Welcome to Innsworth Junior School web site.

Newsletter 29th November 2006

This end of the term just seems to 'appear' with great alacrity. The Christmas activities seem to creep up on us before we know it! Children are using every spare moment to hone their singing and acting skills in readiness for the coming school productions. Therefore, we need to make sure all parents have the all-important dates pencilled in their diaries! Please see the attached Christmas Diary. Back to top

Christmas Presentations

This year's productions are currently under way. The children are working very hard to learn all the words. There will be two evening performances for the Lower School and two for the Upper School. Please put the dates on your calendars as all children are involved and will be expected to attend both evenings. These productions take a great deal of effort so we do need parents to support the children. These productions need the support of a complete cast so attendance at both evenings will be expected. As the pupil numbers in Years 3 and 4 is much lower than in previous years, any absentee pupil will have a detrimental effect on the performance. This will be very unfair to both children and staff, who together have put great time and effort into preparing for their Christmas presentation. Please do not let them down.
Main characters in Years 3 and 4 must have their costumes in by Friday 1st December. Similarly, main characters in Years 5 and 6 must have theirs in by Friday 8th December.

The Lower School production is
'A Dancing Christmas Party'.
The Upper School production is
'Bethlehem Bandits'.

The Primary School stage of education is very important and will often lay the foundations for the later years. We try to be an all-inclusive school, so it is very important that all children are able to enjoy the success that comes from being part of this type of event. Whether a pupil has a major or a minor role within a production is irrelevant - they took part! Please support your child and your school. Back to top

Clubs

Because staff are so busy getting ready for the Christmas activities, most of the extra curricular clubs will need to finish this week. Please see the attached sheet. School-run clubs will reconvene during the week starting Monday 8th January 2007. Back to top

Advance Warning: Christmas Technology Competition

On Friday 15th December, the whole school will be taking part in our Christmas technology competition, which we hold each year. Every child will be taking part, but the children will not know in advance what they are going to make. This allows all children to start from the same 'level playing field'. 'Bits and pieces', which could prove useful, may be brought in to enhance the making of this Christmas 'project'. It will involve planning, designing, making and evaluating skills. Back to top

Operation Christmas Child 48 boxes collected!

Thank you very much for sending in the Christmas boxes. On Monday afternoon, forty-eight boxes were collected and should soon be on their way to making Christmas a little more festive for youngsters in other parts of Europe or beyond.
Thank you for being so generous with your time, effort, and money. Back to top

Emergency Procedures

Although the weather this Autumn has been very mild, we still have to have school procedures in place for emergency closure. If the weather causes the school to close for any reason - no heating, snow, flood etc - you will be notified. We will not send children home without your knowledge. If we cannot contact you, your child will remain with us at school. The county council will co-ordinate regular bulletins to Severn Sound and Gloucestershire Radio stations as well as maintaining a full list of school closures on its web site:
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/closed schools/
Please tune in or use the internet to get the latest update.
For once global warning has a positive side to it! Back to top

Healthy Eating

Please may I remind you that only fruit, vegetables or cheese may be eaten at breaktime, including Fridays. Fruit bars should be mainly 100% natural fruit and not cereal bars as these contain huge amounts of sugar. Thank you to those of you who are following the 'Healthy Lunchbox' initiative, as this, just like the break time snack, impacts greatly on school behaviour and concentration. We apologise if we offend any parents but, ultimately, we are all working to achieve the same aim-healthy children.
A visit to the Food Standards Agency's website www.eatwell.gov.uk, which has information about packed lunches and portion sizes for different age groups, may be worthwhile. Please be aware that duty teachers will be monitoring the break time eating. Back to top

Eskimo Kids Fish Oil [tutti-frutti flavour] Trial

Nicky Massey, the nutritionalist present at our Curriculum Evening in October, has offered us the chance to take part in a 12-week trial involving some of our pupils. With parents' agreement, 30 Year 6 pupils will be asked to take two tablespoonfuls of the fish oil twice a day, once at lunchtime and once during the evening. The supplement will need to be administered on each day throughout this 12-week trial, including weekends and the school break in February. The supplier of the Eskimo Fish Oil has agreed to fund this trial as it is in their interests to have evidence supporting the theory that taking these oils does improve behaviour and concentration. Monitoring of the control group [those in Year 6 not taking the supplement] will allow us to make comparisons between the two groups. Those children who are not in the initial trial in January will be able to take part in the second trial in April. A letter will be sent to all Year 6. Back to top

Anti-Bullying week 21st - 25th November

All children took part in the Anti-Bullying week and hopefully, took something away from it. Back to top

Consultation Evenings

Staff have given me their feedback sheets from our two Consultation Evenings and these findings will be discussed and if necessary, actions taken. Thank you to the parents who availed themselves of the opportunities to discuss their children's progress with the year group teachers. If you did not come along to these evenings, I will be in communication with you fairly soon. The expectation on all children to make good progress is great and although some children manage to meet this expectation without difficulty, others need support from 'all quarters'. This is why I will be telephoning those parents, who produced a 'no show' two weeks ago, asking for a new date to be set up. Back to top

Homework Diaries

All children should be bringing their homework diaries home every week. I hope that this diary allows parents to keep tabs on what homework has been set. It should also allow parents to provide feedback to the teacher if there has been a difficulty. In order for teachers to monitor the homework, which has been set, they need you to sign that the task has been completed. Back to top

Raising Money during the last few months

The children should be feeling very proud of themselves. A grand total of £665.57 was raised during the Readathon week, which was held last month. This was a magnificent effort and I know, via the feedback from parents, that many children experienced reading for pleasure for the very first time.
Well done to Emily Gordon and friends for being so enterprising; a grand total of £145 was raised for 'Children in Need'.
Another well done needs to go to Leanora Edwards, who together with friends, raised £33.60 for the RSPCA. Back to top

Cinderford Pantomime- 'Sleeping Beauty'

Mr Jones is in the throes of finalising numbers for 'Sleeping Beauty' on Friday 12th January. Prices are adults £4.50, children £2.50.
If you are going as a family, you will need to get yourselves down to Cinderford by 7.30 p.m. If your child wishes to go but you do not, Mr Jones is willing to find volunteers who could offer transport. IF YOU HAVE NOT ORDERED TICKETS, BUT WISH TO DO SO, PLEASE RING SCHOOL AS SOON AS YOU READ THIS NEWSLETTER ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THURSDAY WILL BE TOO LATE! Back to top

Attendance Target

We have set a target of 100% attendance for this year. This is based on children who are off school for legitimate reasons, i.e. medical appointments, sickness or approved holidays. We know this is an ambitious target, but we are aiming high! Our academic expectations can only be realised if children are only absent when absolutely necessary. Back to top

NITS!!

Headlice are on the rampage once again. It's not very nice to get that itchy feeling and then have your fears confirmed. Please remember the Sunday night check; it needs all parents to be vigilant, not just most! This is a group problem as it only takes one infestation to set things in motion. It is the responsibility of us all! Don't be the one who lets other families down! Back to top

'Friends' Christmas Disco this WEEK!

All children have been invited to the Christmas Disco.
Don't forget - this Friday 6.30 -8.30 p.m. Back to top

Year 6 Swimming

Don't forget that there is no swimming this Friday, 1st December. Final session will be on 8th December. Back to top

PENS

After a recent enquiry about the use of pens in school, the staff have had a discussion and here are our findings:
* The Berol pens, which we supply, are not so good for children who press quite heavily, as the fibre tip does tend to wear down and this hinders the style of writing.
* Roller Ball pens with blue ink allow writing to flow easily and is a good alternative to a fountain pen.
* A fountain pen is always an acceptable writing implement.
* Biros can produce 'blotchy' writing so are not acceptable in school when writing in main exercise book.
* Biros are acceptable for use in rough books only. Back to top

Homework

This will be the last week for homework for Years 3 and 4. Years 5 and 6 will have their last piece of homework next week. Reading, spelling and Quickfire will continue.
Any child undertaking one of the additional projects that were set for this term must bring it in at the start of the new term in January. Mr Ward is eagerly awaiting any Tudor projects that the Year 5 have engaged in. Back to top

Christmas Parties

On Monday 18th December, all children will be taking part in their class or year group party. Children will not need to bring a packed lunch as the party food will be put out for 12.30 p.m. Children will still need their fruit for break time.
Children may come to school wearing their party clothes on this day.
Please can you think ahead and decide what item of party food you may wish to contribute. This way the teacher will be able to make sure that there is a balance between sweet and savoury items. Volunteers for helping during the party afternoon will be willingly accepted! Please let the teachers know. Back to top

Carol Service

All parents are very welcome to join the school at our annual Christmas Carol Service at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday 19th December. Back to top

Last day of term: Tuesday 19th December

This is a non-uniform day in aid of Clic, the charity which we support. Children may wear whatever they like but they need to remember that they will be outside at break and lunchtimes! Back to top

Staffing

At the end of this term, we will be saying adieu to two members of our teaching staff.
Mrs Sawyer will be on the move to pastures new because of the family connection with the RAF. We have been very fortunate in securing her teaching skills over the last two years; the children she has taught have certainly benefited from being in her teaching groups. Her enthusiasm for running has enabled children to take part in various competitions; some children have also been chosen to represent Gloucester. It has been a pleasure dealing with such a consummate professional. We will also miss Mrs Sawyer's son, Henry's cheery smile and sunny personality. Henry, we wish you well. Mrs Potts, whom many of you may already know, will be covering Mrs Pendlebury's maternity leave until Easter.
The second member of staff we have to say goodbye to is Mrs Evans. Mrs Evans has not only been a dedicated member of staff but has also been a great friend to us all. I am always telling children that they have to make the most of the opportunities, which come their way. Mrs Evans is doing this and has already secured herself another teaching position in the area to which she is moving. Mrs Evans is an inspirational teacher and in her role as PPA teacher [providing release time for all teachers], children across all year groups have been the recipients of her skills. Mrs Evans knows that should she return to this area, we will be at the front of a very long queue, seeking out her teaching skills. Back to top