Dear Parents/Carers,
This week I have had
the privilege of observing reading sessions right across school. From Reception
to Year 6, the children’s fantastic engagement with a wide range of books is
plain to see. I’ve seen children reading and chatting to their friends about texts
including smelly facts about Vikings, gory facts about snakes and real news
reports about Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moon landing! What is evident from the
hours spent in class this week is that the children are genuinely interested in
the brilliant books we have in school and are very competent and enthusiastic
readers. Teaching and support staff across school are very skilled in securing
improvements in the children’s reading strategies and there is a definite
commitment to the art of learning to read between children and adults. We have
some more exciting plans for the development of reading in school this year and
next week and look forward to adding further new texts and even more skills in
the teaching of reading to our repertoire. And on that note….
Books,
books, glorious books!
Yes, the Scholastic
Book Fair is back at school next week and will be available in the hall from
Monday 23rd September until Thursday 27th. Opening times will be from
8:30 - 8:45 and from 3:05 - 3:30pm. The Book Fair gives children the
chance to see, touch and fall in love with the very best children’s books and also offers the chance to earn free books and
for school. Thanks to the number of books sold at
previous book fairs, £300 was raised for school in Scholastic vouchers and
these have been used to buy some wonderful poetry book sets for guided reading
in school. This means that buying books next week is fantastic news for your
child in two ways; firstly, they get a gorgeous new book to read and secondly we
will be able to invest in even more resources to enjoy and learn from. We would
greatly appreciate your continued support of the book fair and we hope to see
you there next week!
Nits!
It appears that the children were not the only ones who were excited to
get back to school – we have a healthy batch of nits vying for space in the
classrooms! The cases currently noted are amongst the older pupils in school so
please check your child’s hair this weekend and see if a visit to the chemist
may be required. In our effort to minimise the spread of the pesky head lice,
if we notice any child to have nits within the school day, we will be phoning
home so that parents can come and collect, treat and return to school as
quickly as possible. I bet you’re itching now….
Data/contact sheets
We are today distributing your child’s
data /contact information. Please check the information we have on record and
ensure that it remains accurate. If you need to update a contact number or
amend any details, please do so and return to school by Friday 27th
September so that we can update our records and continue to have the necessary
contact in the event of an emergency. Thank you.
After school clubs
The great range of
clubs got underway in record time this year and a record number of children are
involved. We are currently having some difficulty with pupils who are not sure
when/where they need to be, and also a proportion of children who are deciding that
they do not fancy it today! Please remind your child on days that they have a
club, and ensure they have the correct kit where necessary. I would appreciate
it if you would also explain to your child that if they have signed up for a
club they must attend, as their failure to do so causes worry across school
when club registers are taken.
School
Governors
Last week we circulated
the nominations forms for parent governors and look forward to your
submissions! Governing Bodies are at their strongest when there is a diverse
group of people who share a love of their school and are interested in finding
out more about it. If you are keen to get involved, please get in touch or
complete the nominations form ahead of the deadline.
Friends
A reminder that the
first Friends (PTA) meeting is being held in school at 6.30pm on Thursday of next week. Don’t be shy – come along and help
shape the plans for 2013-14.
Lunchtime
Play leaders
Applications for the
post of lunchtime supervisor are currently welcome. The closing date for
applications is Friday 4th October so if you are able to offer your
time between 11.45 and 1pm each day please call into the school office and see
Mrs Lucas for more information.
Coats
As the summer appears
to be drawing to a close, please can we ask that parents send children into
school with coats please so that staff can encourage them to wear them during
play and lunchtimes? It’s COLD!
Attendance
We have had a brilliant
level of attendance in school this week and I am thrilled that Class 1 have
chalked up our first 100% of the year in only week 3! Please keep up this
brilliant effort. I am also grateful to parents and carers being more
responsible in notifying us of absence through a short phone call first thing –
almost 100% there, too!
National Minimum ‘Good’ Expectation
|
Target
2013-2014
|
Attendance this week
|
Year to date
|
||||||||
95%
|
96%
|
97.1%
|
96.6%
|
||||||||
Class attendance figures for this week are:-
19/09/13
|
|||||||||||
Rec A
Rec B
|
Class 1
|
Class 2
|
Class 3
|
Class 4
|
Class 5
|
Class 6
|
Class 7
|
Class 8
|
Class 9
|
||
95.7%
95.6%
|
100%
|
99.1%
|
95.2%
|
95.8%
|
99.3%
|
96.6%
|
95.3%
|
97.5%
|
96.8%
|
||
Parent
Meetings
Don’t forget, next week
we look forward to welcoming you into school to find out more about the
learning in your child’s class. Each session in school will include time
learning alongside your child, and a brief meeting with the Key Stage Leaders
so that we can get the year started well.
Please make every effort to come along and support your child – we’d
love to see you! Parents should enter school via their child’s classroom
entrance.
KS1 (Classes 1, 2 & 3)
|
Tuesday
24th September, 1.30pm (class) and 2.00pm (hall).
|
LKS2 (Classes 4, 5 & 6)
|
Wednesday
25th September, 1.30pm (class) and 2.00pm (hall).
|
UKS2 (Classes 7, 8 & 9)
|
Thursday
26th September
1.30pm
(Y6 = session in class/Y5 information meeting in hall);
2.00pm
(Y6=information meeting in hall/Y5 session in class).
|
Have a wonderful weekend,
Mrs Bailey
