Dear Parents / Carers,

I’m sure many of you will have heard the excitement about the Christmas tree and decorations in school.  I feel that we can actually celebrate Chritsmas this year and I’m so looking forward to when some of our parents can come in and watch the Christmas plays.

KS1 Christmas plays

Please can I ask that all adults who are coming into school take an LFT before and wear a face mask.  Thank you.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to allow photographs to be taken during the play due to various reasons.  Thank you for your understanding of this.

Teenage Gift Appeal

As a local community school we would like to offer our support to the much treasured Alice Charity. They have launched their Teenage Gift Appeal for this year as this is the age group that tends to be left out. We don’t think anyone should be missed off Santa’s list, so we are hoping to spread the appeal and to collect gifts (in a gift bag) between Monday 29nd November to Friday 3rd December. This is already an expensive time for everyone and it may be that you would like to help but in a different way. So, as well as taking in teenage gift donations, we will be taking in any kind of festive food donations, to make Christmas that little more special for families that struggle. If you can help, then donations can be dropped off in the main reception area or sent in with your child to put in their class donation box.  Thank you 

Donation week – Monday 29th November to Friday 3rd December 2021
#ShowYouCare

Illnesses

Please can I remind you that if your child has sickness or diarrhoea, they need 48 hours without any symptoms before coming back to school.

Any main symptoms of covid, children need to have a PCR test.  If they have symptoms which aren’t the main symptoms, children need to do a LFT.  

INSET day (staff training)

We have organised an INSET day for Monday 6th June 2022.  The children will not be in school on this day. 

Safeguarding update

Play Safe, a new national safeguarding campaign (Football Association)

Over the weekend, the Football Association and the NSPCC launched ‘Play Safe’, a national campaign to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding in football. At the heart of the campaign are three short films to emphasise the importance of safeguarding for key groups of people, crucially children themselves.

One aspect of the campaign is prompting parents to ask questions:

• Do you know your child’s club Welfare Officer? 

• If so, do you have their tel no. in your ‘phone, as well as that of the NSPCC?

• Are you up to speed with your child’s club’s safeguarding policies and procedures?

• Do you regularly check-in with your child to see what they are enjoying/not enjoying and why?

More information can be found here: https://www.thefa.com/PlaySafe

Dear Parents / Carers,

This week, we have taken part in National Anti-Bullying week.  The theme has been ‘One kind word’.  The children have completed lots of activities and discussed this a great deal.  The school council and their parents have reviewed the Anti-Bullying policy, which has been shared with the rest of the children.  We’ve also had many children coming into school in odd socks, to show that we are all different and unique and above all we are all special.

Dear Parents / Carers,

Children in Need

Next Friday, we are asking everyone to dress brightly and donate to Children in Need.  You will be able to donate via ParentPay.  All of our children will be learning about the various kinds of support which children receive from this amazing charity.

Online safety support (from our e-safety adviser)

For Parents – How to Protect Children from Online Harm

The Marie Collins Foundation and The NWG Network have put together a short article which I’m sure many parents will find useful. Covered within the article are:

• What is online harm?
• How is it different from exploitation offline?
• How do offenders target young people online?
• What can I do
• and more.

This is a good article to send out to parents via email, social media etc. and you can find it HERE.

Christmas Trees

Earlier on this week, you will have received some information about if you buy a Christmas tree from Keele Christmas Tree Farm, it will raise money for our school.  So, although it is a bit early, please do go and visit and help to raise some much needed funds.

School Bus

Please be careful when crossing the road at the top of the drive due to the school bus reversing in.  It usually arrives about 8:50am and will be collecting the children at 3:20pm. 

Gritting / Bad Weather

Although it’s quite mild for this time of the year, we have ensured that the grit bins are full.  The main pathways will be gritted.  We cannot grit outside of the school grounds.

Recycle to Read

We’ve had a good start to this activity.  Please do bring in any old broken, plastic toys or old tech from home.  The recycling box is in the main entrance.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Take care and stay safe.

Mrs Wilmer

Dear Parents  and Carers,

Basketball competition (Years 3 & 4)

On Monday, Years 3 and 4 took part in a basketball competition.  They were split into their house teams with everyone trying their very best.   They used all of the skills which they have learnt over the half term and put them into practice which was amazing to see.  The house captains from Year 6 (Joshua, Jackson, Freya and Roman) helped to organise the teams, referee and advise their team on what to do during the games.  Their teamwork skills were super.  Lots of enthusiasm and eagerness to win.  Well done to Northern Ireland who were the overall winners.

Year 6 artwork

Yesterday, Year 6 were busy sketching and colour mixing to produce some wonderful portraits.  They were using skills learnt from throughout the half term to ensure the facial features matched the portraits and the mixed colours matched the skin tones.  Well done to all of Year 6 for their patience and effort.

Year 5 Career Related Learning (CRL)

Year 5 took part in a very interesting lesson about careers and the skills needed for a variety of jobs which can be found in the NHS.  They learnt that there aren’t just doctors and nurses but technicians, gardeners, maintenance staff, cleaners, counsellors and many more important roles.  There seemed to be a lot of discussion on the skills the cooks would need to have, which made most of us very hungry!

A very thoughtful and important session for all of the children.  

CRL

Throughout the year and throughout the curriculum, children will be learning about why we need to learn what we’re learning and how this can help with their future.  All children across the school have been talking about their aspirations for when they’re older.  We hope that by discussing a variety of jobs throughout the year, this will further their aspirations.  

Afghan Evacuees

On Monday 1st November, we should be welcoming our new children into school.  We have been talking to our children about the issues that our new children will have faced.  They have watched videos and have spoken about the possible feelings which the new children will experience not just coming to a new country but leaving their parents to come to school.
I know our children will make them feel so welcome and thank you again for the donations of school clothes and shoes.

Parenting Smart (Place2Be)

The children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, has launched a new website aimed at helping parents with typical situations they can find themselves in with their children.

Advice can be found on over forty topics including:

• Understanding sibling rivalry 
• My child is lying, what does it mean, what should I do?
• My child has trouble going to sleep
• My child says ‘I hate you!’
• Cultural identity: who am I?

The Parenting Smart website can found here: https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk/

And finally …… we’ve had a spooktacular day today!  The children have looked amazing in their outfits.  Thank you so much to everyone for making the effort.  I know it’s not the same as a Halloween disco but they’ve certainly had a lot of fun with their friends and scaring me.  

Dear Parent and Carers,

It’s getting to that time of year when everyone has a cough, runny nose and sore throat.  Please can we ask that if your child has any of these symptoms, you test them before coming into school.  It’s more than likely to be a Winter cold.

Cases are rising quite significantly in and around school.  If we all check, we can hopefully minimise the spread and keep children and staff in school.

Year 3

Year 3 have had a fun filled morning today.  They’ve been busy making jelly dream jars!  The children have been reading the BFG and have been discussing dream jars and what would go in theirs.  This is linked to their English and D&T work.  You can see photos of this on the website.

Early years

Nursery children have been busy learning outside, catching leaves and counting with leaves.  We had some visitors in the Early Years at the beginning of the week and they were very impressed with the children, their learning activities and their superb behaviour.  Well done to all of the children and the staff.

Year 5

Year 5 have been very busy today with their D&T work.  They have already designed a ‘bird hide’ and this morning were busy constructing the structure with their carefully measured dowling and triangle support.  The glue guns were out!  The children worked so well together to create structures that stood up.  The amount of care and thought which the children put into these was amazing.  Their next lesson will be making the actual walls and roof by using leaves and twigs and other natural materials which they find in the woodland area.

Safeguarding

During this week and next week, staff will be focusing class assemblies on keeping children safe.  The NSPCC has provided all schools with material to support the teaching of keeping safe, saying no, positive relationships and if something is upsetting a child or someone harms a child; who they can go to for help and support.

Sexual harm and sexual violence is very high on the government agenda for schools due to so many children affected by this.  This may be in the form of calling a child a derogatory name to actual physical acts.  We will be talking to children about this, in an age appropriate way, throughout the year.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

Take care and stay safe.

Mrs Wilmer

Dear Parents / Carers,

I’ve received some information from childnet about Twitch, a new streaming app where young people create and watch live videos of people.  Apparently it’s becoming more popular.  Here’s an article which you may find useful from childnet

Childnet is an online organisation helping to keep children and young people safe on the internet.  There’s lots of advice on this site should you have any concerns linked to this area.