Dear Bridgewater Community,
I will be retiring in December after twenty wonderful years at Bridgewater Primary School. It has been a pleasure to work with so many families, staff and governors in this learning community over time.
I joined the school in 2007 as the Deputy and stepped up to the Headteacher role in 2011. I have worked with an incredible team of inspirational people over the years.
No sooner did we grow to full capacity as a two-form entry school, we were asked to grow to three form entry. I stood in the hall and stated to the community that, ‘What we do for two classes, we can do for three’, with my fingers crossed behind my back.
Soon the new building works began and we recruited new staff each year. We grew a dynamic, fun and creative team striving for high standards and the best inclusive education we could deliver, providing the children with knowledge and skills for life. We opened our new Inspire building in 2016 and both buildings are still filled with the same ethos, high standards and joy. We still have the same school aims in a world that has changed significantly over those years.
We built a state-of-the-art kitchen providing hot and healthy meals every day. We changed the ICT suite to a library and then a STEM room, with a kiln! We developed our inclusive practice and created the Bridge and our nurture provision with our Cubbie being the latest magical addition.
We opened our ‘Out of School Club’ run by our own amazing staff serving our working parents, creating a homely environment in the school setting. We opened our own Nursery in 2018 run by another supportive caring team providing an exciting environment making sure the children are ‘school ready.’
Outdoor learning is still high on the agenda with our amazing Forest School and pond areas to explore and learn in and now including our pre-schooler group. ‘
We supported our community through Covid 19, working together every day communicating and adapting as we went with the aid of our Seesaw learning platform.
We have all worked together to understand our digital world to keep the children safe. If I have one last wish it is for children to get outside as much as they can so that they can feel calm away from addictive devices that can steal their time and focus. We are well on the way on that journey.
I was very proud of us all when Ofsted recognised our strengths in October 2024 – what a school, what an incredible team effort, recognising the whole community.
I am honoured to have worked and led the community over time and come to know so many families and delightful children, many of whom are now young adults successfully finding their way in the world.
Now it is time for a new generation to take the lead, and I will enjoy time with my family, spend time in my garden and see a bit more of our exciting world.
Good luck and best wishes to each and every one of you.
Warmest regards,
Alison Harvey