Headteacher Newsletter Issue 18
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE 18: 29.6.18
KINGSWOOD
Reflections from Kingswood – Year 6
When I first arrived it was larger and prettier than I expected. Weather was really sunny and beautiful. The room that I stayed in was bigger than I thought with a lot of bunk beds and I stayed on the bottom because everyone jumped in the top before I even walked through the door. There was a lot of greenery which was lovely. On a boiling hot Sunday our first activity was caving for group 12 (my group) which meant going underground wearing a tracksuit. I was burning.
My favourite things, I can’t really say, because I enjoyed every second of Kingswood. I liked bush craft, side by side – it was very funny to see the teachers try! – Leap of Faith which was very scary but very fun, abseiling, zip wire, mostly the high up things. Our group leader Rhi was very funny and supporting so I really like her as well. One of the things I did not like was XXXX’s very loud snoring! The dinners were nicer than I expected but they still didn’t match the school dinners of course.
I think that Kingswood helped me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. Everyone should have a go even if they don’t finish the task; at least you know that you tried. I loved Kingswood and I don’t think that I will ever get an experience like that again, so I am glad that I did every activity.
Charlotte
I really enjoyed Kingswood but I did have a few favourite activities. I liked the zip wire, Leap of Faith and Side by Side. I really enjoyed these as they gave me that extra challenge. With the zip wire, my favourite part was dropping the rope, unclipping myself and levering myself down. On the Leap of Faith I enjoyed climbing up the pole with Side by Side – you drove quad bikes while you had a friend as a passenger. My favourite part was driving.
I learnt a lot of things in Kingswood like being more confident and believing in myself and if I couldn’t do it take one more step. I learnt a bit about my friends; they were encouraging and always gave everything a go. Kingswood is really fun and all you have to do is give it a go and never give up and help each other.
Grace
After two and a half hours on the coach, we finally pulled into Kingswood drive, excited for the days ahead. Our team leader (Rhi) met us there and showed us where we would be staying and they gave us a tour around Kingswood. It was a lot bigger than I had expected with a huge dining hall and signs for every activity. We split into two groups for each activity so we could be doing different things at different times.
I don’t have a favourite thing because I loved it all so much but I really enjoyed sharing a room with ten other girls.
Everyone was extremely brave and encouraging towards everybody and faced their fears. I learned about myself that I’m not scared of heights anymore and stepped out of my comfort zone by doing the Leap of Faith twice! Even the teachers had a go at some activities such as Mrs Berrett did the Leap of Faith and abseiled down a really high wall. Mrs Lipscomb and Mrs Martin were professionals at Side by Side.
Isabella
Houses of Parliament – Years 5 and 6
On Monday 25thJune, Year 5 and 6 travelled to Central London to visit the Houses of Parliament. We all had to go through security before we were allowed to go in. We then met our guides, Emily, Felix and Diane who divided us into groups. Firstly, each group was taken to the robing room where the Queen puts dresses and puts on her crown before opening parliament each year. We learnt that red is the colour for the House of Lords and green is for the House of Commons-where the MPs are. There were lots of monitors and microphones hanging from the ceiling in the Houses. We found out the Queen only visits the House of Lords once a year and she never enters the House of Commons. All the children learnt how to pass a bill which means an idea for a law is proposed to the House of Commons, it is then passed to the Lords until the queen signs the bill and makes it a law! We had a very interesting day!
Class 5
Years 3 and 4 Egyptian Day
Egyptians Day Wednesday 27thJune – Classes 3 and 4 had a fantastic day. Everyone dressed up as ancient Egyptians and the hall was turned into an ancient Egyptian market place courtesy of “History Off The Page”. The children all tried different activities such as making bread for the Pharaoh, making ink and writing on papyrus, carving shabtis, making clay charms, using clay to make a canopic jar and making a perfume cone, making oil for a lamp from olives, painting a fresco and making embalming ointments. In the afternoon we had a Royal banquet where the children were responsible for the entertainment with plays and dancing, and serving the Pharaoh, his Queen and the Royal Court lots of delicious food. Everyone learnt a lot about life in ancient Egypt and had great fun too. A big thank you to all the parent helpers who ran the workshops in the morning and helped the children to get their play/dance ready in the afternoon for the Royal entertainment.
Year 6 Class Walk
Year 6 enjoyed a change to their traditional class walk route this week with a visit to Harry’s farm in Berden. It took us along an idyllic route across the fields on a beautiful morning. Mrs Clark welcomed us all with very well received cold drinks, lollies and snacks before we were introduced to the lambs that Harry has hand reared this year. Mr Clark then talked to us about all the calves who were being fed and we then enjoyed some time with the very charming pigs before walking the 3 ½ miles back to school. A huge thank you to the Clarks for inviting us and for such an enjoyable morning, and to Mr Collett for accompanying us.
Crucial Crew
Year 6 spent a very informative afternoon at the Crucial Crew event held at St Marks yesterday. Along with Year 6 children from other local primary schools, they attended several workshops delivered by a range of professional organisations learning about first aid, fire safety, drugs and alcohol, shop-lifting and vandalism, coping with peer pressure and gang culture. It was a context for learning that was very much enjoyed by the children and valuable support to the PSHE taught in school.
Visit from Saffron Walden Library
On Thursday 28thJune, Carrie from Saffron Walden Library visited to tell us about the summer reading challenge which is called ‘Mischief Makers’ this year. The challenge involves reading a certain number of books and receiving a sticker per book we read, at the end of the challenge you earn a prize. We all look forward to trying the challenge this summer!
Hamish and Seraphina
Questionnaires
As you are aware, the school is committed to providing the highest possible quality of teaching and learning for your children. To help ensure we continue to improve and meet this commitment we welcome and value the views and suggestions of the wider school community through our annual questionnaires to parents, staff and pupils.
We would like to take this opportunity to obtain your opinions and suggestions as to how the school is currently performing. This will help us all to shape its future direction.
Please see through the link below, a short questionnaire – one per family. We would appreciate you completing this as fully and openly as possible.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/K85V8JP
Should you wish to provide further feedback; please include this in the comments section at the end of the questionnaire.
The “House” who returns the most completed questionnaires will be awarded a non-uniform day.
Please could you complete the questionnaire by Monday 2ndJuly 2018.
Expansion update – Two extra INSET days to support the school building works – 20.7.18 and 5.9.18
As you are aware the school is currently being expanded and we have building works that are being carried out to allow this to happen. These works include internal alterations that will both enhance the school environment and provide new facilities for the benefit of your children. Some of the internal works will be over the next few weekends, and whilst most of the intrusive work will be completed during the summer break, the programme is extremely tight. Accordingly, in order to allow the teachers and school staff time to prepare the classrooms and environment for the start of the new term, including the intake of new reception children, it will be necessary to add two additional inset days, as is common practice in these situations, which have been agreed by the Local Authority.
We now have been given a clearer idea of when the works are due to be finished and can put in place this time. The intrusive internal building works will start on Saturday 21stJuly. This means that the school will be closed on Friday 20thJuly (last day of term is now Thursday 19thJuly) and the term will start, for the children, on Thursday 6thSeptember.
We have informed you as soon as we have been notified of the timeframe of works. Wefully understand that for some parents this may present a real inconvenience but I do ask for your support so that we can ensure that everything is ready for your children to enjoy the best possible return to a new school year or begin their education at Clavering Primary School in a way that will be positive for all.
Sports Day – advanced warning
Sports Day is taking place on Thursday 12thJuly, 10 – 12. All parents are welcome.
The number of unauthorised absences is increasing. This is a concern and needs to be reduced. The DFE have proven that each day a child misses school it has a negative effect on their academic performance
Guidance from the Local Authority:
Leave of absence may only be granted by a person authorised in that behalf by the proprietor of the school. As from 1st September 2013, the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 amended Regulation 7 to prohibit the proprietor of a maintained school from granting leave of absence to a pupil, except where an advance application has been made by the parent with whom the pupil normally resides, and the proprietor considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application.
Taking your child out of school during term time could be detrimental to your child’s educational progress. A pupil who takes 10 days absence will only attain 94.7% attendance in the year. 10 days absence also means the pupil will miss 50 hours of education.
There is noentitlement to parents to take their child out of school during term time, however, you may apply to the school for leave of absence if you believe there are exceptional circumstances.
If the absence is not authorised and the holiday is taken, the case will 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.
DfE “The link between absence and attainment at KS2 – 2013/14 academic year.
The analysis of the link between overall absence and attainment when taking prior attainment and pupil characteristics into account showed that, for each KS2 and KS4 measure, overall absence had a statistically significant negative link to attainment – i.e. every extra day missed was associated with a lower attainment outcome.
Sun Protection
At last the sunny weather has arrived! Please can you ensure that on sunny days your child brings a hat to wear at break times and lunch times. Wide-brimmed or legionnaires hats, which have a cloth attached on the back to give additional protection to the neck, are perfectly acceptable. Sunglasses are not allowed and sun lotion (long lasting waterproof sunscreen with a high protection factor and high UVA protection) should be applied just before the children come to school. This should last until after school and overcomes the need for pupils to bring in lotion.
Lateness
School starts at 8.50 a.m. We have noticed several children that are consistently arriving late for school – ‘late’ is defined by not being within the school gates by 8.50 a.m. Please make every effort to be at school on time and if you know that your journey will be disrupted by road works, do allow time for this. Thank you.
Ooo000ooO
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
26thJune School Photographs
27th June Years 3 and 4 Egyptian Day
28thJune Crucial Crew for Year 6
29thJune Sharing Assembly, an invitation to Year 1 parents 2.45pm
2ndJuly Year 6 cake sale after school
3rdJuly Year 6 ice-cream sale
5thJuly Year 5 outdoor pursuits day –by coach am
6thJuly Friends of Clavering School Fete
9thJuly Induction Day at JFAN and SWCHS for year 6 pupils
10thJuly Tray Day 3.15 – 4.15pm
11thJuly Parent Consultations 3.30 – 6pm
12thJuly Parent Consultations 5 – 7.30pm
12thJuly Sports Day 10 – 12
17thJuly ‘Class Swap’ (11 – 12)
19thJuly Leavers’ Assembly 1.45pm
19thJuly Break up for the summer 3.15 pm
20th July Extra INSET day due to building works – school closed to pupils
4th September INSET day – school closed to pupils
5th September Extra INSET day due to building works – school closed to pupils
6th September New Term/Academic year begins
ACHIEVEMENTS
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending June 15th
Reception Theo – for carefully handling the mini beasts on our trip and for outstanding reading.
Year One Emmie – for writing a lovely Haiku in English this week.
Year Two Phoenix – for working hard during an English lesson and for playing so nicely at Forest School.
Year Three Olly – for his improved spelling.
Year Four Ted – for participating with interest and enthusiasm during our topic work.
Year Five Jake – for perseverance when reflecting shapes in Maths.
Year Six Millie – for her lovely work in Science learning about the eye.
Week ending June 22nd
Reception Ava – for her amazing resilience on the bikes.
Year One Samuel – for putting lots of effort into our Beatrix Potter topic.
Year Two Joseph – for listening carefully and answering questions in class.
Year Three Amber – for her excellent investigation skills in Maths.
Year Four Tilly W – for great effort in all areas of the curriculum.
Year Five Freddie – for great enthusiasm and skills during cricket.
Year Six Annie – for fantastic and insightful contributions to Book Club.
IT DIDN’T GO UNNOTICED’ AWARD
Year Two, especially Lincoln, Alex, Daisy and Lacey, for helping the Midday Assistants and Playleaders.
THE TIDIEST CLASSROOM OF THE WEEK!
Our cleaners are judging the tidiest classroom each week. The winners are announced in assembly on a Friday. The class that has won the most times at the end of a term will be awarded an afternoon with an activity of their choice or an extra playtime.
Winners: Spring Term 2018: Class 2
Week beginning:
16.4.18 Year One
23.4.18 Year Three
30.4.18 Year Five
14.5.18 Year Six
21.5.18 Year Reception
4.6.18 Year Six
18.6.18 Year One
REMINDERS:
Dinner money for this half term is £59.40 or £123.20 for the whole of the spring term (to Easter). The cost of a meal is £2.20 a day, £11.00 for a week. Dinner money should be sent in to school on a Monday in your child’s Friday Folder and should be in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and amount enclosed written on the front. Cheques should be made payable to Clavering Primary School. Please ensure you have settled your accounts up to the end of the summer term, in particular, those parents of children in Year 6. Thank you.
If you have any questions at any time then please feel free to make an appointment.
Have a good weekend
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher