Headteacher Newsletter: Issue 1
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER: ISSUE 1
This is the first of our fortnightly newsletters for this academic year. Welcome again to the new term and it is very pleasing to see how well the children have settled into the new term. We would like to welcome Patrick Neagu and his family to the school. Patrick joined Class 3 this week.
Each class will be sending out a class newsletter. Each newsletter will inform you of the curriculum that is being taught this term and the trips that have been planned.
Building Work update
I am pleased to report that the building work in the roof is progressing well and should be completed by the end of next week.
Meet the Teacher Evening – Thursday 18th September
7 PM – 7.30 PM Classes R, 2, 4 and 6
7.30 PM – 8 PM Classes 1, 3 and 5
(We have staggered the times to accommodate families with more than one pupil in the school)
This will take place on Thursday evening, please go to your child’s class for 7 pm (Classes R, 2, 4 and 6) OR 7.30 pm (Classes 1, 3 and 5) where the teacher will talk about the rules, routines and expectations of the class as well as the curriculum coverage this term. This is not an evening for individual consultation which will take place during November. Work will be displayed on the walls but there will be an opportunity for you to look at your child’s work during our termly ‘tray afternoon’ which will be held on Thursday 4th December from 3.15 – 4.00pm.
Parent Forum
There is a parent representative for each year group on the Parent Forum, working as a link between the head teacher and all parents in the school. Should you have any queries or suggestions that you would like to be discussed at the forum then please contact the representative for your year group, via the school office. Parents will be notified of the themes that are being explored at the meetings through the fortnightly newsletter or the class representative. The current members are:
- Year R Jemma Macfadyen and vacancy
- Year 1 Sarah Holmes and Victoria Collier
- Year 2 Rosie Mackenzie and vacancy
- Year 3 Kym Elliston and Jane Chetcuti
- Year 4 Lucy Hill and Jacqueline Berglund
- Year 5 Sonja Phipps and Jayne Hartley
- Year 6 Sophie Chalk and vacancy
Our first meeting for the year was this week we discussed ideas around a Walking Bus as well as our School Improvement areas for this academic year. Each representative is hoping to attend or be represented at the Meet the Teacher evening next week to introduce themselves and explain how the Forum works.
School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015
The Parent Forum is a place for parents and the school to work together on around projects linked to the School Improvement Plan. Please see below for the areas we are looking for ideas from parents for this academic year. Should you have any suggestions that you would like to be discussed at the forum, linked to the areas below, then please contact the representative for your year group via the school office or directly.
- Raising attainment and progress in writing across the school – particular focus on boys
- Develop and embed the new school curriculum
- To raise attainment in boys reading and writing
- To develop our outside area in response to our Whole School Wish List from our Vision Day last year.
- Further development of multicultural awareness within Community Cohesion – visitors (classes/assemblies)
- Pupil voice to strengthen pupils’ emotional development
- Attendance – reduce the number of unauthorised absences
We are looking for a second parent representative for Reception, Class Two and Class Six. If you are able to attend a meeting once a term/half term and would be willing to be a representative then please contact the school office.
SEN School Offer
The school offer is now on the website. This document explains our Special Educational needs provision.
Essex Local Authority has also published their Local Offer, the purpose of which is to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available for children with Special Educational needs and disability in their area. There will be 4 events held across Essex explaining the Local Offer. If you are interested in attending, the details of times and venue can be given via the school office.
Harvest
During the week 29th September – 3rd October, we will be celebrating harvest in school. This year we will be collecting non-perishable foods for a local food bank. Please would you be kind enough to donate one or some of the following food items:
- Tea bags
- Instant coffee
- Biscuits
- Cereal
- Sugar (500g)
- Rice (500g)
- Pasta (500g)
- Tinned soup, baked beans, rice pudding etc
Could you please make sure that the items have a long use-by date?
Many thanks for your support with this good cause.
Mrs Course
Sharing Assemblies – an invitation!
We would like to invite our parents to attend one of your child’s Sharing Assemblies. The assemblies take place in the hall on a Friday afternoon and start at 2.45pm. Listed below are dates when your child’s class will be taking part in a Sharing Assembly. Please join us on this date:
Autumn Term:
Class 5 14th November
Class 2 21st November
Spring Term:
Class 1 date to be arranged
Class 3 date to be arranged
Class 6 date to be arranged
Summer Term:
Class Reception date to be arranged
Class 4 date to be arranged
E-safety
In your Friday Folder this week you will see we have enclosed a leaflet for parents to increase e-safety awareness. We have also included, as part of our school e-safety policy, some rules that we would like you to discuss with your child. We will reinforce these messages in school. Please return the slip that is attached to the e-safety letter once you have been able to discuss the rules with your child. Thank you
PE Clothing
In compliance with health and safety regulations, earrings (including studs) must not be worn for any sport. Please make sure that children who wear earrings know how to remove them and have somewhere safe and clean to keep them during PE lessons. Thank you.
Application for leave of absence for term time holidays
We actively discourage pupils from taking time off during term time. Requests should be made via leave of absence forms which are available from the main school office. All holiday leave will be unauthorised unless there are very exceptional circumstances. All requests for leave will be acknowledged. If the absence is not authorised and the holiday is taken the case is more than likely, under the new guidance, to have to be referred to the Education Welfare Service who may issue a Penalty Notice for £120 (or £60 if paid within 21 days) to each parent for each child taken out of school.
ACHIEVEMENTS
100% Attendance Awards for the academic year 2013 – 2014.
(Please note that illness or medical appointments during school time are not classed as attendance. School trips, visits and sporting events are). Well done to:
Cameron Bower Isabelle Down
Freddie Hill Maya Parker
Daisy Coy Ruairi Dillon
Sam Prentice Harrison Bower
Isobel Palmer Imogen Kocher
Hannah Moloney Ben Wilkinson
Elliot Wood Beth Parker
Luke Townsend Harry Chalk
Millie Hall Samuel Miles
Ziggy Wicks
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
September 3rd Staff inset day
September 4th Autumn term starts for children
September 12th Non-uniform day for the most house points last term – Ludgate
September 18th Meet the Teacher evening (7 – 7.30 even classes. 7.30 – 8pm odd classes)
September 22nd – 26th Friendship Week
September 24th School Improvement Evening for staff and governors
September 26th Language Day/MacMillan Coffee Morning
October 2nd – 9th Book Fair
October 3rd Non-uniform day for Sports Day winners – Wymarc
October 6th – 10th Book Week
October 7th Visiting Poet Paul Cookson
October 9th School Council Conference
October 16th School photographs
October 24th Staff inset day – school closed
October 27th – 31st Half term
November 14th Sharing assembly – invitation for class 5 parents to attend
November 21st Sharing assembly – invitation for class 2 parents to attend
November 25th and 26th Parent consultations
December 3rd Book Bus
December 4th Tray Day 3.15 – 4.00pm
December 6th Spirit of Christmas for school choir – pm
December 10th KS2 dress rehearsal am
December 10th KS1 dress rehearsal pm
December 11th KS1 performance pm
December 11th KS2 performance eve
December 11th Reception Nativity play am
December 17th Christmas lunch
December 19th Term ends for Christmas – 3.15 pm
January 5th Spring term starts
REMINDERS:
- Swimming for this term is for year 2 and 3 on Mondays. Please make sure your payments are up to date, the cost is £4.00 per week, £52.00 per term. Please make cheques payable to Clavering Primary School.
- I am afraid due to Health and Safety, including Safeguarding, reasons we cannot allow parents to watch clubs after school. Parents will be able to watch football matches when they occur. Thank you for your support with this matter.
- When it is raining heavily all the children walk to their classrooms through the main entrance. There will be a person on duty outside at the front of the school to take any messages and to guide the children. Please could parents leave their children at the main entrance/notice board area to avoid congestion in the entrance hall.
- Reception parents, at present, are escorting their children to Reception class, they need to do this when it is raining via the main entrance where they will need to sign in and collect a ‘visitor’ sticker before going through the school. They need to sign out via the main entrance once their children have been taken to class. When the weather is fine the usual routine applies. The children go on to the playground via the side gate and wait for the bell. There is a person on duty on the playground. There is also a person on the gate to take any messages from parents. Reception parents, at present, are escorting their children to Reception class via the side gate where they wait on the playground for the bell when Mrs Poole or Mrs Honour will meet the children.
If you have any questions at any time then please feel free to make an appointment
Have a good weekend
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher