Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Stranger Danger - Ever vigilant.

  Wed 14 Dec 2016

  Stranger Danger

  On regular occasions, we ensure that we reinforce the message of ‘Stranger Danger’ to pupils and express the importance of not talking to, approaching or responding to people unknown.  We also ensure that pupils understand the importance of reporting such events.

   

  Vitall to this strategy is ensuring that parents support this by enforcing the message, regardless of age. 

   

  Whilst the vast majority of people are kind and helpful, we must protect the children as best as we can and the Stranger Danger approach empowers children to safeguard their own needs, as well as being supported by adults.

   

  I recommend that this message be supported at home regularly.

   

  I am acutely mindful that some of the older children have permission to walk home by themselves at the end of the day.  If this is the case, the class teacher must be informed.  If this occurs as a result of a temporary arrangement, please be sure to contact the office.  Communication is key to ensuring the arrangements are suitable and safe.

   

  Parents and carers allowing their children to walk home do so at their discretion, and the school cannot be responsible for their actions, or the actions of others, once they leave school.

   

  Please support us in keeping your children safe and ensuring that decisions around their travel arrangements are appropriate and that you regularly join us in sharing the Stranger Danger message.

   

  Mr Seargent

   

• Thanks to Nunn Street Local Sainsbury's

  Fri 09 Dec 2016 Mr Seargent

  I would like to pass on my thanks to Nunn Street Local Sainsbury's who supported the set up of the RESPECT Shop by contributing £100 of prizes and gifts for this popular initiative.

   

  The support of local businesses is always valued and shows a commitment by them and the school to work together for a better community.

   

  

• Swimming lessons and the National Curriculum

  Wed 07 Dec 2016 Mr Seargent / Mrs Haines

  A note to parents with regards to swimming lessons (Year 3)

   

  Swimming lessons are a legal requirement for all pupils under the National Curriculum and are therefore not optional.

   

  Specifically, the National Curriculum states:

  Swimming and water safety

  All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

  In particular, pupils should be taught to:

  § swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres

  § use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]

  § perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

   

  Department of Education 2014 – National Curriculum

   

  Should a child need to miss swimming for medical reasons, this is to be put in writing to the school explaining why the parent feels they should not take part. 

   

  Should the medical need be long term (more than 2/3 sessions), it is expected that a medical referral to a GP is made to ascertain a diagnosis or advise, on medical grounds, whether a pupil should be exempt from swimming on a long term basis.  Such an exemption would not be agreed solely on a request from a parent, but should be supported with professional medical clarification.

   

  Whilst we wish to support parents and meet their specific requests with reasonable steps, it is not possible to exempt children for the National Curriculum.

   

  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/425601/PRIMARY_national_curriculum.pdf

  http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/section/78

   

  Yours sincerely

   

  Mr Seargent

• Another Reading Millionaire!

  Fri 02 Dec 2016 Mr Seargent/Mrs Kummerfeld

  Fantastic news!

   

  I was delighted today to award Ellie. L. her 'Accelerated reader Millionaire' Certificate and book prize, for completing the challenge of reading 1,000,000 words at school and home.

   

  An amazing achievement that we as a school can be proud of, but more importantly Ellie and her family.  Well done!

• RESPECT Shop -Opened for business

  Fri 02 Dec 2016 Mr Seargent

  Today we opened our 'RESPECT Shop' for the first time.

   

  Pupils were able to exchange their RESPECT Tickets, earned by following our RESPECT Agenda, for items of varying values.

   

  Gel pens and paper stamps were popular purchases, as were other small stationary items.  A large group of budding entrepreneurs decided to bank their tickets for some of the more expensive items, and I even had a couple of children trying to 'strike deals' - without success I should point out.

   

  Above all, it was fantastic to see how many tickets had been collated, tickets that represent good deeds, hard work and positive attitudes.  Well done all.

  

• Punctuality Matters

  Thu 01 Dec 2016 Mr Seargent

   

  Late Collections After School

   

  Dear Parents

  I have in the past expressed the importance of collecting children on time at the end of the day.

   

  Thank you to all those who have taken the positive steps to ensure children are collected on time.  Several parents have supported the school and their children by making suitable adjustments to their routines.

   

  Sadly, drop off and collection remains an issue for the school.  Yesterday afternoon saw 13 children (just short of 5% of pupils) not collected at the end of the day.  This meant they were cared for in the Reception Area by 2 staff that were attempting to track down parents, receive payments, answer calls, deal with queries and complete their regular duties.  13 children uncollected is not acceptable.

  Recently we have had children repeatedly collected as late as 4pm, and as late as 4:30pm.

   

  Whilst we accept that there may be occasions when arriving late is unavoidable, such as severe traffic jams or immediate medical emergencies, reasons presented to staff, such as:

  • ‘I had a customer and I couldn’t leave them’
  • ‘I have to walk to school’
  • ‘the shops are busy’
  •  ‘I have a lot to do at work’
  • ‘I didn’t realise how frosty it was’

  are not acceptable, genuine and unavoidable reasons to leave your child in the after hours care of my staff.  The school cannot, as I have said before, act as an interim child minding service.  All my staff have tasks and responsibilities after school, including meetings, clubs, training and preparation activities – all designed to support your child.

   

  Parents and carers are respectfully reminded that although we have a duty of care towards pupils registered at the school, this does not extend to child care arrangements for parents.  I politely ask you to carefully consider your arrangements for collection of your child and always consider leaving enough time to manage unforeseen circumstances and ensure that your personal arrangements place your child’s well being first.

   

  I am taking this matter seriously.  We do maintain a log of pupils who are collected late from school and I am seeking guidance and advice as to what steps I can take to deal with repeated late collection, as it is an unsatisfactory welfare arrangement.  Persistent poor provision for collecting children may, in some circumstances, be deemed as neglectful care and may require referral to an outside agency.  My office staff are under instruction to record late arrival and collection and secure the reason this has occurred.   We do this in the interest of all children.

   

  It is not my intention to appear uncaring or punitive; however, the situation is now becoming increasingly concerning and we neither have the capacity and resources, nor should it be the duty of my Reception staff, to be a first option fall back for poor organisation or a lackadaisical approaches to a child’s welfare.

   

  Your consideration is appreciated.

   

  Mr Seargent

  Headteacher