5 Oct 2009 - OCTOBER 2009 NEWSLETTER
2nd October 2009
Dear Parents/Carers,
Newsletter 2
Welcome to all our Reception children who started full time school on Wednesday, with great excitement. They experienced their first Year Group Harvest Assembly on Thursday, and all behaved and participated impeccably. With the help of many volunteers, Years 1 and 2 walked over to St. Margaret’s Church where we were welcomed by Mrs. Margaret Henning for our Harvest Celebration. We were very pleased with the children’s behaviour and singing and grateful to Mrs. Henning for involving all of the children in her ‘Harvest sermon’. Thank you for celebrating this event with us and for your generous donations for HARP. The term has begun with some energy. Y1 have already had visits from our Police Community Service Officers; Years 1 and 2 attended a theatre production of Tom and the Troll, on the theme of bullying; Y2 have staged the Great Fire of London and staff from the Infant and Junior schools raised almost £250 for MacMillan nurses at our Biggest Coffee morning last Friday. Many thanks to Emily Holt (M) for her charity suggestion: the desert people who are suffering from drought.
‘Reach for the Stars’ Celebration Assembly
We began meeting together to celebrate birthdays and achievements on Friday mornings, where we award stars to 2 children in each class who have achieved excellence in a whole school targeted behaviour or learning skill. Each class teacher also elects a Class Champion, who may have made significant progress or effort over the course of the week. Their names are displayed on a wall in the foyer.
Southend in Bloom – Congratulations!
Well done to Imy Moon (Gold), Matilda Magill (Silver) and Sebastian Butler (Bronze) for their success in the Lunch Box Art Competition, a parent and child event organised with
Class N
In order to ensure the continued safety of all children, parents/carers collecting children from Class N should do so from in front of the Dining Hall doors at 3.15 p.m. It is no longer possible for Class N children to be picked up from other classrooms. All pupils in Class N, or those going home with a friend from Class N, will need to be picked up from their respective pick up points. Class N children attending clubs will be collected by the Club personnel.
Y1 & Y2
As promised, we are repeating the presentation on
Clubs
We hope to offer an Italian and Spanish Club following safeguarding checks. After half term 2 Dance Clubs will be offered by Ms. Woolcott and Robyn from
Y1 and Y2 Parent/teacher consultations 12th and 20th October
This year we have brought forward, from the Spring to the Autumn term, the opportunity to meet with class teachers and discuss your child’s development. We hope that this helps to support your children’s achievement and enjoyment of school.
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Take 1 Picture
Following several staff members’ attendance at a course at the National Portrait Gallery we have planned a month of learning with the children around the painting Umbrellas by Renoir. We hope that the children will enjoy this topic and that their work will be selected for display at the Gallery later in the year.
School Rocks Café
A new lunch menu was sent out last term with dates to help you make your lunch selection each week. We have had very positive feedback on the quality of these new meals which are planned to meet the national nutritional standards. Based on feedback from Reception parents the School Rocks Cafe has invested in some new cutlery this week. We are always happy to hear parents’ as well as pupils’, views to help us improve still further on the lunches provided. They cost £2.00 per day, and should be paid for the week in advance. Please send cheques payable to Southend Borough Council into school on Mondays with your child’s name, and class, on the back of the cheque. HELP! We are regularly losing the allergy and vegetarian cards used during lunchtime for certain children. Please return any that have appeared at home to Mrs. Rose.
Healthy School
I am currently arranging a Healthy Packed Lunch course which will be offered to some of our parents and their children. As soon as details are finalised I will send out an invitation.
Jeans for Genes
Thank you to everyone who made a donation today. We are delighted to have raised £344-46 for this charity.
Attendance
Congratulations to Class H and Class M for attaining the highest attendance for the month of September.
‘Cross Country’
We are entering a Y1 and Y2 team in the local Sports’ Partnership KS1 Cross Country event this week at Eastwood. Children will be expected to run 600 and 800 metres respectively and will need lots of encouragement to complete the course. Any child who misses having their photograph taken will be able to do so at a later date.
Southend Education Trust
We have been involved in SET since its inception over a year ago as it encourages and offers financial support to local schools to collaborate on exciting projects. We currently have secured funding for some shared professional development events with a number of local schools. We are very excited that two of our staff were successful in their application to join a SET overseas visit to examine creative schools in other parts of the world. SET are also supporting our 2nd year of involvement with the Creative Partnership Team.
School Development Plan 2009 – 10
This year’s development priorities are:
Raising achievement in writing
Developing creativity still further
Challenging all
Coming Events
Sunday 3rd October Southend’s ‘Out of the Box’ multicultural festival kicks off at 11.30 a.m. Please view the programme on www.southend.gov.uk . The End Polio Now campaign supported by the Rotary Club of Southend is asking for our help. Please visit www.thanksforlife.org for information.
Have a good weekend.
Mrs. M. Clarke