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2007 / 08 Number 10 . 18th January 2008
Dear Parents,
As promised last time
this newsletter has news of several events and activities coming up during
terms 3 and 4. Some are still in the planning stage so details will follow as
appropriate, however, it might be helpful to make a note of important dates.
There is also some important information about changes to the way we sell
school uniform which we would ask you to read carefully and keep for reference.
Saying ‘Goodbye’ to
Jane Stone
As you know Jane Stone has recently taken the decision to
retire from her post as Teaching Assistant at
Jane has always been a highly valued
member of our team of teaching assistants and has supported many children
throughout her twenty plus years at the school. Those children with whom she
has worked have been very lucky to benefit from Jane’s many skills in helping
them to progress in their learning together with her care for them as young
individuals.
We are planning an
event to mark the occasion of Jane’s retirement , to
say goodbye to her and wish her well. Although we will be respecting Jane’s
wishes not to hold a ‘public event’ in school time, we felt that many past
parents may wish to contribute towards a special gift for her from the parents
and children. Should
you wish to, please send your contribution to the infants’ school in an
envelope clearly stating that it is for Jane’s gift. We would appreciate receipt
of contributions by Friday February 15th 2008.
SEAL (Social and
Emotional Aspects of Learning)
This term’s theme is:- Getting On and Falling Out
Here are the assembly themes and behaviour targets. The targets are displayed in each class and by the entrances to school. These themes link to learning taking place in each class and are used for our weekly behaviour awards.
|
Week beginning |
Assembly Theme |
Behaviour
Target |
|
14th January |
Friendship Week. What friends do. |
Be a good friend to others. |
|
21st January |
The way I see it. Respect for other people’s points of view. |
Listen to other people’s ideas |
|
28th January |
When things go wrong. |
Keep calm if you fall out with a friend |
|
4th February |
Festivals : Chinese New Year and Shrove Tuesday |
Put other people’s needs first. |
|
11th February |
Forgiveness |
Say sorry
if you get something wrong |
Friendship Week (Anti
Bullying Week)
This week we have spent a lot of time discussing what it
means to be good friend, what bullying is and how to deal with it, and our playground
rules.
We have also been working on extending friendships beyond
our own classes. The children have been carrying out activities in small groups
of three and four across the year groups and they have all made a friendship
book which they will
be binging home to share with you.
Today we will are sending home a copy of our anti bullying policy and leaflet to all children in reception and new to the school in other year groups. If you have mislaid your copy there will be some spares available outside the office.
School Grounds Working
Party Morning
Please come along on Sunday 20th January and
help to give our school grounds a mid winter tidy up. We will be on site
between 10am and 1pm carrying out a range of tasks in the wildlife area,
organic garden and outdoor classroom area. We have some new apple trees to
plant too.. Please bring secateurs,
forks and spades. Although we need adult strength for the main tasks you can
bring the children along to help too. Tea and coffee will be provided to help
keep you warm.
Vegetarian Lunches
Although there is a vegetarian option provided on the school
meals menu each day this can usually only be served to children who are
following a vegetarian diet. If you would like your child to have vegetarian
meals please let us know, however, they will then be given the vegetarian
option whenever they have a school meal. If you need to arrange a one off
vegetarian option because your child genuinely dislikes the main meal please pop in and see Mandy in the kitchen and she will
do her best to help you.
Eat a Meal With Your Child
Having held our special events last term we would like to
continue to invite parents to come and share in the school meals experience.
Mandy is happy to for parents to join their children in eating a school dinner
on any day. You will be able to eat your meal (cost £2.76) with your child in
the canteen at 12noon. The children have normally finished eating by about
12.25pm.
To book your lunch from now on just send in your dinner
money together with your child’s on a Monday morning and state on the envelope
which day you would like to attend. Then just turn up on your chosen day.
Breakfast Club
The breakfast club is open from 7.45am daily and still has a
few places available especially on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The club has a sports based programme for part of each
session. These are the areas that Matthew will be covering with the children
this term.
Week beginning January 21st : Balance : Where’s My Body ?
January 28th : Co-ordination : Moving On My Own
February 4th : Agility : Changing Pace
February 11th :
Ball Games
A letter and booking form explaining more about the club is
attached.
To celebrate the launch of the new Marathon Mile Family Fun
Run which takes place on Saturday March 15th Running High events are
holding a design a poster competition. There are prizes for the winners plus
£100 for the winning school. A blank poster is being sent home with your child
today and it would be great to have lots of
Missing Sweatshirt
Please check your child’s uniform for a missing sweatshirt
named ‘Gavin Moody’. We are finding that several named items are going missing
and would ask you to check regularly especially after P.E. sessions.
Safety At the End of the Day……..
I have been approached by one or two parents to ask if I can
remind parents where to wait at the end of the day.
We do ask that parents wait away from the gates and behind the yellow fenced off area.
Currently a lot of reception parents are waiting within this area and some
parents are unable to see their children coming out. The further out parents
can spread , the easier it is for the staff to spot
you. Don’t worry if this means changing your waiting place we will soon get
used to your new chosen spot.
……….Behaviour in the
Park
This is another issue that parents have asked me to mention.
Apparently one or two children are sometimes playing rather roughly and using
inappropriate language in their play at the end of the school day. Although I
have no authority on who chooses to use the park or how they behave it would be
nice to think that everyone who wishes to could enjoy the park at the end of
the school day.
Fair Processing Notice
Last term each family received a copy of the condensed
version of the Fair Processing Notice which contains information about data
protection. In addition I have been asked to draw two useful web based
addresses to your attention.
To find out how to contact the Data Protection Officer at BANES :
http://cis/BathNES/councilanddemocracy/dataprotectionandfreedomofinformation/default,htr
The web address of BANES PCT :
http://www.nhs.uk/ServicDirectories/Pages/Trust.aspx?id=5FL
Wanted Ads
Parental Help to Play Language Games
We have several Polish children in school who are in the
early stages of learning English. They would really benefit from playing games
like picture bingo and pairs etc. to help develop their vocabulary. We have
lots of resources that can be used. Can you spare half an hour or so once a
week to help us ? Please let Mrs Small, Mrs Claridge
or Mrs Garbutt know.
Help to organise our Curiosity
Kits
We need someone to take over giving out the Curiosity Kits
each week, collecting them in checking and re issuing them. This would be a job
that someone who has a younger child could carry out for us as it isn’t
classroom based. We are aware that the kits themselves need a little attention
before we start using them again but please let us know if you can do this for
a term or two.
Spare Clothes
We are in desperate need of the following items to enable us
to change children, particularly girls, into appropriate clothes if they have
an accident. We need girls’ socks, pants, skirts and pinafore dresses. If you
have a few spare or outgrown we would be grateful to receive them. We DO NOT
NEED any other items. However, if your child has come home in a change of
clothes please make sure they are washed and returned as soon as possible.
Parenting Library
We have recently been lucky enough to be donated a sum of
money from a contact with an interest in what we are trying to achieve in
school in terms of Family SEAL and other initiatives to support children and
their families. This money has been given to us to set up a ‘parenting
library’. We envisage that this might contain books and dvds on a number of subjects that you as parents
would find useful either to use yourself or with your children. We have some
ideas for topics that deal with life events that effect children such as birth,
splitting up and death of a close relative, or issues such as bullying,
disability and We
would welcome your input into what would be useful such as topics we could
cover or titles that you would recommend to others. Please feel free to jot
down your ideas and let us have them as soon as possible. It would be great to
be able to launch the library during our book week in early March.
Yours sincerely
Jo Claridge
PLEASE SEE OVERLEAF FOR
DATES FOR TERMS 3 and 4.
Dates For
Terms 3 and 4
Sunday
January 20th School
Grounds Working Party 10am
to 1pm
Wednesday
February 13th
Family SEAL Follow Up Assembly 10am
Friday
February 15th End of
Term 3
Deadline
for donations towards Jane Stone’s Gift
Monday
February 25th Start of
Term 4
Family
SEAL Assembly 9.15am
Thursday
February 28th Food For Life Group 1.15pm
Monday
March 3rd
to
Friday
March 8th Book
Week
Wednesday
March 12th Family SEAL
Workshop 9.15am
Sunday
March 16th
Tuesday
March 18th Parent’s
Evening (for reviews of Special Educational Needs)
Friday
March 21st to School
Closed : Easter Bank Holiday Weekend
Monday
March 24th
Friday
March 28th Open
Morning 9.15
to 10.30am