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Newsletter - 15th July 2005 Part 1

Children start back to school in September on Tuesday 6th September. The teaching staff will be in on Monday 5th September as this is our first Inservice Day of the new academic year.
The term will be from Tuesday 6th September to Friday 21st October. [Inclusive of both these dates].
The second term will be from:
Wednesday 2nd November to Tuesday December 20th [Inclusive of both these dates].
If you look at the calendar, which was sent out last week, you will notice that there are no Inservice Days on there. This is because the Inservice Days have to come from any days outside of 'shaded' dates/term dates. This means the Inservice Days will not affect children. Back to top

SATs Results

All parents should have received a copy of this year's SATs results, in with their child's report. We have to say "Well done Year 6" as their hard work has paid off and they should be feeling really proud of their personal achievements.
The Year 6 put in great effort in the run up to SATs and they fully deserved the praise that would have accompanied Monday's report.
The results, as you should already know, were as follows:
Subject Level 4+ Level 5
English 80% 28%
Mathematics 88% 41%
Science 97% 61%
The above statistics do not recognise that some children worked 'their socks off' to achieve a Level 3, which whilst not being the average level, was a personal achievement for them. The Level 4 band is very wide and again, the above statistics do not show you the children who just met the level or those who were only one or two points from the next level. We have sent nine SATs English papers back for remarking as Mrs Pendlebury, our Literacy coordinator, considers that they have been marked too harshly against the marking criteria. Unfortunately we will not hear the result of this review until around about the end of September.
For next year, we recognise that the area to develop is the Level 5 and to see how we can make further improvements. Back to top

Moving Parts - Technology Project

The final afternoon for this project was today. The school has been a hive of activity, as everyone has been working so hard with designing and making. I know that Mrs Barton, our DT coordinator, has been very excited with some of the work that she has been seeing around the school. Well done to the whole school. Back to top

Reports / Consultation Evening

This year's format was a new one for us. The feedback from parents I met on Tuesday was very positive but I need to have feedback from those I did not speak to. The change of format came about as a result of staff discussion. We felt that the new format would allow parents to have more time looking at the books with their children. The second Consultation Evening was an opportunity for a more formal discussion with the teacher.
Thank you to those parents who have already sent back their comments on their child's reports. I am very grateful to the teachers, who put hours and hours of their own time into producing these reports and trying to make them as informative as possible. If you consider that a report can take at least 2 hours [if not more] to write, then you can see that finding approximately 60 hours, is like working an extra week, without having a week to spare!
This time of year can cause stress! Back to top

Residential Visit 2005

What a success! If you have not seen the photographs in the Lower School corridor, then you will have missed the opportunity to purchase any of them! The children were wonderful [no, we do not say this every year!] and went to bed, when they were asked. They ordered from the menu for breakfast and evening meal [three choices for each meal] and ate the majority of what was put in front of them. I was delighted to see so many children eating a full English breakfast. We swam in the sea on three mornings at 7.15 a.m. with a minimum of 50% of the children on any one morning. Yes, it was cold for both the children [I was in a wet suit!] and Mr O'Brien. Mr O'Brien, a parent and governor, was superb and really entered into the 'fun' we had whilst away [hope you all had a look at his photo!]. Mr Bartlett, as usual, looked after us all and worked tirelessly throughout the week.
We all have our own memories: for me, the Tuesday evening body surfing with the high 'rollers' coming in was exhilarating and just such great fun.
The three members of staff worked hard to make sure this was a trip for Year 6 to remember. Extra special thanks must go to Miss Stocken, who took charge of this year's visit, and made sure it went off so well. Thank you Miss Stocken.
On Tuesday night we kept the children up until 12.15 a.m. as we were lucky enough to go to Ryde to watch the firework display in Portsmouth [directly opposite]. This is the reason we did not swim at 7.15 a.m. the next morning! This is called making the most of an opportunity. Back to top

Governors Report to Parents

No parent requested a 'Governors Report to Parents' meeting. Back to top

Sports Day

We were lucky! The forecasted weather did not arrive until long after we had completed our Sports day activities. Thanks must go to all the parents who were 'coerced' into helping at the various events. Without your help, it would be very difficult for our multi-event afternoon to go as smoothly as it did. Well done to all our children who completed so well and well done to our mums, dads and toddlers who took part in their races.
The trophies awarded for their sporting achievements went:
Sam Parrant and Laura Griffiths [achieving the highest individual totals during the afternoon]. Back to top

Summer Writing Project

Once again, we are setting a Summer Project for all our children. This summer we expect all children to keep a writing journal [diary] during the summer break and have it ready to bring into school for the start of term in September. It will be used during the first couple of days back at school so it is important that everyone takes part. Parents can help as much as they would like to. We want this to be an enjoyable activity, whereby the children keep a record of the activities that they take part in during the six week break.
Hopefully all children will illustrate their writing as this will enhance their work. Exercise books will be given to all children and the way it is presented is entirely up to the individual child. Children do not need to be going on holiday to write about their activities. Just going shopping is a major activity for me! Back to top

Bad Hair Day/Non uniform Day

Stylish hair and uniform are banned for the last day of term! The order is 'bad hair' and home clothes. There is a price to pay! - a donation[up to you what this is] to CLIC, the children's charity that the school supports. For our Year 3 parents/new parents have a look at the photos in the reception area if you want some inspiration. Back to top

Classes for September

The children will be spending time with their new teacher on Wednesday afternoon next week. Hopefully this will reassure any child who is slightly apprehensive before we break up for the holidays. Miss Mackie has already been in to meet the Year 3 as she is not able to be out of her current school on this day.
Putting the three Year 4 classes back to two (for Year 5) was never going to be an easy matter but hopefully we have made the process as 'painless' as possible. We felt that splitting only one class, and being mindful of friendship groupings, was the best possible solution rather than splitting everyone up and having a 'hotchpotch' of groupings across the year group. Back to top

Secondary Selection

I have scheduled a meeting for 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday 14th September for Year 6 parents who need some advice about filling in their secondary selection forms. Hopefully, I will be able to address any queries, which you may have. You will have a booklet sent out to you as soon as we return in September, giving you all the details for the secondary schools' Open Evenings. The format is changing again this year and only those children, who put down a grammar school as one of their choices on their secondary selection form, will take any of the tests. Previously all Year 6 pupils took a county test, with those wishing for a grammar school, taking an extra three tests. The tests will not take place in school [previously the LEA tests did] as the children will have to go to one of the grammar schools on a Saturday to sit them instead. There will only be one type of test, irrespective of whichever selective school you are opting for and this will be multi-choice, to include verbal and non-verbal. This is a change from previous years. Back to top

Year 6 SATs 2006

Writing about holidays .. SATs 2006 take place from Monday 8th May to Friday 12th May.
PLEASE DO NOT BOOK HOLIDAYS FOR THIS WEEK.

Absent Year 6 children count in the percentage of children not achieving a Level 4+. Unfair - yes but that's how it goes! Back to top

Year 2 children at Innsworth this week

Yesterday we were delighted to spend time with our 'Year 3 children for September'. The outgoing Year 3 presented 'Big Bo Peep' for an assembly and entertained all who were present. I am sure the Year 2s must have enjoyed it. I entertained the Year 3s whilst the Year 2s spent time getting to know their teachers for September. I'm sure the teachers had a quieter time than Mrs Davitt and I had. We had a competition; boys against girls (their choice not mine!) involving sing the alphabet, reciting tables, adding on 15 minutes, etc. Very close competition but the boys won by one point! Our new parents had a Powerpoint presentation from the Year 3 teachers at 3.45 p.m. yesterday so I do hope both parents and children feel comfortable and at ease about 6th September 2005. Back to top

School Trips

Once again, this term has been an eventful one for school outings.

Year 5 and 6
Residential Visit and Cotswold Wildlife Park for those not on the residential visit.
Year 6
Field trips to Gloucester and Cheltenham as part of their History work.
Year 5
Visit to Gloucester Cathedral as part of their History work.
Year 4
Visit to Forest of Dean
Year 3
Visit to Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford. Back to top

Churchdown Library - The Reading Voyage

From Saturday 16th July all children can register for the Voyage. They will get a logbook and a set of stickers. To receive a certificate for completing the voyage, children need to collect all six sets of stickers and record six of their favourite books. There will be lots to do in the library, quizzes, competitions etc.
Pop in and see what's going on. Back to top

Children's Safety during the holidays

Last month I recently received a report from Coalway Junior School, near Coleford about one of their children being approached by a stranger. As we do seem to be hearing about incidents quite often, it is vital that all children take care and are vigilant during the summer break.

We will be reminding all children before we break up about 'Stranger Danger.' Back to top

Tennis - Next Term

As the tennis sessions are meant to be just starter sessions, John, the tennis coach, has offered to put on a second session each week for those who wish to continue beyond these sessions. It would mean that the children would have to sit in the library until the end of the first session. If your child has been having tennis lessons this year, please could you let me know if you want them to continue and take up the option of this new programme. Back to top

Summer Cycling Course

Where? Abbeymead Primary School
When? Monday 8th August to Friday 12th August 9.30 to 11.30 a.m.
Who? Anyone who is 9 years of age or more and who has a roadworthy bicycle.
Cost? £3.50
Reserve a place - Ring Shire Hall 01452 425600 Back to top

Horrible Science Magazine

We have received an alert from one of the LEA Science adviser about the above magazine. Apparently Issue 6 [Hidden Horrors in the Home] suggests that swabs are taken with cotton buds from places such as a toilet handle, inside a dog's ear and inside the reader's mouth. The samples are then transferred to the agar [given away with the magazine] in the dish [also given away with magazine] for the growth of bacterial cultures. This could lead to the growth of harmful pathogens. It is inappropriate to carry out these procedures in the home. Back to top

Leavers' Assembly 21st July

This assembly will take place on Thursday 21st at 11a.m. All parents are very welcome. Back to top

Events next week

Mon 18th : Year 4 trip to Beechenhurst Lodge
Tues 19th : Year 6 Tea Dance for Senior Citizens
Wed 20th : All children to meet their new teachers in the afternoon.
Thur 21st : Leavers' Assembly at 11 a.m.
Bad Hair Day
Non uniform Day
LAST DAY OF TERM FOR CHILDREN Back to top

100% Attendance since September

Certificates will be awarded next week for 100% attendance since September. Well done to you all - this is a remarkable achievement.

There were many children with over 98% attendance since September. Although they will not be receiving a certificate, they are to be congratulated on such a high attendance. Well done to you all. Back to top

Homework

From the returned questionnaires it is obvious that homework is an emotive issue. Whilst some parents want more homework there are also others who feel the amount of homework is too much and interferes with family life. The impact of having more homework would have a great effect on teachers and their performance in the classroom as they already spend vasts amounts of their own time trying to mark, in fairly great detail, their class books and any existing homework that requires marking. One way parents could give more homework to their own child is by looking at many of the books on offer in places such as WHSmith's, as they do provide a wide range of Literacy and Numeracy books (e.g. Letts, WHSmith's own book, CGP practice papers and CGP books for all ages, Verbal Reasoning papers, again for all year groups) which would certainly supplement and complement the work being done in school. I think it would be of benefit to set up a working party next term comprising of a teacher, couple of parents and a governor to see what their findings bring forth. Back to top

Thank you

Thank you for sending the report slips back with your comments. This feedback is invaluable and gives us 'food for thought' about our practices.
Thank you also for completing the questionnaires, which you should all have received by now, either during one of the Consultation Evenings or via your child. If you have yet to complete and send this back, we would be grateful as again, this impacts on our school development. Back to top

Goodbye to our Year 6 children

Once again it is time to say "au revoir" to our Year 6 children. We wish them all the very best in their new schools and know that they will continue to progress in Year 7. We do hear from the secondary schools, so this time next year we will be expecting to hear about your Year 7 achievements. Back to top

Part 2 of this newsletter