Dear Parents / Carers,
I do hope this letter finds you well and having enjoyed a fun filled summer break. With the new school year starting tomorrow I thought I would write to outline what has been happening in school over the summer holidays and also clarify approaches for the coming year.
Works in school
There has been scaffolding up and around the school for much of the holiday, with the reading room – now to be called the Cedar classroom having a facelift including new cladding, new barge boards have been inserted where required and roofing works carried out on in a number of areas. The inner courtyard doors have been repaired and balustrading fixed. Repointing and new stones have also been put in place on the old school house, while work to the old school house roof is being completed as I write.
Underlay, light astro carpet, solar lighting and interior décor have been fitted to the outdoor classroom, with flexible fencing due to be delivered shortly.
My thanks to Mr and Mrs Buxton who spent many hours stickering and adding books onto the new library system, so the library will be up and running for pupil use at the start of term.
A new work area and SEN room have been created, complete with two-seater sofa for use by pupils receiving ELSA and other suitable support in school.
Staffing
Three new members of staff join us from September – Mr K-P will be working as a TA in Oak Class each morning, while Mrs Down joins Chestnut class as a TA (from 16th Sept) and Mrs Perry as a TA across KS2 each afternoon. A very warm welcome to these members of staff.
Mrs Solman (SENCo) has been replaced by Mrs Toy (currently Oak Class teacher on a Tuesday and Friday), who will be working an additional day and particularly focusing on her SENCo responsibilities on a Thursday.
We also say a farewell to Mrs Harris on Friday, who moves to work full time in the pre-school.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club will be staffed by Prime Sports Coaching personnel, and will run from 7.45 – 8.45 daily. Parents are requested to use the link below to book sessions. https://primesportscoaching.classforkids.io/camp/73
After School Club
This will be staffed by members of Stower Provost personnel; however staffing is yet to be formalised following recent unforeseen changes. After School Club will therefore start on Monday 9th September and will run daily from 3.20 – 4.30pm daily, at a cost of £5 per hour or equivalent proportion of the hour. Please sign up with Mrs Pike in the school office should you wish your child to attend.
After School Sporting opportunities
Prime Sports will be running three sporting clubs after school on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These are heavily subsidised by the Sports Premium payment the school receives, however this year a contribution towards your child’s attendance is requested, with a cost of £10 per half term. Please sign your children up for the sporting opportunities with Mrs Pike in the school office.
| Tuesdays | Wednesdays | Fridays | |||
| ASC – Girls Football | 3:30-4:30pm | ASC – Yr 1/2/3 Multi-skills | 3:30-4:30pm | ASC – Yr 4/5/6 Football | 3:30-4.30pm |
Other Clubs
Lego Club is also on offer on a Monday and Thursday 3.30 – 4.30pm for children in Year 1 – Year 5.
Kids With Bricks Clubs (ecwid.com) Please book your places from the Kids With Bricks website link. Bookings are for a 7 week period at a cost of £34.56 (inc VAT)
I will of course let you know of any additional clubs on offer, as and when they are confirmed.
Attendance
As ever, attendance is a priority for the school, and we are proud to have figures in the past that have been above the national average.
Dorset Council have issued new guidance and a Code of Conduct linked to Absence Penalty Notices. The new guidance will apply from the 1st week in September 2024. Parents are now asked to complete a new Absence Request Form, when requesting leave in term time.
The Pupil Registration (England) 2006 Regulations state that:
“Head teachers may not grant any approved leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances”.
Please note that taking holiday during term time as it is cheaper, is not deemed an exceptional circumstance.
Please also note that the penalty notice team will be contacted when a pupil has been recorded as absent (unauthorised) for 10 sessions and within 10 school weeks. A session is deemed as one morning or one afternoon, therefore a family whose child has three days off school for a holiday, and then a long weekend off which are unauthorised within a 10 week period would be referred to the penalty notice team.
Uniform
The school is currently looking at its uniform policy with a view to making it gender neutral. This would not mean a change to the uniform, more a broadening of what is available to wear from the current listing. The new policy will be shared with parents once it has been finalised.
One addition however to the uniform list I would be keen to add would be waterproof trousers for use in Forest School.
School focuses for the year
To continue the development of reading and a love for reading by pupils across all year groups, handwriting skills, confidence to manipulate numbers mentally, as well as solve multi step word problems, whilst also personalising the curriculum for our pupils. Should you wish further information regarding these focuses, do please ask.
Homework
One way of encouraging independent working is for children to carry out short home based tasks to support their learning along with developing time management and independent working practices.
Homework should not be arduous. It should also be purposeful and prepare children for the expectations either further up the school or when transitioning to secondary school. Children will be building to one hour of homework per week in Years 5 and 6 (Oak class).
In all classrooms homework will be sent home on a Thursday and should be handed in by the following Tuesday at the latest. Class teachers will generally mark and review homework as a whole class on a Tuesday, so if your child has not completed or attempted the homework task they will be disadvantaged and missing out on important and helpful consolidative learning opportunities. Your support therefore in encouraging your children to complete homework tasks is imperative and much appreciated.
Homework will consist of three elements:
- Reading
- Maths
- Spellings
Reading:
There is a clear link between children who read regularly at home and reading ability. As a school we are keen for every child to be a confident and expressive reader. Pupils will be heard to read in school during Read Write Inc sessions, or group reading when in key stage 2, however we would strongly encourage you to either read with your child, or them to read to you at least five days per week. Reading in school will be noted in each pupil’s reading record book, and I would ask that all parents note when they have read with their child in the reading record book as well.
Maths:
Hazel class will be set real life maths tasks.
Beech class – linked to the mixed year group White Rose projects.
Chestnut class – linked to White Rose weekly theme.
Oak class – linked to White Rose weekly theme.
Spelling:
Hazel class – please expect a QR code linking to our phonics programme Read Write Inc (RWI) videos which will support pupils with their phonic understanding.
Beech class – 5 high frequency words, moving onto common exception words and then RWI linked spellings will come home.
Chestnut class – 10 common exception words which are age specific.
Oak class – 10 words which are age and/or pupil specific e.g. 7 from the national curriculum spelling lists and 3 personal spellings taken from books, along with comprehension or SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) work.
Forest School
All classes will experience a weekly Forest School session this year. These will be led by myself and are planned to not only to link to class learning projects, but also encourage an appreciation, understanding and skills linked to the outdoors.
Pupils will be out and about, regardless of the weather, so please ensure your child has a coat, wet weather trousers and wellington boots in school each week. Hazel, Beech and Chestnut classes will have their Forest School session on a Monday, while Oak Class will have their session on a Friday afternoon.
Start Small, Dream Big
‘Start Small; Dream Big’ is a programme backed by the Department for Education (DfE) and delivered by schools, Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, BCP Council, Dorset Council and The Careers & Enterprise Company.
The goal is to encourage children to dream big about their future careers and gain an understanding of the variety of jobs available and possible.
A series of half day experiences are planned, one per half term, where adults are invited to come in and talk about their jobs, and pupils have an opportunity to ask questions.
I am aiming for individuals to talk to a group of children for around 10 – 15 minutes, outlining the industry, what their job entails, skills or interests that are needed or useful, and possible routes into the industry. If you would be interested and able to offer your services, do please let me know. The broader the offering the better it will be for the children!
PE
All children experience two PE lessons per week in school. We hope that the swimming pool will be used during the month of September, so please would all pupils have swimming costumes, hats, goggles and towels in school, as well as their PE kit from the start of term.
Naming clothes
Please name all belongings coming into school, as clothing can be mislaid and it makes it much easier to return personal belongings if they are named.
Assemblies
All are welcome to our Friday Praise and Celebrate assemblies 14.55 – 15.15.
As ever if you have any questions or queries, do please ask and Mrs Pike, class teachers or I will be happy to help. We look forward to working with you all this forthcoming academic year.
Best wishes,
Mrs B