Dear Parents and Carers
It has been good to talk with the children this week on their return from the half term holiday – they seemed to have had a good break and I have been pleased to see how well they have settled back into their learning.
It was also good to see so many of you in school for Parents’ Evening. I hope you found your meetings with the teachers useful and will help you support your children’s learning in the coming months. If you have any feedback from the event, please let me know and we will consider this for the next consultations, which are due to take place in March.
Thank you for co-operating with our increased measures to prevent the worsening of the present Covid situation during the parents’ evenings. With cases in our area almost double the previous highest peak, we are following Public Health Dorset’s latest advice in trying to keep our children from mixing too much indoors, encouraging further handwashing, coughing into tissues or sleeves, and all adults wearing face coverings when in communal areas or in meetings.
A number of the local schools have reverted to their previous arrangements of staggered starts or finishes to the day, insisting on face coverings and distancing at all times on school property, and no visitors into school. I am sure, like me, you would not look forward to those rules coming back to Stower Provost, so I would be grateful if you ensure you always have a face-covering with you should you need to come to the office or talk to the teachers at the beginning or end of the day, and limit the amount of time spent on the car park. For our part, we will try to get the children out punctually at the end of the day!
At the Parents’ Evening, many of you will be reminded of the Bug Club on-line resources the school subscribes to. This is an excellent programme which supplements the reading scheme books we have in school, helping the children develop their decoding and comprehension skills in a fun and interactive way. If you would like a reminder of your log-in details, please contact the office and we will help you take advantage of this brilliant way to speed up your child’s reading progress.
We are still looking for staff to cover the After School Club at the end of the week. If you could spare an hour or two on Thursdays and/or Fridays, for a reasonable rate of pay and free childcare (!), please let me know.
Christmas Cards and Photographs
Your Christmas Cards and associated gifts have arrived back in school and should be coming home shortly. You will soon be receiving the link to your child’s school photograph; please make sure you order straight away if you would like to have them back in time for Christmas.
With the somewhat unpredictable weather we are experiencing, please make sure your child is ready for all eventualities in school. This time of year, they must have a warm and waterproof coat in school each day, as we will always aim to take them outside for break and lunchtimes.
With best wishes
James Stanford