Dear Chilton Families,

What a wonderful start we have had to Term 2! Thank you all for your continued positivity, enthusiasm and support as we settle into another busy and exciting term at Chilton.

One of the real highlights of this week has been our Parent–Teacher Consultations. It is always such a pleasure to sit down with you and celebrate your children's achievements, discuss the progress they have made and look ahead to the next steps in their learning. What makes these conversations so special is the shared passion that brings us together. As parents and educators, we all want exactly the same thing: for your children to be happy, confident, successful and to achieve the very best they possibly can. That shared ambition is at the heart of our Chilton community, and the partnership between home and school is one of the most important ingredients in helping our children flourish. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us and for the trust you place in our team every day.

On the subject of communication, I wanted to share a gentle reminder about the importance of talking to us directly whenever you have a question or concern about your child's experience at school. We completely appreciate that class WhatsApp groups can be incredibly useful for parents, whether that's reminding one another about PE days, non-uniform days or the many other things that come with busy family life! However, they are not always the best place to discuss or resolve concerns about school. Conversations can sometimes lack the full picture, and we would always much rather have the opportunity to listen, understand and work with you directly. Please remember that our doors are always open. We genuinely want to hear from you, and we will always do our very best to support you and your children. Every child deserves to feel happy, safe, listened to and supported at school, and by working together, we can make sure that remains at the heart of everything we do.

Looking ahead, we have another exciting week in store!

• Wednesday – Remembrance Day: As we take time to reflect and remember those who have served and sacrificed, children who belong to uniformed organisations, such as Cubs, Beavers, Brownies and Rainbows, are warmly invited to wear their service uniforms to school.

• Thursday – Year 6 Beach Clean: Our Year 6 children will be heading to Pegwell Bay to take part in a beach clean as part of their ongoing robotics project. What a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to our local environment while connecting their learning to the world around them!

• Friday – World Kindness Day and Children in Need: Two wonderful occasions that fit so perfectly with our Chilton values! To mark the day, children are invited to come to school wearing something yellow or spotty. We look forward to a day full of kindness, smiles and a little extra colour around the school! 

As always, thank you for everything you do to make Chilton such a special place. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive school community, and I am looking forward to all that this term has in store for us.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Mr McAuley