Certainly our pupils have had plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents and develop their stagecraft in the last week or two. House Poetry, ISA drama competition, assemblies and an absolutely fantastic Junior Boys music concert have all been favourably received. Well done to everyone involved.

These events do have an impact on our usual curriculum timetable but we believe the chances for building self esteem and performance skills are essential to bring the best out of all pupils. We are of course always looking at ways to improve and minimise any disruption. We also have a talented musician role model amongst us and Mr Goddard recently performed at the O2 with his band - how cool!

I would find acting or appearing on stage terrifying but as a referee in front of 70,000 it is not a problem in the world. It all goes to show that we, as Mr Denton declared, are fortunately all different. Unfortunately on occasion my performances have been unfavourably described (polite version) as ridiculous or comical. We never intend to be wrong and humour often gets us through the worst press! I have often wondered what a suitable collective noun is for match officials? An insanity perhaps? For clowns it is an alley. These painted jesters also often get misunderstood and I certainly hope that none of our community has coulrophobia but to make the connection this week I would like to develop this week’s final words round the CCJB PTA’s fantastic new venture.

As you may well already know from our mail drop earlier in the week Happy’s Circus is coming to town and they will be erecting a big top on our fields for a wonderful early afternoon’s entertainment on Saturday 27 April. For a sneak preview of acrobats, jugglers click on  www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbbTHnkqvs0. Do ring fence the date in your diary. It might also be a potential opportunity to ask friends who are not yet part of our hidden gem in the Royal County of Berkshire to roll up and join us and see the amazing CCJB family in action. Mr Tumble another famous local celebrity clown from CBeebies might not be in attendance but he obviously inspired Mr Denton’s assembly attire which worryingly resembled my weekend and holiday collections.

To conclude, ‘On some days I certainly do feel like the ringmaster and on others I feel like the clown’ is probably quite a good curtain call quote. Hopefully, this Saturday at the Madejski Stadium I’ll be reviewed as the former.

View the gallery of the week  here.

Have a great weekend.