MARYPORTCOMMUNITYINFANT SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2017.

Welcome to the start of another new school year! I hope you all had a pleasant and enjoyable summer break.

Hopefully your child will settle happily into their new class. However, if at any time you have any concerns do not hesitate to approach me and I will try to help. I am around most mornings and afternoons and will try to solve any school related issues you may have as quickly as I can.If I am not in school, please direct any questions to Mrs Davidson, Mrs Morrison, Mrs Brown or Miss Pape. We welcome two new members of staff to school. Miss Wood and Miss Hull will both be working in the Early Years Foundation Stage Unit.

Tina Beddoe

Attendance Policy

A reminder of our attendance policy:

  1. Assembly takes place every morning at 9.05am, in the Junior School Hall. The school doors open at 8.45am and close at 9am prompt so that we can get children to assembly on time. If you arrive after the doors have closed, Mrs Davidson will be able to let you in, but you will have to wait with your child, until their class comes from the Junior School Hall and back to their classroom at the end of assembly.
  2. If your child arrives after 9.15am they will be classed as unauthorised late. If your child arrives after 10am this will be classed as an unauthorised absence with a note saying what time your child arrived in school. If for any reason you know your child is going to be late into school please inform the school so that their absence can be authorised.
  3. If your child is going to be absent from school please inform us by telephone or in person by 9.15am. If we do not hear from you by this time we will initiate fist day calling procedures.

A copy of our amended attendance policy is attached to this newsletter and we ask that you take time to read it and complete the emergency contact forms and return to school as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support in this matter.

Collecting money.

Just a reminder that all money sent into school, (including dinner money), should be given to Mrs Davidson, school secretary and be sent in an envelope with the following details written upon it:

  • Child’s name
  • Class
  • Amount of money
  • What the money is for

We appreciate your help in this matter. In keeping with our ethos as an Eco – School recycled envelopes are available in a box outside Mrs Davidson’s office.

Consent Forms.

If you are new to the school we will send home consent forms and accompanying explanatory letter. We would appreciate it if you could please complete, sign and return this form as soon as possible to Mrs Davidson.

Parents Consultations.

Next half term you will have the chance to meet with the teachers to discuss your child’s progress.

Meetings will take place during the week beginning Monday 6th November.

KS1 Milk

If your child is in class 3 or 4 and would like milk, it is £3.50 for this half term. If your child is entitled to a free school meal you do not have to pay for milk.

School Improvement Plan

A full review of last year’s school improvement priorities and developments can be found on the school website. This year we are focusing on the following:

Leadership and Management

  1. Continue to develop the effectiveness of the Governing Body
  2. Continue to develop the distributed leadership model.
  3. Monitor the use and impact of pupil premium
  4. Monitor the use and impact of SEND provision
  5. Monitoring and Evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment
  6. Ensuring vulnerable children are safeguarded effectively

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

  1. Begin to develop a Mastery for Maths Approach
  2. Develop a more cohesive reading across the curriculum and reading for pleasure strategy
  3. Track progress in KS1 using Tapestry or similar
  4. Develop parental engagement through family learning experiences.
  5. Develop RE teaching in line with revised Agreed Syllabus

Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare:

  1. Develop Golden Rules across the whole school (Positive attitudes and positive behaviour)
  2. Improve hearts and minds approach to Eco Schools
  3. Continue to develop the effectiveness of school council (pupil voice)

Outcomes for pupils

  1. Encourage everyone in school to read widely.
  2. Pupils continue to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics
  3. Improve the progress made by children with SEND
  4. Continue to ensure that disadvantaged pupils perform as well as their peers who are not disadvantaged.

Effectiveness of EYFS:

  1. Improve reading and writing and number skills of all EYFS pupils
  2. Increase the number of pupils achieving GLD
  3. Improve enhanced provision both indoors and outdoors

Parent Questionnaires

Thank you to all those parents who completed questionnaires at the end of last term and the very positive comments we received. I have detailed below both the positive comments and the issues raised and how we intend to address those issues:

20 questionnaires were returned.

Collated responses are as follows:

Strongly Agree / Agree / Neither Agree or Disagree / Disagree / Strongly Disagree / Not Applicable
1. My child is happy in school. / 16 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
2. My child is learning as well as they can. / 15 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
3. My child is well cared for at school. / 17 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
4. My child receives good guidance regarding their behaviour. / 16 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
5. The school works well with parents. / 16 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
6. My child receives enough homework. / 8 / 9 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 2
7. I am well informed about what happens in school. / 14 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
8. I think the school is well managed. / 16 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
9. I know who the governors are. / 9 / 10 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0
10. I know what the governors do. / 9 / 11 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Positives

  • Provides a friendly learning environment where children are well cared for.
  • Communication via text message
  • The teachers are always friendly, helpful and kind. I know my child is in good hands when he comes to munchkins.
  • The people- great staff, well behaved children, great governors.
  • Munchkin staff have been fantastic helping my youngest settle in.
  • Great at communicating up and coming events
  • Building a child’s confidence.
  • Staff are caring and each child is valued. My child enjoys coming to school.
  • The head teacher, all the teachers and the children. It’s one big happy family, everyone works well together.
  • Relaxed, yet disciplined learning environment.
  • All staff are very friendly and approachable.
  • I love getting letters and reports sent home. It keeps me in the loop with what’s going on and I feel involved. Staffa re always friendly and approachable. I like the end of term assemblies and I love the “impeccable” behaviour rule.
  • Always looking to make sure the children are content with their surroundings – caring.
  • An outstanding school with the most professional, caring and approachable staff. My boys have both adored tis school. They certainly know how to get the very best out of each child.
  • Great staff, very approachable.
  • Very attentive to every child’s needs.
  • The teaching staff treat every child as individuals therefore concentrating on their strengths and weaknesses to help them

Issues.

“More after school activities on different days.”

As stated in earlier responses to this issue, all after school clubs that are run by staff are run on a voluntary basis. Along with staff meetings and training after school it is important that staff members still retain a work life balance. This is one of the reasons we run the clubs on the same night, so that staff can cover for each other if necessary. As for sports after school provision, we are reliant on good weather as we do not have a hall (we use the Junior School Hall during school sessions)

“I sometimes think that my child is not put with “friend” groups when doing certain activities. This makes him feel left out and slightly unhappy.”

I am sorry if your child feels left out. We would not do this knowingly. If this happens again please come and see me and I will try to resolve the problem.

“Homework every week please!”

We do try to give regular homework, but some weeks this may not happen for a reason. (Staff absence etc.) Please see your child’s teacher if you would like to do more at home – they are full of ideas as to how you can support your child with their learning.

“I would like a PE kit so children look the same when going to Netherhall etc. Even if it is just a white top, black bottoms, although I would like a t shirt with school logo.”

There are cost implications to this idea, but we will pursue it with governors to see if it is a viable proposition.

“Tapestry is great, however updates can be often or little. Is this due to the early years stage and their curriculum?”

Updates often follow if your child has been a focus child and so it can seem like lots one week and then nothing for a while. We will look into updates being more regular for very child in the EYFS.

“I know there’s nothing the school can do about this issue, but I wish we could get the school gates closed. It would keep the children more secure and safe whilst they are there and help secure the premises out of school hours.”

I am assuming the issue is with the gates at the bottom of the drive? This gate is in constant use throughout the day, so cannot be locked. The gates to the playground are locked throughout the day, and risk assessments are carried out before every activity outdoors to ensure children area safe.

“More sports please.”

In a packed curriculum we are always looking for ways to include more sports, without it being detrimental to the learning of reading, writing and mathematics. Next year we are planning to include more outdoor learning – maybe not your traditional sports, but learning physically, outdoors and in – watch this space!