As we wrap up what has been a wonderfully busy term, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that we've accomplished together.

This festive season has truly brought us together. The Christmas production of Robin Hood and Sherwood Hoodies was nothing short of wonderful, capturing the magic of the season and the hard work of our children and staff. We welcomed old colleagues back to watch, some of whom started working at Northmead when it first opened, and we also welcomed the new Headteacher and Head of Year 7 from Christ's College, who all commented on how amazing the show was. The Year 2 children also enjoyed watching the dress rehearsal and sat brilliantly for the whole runtime.

The NST have outdone themselves again, organising fantastic events such as the graffiti workshop, art workshop, grounds clearance days, Popolo pottery evening, fireworks and bonfire extravaganza, Christmas raffle, refreshments at our amazing production and Christmas tree sales - THANK YOU.

Earlier this half-term I had the privilege of joining five other Surrey Headteachers on a fascinating and valuable trip to China. We stayed in the cities of Guiyang and Chengdu, immersing ourselves in the warm and welcoming culture while learning about the Chinese education system. It was eye-opening to see the differences, particularly the average school day being 12 hours compared to our 6! While it was an exciting and enriching experience, it was certainly exhausting too! The insights gained will undoubtedly shape and inspire my perspective as we continue striving for improvement in our schools. We will be welcoming 15 Chinese children at the end of January, providing us with further opportunities to learn from each other.

As we head into the holidays, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support. It's a privilege to be part of such a wonderful school community.

Lastly, I look forward to seeing many of you at our carol service on Friday at Emmanuel Church at 9:30am.

Wishing you all a restful, joyful, and very merry Christmas.

Festive wishes, Sarah Carrington.