A very big welcome back to all the children after the summer break! It has only been two days, but already our classrooms have been filled with laughter, creativity, teamwork and plenty of opportunities to get to know one another.

We have been busy building new friendships and getting to know the people we will be learning alongside this year. The children have also been thinking carefully about what it means to be part of a class and the values that help make a classroom a happy, supportive and successful place to learn.

One of our first activities was creating our very own class flags, with each class exploring and representing the values they feel are important for working together as a team. We have also discussed what makes a great classroom, sharing ideas about how we can help one another feel safe, included and ready to learn.

There has been plenty of creativity too! The children have been experimenting with abstract self-portraits, producing some wonderfully imaginative and individual artwork. And, of course, no first week would be complete without a little friendly competition! Our paper chain team challenge put everyone's teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills to the test as we battled to see who could create the longest chain.

It has been a fantastic start to the new school year, and we are so pleased to see everyone back, settling in and embracing new challenges. We can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

Welcome back, everyone — here's to a brilliant year ahead!