025
We are racing towards the Easter Break and the children and staff are really looking forward to it!
I held many School Attendance Meetings during the week and our 'usual activities' took place - apart from clubs.
Purple Class were involved in the Great British Clean up and gathered many bags of rubbish from the school and Duchy Manor site.
Gold Class had a fascinating day at Stonehenge on Tuesday while Mrs Cripps took our netball team to the North Dorset Finals competition. We welcomed many parents to our 'Book Look' after school as well.
The Life Bus team were in school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The children learnt about keeping safe with the help of Harold the Giraffe.
Mrs Clements started her library stock-take on Wednesday and Mr Rich met with all of our TAs.
Red Classes went to Gutchpool Farm on Thursday and had a lovely day and Mrs Ross's tutor was in school.
I taught during the KS2 games afternoon as Mr Griffin was not available and the children thoroughly enjoyed their disco in the evening.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 21at March 2025
The weeks seem to be getting busier as we approach Easter!
Mr Ings, one of our governors was in school on Monday afternoon meeting with our art subject leaders and completed a health and safety inspection. The School Council held their brown bag sale after school as well.
I held Attendance Meetings throughout the week, showed new parents around the school and sent in our Mere Matters contribution.
Mr Rich attended training as part of a long course he is completing on Tuesday while Mrs Ross took Silver Class. All of our governors took part in some training in the evening.
The Book Fair left us on Wednesday and Yellow Classes went to Tokes Farm. Mr Rich organised and ran a pyramid football tournament during the afternoon.
I went to a Cluster Head Teacher meeting at Wardour on Thursday and spent the afternoon in Purple Class while Mrs Shannon and Mrs Read completed preparations for the KS2 SATs.
Clubs ended on Thursday but our normal activities continued.
It was Red Nose Day on Friday and we all did ‘something funny for money’!
Catriona Williamson
Friday 14th March 2025
It was a busy week in school.
As well as our usual activities Wiltshire Scrap Store was in Silver Class on Wednesday morning and during the afternoon we rehearsed for our Musical Entertainment Evening. It went really well – it takes a lot of courage to perform to a huge audience, but our children made us, and their music teachers, so proud.
It was lovely to welcome parents to our Parent Interviews on Thursday.
The children did not wear their uniforms on Thursday in exchange for a Beetle Drive prize. It was ‘eyes down’ on Friday evening for this event.
The Book Fair arrived on Wednesday. All of the children had the opportunity to visit and it was open after school for parents to browse and buy.
I held my Head Teacher Lunch as well and Mr Rich took our lower KS2 football team to a festival at Gillingham School.
Mrs Cocker and Mrs Godfrey completed some maths monitoring on Thursday morning and Yellow Class visited Mere Library on Friday morning.
I attended various meetings during the week.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 7th March 2025
Mrs Buck and Ms Glendenning attended some ELSA training and all of our usual activities took place during the week.
Mrs Rawlings and I met with our Education Welfare Officer on Tuesday to discuss attendance across the school.
Mr Rich met with our TAs and I met with our MDSAs.
Yellow Class had a walk into Mere and Mr Rich took our lower KS2 team to a football festival at Gillingham School.
It was World Book Day on Thursday and it was lovely to see all of the children in their costumes or PJs with their favourite book. We had a most enjoyable day.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 28th February 2025
We welcomed the children back, refreshed, after half term and the newsletter was available to download on Monday. Mrs Shannon and Purple Class also had a work experience student with them.
All of our children received emergency first aid training from the Wiltshire Air Ambulance team during Monday and Tuesday. They learnt key skills for life.
The children and staff were all busy with our usual weekly activities.
The Friends met on Tuesday evening to discuss their planned events and how they will spend their raised funds.
Head checks took place during the week – this does keep infestations low compared to other schools.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 14th February 2025
This was our final week in school before half term and school closed on Friday.
Various meetings were held during the week and we welcomed our OFSTED consultant to work with us on Tuesday.
Our usual activities took place and Mrs Ross worked in Silver Class with Mr Rich for her first full week.
We sent our contribution off to ‘Mere Matters’.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 7th February 2025
The newsletter was available to download on Monday, we had our fire alarm serviced and the Wiltshire Speech and Language team were in school supporting individual children.
The children and staff were all busy with our usual weekly activities and the teaching staff completed their final autism training session.
I met with a small group of children for lunch on Wednesday and held School Attendance Meetings throughout the week.
Miss Fletcher and Miss Chapman completed some art monitoring during the week.
Our children performed beautifully at the Pyramid Dance Festival which we hosted in our hall.
I met with our Class Parents on Friday.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 31st January 2025
I am often asked about the point of teaching handwriting in this digital world.
The National Curriculum requires all children to be able to write joined-up words on the line and with consistent spacing by the time they leave primary school.
A recent OFSTED report on English teaching found that primary pupils were not given enough time and practise to become fluent at handwriting. Secondary schools were then ‘unsure’ how to help pupils who struggled with writing.
Chief examiners are warning that some pupil’s handwriting is so poor that it can be ‘impossible to award a fair mark’ to their work.
Some experts fear that the art of handwriting is being lost as schools increasingly employ laptops and tablets when teaching.
At Mere School we have a robust Handwriting Policy and our teachers are trained to teach it using consistent methods and language across the school. We aim to have a good balance between handwriting and typing.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 24th January 2025
The newsletter was available to download on Monday and our girls’ football team played really well in their first match in the Davison Cup competition. Miss Santry ran her dance club preparing the children for the Pyramid Dance Festival.
Mrs Hall completed her final week teaching at a local school while I took Red Class in her absence. I was also delighted to pop into every class during the week.
Various professionals visited, staff attended online training and our governing body curriculum committee on Thursday after school.
Our normal programme of events took place.
Mr Rich and Miss Fletcher met with our TA team and I met our MDSAs.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 17th January 2025
Our first full week back in 2025.
I taught Red PH Class while Mrs Hall is completing some experience at another school.
All of our usual activities started apart from clubs (our special dance club was on Monday after school).
Our Educational Psychologist worked with our TAs on Tuesday morning and Miss Chapman attended some training in Salisbury.
We had another CAMHs information session for parents on Wednesday morning.
Purple Class visited We Are Curious on Thursday and our kitchen had a gas inspection.
Our year 5 & 6 hockey team took part in the pyramid tournament on Wednesday.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 10th January 2025
Happy new year!
The teachers were in school on Monday and Tuesday updating their first aid and child protection qualifications. They also spent Tuesday morning in neighbouring schools. It is always useful to see how other schools and classrooms operate.
We welcomed the children back on Wednesday. A hard copy of the newsletter was sent home and our KS1 children visited the library
Some of our ‘normal’ activities took place during the week.
Mrs Lee was not in school as she has started her maternity leave. Mrs Rich is now covering her absence. Mrs Ross is working all term with Mr Rich in Silver Class.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 20th December 2024
Such an exciting and busy week in school!
Our ‘normal’ activities were reduced for the last week of term as there were so many other things going on.
The newsletter was available to download on Monday and Mrs Shannon ran English Pupil Progress meetings all day with the teachers.
Mrs Jennings took our choir to sing at the Mere Day Centre as well.
Mrs Cocker met with teachers on Tuesday for the maths Pupil Progress meetings.
Families really enjoyed out Christmas productions on Tuesday and we were so proud of our children.
The reward for such hard work was our visit to Salisbury Playhouse on Wednesday to see Sleeping Beauty. Thank you to The Friends for funding this. We had a fantastic time and the children were so well behaved – as always.
Father Christmas and his elves joined us on Thursday for Christmas lunch. We had a traditional Christmas lunch when all the staff and governors sat together. All of the children visited Santa in his grotto as well.
Some less exciting things happened during the week – an asbestos survey, air conditioning service and library audit.
Raffle tickets were on sale all week and the class raffles were drawn on Friday.
Our Carol Service was a reminder for the children of the true meaning of Christmas and it was lovely to welcome so many parents to the service as well. The children sang and read well for Rev Michael’s first school Carol Service.
The children did not swim but the KS2 children enjoyed a Christmas film on Friday afternoon.
School closed for the Christmas break at 3.20 pm on Friday. We had some exhausted children and staff!
Catriona Williamson
Friday 13th December 2024
The excitement is rising in school!
We were delighted to welcome so many parents to have a look at their child’s book after school on Monday.
We have been rehearsing the production and Carol Service and Mere Pre-School attended our KS1 dress rehearsal. KS1 have watched the KS2 play and KS2 have watched the KS1 play.
Mrs Jennings and Mrs Shannon met with the artists in residence for The Tower Stories project planning how our children might be involved.
Mr Rich was out on a course on Tuesday.
Our fire extinguishers were inspected and Mrs Clements continued her library stock take.
It was non-school uniform day on Thursday in exchange for a confectionery raffle prize.
We managed to squeeze in all our normal bits and pieces apart from our clubs which have finished for this term.
There was a slightly shorter disco on Friday evening.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 6th December 2024
Life is very exciting in school at the moment – the Christmas spirit is certainly around us all. Rehearsals for our productions continue and we are also preparing for our Carol Service.
We welcomed 2 new children to Mere School.
Mrs Marsh and a team of helpers from St Michael’s Church organised a Bells Workshop for our children on Monday, and it was lovely to welcome Rev Michael, our new vicar.
The newsletter was also available to download.
Our normal weekly activities took place but it was the final week for our clubs.
Visiting professionals worked in school during the week.
The School Nursing team complete height, weight and vision checks in Blue Class on Wednesday and Miss Santry took our children to a Cross Country Tournament at Gillingham School.
The School Nursing team were in again on Thursday administering the ‘flu sniffs’.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 29th November 2019
We are adding ‘the final touches’ to our Christmas performances with frequent rehearsals.
Various professionals visited school to support some of our children and as always, I enjoyed showing some new, potential parents around.
Our routine, weekly activities took place.
We were delighted to welcome Keith Hatton, an author on Tuesday. He spoke to all of the children about his books then ran a book signing after school.
I attended the Rev Michael Molano’s Licensing Service on Tuesday evening. We are looking forward to welcoming him to school.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 22nd November 2024
Our Christmas preparations are in ‘full swing’.
The newsletter was available to download on Monday and the school nursing team completed height and weight checks in year 6.
We welcomed more potential new parents to look around the school and various professionals came in to support our children.
Mrs Rawlings and I met with the Educational Welfare Officer to discuss our attendance (which is really good!) and Green Class took part in brass workshops run by Gillingham Town Band.
Mr Rich and Miss Fletcher met with our TAs and our governors met on Tuesday evening.
I met with a group of children for my Head Teacher Lunch on Wednesday and CAMHs ran another parent information session during the afternoon.
Miss Santry took our lower KS2 netball team to Gillingham School to take part in some coaching.
I took 3 of our children to the Cluster Council meeting on Thursday morning while I met with my cluster colleagues.
On Friday we welcomed a member of the Health & Safety team from Wiltshire Council and they completed an audit in school. I also met with our Midday Lunchtime Supervisor team.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 15th November 2019
The whole school met together on Monday morning for 2 minutes of silence.as it was Remembrance Day.
Purple Class spent the day at Tokes Farm and The Friends met during the evening. We raised over £10,000 at our fireworks event!
Our usual activities took place during the week and Christmas rehearsals continued.
Mr Rich and Mrs Shannon ran a Phonics Information Session for parents on Tuesday morning.
The LA Speech and Language team were in during the week supporting some of our children and the LA Accounting Technician visited Mrs Hyde in the office.
Miss Santry took our rugby team to the North Dorset Rugby event – they represented the school so well, as they always do and won the competition.
I submitted our contribution to Mere Matters.
It was national Anti-Bullying week and the children were involved in associated activities.
We had a Break The Rules Day on Friday to celebrate and collect money for Children in Need. Mrs Gulliver also made Pudsey Bear cakes and the School Council sold these instead of our usual snacks.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 8th November 2024
On Monday school was closed to the children as it was a T D day. The teachers, and colleagues from local cluster schools, worked with a maths specialist focusing on oracy. This is a priority for the school this year.
It was lovely to welcome the children back on Tuesday. The new half term started with all of our normal activities.
Some of our year 6 children were involved in Bikeability and the newsletter was available to download.
Christmas rehearsals started and Mrs Christine Marsh came to meet Mrs Megan Jennings to evaluate our music provision in school.
Head checks took place during the week.
We all left school on Friday looking forward to Mere School Fireworks.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 25th October 2019
The final week of this half term.
It was a relatively ‘normal’ week in school with our usual activities – the calm before the Christmas excitement.
Many of our families enjoyed our Spectacular Science morning with the Wiltshire Family Learning team on Wednesday morning and Mr Rich took our Girls’ Football team to the Transition Festival at Gillingham School.
We were delighted to welcome parents on Thursday evening to our Parent Interviews.
School closed on Friday for half term.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 18th October 2024
The newsletter was available to download on Monday morning and Walksafe took small groups of Gold Class children into Mere to teach them about how to cross the road and road safety.
The Friends met on Monday evening as well.
I was delighted to welcome a lot of new parents to look around the school ready for their children starting in September 2025.
Miss Chapman and Miss Hanby attended some PE training on Tuesday and I had the pleasure of teaching Green Class.
I joined a webinar after school with the Education Minister.
Gold Class had a fascinating day at Lyme Regis on Wednesday and the PCSO visited Purple Class during the afternoon.
I held my Head Teacher Lunch (such a useful event for me!).
I took Miss Hanby’s class on Thursday while she taught French across the school (as she missed it on Tuesday).
Our contribution to Mere Matters was sent off as well.
The whole school community enjoyed our Harvest Festival on Friday morning in St Michael’s Church – a great way to end the week. Thank you to Mrs Jennings for organising this.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 11th October 2024
The Walksafe team were in school on Monday working with Yellow, Gold and Silver Classes and Miss Hanby went to Gillingham School during the afternoon to meet with their languages team. I had the pleasure of teaching her class.
The usual weekly activities took place – School Counsellor, library, swimming, individual music lessons, clubs, music and French.
I visited every class during the week to consider our pupil attitudes to learning and our classroom environments.
Miss Santry took our netball team to a Pyramid tournament at Gillingham School. As usual our team performed extremely well and are through to the next round of the competition.
I met with our Class Parents on Friday afternoon. This is such a valuable meeting for me.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 4th October 2024
Our new Sports Leaders attended some training at Gillingham School with Mrs Read on Monday.
Clubs started and our usual weekly events took place.
Red Class had a fascinating day at the Ancient Technology Centre on Wednesday and I met with the Local Authority to discuss the Safer Families project.
We were delighted to welcome the CAMHs team on Wednesday morning who ran another very successful workshop for parents.
Yellow Class walked into Mere on Thursday afternoon and Red Class visited Gillingham School for a science event.
We said a sad goodbye to Miss Spencer on Friday – she has been our Senior MDSA for 8 years. Fortunately she will be continuing as a cleaner for us.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 27th September 2024
Our clubs started this week and our governors met on Tuesday evening.
Miss Chapman, Mrs Cocker and Mrs Shannon attended training in person and online during the week and we welcomed our OFSTED consultant on Tuesday. He worked with the Senior Leadership Team considering English and maths in school and our formal data.
Various professionals were in school supporting individual children.
The LA completed a Safeguarding Audit with us on Wednesday morning.
I met with our cluster head teachers on Thursday morning.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 20th September 2024
We were very grateful to our Class Parents for organising our individual photos releasing Mrs Rawlings to get on with her many other jobs.
The newsletter was available to download on Monday and I attended a safeguarding briefing.
The governing body Behaviour & Safety Committee met on Tuesday evening and the Curriculum Committee on Thursday after school.
The school settled into the normal routines with music, French, swimming, library, individual music lessons, and library.
We said a sad goodbye to Ms Claire Hunt who has been opening our school in the mornings for many years.
Some of our year 6 children took part in Bikeability during the week.
Mrs Christine Marsh visited Miss Sarah Santry to chat about Open the Book for this term.
Mr Lee Tibbit completed some General Governor Monitoring on Thursday morning. He shadowed our TAs to see how varied and busy their roles are so he can report back to the full governing body.
Travel to School data was collected on Friday morning.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 13th September 2024
It was our first full week back at school and we are gradually returning to ‘normal.
Mr Rich was in Bath on Tuesday as part of a long course he is completing. I taught Silver Class.
There were various in person and virtual meetings during the week.
TAs completed head checks.
Gold and Green Classes swam at Port Regis on Friday. The new arrangements seem to be working well.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 6th September 2024
The teachers were in school on Tuesday ensuring that all the plans were in place for the children’s return.
Wednesday was the start of the new school year for the children and it was lovely to welcome them back and to welcome our new starters. The Friends ‘softened’ the start of term for parents by serving croissants and a hot drink in the playground.
We all started to adjust to the new school times.
A hard copy of the newsletter was sent home.
Mrs Hall started in her new role as part of our teaching team.
Gold and Green Classes swam on Friday afternoon.
Catriona Williamson
Friday 19th July 2024
The final newsletter of the school year was available to download on Monday and Gold Class had their ‘extra’ swimming session to make up for one that was missed.
Staff appraisals and subject leader evaluations took place throughout the week.
Parents came in to see their child’s new classroom and to meet their child’s new teacher after school and we all enjoyed the leavers’ production later in the evening. A huge thank you to Mrs Shannon, Mrs Read and Mrs Jennings who have worked so hard to produce this.
Red Class performed to their parents and the whole school during Tuesday afternoon with IF Opera.
We had a splendid recorder assembly on Wednesday morning with Mrs Jennings and Gold Class and during the afternoon a brass band ensemble performed to our children.
Mrs Clements continued to collect in the library books and tidy up the library and I met with our governing body Staffing Panel.
Mr Rich took a large group of our older children to see Mrs Doubtfire in London on Thursday – what an incredible experience for them!
On Friday our year 6 children enjoyed their Leaver’s Lunch and the day ended with the Leavers’ Assembly when we had the opportunity to say a sad goodbye to them all.
The lost property was on display in the foyer all week and raffle tickets were on sale for our final summer raffle of the year.
School closed at 3.15 pm for the academic year for our children. The staff have 2 further days to work next week.
Catriona Williamson
