Newsletter 17.12.19
Date: 17th Dec 2019 @ 11:05am
17th December 2019
NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents
As we approach the end of the current academic year, may we wish you all a restful and peaceful Christmas.
Mr Allen
Unfortunately, Mr Allen will continue to be absent this week and into the New Year, due to personal circumstances. Mrs Powell will continue to teach Nursery Weaver in his absence.
Mrs Lawton
As previously indicated Mrs Lawton will finish working at High Street at the end of term to spend more time with her young family. We wish her all the best and thank her for all the hard work she has put in during her time at our school.
PTA
We would like to thank the members of the PTA for their continued support during the term. This week they will help to provide food for the Christmas parties and have been selling raffle tickets for a Christmas cake raffle. The winners have been informed by text.
Nativity Plays
We are very proud that our children have had the opportunity to participate in concerts and/or Nativity Plays this year. Each year group has excelled and has been a credit to all concerned. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff involved for their dedication in ensuring that these have taken place and you as parents for supporting the children with costumes and by attending the events at what is a busy time of year for everyone.
Viruses
Unfortunately as with most schools and places where people congregate, we have suffered the effects of different viruses at this time of year. As a result, we have intensified our cleaning procedures and worked with the children on keeping themselves clean to mitigate the effects. At one point, the Chair of Governors and I considered closing the school, but Public Health England felt that this was not required as they were happy with the actions taking place. We thank you for your patience and support during this period of time.
No-Nonsense Spelling
Spellings are an important part of our learning curriculum. To support your child to learn the spelling rules/patterns assigned to their year we are trailing a new spelling programme called ‘No-Nonsense Spelling’. As part of this programme your child will take part in daily/weekly spelling lessons which teach spelling patterns and rules. There is also a focus on children learning spellings linked to patterns and rules.
We will continue to send home weekly spellings for your child to learn. Rather than 10 spellings, 5/6 will be sent home to learn. The theory behind 5/6 rather than 10 is to give your child the opportunity to increase their success in spelling the words and understanding the spelling pattern linked to the words.
Different ways to learn spellings will also be introduced to your child over this half-term. They will be able to share these with you as they become more confident with using different ways to remember how to spell words. The staff are excited about this new programme and we will share more information with you as we continue to work on the programme this year.
Pupil Premium Funding
Pupil Premium Funding is funding attached to individual children for schools to use to support their needs. Many families are eligible but do not apply. We use the funding to subsidise visits and to provide additional support for the children concerned in class.
Your child may be eligible for pupil premium funding if you are in receipt of the following:
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190
- The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
Please call the number 0300 123 7039 to apply via phone or access an online application through the Cheshire West and Chester website. If you need support with your application then please get in touch with school.
Verdin Centre Car Park
Unfortunately, I have had a number of cases reported to me where parents have driven in a dangerous manner on the Verdin Car Park. As previously stated, we are lucky to have such a facility close to the school as many schools built when High Street was, have nothing; St Chads and Over St Johns being two examples of this.
However we are reliant on parents and visitors using the car park in a sensible, safe manner. We understand the frustration of queuing to exit, but the safety of the children and parents using the facility must come first. Inappropriate use of the facility will be reported to the police and the Local Authority who own the car park.
In addition to this, I am also working with representatives of the LA in relation to the building development planned for a section of the Verdin fields and I will be raising the need to improve access to the car park with them during the spring term.
Dates for your diary:
|
|
|
|
18/12/19 |
Y3/4 Grange Theatre am |
|
18/12/19 |
Y1/2 Christmas Party am |
|
18/12/19 |
N/EYFS Christmas party pm |
|
19/12/19 |
Y5/6 Christmas Party am |
|
19/12/19 |
Y3/4 Christmas party pm |
|
20/12/19 |
Close for Christmas holidays at 3.15pm |
Dates for the New Year 2020
|
|
|
|
6.1.20 |
Inset day for staff- school closed |
|
7.1.20 |
All children return to school following the Christmas break |
|
7.1.20 |
Swimming starts for Year 3 children |
|
8.1.20 |
Swimming recommences for Y5 children |
|
8.1.20-9.1.20 |
Year 1 Residential to Tattenhall Group 1 |
|
9.1.20-10.1.20 |
Year 1 Residential to Tattenhall Group 2 |
|
14.2.20 |
End of Half term- school closes at 3.15pm |
|
|
|
|
24.2.20 |
Inset Day- School closed for children |
|
25.2.20 |
School Reopens for children |
Wishing you all a peaceful and restful Christmas!
M Joule
Head teacher