Grantham Infant school leavers in special service

Schoolchildren due to start National Junior School in September came together to take part in a special leaving service earlier this month.

Year two children from Little Gonerby Infant School, in Sandon Road, and Harrowby Infant School, in New Beacon Road, were guests of honour at the transistion service at St Wulfram’s Church to help them get to know each other and their new school.

Little Gonerby headteacher Helen Hilton is pleased with how the children got involved.

She said: “This is the first year that we have held a transition service and it was a really special afternoon.

“We decided to bring the year two children from Little Gonerby and Harrowby Infant schools together with the current year three children at the National school, as part of our transition work to help them to get to know each other and their new school.

“As Harrowby children do not normally use St Wulfram’s, this was the first time that many of them had been inside and it was lovely to have all of them together in what will be ‘their’ church.”

The children had all prepared a paper ‘leaf’ on which they wrote about something they were looking forward to at their new school. All the children hung their leaves on a special tree of expectation, which will be at the National School in September for when they arrive. They also shared prayers and each school chose a song to sing.

Mrs Hilton added: “The children enjoyed being able to worship together and we hope it will help them to feel part of their new school and settle into life at the National quickly. We will definitely be holding the service again next year.”

Harrowby Infant and National headteacher Kay Sutherland said: “It was such a superb and lovely service for the children. The tree has helped to create a visual memory. We are going to build on the service next year.”