We began this year with the installation of a tile cross in the school hall. Last year, the children decorated with coloured glazes, a clay tile with a design that reflected something about themselves. The glazes were very pale and the children had to believe that, once fired, their designs would be bold and bright. At last the tiles have been mounted together to form a 6 foot cross – a lasting legacy for us all to share and admire. Sometimes we have to make a leap of faith and trust that a plan will be successful in the end. In our first Collective Worship, the children worked in small groups and shared their aspirations for the year.
Some talked about learning specific things – such as letter sounds or Pompeii – other children wanted to expand their social and emotional world by being involved in one of the school councils, trying hot lunches or riding their bikes without stabilisers. My favourite was the child who wants to phone Batman. We all have something new that we would like to try – if we were able – and I like to think that school can provide the opportunity for some children to meet their dreams. The recent Olympic and Para-Olympic games were wonderful examples of how children were focused and disciplined and reached their goals. I wonder what you still dream of achieving? What is holding you back? As a church school, we try to encourage everybody to believe in themselves – looking beyond the pale glaze to the colourful final finish of the future.
