Weald CPS Newsletter: Friday 23rd January, 2015

Robin Hood: through the generosity of the PTA, the school was able to enjoy a most entertaining performance of Robin Hood on Friday, 23rd January.

Maid Marion (top left) asks the children’s advice on whether she should marry Robin Hood Her mother, Baroness Botox (top right) is delighted and celebrates as Robin Hood invites Mr Cope and Mr Pyle to the stage for a dance-off. Through bizarre, misplaced loyalty Mr Cope receives the loudest cheer!! (left).

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go”.

The improvement of writing standards (with a particular focus on grammar and punctuation) is our whole school target for this year. Whilst we have in place, at school, a wide range of strategies designed to help children in this regard, we would much appreciate parental support in creating opportunities at home for children to write. Thank you letters, shopping lists, diaries, holiday journals,postcards, descriptions of pictures, summaries of reading books and creative stories are all extremely valuable. I am sure that you are encouraging many of these things and a continued parental emphasis on writing in partnership with the school will certainly pay dividends. Thank you.

Sporting success: on Monday 19th January, the school netball team enjoyed a highly competitive and enthralling encounter withPenshurst (away from home) resulting in a 4-4 draw. Meanwhile, the football team (playing Penshurst at home on the MUGA) recorded an impressive 8-0 victory. The improvement in individual skills and match-play exhibited by the netball and football teams is a testament to the specialist input from outside coaches; namely, Pamela Craig, Matt Thacker and Aaron Kempster. We consider that ourSports Premium funding is tremendously well invested in promoting pupil enjoyment and participation in sport and in up-skilling teachers and teaching assistants in the delivery of high quality PE and sports coaching.

Volunteers: we have issued a revised “Safeguarding Declaration Form” which needs to be completed by all parent helpers/readers. These will be available from a box next to the signing in register. Please hand in your form to Mrs Beddoe in the School Office. Please ask for an envelope and mark “For the attention of Mr. Pyle: private & confidential” if you are concerned about confidentiality of content.

Wear it. Beat it: following her tremendously successful Christmas Jumper Day last December, Miss Pirot is now launching another charity fundraising jamboree. On 6th February, 2015, she will be staging a ‘wear red’ own clothes day in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Children are asked to bring £1.00 (or more if possible) for the privilege. There will be a host of other activities including a red food sale (fruit, biscuits, cakes etc) at the end of the school day.

Fun Chinese Club: this is a new initiative (kindly being offered by Mrs Raymond). It is open, in the first instance, to 15 children in Years 1 & 2 in Saturn Classroom on Mondays between 12.30 and 1.00 p.m. It will commence on Monday 23rd February; those interested should send in a note via the home contact book.

If any other parents have time to offer an activity for children, either at lunch-time or after school, please have a chat with Mr Pyle or Mrs Scott.

Reminders

A Breakfast Club at St George’s Church Hall started last September and has proved to be very popular. It runs from 7.30 a.m. Monday to Friday and children are escorted to the School Office in time for the start of the school day. The daily rate is £5.00 per child. There are still places available, both for regular and ad hoc attendance. If you are interested, please contact Valerie Gunderson on 01732 450272.

‘Parent View’ (the Ofsted questionnaire on educational provision) is available via the button on the homepage of the school website. Please support our self-evaluation process by recording your views – your valuable feedback will help us to recognise where we are doing well and where there is room for further improvement.

Following a consultation period with staff, parents, governors and the wider community, the new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) policy has now gone live on the school website.

Parents should NOT, under any circumstances, use the staff car parks adjacent to the MUGA and the School Office. Parents entering the school for any reason must report to the School Office via the entrance from Long Barn Road.

Holidays during term-time: we are grateful for your continued co-operation in not booking holidays during the time that the school is in session. Missing the beginning or end of terms has a marked detrimental impact on children’s progress, attainment and happiness.