Head Teacher Update

Welcome to our October newsletter.  There are lots of updates included this month as well as details about exciting events that are fast approaching.  We’re looking forward to welcoming you to school for our first parents’ evening of the year next week.

This evening, your child should have brought home their half term report with gradings for their behaviour, effort and progress so far this year.  We want the absolute best for your child, just like you do.  The best way to achieve this is us working together with constant communication and support for one another.  We’re so grateful for everything you do to help us.  Parents’ evening appointments are restricted to ten minutes per child.  If you would like more time to speak to your child’s teacher, outside of parents’ evening either face to face or on the phone, please don’t hesitate to contact them and we can make sure it is arranged.  We value your support enormously; it’s an honour for us to help your child flourish and thrive at our school.

Things in school are moving along at a rapid pace.  Class teachers have provided updates and photographs from the classes below.  The classrooms have been a hive of activity when I’ve popped in.  I’m delighted to hear the children talking about what they’re learning with passion and excitement.  Teachers ask searching questions that make the children think and then challenge them to record their understanding in their books.  Children aren’t afraid to get things wrong, this helps with their resilience and then them to learn with the staff and to get it right next time round.

Brand new for this year, we’re delighted to be able to offer bikeability training to all our children.  I’m just waiting for the date for the Y2 course and will get this out to you soon.  The Y3 and Y4 courses are just after half term, consent forms will be added to Class Dojo straight after this newsletter.  More details of dates are below.

Bookings are now open for the Halloween Disco through School Gateway.  We also have a non-uniform day next Friday 25^th October.  We’re asking for a voluntary contribution of £1.00 on this day for our school funds. Payments can be made via the gateway.  All money raised through school funds is used to purchase resources that support and improve your child’s experience in school.  This year we’re continuing to develop our outdoor play experience and funding will be used to buy resources for the school yard and field.

As always thank you for your ongoing support to me and the team.  If you have any comments or suggestions for how we can improve or do things better, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Mr Laws

Class One – EYFS

We have had a great start to the academic year in Class 1 welcoming new Nursery and Reception children into our Unit. The children are settling in well, learning new routines and have been busy exploring our indoor and outdoor environments in the sunshine and showers.

We are all enjoying our All About Me topic through many different activities. The children have been looking carefully in mirrors to create fantastic self-portraits and have also looked at how they have changed from when they were a baby compared to now. Thank you to parents for providing photographs.

The children have also been sharing photographs of their families during Show and Tell sessions, helping to develop their communication and language skills. Class 1 are also finding out about their bodies and how important it is to look after themselves.

As Autumn is now here the children have been exploring the changes they can see around them. They have been on walks around our school grounds collecting Autumn treasures and discovering the changes in the colours of the leaves. We are using our Autumn leaves and conkers in many activities including in our Art and Craft area and also to help the children count. We are looking forward to learning all about harvest in the next few weeks and singing new harvest time songs.

PE T Shirts

The PE T shirts have been ordered and should be in school by the end of the week.  Thank you for your patience and understanding while we have waited for these to arrive.  Once these have been given out children should wear them on the day of their PE lessons and for any sporting events for which they are representing the school.

Throughout the year, we’re hosting interhouse activities so that children have the opportunity to compete against their peers for their house team.  Class teachers will keep you updated when the children are required to wear their house colours.

Latin – “FORTES FORTUNA ADIUVAT” – Fortune favours the brave! 

New for this academic year, children in key stage two have started to learn Latin.  We believe that teaching Latin as our ‘Language’ facilitates children to develop a linguistic foundation for reading comprehension and an appreciation of classical civilization to further develop knowledge and understanding of the world.  It helps our children to see and make connections within language as well as broadening their vocabulary and develop their understanding of words.  Children will learn the context in which language is rooted, be it English or any other Latinate language going forward. This will unlock the meaning of vocabulary in other curriculum areas as they progress through school and beyond.

​Although we are a small school in a rural community, our children move on to a wide range of secondary schools.  In their new schools, our children study differing languages. We are resolute that the time that children spend with us will leave them with skills, knowledge and experience which they can use and apply in new settings from day 1. Latin provides this assurance. Learning Latin provides no lost learning time – and a firm foundation for study of most languages at KS2 or KS3. Every subject at secondary has its own language – learning Latin will help students to unlock the meaning of vocabulary across all subjects.  This will undoubtedly bridge students’ transition from primary to secondary.  Research shows that learning Latin can help close the vocabulary gap.

There is more information about our Latin curriculum on the school website.  Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher to find out more.

Bikeability

We’re absolutely delighted to have arranged bikeability training for children across the school to be delivered this year.  Each course will be delivered by qualified instructors and fully risk assessed.  Children will be taught in small groups.  The dates are shown below.  This training will help the children gain confidence on their bikes and older children will learn how to ride safely in the local community.  To take part in this training, the children will need a bike and a well-fitting helmet.  To take part, you will need to complete online consent for your child.  I will send out letters with further information and links ahead of your child’s course.

If you are concerned, have questions or your child doesn’t have access to a bike then please don’t hesitate to contact Mr Laws and we will do everything we can to support you.

School Council

This half term each class voted to appoint two representatives from each year group as school councillors.  Children that wanted to put themselves forward, were able to submit applications sharing why they thought they would be a good member of the school council and then presented this to the class.  For our elections children voted using official ballot boxes and our year sixes helped each class.  The voting was very close and everyone that put themselves forward did a brilliant job.

We have held our first school council meetings and our councillors have also led class meetings where ideas and initiatives have been submitted.  The school council will help us to drive these projects as well as being a pupil voice.   We are so excited to have our school council members in place and know that they will be fantastic representatives.

Dates for your Diary