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Newsletter 7th May 2004

Just to remind you that the half term break is at the end of this month and that the children finish for the summer break on Tuesday 20th July. Back to top

'Spring' Fayre Saturday 22nd May

The school is currently 'awash' with Spring Fayre items- please keep them coming as this is the main money earner of the year for the 'Friends'. Keith Holsgrove [Chair] and Wendy Lidstone-Lane [Vice Chair] are working very hard to ensure that the 22nd goes as well as it possibly can. Please keep the date free. Yes, we do realise that it is also a very important date for all of our footballing fans but we aim to have the raffle conclude the two hour fayre by 2.00 p.m. at the latest. For all our rugby fans, we have a signed rugby shirt 'up for grabs' from the Gloucester team. We just need the sunshine to put in an appearance! Back to top

SATs for Year 6 / Assessments for Years 3, 4 and 5

Next week is SATs week for Year 6 pupils. Hopefully all the Year 6 will take the opportunity to show how hard they have been working and relish the opportunity to show off their skills. As long as they do their best, we cannot ask for anything else.
All the other year groups will also be undertaking their annual assessments, as these are vital in tracking progress between one year and the next. Back to top

Lateness

We are still seeing children coming to school later than 8.50 a.m. This is not acceptable as it is vital that children are ready and prepared to start their English lessons at 9.00 a.m. We have been monitoring late arrivals and letters will be sent out to parents whose children are frequently late. Back to top

SATS Booster Sessions

Today saw the last of the early morning Maths booster sessions. Well done to the Year 6, who have stayed the course since February half term. This was quite a commitment and we have seen some 'stray and return', whilst others have remained focused throughout. They all deserve praise, as it has been outside of the normal teaching hours and the daily 20 minutes often became 30 minutes as I got into my stride. Not once have they complained. Well done Year 6. I'm sure McDonalds did not have any influence on them at all! Back to top

Returning teachers

We have welcomed Mrs Pendlebury and Mrs Anson back to school this week. We were very fortunate in having secured the services of Mr Jones, Miss Moody and Miss Johnson in their absence. The children in both classes were sorry to say 'Au Revoir' to their temporary teachers as they more than just taught their classes. They endorsed everything that we stand for and I know that they will be missed. However, it is lovely to say, 'Welcome back Mrs Pendlebury and Mrs Anson.'.
I owe a great deal of thanks to Miss Stocken, Mrs Evans and Mr Ward, who by taking on extra responsibilities, ensured that we kept our school development on track. Miss Stocken certainly proved that 'she's got what it takes'! She made a super Acting Deputy Head.
Now to Mrs Kemmett -I have heard that she is due back in the U.K before we break up for our summer break. Hopefully her new class will be able to meet their new teacher at the same time as the other classes.
What an interesting year they will have! Back to top

Final amount from Sponsored Spring Event

The final amount raised is £1797.61 and this represents a phenomenal effort by all the children and parents. This is an amazing amount and it is the highest amount ever raised in one of our Sponsored Knowledge tests. Thank you so much for your tireless support. This money will be put towards the purchasing of a new Interactive White Board and projector. Once we have overcome our current difficulty of finding a projector that gives a clear definition, we will order the new one with the sponsored money. Interactive White Boards definitely make learning more enjoyable for the children. Back to top

Accomplishments

Well done Mrs Bruce. What an achievement - the marathon in less than 3 hours! Back to top

Governors Report to Parents

The date for this meeting is Thursday 1st July at 6.00 p.m. Please make a note of this date as it was not set down in the original diary. Back to top

Consultation Evenings - Spring Term

Having reviewed the attendance for the new format of separate Maths and English, I have to say that the attendance was mostly in the 90%-100% range, with just an occasional 'blip' across the school. Thank you for this as children's progress needs us all to be working together. Back to top

Year 3 English and Mathematics Groups

As you may be aware, we have had to rearrange these groups. Originally, one of the groups was very small because of the nature of where the group had to be taught. Now that we have the additional classroom, Mrs Barton has a set room for her teaching group. The teachers gave great consideration to the movement of individual children from one group to the other and monitored the arrangement carefully. The feedback I have received is that everybody has taken it in his or her stride. I have to say that the small grouping, for the one particular group, allowed them to make maximum progress and this meant there was an overlap between the groups. Back to top

Parents meeting for Saundersfoot residential visit: Wednesday 9th June 6.00 p.m.

It is very important that all families are represented at this meeting as details such as medical, insurance, safety, swimming, permission to go on rides, etc will be discussed. Back to top

Parentline Plus

Parentline Plus is an organisation set up to offer parents support via a range of services. I have been involved in a few of the initial meetings and I think the sessions that are set up for this term are very worthwhile. They have also set up a few 'drop in' sessions for June and July at both Innsworth and Larkfield [alternate weeks]. If you are able to take advantage of what Parentline Plus is offering, it may be worth considering. They offer support on child-related issues as well as the opportunity to just get together and 'have a natter'! Give it a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. Back to top

Curriculum for Summer Term

You should have received your child's curriculum this week. If this was not the case
please contact the office. Back to top

Pupil Personal Insurance Scheme

Gloucestershire County Council has arranged a Personal Accident Plan for children for an annual premium of £15 per child. If you are interested, please contact the school office for more details. Back to top

Cycling Proficiency

Cycling proficiency is taking place this term for Year 6 during the week beginning Monday 17th May. Bicycles must be in good working order: children will need to have a padlock to lock their cycles up each day. Back to top

Photographer

The photographer will be in school on Monday 24th May to take class group and leavers' photographs. Back to top

School Staff Vacancies: Urgently Needed

We currently have vacancies for:

Midday Supervisor - 5 hours per week
Cleaner - 10 hours per week
Handyman - 6 hours per week

If you are interested, or know someone who may be, please contact the school office. Back to top

Book Fayre

The Scholastic Book Fayre will be taking place from Wednesday May 19th to Wednesday 26th May from 3.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m. Please come along and have a look at the books on offer. Encouraging children to read at this stage will pay dividends in later years. If you are able to offer help with the 'manning' on one of these days, please contact Mrs Pendlebury. Letters will be sent home shortly. Back to top

Village Hall

As you may already be aware, the parish council have secured a lottery grant, which means that they can now go ahead with their plans for the new village hall on the school grounds. Action will probably start happening during the summer holidays. The plans for the building do look very creative. Back to top

Collection of Plastic Bottle Tops

Mrs Gay, a parent, is collecting plastic lids from plastic containers to help a disabled child purchase a wheel chair. His weight has to be collected in plastic lids for this to happen. We will place a receptacle in the foyer in anticipation of you sending in vast amounts of plastic lids. Back to top

Art Week Monday 24th - Friday 28th May

Mrs Edge has put in an enormous amount of work into organising the activities and resources for our coming Art week. The children must all have old shirts, overalls etc to protect their clothes as there are likely to be a few 'messy' sessions during the week. Hopefully the results, which you will be able to see for yourselves on Thursday 17th June from 5.30 - 7.30 p.m., will be well worth it. Thank you to the parents who have offered practical support or given resources. We greatly appreciate it.
This is a new venture for us, as our 'special weeks' have tended to focus on Literacy or Numeracy. I'm sure the children are going to have a brilliant week, even though they will be working extremely hard. Back to top

Homework after half term

In line with our homework policy, homework will be reduced after the half term break. We do this because we believe that the children should enjoy the longer hours of daylight. It means that Spellings, Reading and Quickfire still take place but the extra Literacy/Mathematics tasks do not. Hopefully the rain will soon cease and the warmer evenings will be in evidence.
If you have any queries, please just ask one of us. Back to top

Child Safe Scheme and Tesco Vouchers

We have received information on a scheme designed to help keep children safe. It involves children being issued with a wristband carrying important contact details. Parents have to register with the scheme for a small fee. If you are interested please make contact on 01444 892203 or go to www.childsafezones.co.uk.

Thank you for the enormous amount of vouchers that were sent in. We haven?t counted them yet - that pleasure is being saved for someone who tells me that their lesson is boring! Seriously, we are grateful to all of you who took the trouble to collect, badger others or just go to Tesco's and shop. The total will be in the next newsletter. Back to top

Parking Around School and Dates for the rest of the term

We would appreciate it if parents would not park across the front driveway of the school to drop children off at the start of the school day. Thank you for your co-operation.

Residential Trip: Mon 21st June - 25th June
Consultation Evenings: 13th and 14th July
Sports' Day: Thursday 7th July 1.30 p.m.
'Friends End of Term Disco': Friday 9th July
Year 6 Leavers' Assembly: Tues 20th July 11.00 a.m.
Last day of term: Tues 20th July Back to top