Headteacher Newsletter Issue 8
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE 8: 17.1.25
Wider Opportunities
The classes in KS2 welcomed back Mr John Malam this week for a ten-week block of whole class brass lessons. The children had great fun making a sound through the mouth pieces and playing a range of brass instruments including trumpets, trombones and euphoniums. Thank you to the FOC for supporting the funding for this.
Parent Forum
Our Parent Forum met this week to finalise speakers for our Professional Week the week beginning 10th February. We are looking forward to this event. Thank you to the volunteers and Parent Forum representatives for supporting this opportunity for the children. We also discussed how we could organize parents that are keen to volunteer in the school.
Heads of School
The Heads of School met with me this week. We discussed ideas and plans as to how we can developed play times further. The Heads of School will be liaising with the children over the next few weeks to gather their thoughts.
Bad weather
In the event of severe weather conditions and possible school closure a notice will be placed on the school website.
Parents will be notified via our school website or the Essex County Council on the ‘Emergency School Closures’ page: https://www.essex.gov.uk/education-schools/schools/dates/pages/emergency-school-closures.aspx
Please note that when the school is open in bad weather a path will be cleared to enable you to gain access to the school but care does still need to be taken.
Communication Chain
Just as a reminder, in order for the communication chain to be effective it is important that phone calls are made as opposed to emails or texts, in order to ensure contact is made. Normally the chain will be activated the morning of the school closure as the decision is made on the day, unless in exceptional circumstances we know of the need in advance. We will try to open where possible, hence the decision being made at the last minute, once we can assess the school site. We will endeavour to give you as much notice as possible, but as you are aware it takes some time for the communication to pass through.
Facebook can be used as a supplementary means of communication if requested to do so by a member of the leadership team but this is not part of the school process. ParentMail, the Communication Chain, the school website and the Essex link above are the school notifications.
Thank you again for your support with this process.
Lateness
School starts at 8.50 a.m. We have noticed several children 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.
Please note that lateness is recorded on a per pupil basis and could add up to an ‘unauthorised’ absence.
Thank you.
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
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.
Ooo000ooO
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
6th January INSET day – school closed to pupils
7th January Spring Term begins
21st January Magistrate Year 6
22nd January Tag Rugby Yr4 am
29th January Sports Hall Athletics Yrs5/6 pm
3rd February O2 Young Voices
5th February KS1 Multi Skills pm
7th February NSPCC Number Day
W/B 10th February Professional Week
12th February Yrs3/4 Sports Hall Athletics (poss yrs 5/6) am
14th February Friends of Clavering ‘Wear What You LOVE day’
W/B 17th February Half Term
25th February Safer Internet Day
26th February Cross Country KS2 pm
4th March Friends of Clavering Pancake Flip
6th March World Book Day
18th March Dance Festival 4.15 – 6pm
19th March Dance Festival 4.15 – 6pm
20th March Governor Focus Morning
24th March Tray Day
28th March Sharing Assembly – Year 2 parents invited
2nd April Parent Evening
3rd April Parent Evening
4th April End of term
22nd April INSET Day
23rd April Summer Term begins
ACHIEVEMENTS
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending 20th December
Reception Maeve N – for her brilliant gymnastics
Year One Arthur – for being a fantastic enthusiastic mathematician, especially scoring so well in a recent assessment
Year Two Cameron – for always giving great effort and having a fantastic positive attitude
Year Three Alice – for being a kind friend and keeping a close eye on the Christmas Elves
Year Four Delilah – having a mature attitude to everything and always being a star!
Year Five Esmee – for being a great friend, a super helper and generally a lovely member of year 5
Year Six Lenny – for fantastic sewing for our DT project – great securing and over stitch
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending 10th January
Reception Primrose – for a great start to the new term and fantastic letter formation
Year One Ezzie – for working hard and thinking carefully to create a super colour wheel
Year Two Felix – great effort in his writing
Year Three Nell – for excellent netball skills and for working so well in a team
Year Four Frankie – for great application this week and super effort with his handwriting
Year Five Amelia – for trying super hard with multiplying using the formal method
Year Six Tilly – for fantastic coordinates, translation and reflection work in Maths
If you have any questions at any time, please feel free to make an appointment.
Wishing you all a good weekend.
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher