Headteacher Newsletter Issue 16
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE 16: 6.6.25
Congratulations!
Congratulation to Mrs Tokeley who gave birth to a baby girl early this morning.
Years 3 and 4 Rapid Fire Cricket
The week before half term some members of classes 3 and 4 went to the rapid fire cricket tournament at JFAN. We really enjoyed it. We all did really well and had lots of fun. The green team came first in their group, the orange team came first in their group and the pink team came second in their group. The green team have qualified for the next round, we are really excited for this.
Wilbur Class 4
KS2 Quad Kids
On Wednesday, children from KS2 went to JFAN field to take part in Quad Kids. We competed against ten other schools, we had to do howler throws, standing long jump, sprint and a long distance run. All the children that took part tried their best and had a great attitude to the events. Out of all the eleven schools we came an amazing fifth place!
Lenny & Alexa Class 6
Secondary transition
Secondary transition arrangements have started in year 6. We have had visits from a variety of secondary schools where staff have met with the children and talked about their schooling from September
Heads of School
Our Heads of School have been busy. They have been discussing fund raising ideas with the class, which we will share in due course. They are looking to raise money for some outside equipment in response to the surveys they led across the school gathering ideas from the children as to what they would like to improve their school further. We are also planning a date when the year 6 parents will be invited to have a school lunch with their children.
Parking – a polite reminder
Just a polite reminder. Please park considerably no matter how short a time – do not block driveways or bus bays. Please also remember to use the one-way system on Vassars Field and do not turn round half-way down the road which causes unnecessary congestion and causes a potential unsafe situation for the children getting to school.
See attachment for a reminder of the one-way system
“Please use the road and car park as designed: follow the circular route by travelling up the access road, passing the exit to the car park, and continuing around the loop to the car park entrance. You may then park in the car park or proceed to the designated drop off/pick-up bays. Please park only in the designated bays, following the prescribed route, and avoid crossing the road’s centre line. Additionally, the bays nearest to the entrance are reserved for school buses and minibuses; please do not park in these bays.”
Thank you for your support with this.
Smartphone Free Childhood
We know that many of our parents are interested in Smartphone Free Childhood – for those of you that are interested here are some useful links: A recent article from the New York Times about Smartphone Free Childhood, highlighting recent successes in the UK around delaying smartphone free ownership:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/world/europe/smartphone-ban-schools-uk-childhood.html
Alternative to smartphones: Smartphone Free Childhood have pulled together a list of suggested alternative phones to smartphones. Although they vary in price, there have been various new phones and other solutions coming onto the market recently, and new suggestions are often added: https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/alternatives
Following the recent Netflix drama ‘Adolescence’, here is a useful article that pulls together the various reasons why delaying smartphone ownership is necessary:
“In 2010, teens, parents, schools and even tech companies didn’t know that smartphones and social media had so many harmful effects. Now we do.”
Scopay App
As you are aware, Scopay is the system we use for the payment of school meals, trips and other school events. We want to make sure you are aware there is a Scopay app that can be downloaded which you may find more user friendly than the Scopay.com website. Please see instructions for downloading the app at the end of the newsletter.
Healthy Snacks – break time AND BEFORE CLUBS
We would like to encourage all children to bring in a snack for break time and before clubs. It is a long time between breakfast and lunch, as well as between lunch and dinner, especially if attending a club after school, and a snack, as well as a drink of water, make a big difference to children’s concentration levels and ability to learn.
As a healthy school we have agreed strict guidelines for the type of snack brought in, it must be fruit or vegetable in the form in which it grew (ie. nothing added, not stretchy or made into a bar and wrapped). This also helps to promote our eco school policies of reducing waste and packaging. Please do not put the fruit snack in glass containers.
We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage a healthy balanced lunch box for those not taking a school lunch. Please remember we are a NO nuts school.
Birthday Treats
In order to support children with allergies across the school and the inclusivity around this, we would ask you not to give children birthday sweets to share in school. Thank you for your support with this.
Creams/Lip balms/Suncream
Just a reminder that creams/lip balms etc. are not to be brought into school. If there is a genuine medical need for your child to have a moisturising product in school, can you please check the ingredient list for potential allergens and make the class teacher aware that your child has this item in school. If it has been prescribed by a doctor, please complete the relevant medical forms with the office. Suncream – it is that time of year again where children need to bring in suncream to apply at school. Please can you make sure your child has their name on their suncream, informs the class teacher that they have it in their bag and that you check the ingredients for potential allergens. Please can you remind your child that they must not share their suncream with other children. Thank you
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
2nd June INSET Day – school closed to pupils
4th June KS2 quad kids
2nd – 13th June Year 4 Multiplication Check Assessment window
6th June Year 6 Crucial Crew
9th – 13th June Year 1 Phonics Assessment window
13th June Friends of Clavering Fun Run
15th – 18th June Year 6 Residential
19th June Reception Induction morning
23rd – 27th June Year 6 transition week
25th June Open Morning
26th June KS2 athletics am
27th June JFAN year 6 transition
27th June Sharing Assembly – Reception parents invited – 2.45pm
30th June Tray Day
1st– 3rd July Work experience students
2nd July Year 4 trip to Duxford
3rd July Sharing Assembly – Year 3 parents invited – 2.45pm (please note this is a Thursday)
4th July Year 1 trip to Stansted Castle
4th July Friends of Clavering Summer Fayre
7th July Harlow Outdoors
7th – 11th July Work experience student
9th July KS1 Athletics and EYFS am
10th July KS2 Sports Ambassadors
11th July Sharing Assembly – Year 4 parents invited – 2.45pm
14th July Class Swap 11 – 12
14th July French Day
17th July Year 2 trip to Aerozone
21st July Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly
22nd July Last day of term
ACHIEVEMENTS
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending 16th May
Reception Mollie – for choosing to write and writing super sentences by herself
Year One Violet – excellent reading and writing – keep up the good work
Year Two Michaela – for great effort and understanding writing poetry and fantastic presentation
Year Three Lucas – for working hard in Maths identifying angles and lines of symmetry
Year Four Thomas – for amazing effort and challenging himself when learning fractions in Maths
Year Five Isabella – for showing enthusiasm in all lessons and working well as part of a group
Year Six Alexa – for a fantastic attitude, helpful and always doing the right thing
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending 23rd May
Reception Rose – for being a very kind friend and for super writing
Year One Henry – for trying hard to use expression in his reading and for his line in assembly
Year Two Cameron – for great improvement in presentation – joining and putting great thought into his photography in computing
Year Three Marnie – for her excellent sportsmanship on Sports Day and her courage at the cricket tournament
Year Four Elizabeth – for demonstrating amazing ‘sportsmanship’ at cricket, always giving 1–% with her work and being a super star
Year Five Jake – making a super effort with science homework
Year Six Henry – for fantastic engagement and progress in writing
HEADTEACHER’S AWARD
For children who have achieved their personal best:
Reception:
Ted for outstanding work in Maths
Indie for fantastic progress in reading
Year One:
Louie for coming in so quietly in the mornings and is listening and focusing so well during learning time. He is also asking lots of questions whilst on the carpet.
Olivia for always being a fantastic role model.
Year Two:
Felix for fantastic effort and improvement in his writing and maths.
Fred for fantastic effort and understanding in maths particularly problem solving.
Year Three:
Thea for making excellent progress in all her subjects and for always including others when working as a team.
Josh for showing enthusiasm in his English lessons especially in poetry and for producing very descriptive pieces of writing.
Year Four:
Alfie for great progress in Maths.
Caleb for great effort and improvement in his writing.
Year Five:
Ben for much improved maturity and effort across the curriculum
Esmee for ongoing focus and effort in all subjects
Year Six:
Joseph for continuous progress across all subjects, being kind and helpful to all.
Alexa for fantastic progress, particularly in maths, and having a mature attitude.
Cartoon Attitude Learning Awards
We have our super hero learning behaviours, which the children created. This half term the children worked hard on curiosity, championed by Curi-paws. Two children from each class were nominated for a special award and will enjoy a hot chocolate treat with Miss Allsop.
Reception: Ella and Rocco
Class 1: Jasper and Monty
Class 2: Peter and Fabian
Class 3: Scarlett and Alice
Class 4: Max and Reggie
Class 5: Beebee and Phoebe R
Class 6: Milly and Sebastian
If you have any questions at any time, please feel free to make an appointment.
Wishing you all a good weekend
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher
SCOPAY Mobile App – information for schools
Useful Information
The SCOPAY App has been developed as an alternative to the mobile version of our SCOPAY.com website. The SCOPAY.com website is still available.
SCOPAY Mobile App
For parents who prefer the convenience of a mobile App then iOS and Android versions of SCOPAY
are now available for download either via Apple’s App Store or Google Play.
Search for SCOPAY
How does the SCOPAY app work alongside SCO?
There is no need to change anything in SCO – any items you make available online will appear on www.scopay.com and on the SCOPAY app straight away.
Parents who already have a SCOPAY account are able to login to the app with their existing username/password combination.
For new parents the registration process continues as it currently does – schools will generate the Online Access Letter providing the link code that parents will need during the registration process. They will be able to register through the website or the App and will still need to validate their email address (click the link in the automated email after registration) as they do at the moment before they can login and make a purchase.
The SCOPAY Mobile App allows parents to:
- Register their SCOPAY account
- Link pupils to their account using either a link code or QR code
- View dinners calendar, order meals and top up balance
- View eligible trips, make payments, give consent, link to your mobile calendar to add trip dates
- View and purchase items for sale (revision guides, etc) and view product information
- View payment history
- Set up alerts to be received by email or in-App for new items online, trip payment deadlines, low account balances
- Manage account information – password, email, billing details, payment agreements
