After a half term break, the children have settled beautifully into a new term – it’s like we’ve never been away!
Drop Everything and READ day!
During the final week of last half term, we had another Cookridge 'first' with a fantastic 'Drop everything and Read’ day. This was yet another part of the strong reading campaign that we are driving through school this year to encourage a real passion for reading amongst ALL our children.
The day involved a special box of books travelling mysteriously around school. When they reached a class, that class had to stop whatever activity they were doing to read for 30 minutes! The books were chosen by a group of children in school and were paid for by the money raised by you during our recent Scholastic Book Fair. So... the money you spent (buying books!) has been re-invested to buy more books for school, which is just brilliant!
The day was a huge success, with great feedback from children and staff alike. Classes read books together, in pairs or independently - but it was all about reading for pleasure. The books are now displayed in our school library and the children are desperate to take them out so they can read them in full!
This is the kind of enthusiasm we are trying to create so watch this space for our next reading event! Thanks once again to Miss Fowler for being the brains behind the operation..
Assistant Headteacher appointment
Yesterday, we successfully interviewed for the Assistant Head teacher’s position in school. We were blessed with a very strong field of applicants and were able to shortlist four current Assistant or Deputy Head teachers, all of whom made very strong candidates and all keen to join us at Cookridge. We appointed Mrs Smith, current Deputy Head in another Head teacher forums – Wednesday 21st March – 2pm to 3pm and 5pm to 6pm
I would like to invite parents to attend an information and discussion meeting this half term. During the meetings I would like to provide information about our key school agendas, including post Ofsted developments and behaviour in school. This is a matter that I am keen to discuss with parents as it is crucial that we create the kind of community we want for our children together – so your views are a very important part of our shaping the future agenda. I am especially keen to engage with parents who have any concerns about aspects of school, as I am very confident that we are taking a very proactive approach to school improvement and your concerns feature in our plans. Please come along to one of the parent meetings and have your say.
Sports news
The judo demonstration in assembly on Monday morning was very well received and proved incredibly popular. We were inundated with requests to attend the after school sports club but, unfortunately, are limited to 25. Mr Gamble is busy collating a waiting list for the club, which runs for a 5 week period and will let you know as soon as a place becomes available.
Huge congratulations to our two Year 4/5 Basketball teams who played very well in the Leeds Basketball Qualifying competition last night at
The Key Stage Two Football Club resumes next Monday and the Year 5/6 football league resumes next Thursday with a home fixture against reigning Leeds North West champions, Adel St John. Mr Gamble has bought himself a beautiful WHITE (!) trophy cabinet in which to store all our winners’ cups, so let’s hope it’s a successful year!
Finally, Miss Fowler and Miss Golia have spaces available at their Netball Club. Netball runs each Tuesday from 3.05. Boys and girls are welcome and any interested children should see either Mr Gamble, Miss Fowler or Miss Golia for more details.
Attendance
Our attendance this week was 93%. This figure is below the national benchmark for ‘satisfactory’ attendance and leaves us in an inadequate position once again. I once again appeal to all parents to do all that they can to ensure that children come to school when they are well enough to do so, and to ensure that when their child is absent from school that you contact the school office to give your reason for absence before 9.30am
Lunchtime staff
This week, we have increased our lunchtime staff by adding three new members to the team. My thanks to those parents who have responded to the opportunity to take up this very important role in school – Mrs Applegate, Mrs Whitley and Mrs Mwandoe are very welcome! These appointments are part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that lunchtime is an enjoyable sociable experience for our children and – for many– the highlight of the day! We continue to expand the range of play equipment and have some very exciting plans for playground developments which may start as soon as over the Easter holidays. I cannot wait to see the playground develop in what will be a 4-5 year project, and I am sure that the children will love what we do with the place. Without the right people to make the playground work, however, it could not happen. Our lunchtime ladies do a wonderful job and should be commended for their contribution to our school and your children.
Year 6 photograph – Tempest Photographers will visit school next Wednesday, 29th February to take a commemorative photograph of our year 6 leavers which will be available for parents to purchase.
Coffee morning... and BOOK MARATHON !!!
The next Coffee morning will be at 9am on Wednesday 29th February 2012. This is our monthly opportunity to get together and for you to talk to Mrs Laycock and I about anything and everything. In addition, Miss Fowler has been at it again! She is at risk of being buried under an ever increasing mountain of new books – and she needs your help! In order to get the new books into circulation quickly, she is looking for a working party of willing volunteers to help stamp, sticker and prepare the books for classroom distribution. If you are available for an hour or two on Wednesday morning, we would be very grateful to see you. Coffee, biscuits then book stamping... My ideal morning! I hope to see you there...Have a wonderful weekend,
Mrs Bailey
