Headteacher Newsletter Issue 18
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE 18: 2.7.21
Staffing
Dilys Thomas will be retiring at the end of this term. She will continue to support and lead Forest School sessions but she will be retiring from her Learning Support and Midday Assistant positions. We would like to thank her for all the support she has given the schools over the last 21 years.
Ron Docking will be retiring at the end of the Summer holidays. We would like to thank Ron for all the support he has given the school over the last 8 years. Ron will be missed. He has worked over and beyond what is expected of his role for many years. We hope he continues to keep in touch with the school community.
School reports and Parent Evening appointments
School reports will be circulated on Monday in time for your Parent Evening appointments next week. New class information will be circulated in due course.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
As you are aware the COVID virus is spreading fast again whilst the national effort focuses on vaccinating as many people as possible. We have had four cases in the school which have been confirmed by a PCR test. Fortunately we have not had to isolate any bubbles due to there not being any contact in school during the contact window. We are working very hard to strengthen our protective measures so that we can keep the school open and avoid isolating class bubbles. As advised by the Director of Public Health and the Local Authority, we are reducing non-essential mixing until the end of term. Unfortunately, as you are aware this has meant we have had to drastically alter school events or cancel them.
It is vital therefore that you continue to support us in this process. Please ensure that a PCR test is carried out if anyone in your household has any of the three COVID symptoms of a high temperature, persistent cough or loss of taste/smell. Do not use a Lateral Flow test as an alternative and please book a test online instead of the postal version. The latter takes a few days which in the meantime is potentially allowing the virus to spread more quickly before bubbles are notified to isolate. Households must isolate whilst household members are waiting for test results and/or have symptoms.
Please inform the school straight away if anyone has symptoms and of any test results. This includes further members of the household that become positive whilst isolating due to another positive case. It is vital we hear immediately so that we can act accordingly in a timely fashion.
Ensuring we continue to adhere to the system of control (hands, face, space and good ventilation) will reduce risk of viral transmission. Therefore, we request that you continue to remain socially distanced on the playground and wear a face covering unless exempt. Adhering to the staggered drop off/collection times and having only one adult attend per family reduces the number of adults on site, which is key. It is imperative that we all play our part to reduce the risk of infection and the requirement of imposing self-isolation for whole-class groups.
Part of the COVID Support Grant:
- Essex Essential Living Fund
Households struggling to pay food, fuel, or water bills and for other essential household goods such as fridges or cookers can apply for an emergency grant from Essex Essential Living Fund (EELF).
Anyone can apply but EELF will advise on eligibility and what you could get.
Apply online or call 0300 7900124 between 8:45am – 5:00pm
- Essex Family Wellbeing Service
On behalf of Essex County Council and the NHS, Virgin Care and Barnardo’s provide a range of child and family services throughout Essex that are free at the point of delivery.
https://www.essexfamilywellbeing.co.uk/
Attendance
Even though national restrictions are easing it is very important that holidays are not taken during term time. These requests will not and cannot be authorised. The Local Authority have increased their monitoring process and related paperwork for schools in response to this.
Lateness
We have noticed several children that are consistently arriving late for school – ‘late’ is defined by not being within the school gates by your staggered time which is no later, for the last group, than 9 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.
Please note that lateness is recorded on a per pupil basis and late marks do equate to unauthorised absence.
Thank you.
Summer Holidays
If you are going abroad for a holiday in the summer, please include any potential quarantine restrictions into your plans. All children are expected to be back for the start of the term in September and absences through quarantining or holidays will not be authorised and may incur a fine.
Uniform Reminders
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our uniform policy:
- Jewellery should not be worn (except earrings) this includes friendship bracelets
- As we approach the end of the school year, parents are not expected to buy new uniform until September, but ideally PE kit should be the Clavering PE kit or at least blue
- When wearing school uniform plain black trainers with black laces are fine for school shoes but not coloured ones
Music Success
Three pupils took piano exams last week. Aurelia in class 4 took her prep exam and Martha and Chloe P in Class 5 took their Grade 1 exam. They all passed! This is fantastic news. Well done girls and Mrs Harland for your hard work. It has been really wonderful hearing the piano lesson tunes drifting down the school corridors!
Free School Meals Funding
You can register for Free Schools Meals Funding if you meet the criteria below.
If you have a child in Key Stage One and are receiving the free meal, which is part of the universal offer, you could be missing out on this additional funding for the school, which will support your child with their learning, if you meet the criteria below. You have to apply for this funding. If you think you meet the criteria below then please follow the guidance below and contact the school office.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
Sun Protection
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 (unless for a medical reason) 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.
Lost Property
Can parents please make sure jumpers and coats are named as we cannot keep lost property during this climate.
Mobile Phones
This is a gentle reminder not to use mobile phones whilst on the school site. This is part of our safe guarding policy for all of our children.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
w/b 5th July Friends of Clavering Obstacle Challenge – in PE lessons
6th July Sports Day
7th July Parents Evening
7th July Bag2School
8th July Parents Evening
w/b 12th July Friends of Clavering Obstacle Challenge – in PE lessons
12th July Year 5 Harlow Outdoors trip
14th July Year 6 Harlow Outdoors trip
16th July Friends of Clavering Non-uniform day and ice pops
20th July Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly
21st July Break up for the summer
ACHIEVEMENTS
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending June 18th
Reception Jacob – for his fantastic understanding and knowledge about 3D shapes
Year One Evie – for super writing about an animal
Year Two Ella – for never giving up when faced with a challenge
Year Three Ernie – for creating sunset effects and silhouettes for the story of The Iron Man in art
Year Four Amelie – for a consistently positive attitude and showing great kindness
Year Five Olivia F – for settling into Clavering Primary School so well
Year Six Abigail – for consistently trying her hardest to do her best
Week ending June 25th
Reception Torben – for outstanding reasoning when measuring weight this week
Year One Cheyanna – for being focussed and working hard in Maths
Year Two Jemima – for always having a positive attitude to learning
Year Three Rosie-Ann – for excellent effort in our independent writing this week using adjectives
Year Four Amelia – for a super diary entry, remembering to use fronted adverbials with great inclusion or rhetorical questions
Year Five Maisie – for an absolutely beautiful piece of writing about her healthy day
Year Six Grace – for good effort and achievement in Maths and English this week
Have a good weekend and thank you for your support.
Best wishes
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher
