Goodbye Ms Spain...

As you will be aware, from our Chair of Governors thankyou message in 1^st July’s newsletter, Ms Spain is leaving South Grove at the end of the term.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on her time at South Grove and celebrate her time here.  Ms Spain joined the school in September 2012, at the same time as myself, to become a newly formed Senior Leadership Team for the school. Over this time she has shown such commitment and passion for the role, making significant contributions in various areas of the school, and support the school to move from requires improvement to Outstanding for the second time.

Ms Spain has been very much a part of the South Grove community, bringing with her a wealth of experience to ensure that the school focussed on growing children’s achievements, not only academic, but the well-being and pastoral side of the children in our care. Her Resilience Project is testament to this, supporting children each year to develop character, emotional strength and adaptability.

She has been instrumental, as part of the Senior Leadership Team, to ensure that the ambition for the school community, children and parents were raised. Her leadership style has been reflected in her ability to inspire and create ambitious children, to have a desire and love of learning, as well as developing their personal qualities, independence and awareness of how they can make changes within the world.

Her leadership style ensures she has engaged, inspired both children and staff during her time. This has enabled the school community to develop a culture of collaborative learning, mutual respect and tolerance.

Whilst we know that we will miss Ms Spain, we are so pleased for her that in moving to her new school she will find new challenges and work for the benefit of a new community. We have no doubt that she will be very soon influencing and nurturing another group of children in her care. They will be very lucky to have her!

Her legacy and influence will continue to be reflected in the South Grove school community and inspire us to ensure that the ‘children will always be the very best that they can be.’

Good luck Ms Spain – you and your Book Day outfits, from the Gingerbread Man (sorry no photo!) to Pippy Longstockings on a bike.  (the police stopped her as they weren’t sure what to make of the figure cycling in full costume to school – bent plaits waving in the wind!!) will be much missed - you are golden!