As part of our Year 6 leavers' celebrations, things got fiercely competitive on the courts this week for our Students vs. Parents & Teachers Netball Match!

The atmosphere was electric with some great support from the side lines as the students showed excellent teamwork and speed, matching the adults every step of the way. It was a close game from start to finish, with the adults just edging a 7-6 victory at the final whistle.

A huge thank you to the parents and teachers who laced up their trainers, and a massive well done to our student superstars for playing with such fantastic sportsmanship. It was a wonderful lunch filled with laughter, friendly rivalry, and great memories as we bid a fond farewell to our leavers.

Celebration Day was a fitting end to what has been a wonderfully successful year at Dair House. The afternoon began with a spirited whole-school performance of Hold Up and a heartfelt address from Mrs Bull on her final Celebration Day. Reflecting on the journeys we all take through life, she shared a favourite quote from Big Panda and Tiny Dragon: “‘Which is more important,’ asked Big Panda, ‘the journey or the destination?’ ‘The company,’ said Tiny Dragon.” She spoke warmly about her journey at Dair House and how the friendships, memories and experiences made along the way are what matter most.

Arya and Francesca then captivated the audience with their original poems, encouraging us to look to the future and reflect on our responsibility for our planet. The Choir and Chamber Choir delighted everyone with their uplifting performances, while Zaydan shared a poem celebrating the love and support of his parents.

We were also honoured to welcome guest speaker Ellie Kildunne. We extend our sincere thanks to her for giving her time so generously and speaking so openly about the determination, resilience and commitment that have helped her become a World Rugby champion. Thanks also go to Laura Saunders for expertly leading the interview and helping to draw out such an inspiring conversation.

The Year 6 performance brought energy and entertainment to the occasion before with a unique bucket drumming piece that featured glow in the dark drumsticks. Prize Giving provided an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the many achievements of pupils across the school. The celebration concluded with a very special surprise, as the entire school and staff joined together to sing one of Mrs Bull's favourite songs, Blackbird by The Beatles, in honour of her time at Dair House and her forthcoming departure. It was a touching and completely unexpected moment, and a truly memorable way to bring such a wonderful celebration to a close

What a day Year 2 had on our trip to Woburn Safari Park! It really was an adventure from start to finish. We came face-to-face with incredible animals including bears, giraffes, elephants, zebras, lions, tigers, monkeys and many more. We also bravely survived an army of picnic-loving ducks (who were clearly hoping to join us for lunch!) and conquered what felt like miles and miles of traffic. Through it all, Year 2 were absolute superstars, showing patience, enthusiasm and brilliant behaviour all day long.

The traffic may have slowed us down, but it couldn't stop the fun! We even had our very own tour guide on the minibus, who introduced us to all of the amazing animals we spotted along the safari route. We learnt some fascinating facts too. One of our favourites was, "If an animal has its eyes on the side, it needs to hide; if its eyes are at the front, it's ready to hunt!" Suddenly, everyone was checking where everyone's eyes were!

One of the highlights of the day was our outdoor classroom session all about African giraffes. We had the chance to get hands-on with a real giraffe skull, jaw and vertebrae—definitely not something you see every day! We discovered that a group of giraffes is called a tower, that their tongues can grow to an incredible 46 cm long (long enough to make even the tallest ice cream look easy to eat!), and that, despite their wonderfully long necks, giraffes have exactly seven vertebrae—the very same number as humans.

Our safari adventure brought our Africa topic to life in the most exciting way. There were plenty of "wows", a few surprised squeals, lots of laughter and memories that will last a lifetime. We may have returned a little later than planned, but we also came back with heads full of amazing facts, hearts full of happy memories and, thankfully, no ducks hiding in our lunchboxes!

What a wonderful week it has been for our KS2 pupils! Following the weather-related postponement, the children absolutely shone in two fantastic performances of Peter Pan. Every child should be incredibly proud of their singing, acting and enthusiasm. From the pirates and Lost Boys to Mr Smee and the fearsome Captain Hook; from Wendy and her brothers to the distraught Mr and Mrs Darling missing their children, every role was played brilliantly. Peter Pan, who simply didn't want to grow up, and the mischievous Tinker Bell led us on a magical journey to Neverland, reminding us all to believe in fairies! Year 6 surpassed themselves with their acting, singing and excellent narration, Year 3 and 4 sang their hearts out, and Year 5 gave us a glimpse of the wonderful actors they will become next year. A huge thank you goes to all the staff who helped make the production possible, and especially to Mr Carter and Mrs Blencowe for their dedication, hard work and commitment in producing such an outstanding show. Bravo, KS2!

Our Reception class had an incredibly exciting few weeks! We received a special delivery of duckling eggs on Tuesday, and by Thursday, they started to hatch. The children absolutely loved watching the tiny ducklings emerge. It's been a wonderful hands-on lesson in lifecycles and responsibility.