12 January 2018
Dear Parents
Happy New Year and Welcome to 2018! I hope everybody had a lovely Christmas and an enjoyable break. We are now all looking forward to lighter days.
Attached are some diary dates for this term. Please keep them safe for future reference.
Term Dates 2018 – 2019
Term / From / To / Half TermSpring 2018 / Monday 8 January / Thursday 29 March / 12 to 16 February
Summer 2018 / Monday 16 April / Friday 20 July / 28 Mayto 1 June
Autumn 2018 / Monday 3 September / Friday 21 December / 22-26 October
Spring 2019 / Monday 7 January / Friday 5 April / 18 – 22 February
Summer 2019 / Tuesday 23 April / Friday 19 July / 27 - 31 May
School will also be closed on Monday 7 May 2018 (Bank Holiday).
School will be closed Friday 22nd June (Occasional Day) and Monday 9th July (INSET)
School Admissions
The deadline for applications for Reception 2018 is 15th January 2018. Applications can be made online at or phone 0191 4332757 School Admissions.The online system will close at midnight on the 15th January and any paper application received after this date will be classed as late and likely result in the refusal of a place.
Maths Rockets
This scheme in school is a Gateshead Local Authority Project. However, Gateshead only produced Bronze, Silver & Gold. Front Street have devised their owe Platinum. Unfortunately we cannot find and platinum badges anywhere which is why we give out the special large certificates. If anyone can find a supplier who produces platinum badges then please let us know. Children do not move to the next year group but instead become masters of their Year groups’ targets and deepen their knowledge and understanding of maths.
Friday Family Sharing Assemblies
Due to this being a very short term there will be no assemblies this term. They will start again after the Easter Break.
Swimming
Due to changes with swimming assessments for KS2 year 4 will not go swimming in the Summer term. Instead, Year 5 will continue till May half term and then Year 6 after that.
Music
We are currently learning songs to perform and record onto a Front Street CD. This CD will be recorded on Wednesday 31st January and will include a song from each Year group, songs from the choir and whole school songs. The CDs will be sold at £8 each. More information to follow. (Article 29)
Sign2sing
We will be taking part in Sign2sing on Wednesday 7th February. This year we will be performing a previous track called ‘Friends Forever’ (Article 28, 29 and 23)
Sports Clubs
We have limitedspaces come up in the following clubs all starting next week;
Girls HockeyMonday 3:20-4:20pm Years 3-6
RugbyFriday 3:20-4:20pm Years 3-6
KarateFriday 7:45-8:45am Reception - Y6
Payments for the term can be made on AGORA on a first come first served basis.
NEWTENNIS CLUB - starts Wednesday 17th for Years 2-6. Payment for the full term is £36by cash or cheque (payable to Gateshead Tennis as we are just collecting payment on behalf of the coach). Please contact the office for a place in this club either via telephone, email, letter or calling in.
Film Club
There is no Film Club next week as Mrs Croft is on a course.
Movie for Tuesday 23rd January is Shark Tale (2005) rated U certificate. The movie will finish at 5:10pm.
There are some spaces in Film club if any Year 4 children would like to join please tell them to see Mrs Croft.
Nursery
Statutory Guidance still requires parents to apply before 31st March (for Summer Term start), 31st August (for Autumn Term start)and 21st December (for Spring Term start) and to revalidate their codes every 3 months.
HMRC Childcare Service has advised they are experiencing some technical issues. In particular this is in relation to Childcare Vouchers reconfirmation error on childcare service. On reconfirmation, some parents are seeing a message which tells them ‘You won’t be eligible if you’re still using childcare vouchers. You can reconfirm your eligibility when you’ve stopped your childcare vouchers’. This is due to a technical error as parents can of course claim both 30 hours and childcare vouchers. HMRC are working to fix this issue but in the meantime parents who receive this message should call the HMRC helpline on 0300 123 4097 straightaway so that they can be supported to successfully reconfirm.
Everyone should have received a letter about the visit to the Hancock Museum on Wednesday24th January. Please let us know asap if you can come and help.
Sound of the week is 'n' next week. Please be aware that we will be teaching pure sounds when supporting children at nursery. For example 'n' is pronounced 'nnnnnnn' not 'nuh' and 's' , 'ssss' not 'suh' and so on. It would be great if you could continue this at home. Thank you for your support.
Reception
Reception are desperate for the following items to add to our spare clothing box;
tights, trousers (boys and girls), underwear (boys and girls), dresses or skirts, Baby wipes (Article 24)
Reception are also looking for spare Lego boards for our small world area. Any donations would be greatly received. (Article 31)
Family Learning - This half term the Family Learning opportunity at Front Street is all about Phonics. This is an invitation for Reception parents/carers/grandparentsto join us for a one hour sessionon Thursday 25th January 9-10am.
YEAR 1
Thought Foundation - In December Mila won the Thought Foundation art competition and Beth came 2nd this meant we won a free one hour workshop. However, this was only for one class. We thought this rather unfair as all of Year 1 children deserved to be involved. We therefore met with the Thought Foundation and agreed to allow all children to come (at a cost). The Thought Foundation agreed that we could have our own more in depth workshop based on ‘Emotional responses to Playgrounds’. The children’s work will then be exhibited in the art gallery!!!!!! How Exciting!
The Thought Foundation will host an opening evening on Friday 9th February where the children and their family and friends are invited to attend and to have a welcome drink whilst seeing their work on the wall, more details will follow.
Reading - We are trying to encourage the children to read at home every night We are asking that they spend at least 5/10 minutes reading to an adult – or more! This can be a school reading book, a book from home, just a few pages, a chapter, whatever is possible. If your child has read at home and you have signed and dated their planner each day the children in 1S will receive a raffle ticket and the children in 1G will receive a stamper. We have been trialling it in 1S this week and the children have been really keen to show us their signed planner each morning.
Trips - As mentioned above we will be going to the Thought Foundation on Monday 22nd January and the children will be bringing home a consent letter for this tonight. Each class will need a few parent helpers but must be able to drive there in your own transport – please see staff on the door if you can help.
On Thursday 30th January we are walking up to St Mary’s Church to meet Father Barrie and learn about Baptism – we will be leaving school after registration at 9am and should be back in school by 10.30am – please see staff on the door if you can help.
PE Kits - please ensure your child has their PE kit in school with them next week - we have outdoor PE on a Wednesday and Gymnastics on a Thursday this half term.
Year 2
Hancock Museum trip – I have asked for a £3 Donation towards this trip. This is to cover the cost of the mini bus drivers, petrol and a special workshop that we have to pay for provided by the Hancock Museum. I know entrance to the museum is free but workshops for schools are not and neither are the bus drivers wages or petrol. I hope this clears up this matter.
Please remember your child needs a packed lunch for Monday. If you ordered a packed lunch on the permission slip school will provide this. If you have offered to help on this trip and make your own way to the museum the arrangements are as follows -
2S parents meet at the Hancock Museum at 10am at the school entrance.
2M parents meet at the Hancock Museum at 11am at the school entrance.
All parents can bring their own lunch too if they wish.
Parent helpers (Multi skills) - Year 2 are taking part in a multi skills sports afternoon at Whickham Comprehensive school on Wednesday 17th January. We need some parents to help us walk up to the school and back again. The event starts at 1pm so we will need to leave school at 12:30 it is due to finish at 3:00pm to return to school for home time. Please not children may be late back but we will try to be back at school as quickly as we can. If you can help please see your child's class teacher ASAP. We will send children's PE kits home on Tuesday night so that the children can come into school wearing their kits on Wednesday ready for this event.
Home readers - please ensure all reading books are in school every day. Books are changed on a Wednesday; if your child does not have their books they will not be able to change them.
Year 3
Last term we visited the Shipley Art Gallery and in school we developed the skill of 'proggy making'. They were so impressed with the children's work that they wanted some photographs for their Twitter account.
Find below the link to see some examples of their work. I wonder if thechildren can recognise their work?
Year 5
Swimmer of the week – this week Layla, Christopher and Harrisonwere awarded swimmer of the week during the school swimming lessons and they receive 3 dojo points for this recognition. Well done. Article 28 & 29
Year 6
This term will be a little different for Year 6 parents. On Friday 26th January at 8.40amyou are invited into your child’s class to work alongside them with the chance of winning some special prizes. There will also be information about Year 6 SATS in May too. Over the next 3 months you will be able to see every type of SATs paper so you fully understand what your child is working towards.
Year 6 Parent Evenings will be different to the rest of school. They will be on Thursday 1st February 3.30-5pm and Thursday 8th February 3.30-5pm. Look out for a special letter coming home on 19th January.
SATs week is W/C 14TH May. SATS are a National compulsory test that all Year 6 children in England must complete. Please can I ask that your child is in school every day this week so that they do not miss their tests. If they miss one test they miss the marks for all of the tests. Secondary schools ask for these results to help them set children into groups for year 7.
Kingswood – Please ensure your 2nd instalment of £55 is paid immediately if you have not already done so. Full payment is due by 1 March 2018 – total cost £165.
All cash/cheque payments have been manually uploaded onto Agora so you can see how much is outstanding to pay.
Booster Club starts next Wednesday after school 3:20pm – 4:20pm.
Reminders
Clubs – Please ensure all payments are made for clubs which start next week.
Choir – This will start next Thursday 18th January until Thursday 8th February.
FOFS
You are invited to our next meeting on Tuesday 16th January 7.15 pm at The Fellsider.
It would be great to see some new people come along and help us plan activities/ fundraising for this term.
Yours sincerely
HJ Gladstone
Headteacher
Diary Dates 2018
January
Monday 15thYear 2 Hancock Museum
Tuesday 16thYear 6 Whickham School
Wednesday 17thM&M Productions (paid for by FOFS)
Year 1/2 Multi Skills
Thursday 18thYear 6 Whickham School
Monday 22ndYear 1 Thought Foundation
Wednesday 24thNursery Hancock Museum
Thursday 25thFamily Learning Reception Parents
Monday 29thYear 6 Whickham School to watch Oliver
Wednesday 31stFront St CD recording
Year 5/6 Mini Basketball
February
Wednesday 7thSign2Sing
Friday 9thBreak up for half term
Monday 19thReturn to school
Wednesday 21stYear 1/2 Dance Festival
March
Thursday 1st & 8thYear 6 Special Parents Evening to discuss progress towards SATs
Friday 2ndWorld Book Day at Front Street
Wednesday 21stDance Festival at Gateshead Sage
Monday 26th & Tuesday 27thNursery – Year 5 Parents Evenings
Tuesday 27thFOFS Film Night (Y1-Y6)
Wednesday 28thWhole School Music Workshop
Thursday 29thBreak up for Easter holidays
RETURN TO SCHOOL MONDAY 16TH APRIL