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News and Letters

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Archive

  • Newsletter ~ July Week 3

    Published 17/07/24

    Dear Families,

     

    What a busy week we’ve had.  Our winning team , Northern Ireland, won the term treat.  They had a great time taking part in Forest Schools activities along with having a BBQ.  KS2 had their sports competitions on Monday afternoon.  You could hear the cheering in every part of the school. We’ve said goodbye or good luck to some of our team.  Mrs Rafferty is going on her maternity leave.  We wish her all the best for a safe delivery of baby number 3.  Miss Coleman is getting married in August.  We wish her lots of love and happiness in her marriage.  She will be Mrs McConvey when she comes back.  Mrs Fender has retired from being a lunchtime assistant. And we’ve said goodbye and thank you to Bee Active  for all of their support with PE this year.

     

    A huge thank you for the many lovely cards and gifts.  The staff are overwhelmed with your generosity and the words have brought lots of tears.

     

    Most importantly, we have said goodbye to our wonderful Year 6 children as well as goodbye to some of our families who have been with us for many years.  It’s always a bittersweet day.  We’re so excited for the children and their new adventures at high school but we’re always sorry to see them leave.

    Our Year 6 children have brought their own unique spark to Friarswood.  Their enthusiasm has been evident throughout their time here.  They have many wonderful memories which they will be able to cherish forever.  Every single child has achieved in big ways as well as small but equally significant ways.  Their growth, both academically and personally, has been a pleasure to watch over the years.

    I wish them all the very best for high school and beyond.  It’s been a privilege to be part of their life and yours.

     

    To the rest of our children and families, I wish you all a wonderful summer break.  I hope you manage to spend some quality time with your family and friends.  I look forward to seeing you back at school on Tuesday 3rd September.

     

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer and the Friarswood team.

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ July Week Two

    Published 12/07/24

    Dear Families,

     

    Thank you so much for coming along to the Summer Fair last Friday.  I know lots of you came to support the PTA event.  The children certainly had lots of fun.  The event raised just under a massive £1700.  All of this money goes straight back to your children, so a huge thank you from everyone for helping to make the fair so successful.

    A massive thank you to Eloise and Sarah and the rest of the PTA for working so incredibly hard over the last few months, ensuring that our children and families had such a great night.

     

    KS2 Summer show - Matilda
    The children were absolutely amazing!  I can’t believe how enthusiastic and brave they all were.  They have worked so hard to learn their lines and remember all of the songs.   And the soloists - they were incredible.  I’m so proud of you.

    Both shows were fantastic.  

    Thank you to all of the parents who helped to sort out costumes and help their child learn their lines.

    Thank you to the children for being their usual incredible selves.

    Thank you to the staff who have worked tirelessly for months to create such a wonderful show.

     

     

     

    Parking on yellow lines / in front of driveways
    Please can I ask again that family and friends do not park on the yellow lines by school.  They are there to keep people safe, not to make it easy for you to park by school.  Also, please can you not park in front of the neighbours driveways.  This type of thoughtless behaviour is causing a lot of anger and frustration with residents and families of our school.  Thank you for your cooperation with this.

     

    Reports
    Today you will receive your child’s end of year report.  I hope that you are as proud of your child as I am.  It was an absolute pleasure reading them and as always I enjoyed writing my own personal comments about your child. 

     

    Online Safety

    For Parents - Digital Family Agreement

    With the summer holidays just around the corner now can be a great time for parents/carers to talk with their children and set ground rules, boundaries and expectations around tech use. The easiest way to do this is via a digital family agreement and London Grid for Learning have a really useful template which is free for anyone.

    You can download the digital family agreement from LGfL HERE.

     

    Safeguarding

    With the holidays just around the corner, contact with the school will end for a while.  If you have concerns about a child’s safety please use the following numbers:

    Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board:  0300 111 8007

    (out of hours -  0345 6042886)

    If you feel that someone (child or adult) is in immediate danger, please call the police.

     

     

    Platinum School’s Games Mark

    This week we have received confirmation that we have achieved the Platinum School’s Games Mark.  This is due to the amount of emphasis we place on children being active and healthy, including the amount of activities and competitions we take part in.  Well done to all of the staff for helping to achieve this and a special mention to Ms Cooper who has put all of the evidence together and organised the sports in the school. 

     

     

     

    Year 6 SATs
    This week we received our SATs results.  They were brilliant!  We are so proud of the achievements of all of our children.  Every child has worked so hard and tried their very best. 89% achieved the expected standard or better in GPS (grammar, punctuation & spelling), writing and maths.  In reading, 93% achieved the expected standard or better.

     

    Phonics
    Super results for the phonics, which we’re so proud of.  95% passed the phonics tests in Year 1 and 100% passed the phonics in Year 2.  

     

    String Assembly  

    Well done to all of the children who took part in the string instruments assembly this week.  The children showed off their talents from the very beginners to those who’ve been playing for a few years.  It was so lovely to see the children playing their instruments confidently.

     

    Have a lovely weekend

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ July Week One

    Published 03/07/24

    Dear Families,

     

    Year 1 trip

    On Tuesday Year 1 had a great time at The Brampton museum.  They are learning about toys and learnt a great deal at the museum.  Super behaviour and lots of answering questions by so many of the children.

     

    Year 5 & 6 science day

    On Tuesday, Years 5 and 6 spent the day at Keele University taking part in various science workshops.  The children had so much fun bug hunting, making speakers, learning about chromatography and learning about DNA.  

     

     

    Uniform and high expectations

    It’s becoming more noticeable that some children aren’t wearing the correct school uniform to school or for PE.  Please can you make sure that children do not wear platform trainers for PE and that PE tops are not crop tops.

    Children cannot wear makeup in school.  If your child comes into school with makeup on they will be asked to wash it off straight away.

    And the last reminder - nail varnish is not allowed in school.

    We value our high standards at Friarswood and appreciate your support with this.

     

    Transition / Move up morning

    This has gone very well.  The children were so excited about being in their new classroom and meeting their new teacher.  As mentioned previously, those children who will be in a different part of the school (Reception and Year 2) will be shown where they come into school several times over the next couple of weeks.

     

    Small & Tall fee increase

    Unfortunately, due to the rise in costs with fuel and food as well as living wage increases, we have had to make the decision to raise the charges for Small & Tall.  We have tried our best to keep the increase as minimal as possible.   The fees are as follows:

    Before school - £5.25 (no change)

    After school - £9.25 

    There will be a 10% discount for children who attend all of the before / after school sessions.

    The fees will be reviewed annually.

     

    Internet Safety

    For Parents - Snapchat Updated Safety Features

    At the end of June Snapchat updated the app with further safety features, including updates to account blocking functionality and enhanced friending safeguards, e.g.:

    • Block new friend requests sent from bad actors who were already blocked by the user, but sent from a different account from the same device.

    • More frequent reminders about which friends they share their location with on Snap Maps.

    • Further pop-up warnings if users add a friend who doesn't share mutual friends or is not a part of their contacts.

    Further details can be found HERE.


     

    Wishing you a fun evening later at the fair and a lovely weekend.

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer

     

     

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ June Week Four

    Published 28/06/24

    Dear Families,

     

    Parking on Abbots Way
    Please can I ask that parents, family members or friends who park on Abbots Way do not park on the yellow lines.  The lines are there for a reason; to keep our children and families safe.  By doing so, not only are you putting people in danger but you are also causing anger and frustration to the many families who are walking that way.  You would never forgive yourself if your parking caused a serious accident.  Please park safely.  

     

     

    Road Safety
    At the beginning of the week, DHL brought one of their lorries to school so children could learn about road safety and especially how to stay safe around large vehicles.  The children really enjoyed finding the blind spots and looking in the cab.  Hopefully their excitement of the activity will help them to remember the safety rules that the team went through.

     

     

     

     

     


    Please can all parents ensure their parentpay is up to date by Friday 5th July.  Thank you  

     

    Swimming Gala
    On Tuesday, some of our older swimmers took part in the Newcastle Schools Swimming Gala.  Eight schools took part.  The children were amazing.  They could not have tried any harder.  Their team spirit was wonderful as they showed a lot of ‘loud and cheering’ support to all of our team.  A huge well done to Imogen, Anna and Ava who all came home with a gold medal.  Overall we came third.  A massive well done to the rest of the team: Stanley, Georgia, Jack F, Jack B, Maddie and Albert.

     

    KS2 Sports afternoon
    On Monday at 1:30pm, KS2 finally get to take part in their races.  It will be dry!  It has to be dry!  Please bring along chairs or picnic blankets and sunhats (and maybe a brolly just in case!) 

     

    Move up morning
    Next week, most of our Year 6 children will be visiting their high schools for transition days.  We hope it goes well for them.

    On Thursday, it is our move-up morning.  All of our children will be visiting their new classes in the morning.  They will go to their current class first thing for registration and then they’ll go to meet their new teacher and check out their new classroom.  Year 2 children and Reception children will be shown several times over the next few weeks where they have to go in the mornings ready for September. (Year 1 children go into the classroom and leave via the first gate on the rainbow fence.  Year 3 children go into school using the door next to the veranda - where I stand in the mornings and will leave using the hub room door which is the room next to the library)

     

    Class teachers will remain the same as this year.

    Nursery - Mrs Tagg and Miss Goodwin

    Reception - Mrs Williams and Mrs Rushton

    Year 1 - Mrs Elkin (Mon, Tue & every other Wed) and Mrs Harris (every other Wed, Thu & Fri)

    Year 2 - Ms Hartley

    Year 3 - Mrs Dickens (Mon, Thu & Fri) and Mrs Simpson (Tue & Wed)

    Year 4 - Miss Smith (covering maternity leave for Mrs Rafferty)

    Year 5 - Miss Coleman 

    Year 6 - Ms Cooper

     

    Teaching Assistants: Mrs Bebbington (KS1), Dr Fletcher, Ms Shaw and Ms French (KS2) Ms French will be starting with us in September. Ms Master will be in Year 5.

     

    Cover Supervisor - Mrs Hughes (covers teachers when on leadership time or PPA time)

     

    Uniform
    Year 2 going into Year 3 has a uniform change.  Their uniform will be pale blue shirt/blouse, tie and v neck sweater or cardigan. We are also introducing sweatshirts for PE and coloured PE tops which will be your child's house colour. Mrs Dean will send a letter out soon to let you know which team your child is in.  

     

    Celebration of learning
    On Thursday 4th July, we have our celebration of learning afternoon from 2:45pm.  Your child will have their books with them so you can see all of their learning.  Their art work will be in the hall to look at too.

     

    Have a lovely weekend.

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer

    Upcoming events

    KS2 Sports Day - 1.30pm 1.7.24  

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    10.7.24

    11.7.24

    6pm

    1.30pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  

     

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ June Week Three

    Published 20/06/24

    Dear Families,

     

    Information from the e-safety adviser 

    For Parents - Y6 Transition to Secondary School 

    As children make that move into secondary school it's likely that many will experience many 'digital firsts'. Internet Matters have a lovely, useful guide for parents about children moving to secondary school with advice such as:

    • What are children doing online.

    • Are they ready for a smartphone (if they haven't already got one!).

    • Activities children and parents can do together.

    • and more

    You can find the guidance HERE.

     

    KS1 sports event

    The children had such a great time taking part in the races.  Thank you to everyone who came to support the children.  We managed to fit it all in just before the rain arrived.

     

     

     

    Early Years sports event

    What a beautiful afternoon for everyone.  The children had lots of fun and the crowd was very enthusiastic.

    World of Work week

    This week our Year 5 and 6 children have been interviewing as well as being interviewed, planned enterprise initiatives and learnt all about applying for jobs.  They’ve had such a busy week learning about jobs and specific skills needed for various jobs.  

    Thank you to everyone who helped to make the week so successful.

     

     

     

    Last swimming sessions of the year

    Years 5 and 3 had a whale of time in the pool this week.  They had a chance to show off their skills, have fun in the water and they certainly showed how confident they are.  I’ve never seen so many children constantly under the water and trying to sit on the bottom of the pool.

     

    Keele University Family Funday

    Just in case you’re after something to do on Saturday 29th June ….

    https://keele.ac.uk/keeleday

     

    Have a lovely weekend everyone.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming events

    Non uniform Bring a bottle for Summer Fair

    		 28.6.24
    KS2 Sports Day - 1.30pm 1.7.24

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    10.7.24

    11.7.24

    6pm

    1.30pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  
    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ June Week Two

    Published 14/06/24

    Dear Families,

     

    KS2 Summer Show

    The children have been heard singing their hearts out, practising for this performance.  The Wednesday evening tickets have nearly sold out.  Thursday afternoon has still got some space.  Please book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.

     

     

     

     

    Year 3 swimming

    I’m so pleased with these children.  This week every single child was able to jump into the deep end and swim part of or the full length of the pool.  And they kept coming back up to the deep end for more!  This positive attitude and resilience was fantastic to watch.  Well done to all of our Year 3 children.

     

    Year 3 Shot put 

    I took some of the Year 3 children to Co-op Academy Stoke for a shot put competition.  They learnt correctly, the correct stance and about the safety area.  They followed the instructions perfectly and every child amazed me with the skills.  We had some very long throws!  Well done to Frank, Ruben, Lorna, Ella, Lizzie, Grace, Daniel and Esther.

     

     

     

    Sports days next week 

    Fingers crossed for some dry weather next week.  KS2 have rearranged their afternoon to Monday 1st July.  KS1 is Tuesday 18th June at 1:30pm and Early Years is Thursday 20th June at 1:30pm.  Don’t forget your brollies as well as chairs or picnic blankets. (and winter coats as it’s so cold at the moment!)

     

    Swimming - Years 3 and 5

    Next week is the last swimming session of the year

     

    World of Work Week

    Next week, years 5 and 6 are taking part in a special week linked to Careers Related Learning (CRL).  They will be taking part in interviewing people from various employment backgrounds, learning even more about the skills needed for various jobs, taking part in enterprise initiatives and applying for jobs in school.  Yes, we have some job vacancies for the children to apply for.  We have some visitors coming into school to interview the children and then those who are chosen actually get to take part in that role.  This is so exciting.  It’s the first time we have taken part in a week like this.  The Co-op has supported us with volunteers and the Trust has a designated CRL lead who has supported this week too.  

     

    And finally….. It was lovely to see so many Dads at school yesterday.  Your compliments have all been passed to the cook and her team.  I hope you all have a lovely Father’s Day and that your job lists aren’t too long!

    Have a lovely weekend everyone.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming events

     

    Career's Week

    17.6.24
    KS1 Sports day - 1.30pm 18/6/24
    Early Years sports day - 1.30pm 20/6/24

    Non uniform Bring a bottle for Summer Fair

    28.6.24

    		  
    KS2 Sports Day - 1.30pm 1.7.24

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    10.7.24

    11.7.24

    6pm

    1.30pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  
    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ June Week One

    Published 07/06/24

    Dear Families,

     

    Welcome back to our last half term of the school year.  I hope you all had a good half term.

     

    Government news regarding term time holidays from 19th August 2024

    The Department for Education has made some important changes to the law for families wanting to request leave of absence in term time. The changes made it clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Local Authority supports this; therefore, students will only be given permission to take leave in term time if there are exceptional circumstances.  If it is not exceptional circumstances then the student will have an unauthorised absence and will be recorded in the attendance register with the “G” code.  You may be subject to a Penalty Notice if your child’s absence from school is unauthorised. This is in line with Staffordshire County Councils Code of Conduct and the “Working Together to Improve School attendance” statutory guidance (effective 19 th August 2024). The penalties for unauthorised leave of absence in term time will be:

    For a First offence the Penalty Notice fine would be: -

    £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days, rising to

    £160 per parent, per child if paid between 21-28 days.

    For a Second offence within 3-years of the first penalty notice being issued, the penalty notice fine would be:

    £160 per parent, per child if paid between 28 days.

    Following the second offence every new offence within the 3-year period, will be prosecuted under S444.1 of the Education Act 1996. If the prosecution takes place, the maximum fine is £1,000 per parent, per child. This reflects the seriousness of unauthorised absence from school.

    The Government and the Local Authority hope parents support this and book holidays in the 13 weeks school holidays.

    Our key priority is to ensure that your child is as successful as possible and can achieve their full potential by being in school full time.  Please continue to either complete the absence request form or speak to myself or Mrs Dean should your child need time off school.

     

    Sports Afternoons

    As you will know, the sports afternoons are coming up for the children.  Please can I remind you to bring a chair or picnic blanket and maybe an umbrella too!

    Monday 10th June at 1:30pm - KS2

    Tuesday 18th June at 1:30pm - KS1

    Thursday 20th June at 1:30pm - Early years

     

    Have a lovely weekend everyone.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming events

    KS2 Sports Day - 1.30pm 10/6/24  

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

    		  

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week
    KS1 Sports day - 1.30pm 18/6/24
    Early Years sports day - 1.30pm 20/6/24

    Non uniform Bring a bottle for Summer Fair

    28.6.24

    		  

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    10.7.24

    11.7.24

    6pm

    1.30pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  
    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ May Week Four

    Published 24/05/24

    Dear Families,

     

    What a shame we’ve had to cancel our sports days.  We have rearranged them for:

    Mon 10th June at 1:30pm - KS2

    Tue 18th June at 1:30pm - KS1 

    Thursday 20th June at 1:30pm - early years

    Fingers crossed the weather improves.

     

    Homework survey   📕
    Thank you to those of you who completed the survey.  The senior leadership team will be looking into the results and your comments.  We’ll use these comments to update the homework policy.  As soon as we’ve done this, we’ll send it out to you.

     

    Year 2 trip to Wedgewood
    The children had a fantastic time at Wedgewood yesterday.  They learnt lots of facts about Josiah Wedgewood and had great fun creating tiles.  We’ve just got to wait a short while before Mrs Hartley can collect them and show them off to everyone.

     

     

    Year 1 Phonics tests
    These will take place the week beginning Monday 10th June.  These checks are to find out how much your child has learnt since beginning their phonics learning journey.  Mrs Elkin or Mrs Harris sits with the child whilst they read the words to her.  The children enjoy showing off how well they can read and I know the teachers love seeing their progress.

     

    Swimming  🏊
    Swimming for Year 3 and the gala practice children starts as soon as we’re back after half term.

    Cricket   🏏
    The postponed cricket will now be on Tuesday 4th June - first day back to school.

     

    I wish you all a lovely half term.  Lots of you are going away for a well earned break - enjoy and have fun.

    I’ll see you all back to school on Tuesday 4th June.  (Monday is an INSET day for staff)

     

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming dates

    May Half term

    27.5.24 

    INSET - children not in school

    Small & Tall closed

    3.6.24

    All day
    KS2 Sports Day - 1.30pm 10/6/24

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

    		  

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week
    KS1 Sports day - 1.30pm 18/6/24
    Early Years sports day - 1.30pm 20/6/24

    Non uniform Bring a bottle for Summer Fair

    28.6.24

    		  

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    9.7.24

    10.7.24

    1:30

    6pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  

     

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ May Week Three

    Published 17/05/24

    Dear Families,

    Year 6 have had a lovely day today after their week of SATs.  Leavers hoodies and a picnic along with a snow party (or should I say snow storm!)  Lots of focus and determination was shown by every single child.  Just remember, these tests are just a snapshot of a certain time.  They don’t show how amazing our children are at so many different things.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Swimming gala practice 🏊‍♂️

    These sessions start on Wednesday 22nd May.  They are for the children who want to take part in the gala.  Decisions on the final children will be made after their 3 trial sessions.

    Year 5 swimming will stop for a while.

    Year 3 swimming will take place as usual.

     

    Sports days

    Hopefully next week, the sports days will take place.  Please bring a chair or picnic blanket (and  an umbrella!).

    If we need to cancel them, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.  Fingers crossed for some dry weather.

     

    Year 4 art work

    Yesterday, the Year 4 children showed off their art skills in the style of Clarice Cliff.  They painted bright, vivid colours onto tiles.  They look amazing.  All of the children are so proud of them.  We’re now trying to find a place to display them for all to see.  Well done Year 4!

     

    Online safety  💻

    Some helpful sites for parents

    For Parents - Jessie and Friends (4-7 Year Olds)

    I find that most schools I visit tend to know about this resource from CEOP, however when I do the parent talks they are not aware.

    Jessie and Friends is a great resource that parents can use to engage with their younger children about worrying or frightening situations online. When questions answer a question correctly they earn a star and can download a certificate to colour in.

     

    Jessie and Friends can be found HERE.

    For Parents - Wellbeing Apps for Kids

     With wellbeing increasingly hot on the agenda, helping children manage their health and wellbeing is a top priority. Nothing can beat getting out in the fresh air, meeting friends and having fun, but some children may find apps useful for things such as learning about emotions, managing anxiety etc. There are thousands of these types of apps, but to cut through the fog Internet Matters have put together a list which gives details such as: suitable ages, purpose, how the app works and (where applicable) the cost.

    You can find the list of apps HERE.

     

    Have a lovely weekend everyone.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming dates

    Early Years Sports 

    KS1 Sports

    22.5.24

    22.5.24

    9:15am

    1:30pm

    KS2 Sports

    23.5.24

    1:30pm

    May Half Term

    27.5.24

    All week

    INSET - children not in school

    Small & Tall closed

    3.6.24

    All day

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

    		  

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week

    Non uniform Bring a bottle for Summer Fair

    28.6.24

    		  

    Celebration of Learning

    4.7.24

    2:15pm

    Summer Fair

    5.7.24

    5pm

    KS2 Summer show

    9.7.24

    10.7.24

    1:30

    6pm

    Colour Run

    12.7.24

    pm

    Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly

    17.7.24

    2pm

    Last day at school

    19.7.24

    		  
    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ May Week Two

    Published 10/05/24

    Dear Families,

    I hope you all had a lovely bank holiday weekend and enjoyed the sunshine.

     

    Online safety for you and your children
    Parentzone  has lots of information about staying safe when online.  If you’re unsure how to set up 2 step verification, not sure about malware or have received some ‘dodgy looking emails’  this is definitely the site for you.

     

    Year 3 athletics 
    I had the pleasure of taking some Year 3 children to Co-op Academy Stoke to take part in athletics against Co-op Academy Clarice Cliff.  The children took part in various races, all showing off their running skills.  Well done to Luca, Daniel, Emma, Eva, Oscar, Amber and Louie.  They all came home with several medals.

     

    Coffee Afternoon
    We had a couple of parents join us for the coffee afternoon where we got to chat about SEN and various difficulties we have with children.  We will be arranging another time for parents to come and join us so please watch out for the invite.

     

    Sports Events
    We’ve got our sports days coming up:

    Early years - Wednesday 22nd May at 9:15am

    KS1 - Wednesday 22nd May at 1:15pm

    KS2 - Thursday 23rd May at 1:15pm  (some children will be playing in a cricket competition at Leycett Cricket club during this)

     

    Lockdown
    This term we will be practising our lockdown procedures.

    Twice a year we practise our lockdown procedure.  This procedure would be used if there was a threat to the safety of the children, staff and others in the school and it would be safer to stay in school rather than leave the school.  Possible situations where we would use the lockdown procedure are:

    -a possible dangerous person or animal on the school grounds

    -an incident in the local community which could affect the school and everyone in it

    -a terrorist incident

    -extreme weather which could put lives at risk

    -an alert from the UK emergency alerts system

    If a lockdown occurs, the children and staff will remain in classrooms, lock the doors and sit under tables.  Everyone remains quiet.  The senior staff call the emergency services and follow their advice.  

    As parents, you will be alerted to the lockdown as soon as we can do this.  Please do not come to the school or try to call the school as we will need the phone lines free.  We will not let any child out of the school (and anyone into the school) if we’re in a lockdown until the emergency services have confirmed it is safe to do so.

    We ask that parents do not share the event on social media as this may cause panic and spread false information.

    When we practise lockdowns, the staff explain to the children what is happening and why.  Everything is explained in an age appropriate way.  The children already know that we want them to be safe and this will help.  Each time we practise one of our emergency procedures, the staff always explain to the children why it is necessary.

     

    Change of menu Thursday 16th May - All day Breakfast with a Vanilla Ice Cream Tub for dessert

     

    Fathers Day   'Marvellous Men' Gifts

    Don't forget the PTA are collecting orders for the special men in your children's lives. The gifts are suitable for Dads, Step-Dads, Foster or adoptive Dads as well as Grandfathers, Uncles, Brothers and more!

    The fantastic gift options available are:

    1. Handcrafted and Personalized Mug:
       - Decorated by the children with love and creativity.
       - Comes with a delicious chocolate bar inside.
       - Price: £3.50

    2. Handcrafted Personalized Coaster:
       - Coloured by the children, making each one unique.
       - A practical yet thoughtful gift.
       - Price: £2.50

    3. Special Offer: Order Both for £5!
    - Combine the mug and coaster for an even more memorable Father's Day surprise at a discounted price.

    If you would like to order, please send in the correct amount in an envelope, along with your child's name, class and order details  (who the gift is for so we can encourage the children to add this onto their decoration)

    Last day to order is Friday 24th May - No orders can be accepted after this time.

     

     

    Have a lovely weekend.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming events

    KS2 SATs

    13.5.24

    All week

    Early Years Sports 

    KS1 Sports

    22.5.24

    22.5.24

    9:15am

    1:30pm

    KS2 Sports

    23.5.24

    1:30pm

    May Half Term

    27.5.24

    All week

    INSET - children not in school

    Small & Tall closed

    3.6.24

    All day

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

     

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week
    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ May Week One

    Published 03/05/24

    Dear Families,

     

    National Walk to School Week 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️
    The week beginning 20th May, we would like to invite you all to take part in this national event.  Apart from being healthy for you and your child it’s also a great way to help the environment and save on your fuel costs.  We know that some of you  live too far away to take part, so please consider parking a little bit further away from school and walking in.

     

    PTA fundraiser 
    Some very exciting news …… Eloise (Freddie’s mum in year 1) is running the Clayton 10k on Wednesday 8th May to raise money for some rubberised bark to go in the early years outside area.  This is amazing as I don’t think we’ve ever had a parent do this before.  Here is the link to the gofund.me page.  And if you’re free, please go along and cheer her on.

     

    Coffee afternoon ☕
    Mrs Dickens, our SENDCo, is holding a coffee (tea & biscuits) afternoon on Tuesday 7th May at 3:30pm.  Feel free to pop in and have a chat with her and with the other parents.  It’s a chance to have a chat about any needs your child has and any worries you may have.  

     

    Year 6 and Year 5 swimming 🏊
    Some of you may already know, there are a few dates which will be changing for Yr 5 swimmers.  May 22nd, June 5th and June 12th are swimming sessions just for the gala swimmers.  Wednesday 19th June is to be confirmed whether this is a further swimming session for the gals swimmers or whether this will be a session for all of Year 5.  We’ll let you know closer to the time.

    Wishing you all a lovely bank holiday weekend.  See you on Tuesday.

    Take care and stay safe

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming events

    May Day

    6.5.24

     

    KS2 SATs

    13.5.24

    All week

    Early Years Sports 

    KS1 Sports

    22.5.24

    22.5.24

    9:15am

    1:30pm

    KS2 Sports

    23.5.24

    1:30pm

    May Half Term

    27.5.24

    All week

    INSET - children not in school

    Small & Tall closed

    3.6.24

    All day

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

     

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week

     

    Read More

  • Newsletter ~ April Week Four

    Published 26/04/24

    Dear families,

     

    We’ve been sent this link from the Early Education & Childcare Data Officer.  If you have a moment, please can you complete. 

    I am currently running a parents survey which is aimed at parents of early years children and those expecting a baby.

    As part of the sufficiency duty we are required to engage with parents to find out their experiences of childcare and what they need in future. This is particularly important at this time with the new entitlements coming in and we know that providers are struggling mainly due to funding rates and difficulties with staffing needs.

    Please could you share the below links with your parents and any other groups as appropriate so that we can get as wide a range of views as possible. The survey closes on the 12th May 2024. Once the results are analysed I will share the results with you.

    https://letstalk.staffordshire.gov.uk/embeds/projects/24643/survey-tools/34940

    https://shorturl.at/LUW18

    Year 4 Basketball competition  🏀🏅
    Yesterday, I took some of our Year 4 children to take part in a basketball competition against Co-op Academy Clarice Cliff and Co-op Academy Glebe.  We went to Co-op Academy Stoke, who host many PE tournaments for our KS2 children.

    The Year 4 children who went were split into two teams.  They played so well, showing great sportsmanship and resilience.  One of our teams came first and one of our teams came third.  A HUGE well done to Alice, Marcie, Alec, Peggy, Seth, Ben, Ronnie, Freddie, Charlie and Billy.  What superstars! They were so proud of themselves and were awarded amazing medals.  

     

    New parents / New children

    Over the next few weeks, you will see that we are advertising Friarswood in the local area.  The area itself had a low birth rate for children entering Reception in September.  This in turn impacts funding.  Many schools in the area have low numbers so we are not alone.

    The website has a link at the top where people can book a time to come and look around the school.  Please can I ask that you share this with family and friends.  Lots of you already share our wonderful stories and experiences which in turn has increased our pupil numbers.  Thank you for this.

     

    Pupil surveys    📋
    We’ve had the results of the pupil surveys, which are overwhelmingly positive.  It’s great to see the pupils showing such mature ways to describe what they enjoy about the school, what they appreciate and what they’d like to improve, which fortunately was very little.  We will start to work with the children on this and we’ll keep you informed too.

     

    Leaflet for families with older children

    I was sent this leaflet with some tips to support children leaving school / college.  You may find it useful. 

    Hopefully we’ll start to see some sunnier weather soon.  I know the children are desperate to go on the fields to play.  At the moment, they are extremely boggy which is why the tractors haven’t come to cut them.  The last we want is for a tractor to sink in the field!  Please can you bear this in mind with regards to sports days in a few weeks.  We’re keeping everything crossed that the weather improves so we can go on the fields.  If we need to cancel, we will try to do this with as much notice as possible.

     

    Have a lovely weekend everyone.

    Take care and stay safe.

    Mrs Wilmer

     

    Upcoming dates

     

    May Day

    6.5.24

     

    KS2 SATs

    13.5.24

    All week

    Early Years Sports 

    KS1 Sports

    22.5.24

    22.5.24

    9:15am

    1:30pm

    KS2 Sports

    23.5.24

    1:30pm

    May Half Term

    27.5.24

    All week

    INSET - children not in school

    Small & Tall closed

    3.6.24

    All day

    Father’s Day Lunch

    13.6.24

     

    Career’s Week

    17.6.24

    All week
    Read More

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