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Staffing Updates for Parents Academic Year 2017/18
Dear Parents and Carers
As we move rapidly towards the new academic year, I am now in a position to update you with some changes to the school, in particular the staffing structure.
Teaching staff changes
Welcome Mr Brooks
In September, we will be welcoming Mr Brooks to the teaching team. Mr Brooks, an experienced practitioner and former Early Years teacher, will be working in Key Stage 1. He was selected from a very strong group of candidates and will be a great asset to the team.
Farewell Miss Odell
As we welcome one teacher, we say farewell to another. Miss Odell will be leaving us at the end of this year, next Wednesday being her last day. We are sad to see her go as she has been a wonderful teacher to the children and colleague to the staff; however, another professional opportunity has arisen that has led her to move on to a different teaching setting. I am sure you will join me in thanking her for her work and wishing her all the best for the future. She will be missed.
Support staff additions:
Learning Support Assistants (LSA/TA)
Two years ago, when I arrived at the school, a long term plan was established to improve the support staff structure in the school, linked to a model for increased numbers of high quality teaching staff, single year groups, smaller class sizes and an improved focus on early intervention. This has been a substantial undertaking in the current education climate, but I am delighted to announce that this process will now be completed in September with the employment of four Learning Support Assistants. This will further enhance the experiences children have, through more precise early intervention and with LSA support in all classes, every morning for the core subjects of English and mathematics.
We had an overwhelming number of applications for the post resulting in two days of interviews for the shortlisted applicants. We were delighted with the high quality of the successful candidates.
In September, we will be welcoming Mrs Welch, Mrs Butcher, Mrs Corrigan and Miss Taylor to the LSA team. They have a wealth and wide spectrum of experiences and skills, including SEN specialisms, sports coaching and high levels of subject knowledge / expertise. We have been fortunate enough to have worked with some of the new staff in the past, and it is a pleasing to see that their experiences working at the school have resulted in a desire to join the team on a more established basis. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with them and look forward to them complimenting our already well established and hard working teaching support team.
Support staff: Office
As many of you are already aware, we have made changes to the office structure over the last year and said our farewells earlier last term to Mrs Smith who was working as Finance Clerk. Mrs Skivington and Mrs Graham have since taken on the role left by Mrs Smith, and as a result, we have been recruiting for two more office staff.
Earlier in the term, we interviewed for the vacant office posts and appointed Miss Shah and Mrs Wilkins to these roles. Both are experienced administrators and will further strengthen our already effective office team. They will be key personnel at the school and for many be the first point of contact when you visit or call the school. Parents and visitors alike have recently been commenting on the efficiency and friendliness of the office staff, and we are confident that our two new staff members will support the positive and respectful atmosphere we aim to provide.
Farewell To Mrs Prentice – Chair of Governors
After many years of commitment to the Governing Body of Ashgate Primary School, Mrs Eryl Prentice will be retiring as Chair of Governors at the end of this term. This is a planned step as she takes more time with her family, especially her husband who has recently retired himself. Mrs Prentice has been a keystone in the governing body and has supported the staff, pupils and governors over a sustained period. She has been a genuine asset to our robust governing body and we thank her for all her work and commitment.
Mr Hulse, who has been our Vice Chair of governors, will be our interim Chair of Governors; however, Mrs Self (Parent Governor) has been elected as the permanent Chair of Governors and is currently preparing for the change through a training and transition process. Both Mrs Self and Mr Hulse are fully dedicated to ensuring that the handover process is successful and that the governing body continues to challenge, support and hold to account all that we do at the school.
More information about the school governance is available on the school website.
And finally -I wish to add…
Staff and Governors at Ashgate Primary School are amongst some of the most hard working individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with, both within and outside of education. My staffs’ dedication is second to non and I have the confidence that those joining us will further strengthen our drive for continued improving standards across all aspects of school life.
Always moving forward and aiming high.
We are very pleased to inform you that we will be having a Summer Fair, which will take place on Saturday 15th July – 12pm - 3pm.
We will be holding two non-uniform days to collect prizes for the fair.
The non-uniform days are as follows;
Friday 9th June – We are collecting general tombola items (adult or child)
Friday 23rd June – We are collecting chocolate and bottles for our bottle tombola
(Please ensure that bottles are unopened and in date; these could be bottles of wine, spirits or toiletries)
Also, if you have any unwanted teddies & soft toys (either new or in good condition), we would be very grateful if you could donate them for our animal adoption stall.
We are offering parents/carers or family members the opportunity to hire a stall for the sale of table top items or crafts; the cost of this will be £10 for the 3 hours.
We would like to thank you in advance for all your continued help and support; we really appreciate it!
Today the children received a clear message about the dangers of 'play fighting'. The school has a clear zero tolerance attitude towards aggression, a message that a small minority of children attempt to side step by claiming that the aggression is 'just a game'.
The most common activities are 'WWF Wrestling', 'super hero games' or 'zombie hunting'. Whilst these games may appear to them innocent and fun to the children, they are neither innocent or fun in anyones eyes once someone gets hurt.
We provide a wide area of play and activities to take part in, particularly at lunch breaks. There is no necessity to play such games and I have enforced the message that this will not be tolerated.
It is very important to express that this is a small minority of children and that their intent is not malicious, however, discipline in our school is maintained by addressing issues quickly and effectively.
What can you do?
Please explain to your child that you support the school's stance and that you will not accept them playing aggressive games. Your condoning this type of play sends the wrong message to the children and undermines discipline. I ask you to also be mindful that if your child is disciplined for this, they have been warned and the common mantra we have at the school that 'there will always be reasons but never excuses', will be upheld.
Your support, as always, is appreciated.
Handwriting - A Parent’s Guide
This information is to explain why and how we teach handwriting at Ashgate Primary School.
It also includes ideas on ways in which you can help to develop your child’s handwriting.
At Ashgate Primary School, our aim is that pupils will be supported to develop a handwriting style which is clear, joined and fluid. Inevitably some will be neater than others, but each child can acquire a consistent and fluent style.
Although there are many opportunities to practice handwriting across the curriculum, we will also provide regular lessons for teaching and revising these skills. The frequency and length of these lessons will vary according to the age and competence of the children.
Formal handwriting skills will be taught regularly and systematically through the use of the PENPALS Handwriting scheme (Cambridge University Press).
Five stages are identified and these form the basic organisation of the scheme:
1. Readiness for writing: gross and fine motor skills leading to letter formation (Foundation)
2. Beginning to join (Lower KS1)
3. Securing joins (Upper KS1/Lower KS2)
4. Practising speed and fluency (Lower KS2)
5. Presentation skills (Upper KS2)
Opportunities for linking handwriting with early phonics and spelling work are fully exploited through the PENPALS scheme.
It is important that children hold their pencil correctly and ensure their posture is correct.
Pencil hold
· Pencil held between finger and thumb
· Middle finger provides extra support
Posture
· Feet flat on the floor
· Head up, not resting on the desk or hand
· Paper at the correct angle
· Spare hand steadies the paper
Progression from year EYFS – Year 6
EYFS
We begin at school with letters being written separately (not joined up yet). When the child’s letter formation is accurate we then introduce joins.
Year 1
During this school year children will begin to join some pairs of letters within a word. They will be introduced to two types of joins:
· Diagonal joins
· Horizontal joins
Year 2
The main aim this year is for the children to become fluent and develop an automatic style.
New joining letters this year are:
· Joins from ‘q’
· Joins to and from ‘r’
· Joins to and from ‘s’
· Joins from ‘f’
Year 3
Children will refine their handwriting and make sure that the size and proportions of all letters and the spaces between letters and words are consistent. New joins introduced are:
· Joins from ‘p’ and ‘b’ to a short letter, an ascender and an anti-clockwise letter
Year 4
In Year 4 children will begin to slope their handwriting and will keep ascenders and descenders parallel. Children will begin to practise writing at increased speed and will be introduced to the print alphabet for captions, headings, labels and posters.
Year 5/6
By this stage children should be secure at joining and able to use joined up writing for most of their work. Children will be experimenting with slopes and will have a more mature and comfortable style ink.
How can you help your child?
· Have a small selection of handwriting materials readily available at home. Soft pencils fibre-tip pens and some sheets of A4 typing paper are enough for a start.
· Encourage your child to write on a line, even if they have to draw it themselves
· Encourage your child to join his/her writing in any work brought home
· Let handwriting play a part in your family’s daily life, for example:
o making lists and labels
o keeping a family diary
o leaving notes for each other in busy households
o keeping in touch with distant friends and relatives
o designing and making home-made notepads and greetings cards.
· Many children like to do their homework lying on the floor, but don’t let them! So do your best to provide somewhere where your child can work, the end of the kitchen table is perfect!
· Praise, praise, praise!
Accelerated Reader in Key Stage 2
Since September 2017 we have read...
8,179 books and over 58 million words ! (58,066,718 words). That's an average of 43 books per child in KS2 since the beginning of term. We are now aiming for 65 million words next academic year!
12 word millionaires throughout the year and 3 triple millionaires!
27 children have read over 500,000 words during the year!
Averaging 81 % correct answers on quizzes – lets try to ensure this is 85% next year!
FANTASTIC! KEEP IT UP Key Stage 2!
Thank you to all the parents who have been supporting their children at home by encouraging them to read their AR book and talking with them about what they are reading - it is making a real difference.