St. Andrew’s MethodistPrimary School
Headteacher’s Newsletter
Spring 2017
Introduction
I would like to update you on some of the events that will be happening in the spring term. You willhave received a Home/School Topic Letter from your child’s teacher, outlining work to be covered this half term. I hope you find these interesting, and useful when supporting your child with homework. Don’t forget there is lots of useful information, and photographs, about your child’s activities on the school website on their class blog.
Staffing
Welcome to Miss Ingham, who is to cover the remainder of Mrs Fortune’s maternity leave in Y4, and to Miss Harris who joins our team of welfare assistants. Our site officer, Mr Taylor, has been unwell over the Christmas holiday and has had major surgery. I am happy to report that he is now home and recovering well, but it will be some time until he is back in work. I am sure you will all join me in sending our very best wishes to Kevin as he recuperates. His duties will be covered by Salford’s relief caretaking service.
Fundraising
The November Book Fair raised £442, which we were able to claim in books for school. This year, the whole amount was spent on non-fiction books for the school library. The school Disco and Christmas Raffle made a profit of £499.96, while the Christmas Cards you bought, designed by your children, raised £687.57. This money has gone into School Fund to be spent directly on your children.
From collections, taken from families, during our Christmas performances in school, we raised the sum of £195 which was donated to St Ann’s Hospice, as agreed by the School Council.
School Council
Bags 2 School
There will be a further clothes recycling collection on 24thMarch at 9am. The children will bring home a blue sack the week before. Please note though, that clothes and shoes can also be brought in bin liners. The heavier the bags, the more money they make!
Family Worship
Below are the dates for acts of Family Worship for this term. These are usually held on a Friday morning at 9am.
The classes and dates for this term are as follows:
27th January: Y1
3rdFebruary: Reception Class
10th February: Y3
10th March: Y6
17th March: Y5
24th March: Y4
Parental Partnership
Grace Thomas, our Family Support Worker, is available for parents and carers to speak to and can be contacted via the school office.
Family Learning Workshop
There will be a Science themed Family Learning Workshop on 14th March for Upper KS2 (Y5 and Y6) children and their families. This will be from 9-10.30am in the school hall.
Parent/Pupil Consultations
The spring term parent/pupil consultations will be held on Tuesday 21st March between3.30-6.30pm. All families will be allocated an appointment time and it is vital that you make every effort to attend. If there are exceptional circumstances that make it impossible for you to attend on this date, please speak to your child’s class teacher. I will be available on 21stMarch, but if you wish to contact me in advance to book an appointment, please feel free to do so. Pupils from Y2 to Y6 are asked to attend with their parents/carers.
SATS meetings
Children, who are in Y2 and Y6, will be formally assessed this year. Y6 pupils will take Key Stage 2 SATs in May, while Y2 pupils will be assessed over the spring and summer terms using an ongoing process. We are holding an information meeting for Y6 parents/carers on 15thMarch at 3.30pm, which we strongly urge you to attend, or send a representative to.
Other Dates for Your Diary
National Internet Safety Day is on 9th February
The school health service will be in school to do routine Reception Class Height and Weight Checks on 16th February
Break Up for Half Term: 17th February
Return to School: 27TH February
World Book Day: 2ndMarch (More details to follow)
Science Week: 13th March
KS2 Evening of Dance: 28th March at 6.30pm
Break Up for 2 week Easter holiday: 31st March
Return to School: 18th April
Y5 will be attending weekly swimming lessons at Worsley Pool each Wednesday afternoon until February half term.
Extra Curricular Activities
I include a list of the activities available this term, but individual members of staff will send out further details. I am extremely grateful to the staff running the clubs as they do this voluntarily, in their own
time, and I know the children have a lot of fun attending them.
Spring Term Clubs
Monday
Knitting Club (Years 4/5/6) – Mrs Henshaw
Tag Rugby (Years 5 & 6)
Tuesday
Dance Club (Year 3) – Miss Jackson
Thursday
Football (Year 4/5 & 6)- Kevin Smith
Sponsored Events
To raise funds to replace the KS2 assault course equipment, and additional ICT equipment, we are planning a sponsored event for each key stage. These will take place in March. The Key Stage 2 children will be given a “Selfie Reading Challenge” while the infants will take part in an “Easter Duck Hunt.” I will send you more details of this after half term.
Attendance
Our school attendance target is 95%. Last term we achieved 95.8%. Well done to Elizabeth Thompson who was the lucky winner of last term’s 100% attendance prize of £25!
You can keep in touch with all the day to day happenings in school on my headteacher’s blog on the school website. Thank you for your continued support with everything we do in school.
Mrs A Barker
Headteacher
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