Dear Parents/Carers,
Another busy week has whizzed by – I can barely believe it’s February next week and we have not had a drop of snow so far this academic year. Fingers crossed.. ! This week I have been observing numeracy across school. I have seen some great learning from Reception to Class 8. We are putting some challenging stuff in front of our little learners, who are busy working with partners to secure new learning at a great pace. I am delighted by what I am seeing... and look forward to seeing more of it next week! If you haven’t already, please have a look at the super set of maths games available on the school website to support your child’s mathematical learning at home. Click here to have a look. These are being used brilliantly in sessions and I am sure that your children will settle down to play yet more maths games at home given the chance!
Friends
Our PTA group met on Thursday to discuss the next phase of fundraising. So far this year, Friends have raised over £2,000 towards our playground developments which will be completed over the Summer. Friends also subsidises school visits across school each year and is a very powerful fund raising enterprise that greatly enhances the school experience for all of our children. Thank you for your ongoing support to the Friends events. If you are able to lend a hand towards the organisation that goes on behind the scenes – please do contact us via the school website, or call in and see us. More details of upcoming events will be revealed shortly...
Parking
Over the course of the last few months, I have received many complaints about the parking situation before school, in particular. This week, a concerned parent revealed their concerns about the safety of all of our children as - whilst escorting their child into school this week - they were almost run over. A local resident has also reported an incident in which he was verbally abused for challenging a parent’s decision to park in front of his drive. It is embarrassing that the behaviour of a few of our parents is leading to an unacceptable situation. The safety of our pupils is a very real concern and I fear that the sometimes chaotic situation outside of school will lead to an accident before long. I am currently liaising with the local community to see how we might overcome these difficulties, and am in the process of finalising arrangement for our very own walking bus. If you are available to ‘man’ the walking bus on even an infrequent basis, do get in touch as it is likely to be more successful if we have ample support. More news on the walking bus shortly.. In the meantime, please drive carefully and park with due respect to the road markings – for the safety of our entire community.
Please be aware that children remain the responsibility of parents until school opens at 8.45 each morning. Children on site before this time are insured by Leeds City Council but as a visitor on site, and the legal advice to schools is that they do not endeavour to provide supervision before the designated school start time. Children arriving into the school playground unattended are not, thereby, supervised by school staff before 8.45 and my advice is that they should, thereby, be supervised by parents. There are places available at Funtime breakfast club. If you would like more information, please contact Ann Sadler at Funtime via the school office.
Foundation Thinking Day
Brownies, Guides, Scouts, Cubs & Beavers are invited to wear their uniform to school on Wednesday 22nd February 2012 to commemorate Lord Baden Powell’s birthday.
Much Ado
Don’t forget - Class 8 will be performing their spectacular, self penned show on 1st February and you are welcome to attend. If you have not yet bought a ticket, do come and find us.. More information can be found on Class 8’s brand new blog spot www.class8cookridge.blogspot.com. I cannot wait!
Our attendance this week was a healthy 96% This is another good week for us and continues an improving trend. I am very grateful to all parents who are helping us to make great progress in improving this aspect of school. Cookie – our attendance mascot – has spent the week in Class 1b with Miss Hobson and the gang. He has had another wonderful week of fun both in the classroom and in the homes of some of our families. He’s having a whale of a time and has quickly become a much loved member of the Cookridge community. We will find out on Monday which class has the highest attendance and where he will be next week.
Please remember, we are legally obliged to make first day contact with the parents of pupils who are absent from school. This is a safeguarding measure to allow schools to ensure all children are accounted for – either safely in school or at home with an adult who knows their whereabouts. Please telephone the school office to notify us of a school absence by 9.30am.
And finally...
Sadly, one of our children had their scooter stolen from the playground shelters this week. It was a birthday present, and the young lady concerned was obviously very upset. If you saw anything untoward or have any idea as to it’s whereabouts – please let us know. I am sure that you are as sad as I am that that this has happened in our community.
Have a great weekend.
Mrs Bailey
