We would like to say a massive thank you to Miss K. Bunce and Mr. J. Wild (parents of Joseph & Honor) who dedicated hours of their free time and re-decorated our school animals with the help of the children. They do look amazing!

Thank you.

We have a very special girl at school who has been awarded this term Friendship Award based on the letter received by Mrs. Longhurst:

"My name is Betty and I live at Grace Muriel House. I met some of your children when I came to your community gardening day and one of the children really stood out for me. I was a teacher a long time ago so I really enjoyed my morning with the children at school. When I met Tara, she introduced herself and asked my name. She was so kind and helpful; she helped me plant two hanging baskets, picking from the beautiful flowers. Meeting Tara has been the highlight of my year. I'm going to be 90 this month and she made my day. I don't want to do anything else for my birthday as this was such a special day, my best by far. Tara said if I come back to school we can meet and be friends I would very much like to be Tara's friend and I am so happy she is getting a friendship award. She is a special little girl."

Well done Tara, we are very proud!

Huge congratulations to our own Chess Club junior champions Alex J., Drew S. and Lawrence J.

Well done boys!

On Saturday Mandeville hosted the first community gardening day with the aim of improving the school environment for our pupils and to get together as a local community to share everyone's expertise and knowledge. The day was a huge success, despite the 34 degrees heat, with many local residents, families and key figures from the Sopwell community attending and getting their hands dirty!

It was lovely to share the day with so many of our school families, Becky our local vicar, Emma Matanle and Sandy Walkington, our local and district Councillors, lots of Mandeville staff and the Mayor of St. Albans, Janet Smith. We would specially like to thank anyone who donated money, plants, pots, compost or seeds and both Ayletts and Burton Tyler garden centres, who donated many bedding plants, bags of compost and hanging baskets. Also extra special thanks to Sharon Linney for promoting our event far and wide, Grace Muriel residents and Siouxsie for coming along on the day, Jamie Morris for providing advice and guidance on what to plant where, all the amazing Mandeville staff for giving up their time at the weekend to support the event and the local company Garden on a Roll, who generously donated a 10 metre border, full of plants to brighten up the front of our school.

Mandeville's first community gardening day had such a lovely community spirit and it was so lovely to see the community connecting across generations.