Finally, after a summer filled with the sounds of renovation and construction, the corridors of Hazelwood School and Nursery came alive with the noise of returning children, happy to see their friends again and eager to meet their new teachers. Another year of excitement, challenge and achievement is underway and it feels great to be back. I look forward to the summer holidays, to the chance to recharge and reflect but I always look forward to the start of a new adventure even more. There is much to be excited about. The summer has been a period of transition and change on both sites with many improvements being made to each and new facilities being invested in to further enrich the experiences of the children. On the nursery site we have a brand new deckling area alongside the Wagtails rooms. This means that all our children have direct access to outside space in which to learn and to play, giving the room leaders greater flexibility to plan an ever diversifying and engaging programme of activities. Top Robins has a protective canopy over their outdoor area allowing access to fresh air learning all year round and the Skylarks’ floor has been re-laid so that tractors and pushchairs can speed around the room smoothly without any bumps and interruptions. It has further enhanced the environment of the room and will shine like a new penny until at least the end its first week after which it will have been baptised (quite rightly) in sand, water, mud and foam as the children set about their learning! Hazelwood School’s Senior Schools’ Fair takes place tomorrow, Saturday 12th September between 10am and 12noon. Come along and meet 30 of the country’s leading independent senior schools and find out about what’s on offer at Year 9 entry. Up on the Wolfs Hill site the Estates team have been busy with the paint brush giving corridors, classrooms and hallways a fresh lick of paint. The Chestnut building doors have been upgraded so that they open without undue coercion and the assembly hall is now the proud owner of a pull down screen and projector. Elsewhere the transformation of the dining hall continues with sound and protective wall panels, the school office has been given a make-over and the sports hall floor has been sanded and re-varnished. New indoor cricket nets have been hung. The Pop-up classrooms are now populated with our Year 3 and 4 cohorts and the third double court should be ready for the start of the match programme in a couple of weeks’ time. Progress on the new build has been well documented over the summer holidays – I hope you have been enjoying your updates – and it was wonderful to see some Year 8 pupils looking through the viewing panels as part of a science lesson on energy today. They were looking at how chemical energy is transformed into kinetic and sound energy and how the forces of gravitational pull helped to draw the massive drill bit into the ground. The viewing panels are right alongside the outside doors to my office so I am looking forward to many more excited faces (and not just Dr Orr’s) as the children benefit from the experience of seeing the building take shape. We are delighted too to welcome so many new faces to Hazelwood for the start of the term – staff and pupils. It’s healthy for any community to have a fresh injection of ideas and energy from time to time and I am confident that everyone will soon make their unique contribution to the school once early day nerves and butterflies have disappeared. We are fortunate to have some cracking new members of the staff team and we welcome Mrs Darvill (Assistant Head – Nursery and Early Years), Mrs Phillimore (Head of Maths), Miss Dickinson (Year 5 teacher), Miss Fox (Assistant Tutor), Miss Dancy (Assistant Tutor), Miss Napodano (Assistant Tutor) and Mr Fotheringham (Assistant Tutor). In addition Mrs Morgan has taken on the role of Year 2 teacher and Mrs Roe has come up from the Nursery site to become our new Head of Year 3. A big hello too to all our new Hazelwood families and thank you to everyone for making them feel so welcome over the summer holidays. We have opened our doors this September to new friends from France, South Africa and Singapore as well as London, Woldingham, Edenbridge, Limpsfield and Oxted! A real coming together of nations, united in their desire to embrace the start of their Hazelwood adventure. I wish you all many happy years ahead and look forward to getting to know you and your children. For a list of emails/letters/texts sent home each week please see the ‘Notice Board’ further down the Nutshell. Mrs Taylor’s Reception class set sail on the start of their continuing adventure at Hazelwood. As well as ‘Land Ahoy’ there will be new friends and plenty of wonderful things to learn and enjoy on the horizon. Welcome aboard everyone! News from The Nursery I’m delighted to have joined Hazelwood and have felt thoroughly welcomed by staff, parents and pupils. I look forward to getting to know the whole school community over the coming weeks and months. It is certainly going to be a challenge initially to learn all the new names! Term has started well with a lot of happy, calm children arriving. Only a few tears were observed and most of these were from parents in the car park! Following a lot of site improvements over the summer Wagtails are now enjoying free flow access to the outdoors, Top Robins can access outdoors in all weather thanks to the cover for their decking and Skylarks have a shiny new floor, as well as a smart co-ordinated spotty theme. The first major hurdle of the fire drill has been achieved and I was truly impressed by how sensible the children were. They would have put many a primary school to shame with the excellent way they quickly and quietly exited the building. All of the children have thrown themselves into their learning and are enjoying exploring all the new activities and experiences on offer. The quote of the week has to be the Reception child who merrily told me that she was just taking the DNA into the Wendy house so that she could make a witch! I trust your children have enjoyed the first week and I look forward to teaching many of them next week. Ruth Darvill Dates for diary: Information Evening for all Nursery and Early Years: 7pm Wednesday 16h September Harvest Festival: Thursday 1st October. Oak parents are invited to attend. Please let Amanda Twyman know it you wish to attend. Something tickles the fancy of our very own Mrs O’Keefe during her son’s wedding speech. The groom’s mother, after months of planning and stressing was able to finally laugh, smile and relax. The reception was held at the school and the beautiful bride made the most of the wide open space of Pavilion Field for a game of rounders! We wish James and Amy all the very best for the future. The children of Skylarks show the many sides to their learning with a spot of quiet reading in the library and some outdoor play making great use of the cardboard boxes in which the new furniture was delivered. Waste not want not. Full marks from Mr MacDougall and the Eco Committee! News from Hazelwood Interhouse Cross Country: Monday 14th September The Interhouse Cross Country takes place on Monday. Can all children in Years 3-8 remember to bring house tops to school on Monday. Cup Engraving If you have any cups to be engraved please drop these in to Mrs Calver’s office by 18th September with a note of exactly what you would like engraved. School Uniform Thank you to everyone who has made the effort to comply with the school’s request to have everyone in the new style uniform. The children are all looking smart and polished. We appreciate that some items are out of stock at the moment and are aware of which garments and which families are affected. Rest assured children whose uniform is on back order will be shown due consideration and understanding. Bella Italia! A trip to Rome and Sorrento provided a wonderful start to the year for the new year 8s. Tour highlights included an excursion to the Coliseum, an ascent of Mount Vesuvius and visits to the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Swimming in the sea in beautiful Sorrento and sampling many an ice cream were very much to the children's liking and the staff particularly enjoyed sampling local delicacies such as Cannoli and Spaghetti Vongole. The children should be commended for their outstanding behaviour and camaraderie, as well as their desire to give their all and try new things. A special thank you to Mrs Brighting and Mr Walton for their invaluable support and good humour throughout the trip. All pupils from Years 1 – 8 are invited to participate in “Jeans for Genes” Day, taking place at Hazelwood next Friday, 18th September in return for a £1 donation to the cause. In addition to jeans (no ripped), please remember sensible additional clothing and footwear, and no coloured hair or makeup. School Uniform Shop Don’t forget to drop off good condition outgrown 'current' uniform and bags/book bags. Sports equipment and footwear also welcome. The shop also sells a good selection of navy hair accessories and stationery for every day and emergency purchase! Welcome to Hazelwood School’s two new Governors: Mrs Alexia Bracewell (Head of Longacre School) and Mrs Emma Francis (SEN Teacher at Ardingly Prep) have joined the governing body from September and will both sit on the Education Committee.