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(The full version of St. Mary's Messenger can be found in the password-protected area of the web site)

The heat is off in one respect yet in another it is very definitely on. It’s off because the Inspectors have departed whence they came, but the heat is on because your correspondent is in the St. Mary’s marquee at the Lincolnshire Show, with the thermometer striding purposefully up, up, ever up! In Chile we had lovely dry heat instead of the sticky humid stuff and that I can hardly cope with; however, one must do one’s duty . The marquee at the showground is double the size this year so we can display all the Diamond Jubilee items. I have to say that it is simply the best display of my four years here. Mrs Stuffins, Mr Johnston and their team have surpassed themselves and any of you who have tasted Mrs Eyre’s special smoothies this year will admit that she has found an extra dimension in refreshment. Formidable, as Mrs Howard would say.

Talking of which, the French Trip assembly on Tuesday was more than formidable, it was phénomenale! They spoke so well about their experiences and told us all how much they had learned and how much they had enjoyed it. The move to Château du Broutel seems to have been an inspired  one, with much more language work for the children to practise their skills. Throw in trips to the Eiffel Tower, creperies, a trip down the Seine and you have a fantastic week, all recounted with style and panache.

I have to say that on Wednesday afternoon the feeling of relief around St. Mary’s was tangible. England had finally come good, qualifying for the next round against Germany (gulp…) and the Inspectors had delivered their decisions to the school’s SMT (Senior Management Team) and the Governors. For the moment the report has to stay confidential while it is double-checked by the head office in London. Only when this checking is done am I able to share it with you, though I am allowed to say that there were big smiles all-round and that I am looking forward to being able to report back to you.

Also on the action-packed Wednesday I went to a schools’ conference at the Theatre Royal, where I was treated to a back-stage show-around which was absolutely fascinating and some excerpts from Billy Elliott, performed by a student group from Spalding who have won a national competition for it, the prize being to put it on in The West End! (That’s West End of London, not Lincoln.) Ian Dickens who has taken on the Theatre Royal looks to be revitalising the performing arts in the city centre and I hope that St. Mary’s can be involved in some ways.

The Jazz Day for Friday looks like being a great way to round off the formal working week, if formal is the correct word for a Mufti Day when lots of children from all round the county are coming to the school to do jazz workshops and perform. I was serious when I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I wish that we had the time and the space to put on more music workshops for more children. Following on from what I’ve written above, I would be so happy if we could organise more drama. Mrs Ford and I are looking at any way that we can to somehow broaden the creative and artistic parts of the spectrum without biting into the core of the academics. To involve pupils from other schools who do not have the chance during their school week is the ultimate aim but the usual constraints of time, space and money somewhat stymie us. We shall keep trying though.

The School Fete is coming up on Saturday and I do think that there is going to be a super atmosphere, with lots of great things to see and to do. There is not Sponge the Teacher this year (health, safety and commonsense seem to have knocked it off the menu for the moment…) but there is Gunge the Teacher which involves buying a raffle ticket and the lucky winners will get to pour buckets of gloopy gunge over some poor mugs who have volunteered for the privilege. More details on the day!

The tent here is teeming with visitors old and new , including a gentleman who is right in the front of the 1953 photo, the very first school photo we possess. Everyone is having a lovely time and I would to like join in! The sun has gone in so it is now quite bearable in the marquee even though it’s pretty full. Time for a cold drink and a break from the keyboard. See you tomorrow!

Andy Salmond Smith

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