It has almost become the norm at King Offa to describe our weeks as action‑packed — and this week has been no exception. It is a pleasure to share a brief update that captures just some of the wonderful experiences our school community has enjoyed. 

On Tuesday evening, I had the privilege of joining Year 6 on their residential PGL trip. Their independence, resilience, and support for one another were clear to see throughout. Pupils took part in a wide range of activities, including archery, the giant swing, Aeroball and many others. They showed great courage in overcoming fears and encouraging each other to push their limits. A huge thank‑you to the Year 6 team for making this memorable experience possible, and to the pupils for their exemplary attitude. The PGL staff were highly complementary of the behaviour and courtesy shown by our King Offa pupils. Well done, Year 6! 

This week, Mrs Irving and Mrs Englebrecht also took a team to an inter‑school Cross Country event. Mrs Irving shared the following summary: 

“Twenty-one schools from Hastings, Bexhill and the surrounding areas took part in the annual Sandown Cross Country event. Our Year 3–6 girls’ and boys’ teams competed with such determination and spirit — I honestly couldn’t have been more proud. 

The children demonstrated perseverance, energy, and outstanding sportsmanship throughout. We had moments worthy of the Brownlee brothers, lost shoes, children running in socks, and of course plenty of glorious mud… but nothing stopped them giving it their all. 

We also had some fantastic individual results and were thrilled to finish 9th overall — a brilliant achievement given the size of the event. 

We hope the children enjoyed the experience and that it has inspired some to keep up their running. Let’s keep up the momentum and get practicing for next year!” 

Across the school, pupils from Years 2 to 5 have been working diligently on their Spring Reading and Maths assessments. At first glance, we can already see impressive progress — a testament to the children’s hard work and the expert guidance of our staff. 

After such an exciting and busy week, pupils will no doubt appreciate the additional rest day this weekend due to our INSET. We look forward to welcoming them back, refreshed and full of energy, on Monday.