Clarence Road, Four Oaks,

Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4LD

Telephone: 0121 308 5392 Fax: 0121 308 5061

Dear Parents, Carers and Governors,

After many years it has been decided to change the format of

the school newsletter and how we communicate with you.

This will be the last edition of the monthly newsletter, but don’t

worry we will be replacing it with an online magazine full of

reports and articles about what the children have been doing in

and out of school. You can look forward to reading this new

publication after the February half term.

In addition you will continue to receive Dr Clarke’s pedagogical

newsletter and we will issue you with an events calendar that will

keep you up to date with everything happening in school over the

term. The first one of these has been sent to you along with this

newsletter.

If we need to let you know about any additional events or

information we will contact you by Parentmail, allowing us to save

paper and ensure that you receive the information in good time.

We hope you will enjoy the new magazine and that the events

calendar will prove to be useful.

Wednesday 23rd January 2013

HILL WEST PTFA

As you know we have an active PTFA at school. If you would

like to join or feel that you might have fund raising ideas to

contribute then please feel free to attend both or any of the meetings

below. Thursday 28th February

Wednesday 27th March 7.30 pm start

Late Arrivals

If your child arrives late to school they should be brought to the school office so they can be entered on the register as part of the school’s Fire Regulations. Children should be on the playground no later than 8.45am. The bell sounds at 8.50am for the start of school. After this time all children who enter school via the main entrance will be recorded as late. As part of our commitment to ensure all children have full attendance we carefully monitor lateness and will be contacting parents of children who persistently arrive late to school to offer support in achieving punctual attendance each day.

Congratulations to all of our Year 2

children for their super Nativity

performances before the Christmas break.

You are all stars in our eyes.

THANK YOU Thank you to all those parents who

attended one of our festive gatherings before

the holiday. We hope that you enjoyed your

time spent in school with us. We would like

to thank our cook Anita Gould and all of the

staff in the kitchen for the delicious

Christmas Dinner. Thanks go to Mrs Hull

for organising a super Santa’s grotto this

year. Thanks also go to the staff in Year 2

for a thoroughly entertaining

Nativity performance. We now look

forward to the events of this term which

started in earnest with our trip to the

pantomime, which was enjoyed by

everyone.

PAYING MONEY TO

SCHOOL

Can we thank all those parents who send

money into school in a marked envelope

with the child’s name, class and what the

payment is for clearly marked on the

outside. This really does help our school

office who as you can imagine receive lots

of money for lots of different things and

from different children in different classes.

We would also kindly ask that you ensure

that all envelopes are sent in to school

with your child and that you remind

your child to hand these to the class

teacher during Registration as this

helps to develop your child’s growing

independence.

The Office will no longer accept payments

or paperwork in the morning as notified in

the last newsletter

PTFA VALENTINE DISCO

Friday 8th February

6.00 pm to 8.00pm

The first hour will include party

games as well as a disco for

everyone!

Adults £2.00

Children £1.00

Family £5.00

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

MEMBERS

Do you know who the senior members of staff are in school?

Dr Beth Clarke – Head Teacher

Miss Fiona Marsh – Deputy Head and lead on Behaviour & Safety

Mrs Joy Hull – Assistant Head, Inclusion Manager, and SENCO

Mrs Nichola Leeson - Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning

Mrs Lisa Pardo - Enjoyment and Enrichment Manager

Mrs Tracey Willmore - Basic Skills Manager

Mr Steve George - Strategic Achievement Manager

.

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL

If your child is absent

from school please telephone on the

first morning so we can

accurately complete our

registers. On return to school

it is essential that you send a

written note giving the reason

for the absence.

Thank you.

Thank you to all those parents who are registered to receive

ParentMail. There are still however just over 80 families in the

school who do not receive communication in this way. As you know we have been sending our monthly newsletters via

email for some time now and it has proved a very reliable way of

parents receiving information on time. Those of you who have not registered will shortly receive a letter

from us giving you further details. You will continue to receive paper copies of correspondence but, if

you do have access to emails (whether at home or at work, or both), we would urge you to join

ParentMail by letting us have your email address. This method of communication is particularly useful

in inclement weather.

Remember you can also register your MOBILE PHONE number for text messages

BEHAVIOUR UPDATE Challenging inappropriate language

Sometimes in school, children call each other inappropriate names. This is hurtful and

can be quite upsetting for the child it is said to. Sometimes these names stem from

certain prejudices and refer to children’s height, weight, hair colour, hygiene or colour

of their skin.

Racist language can sometimes be used in Primary School naively e.g. ‘you are black’

however at other times it can be used in a derogatory manor to offend. This language is

challenged immediately and the children are told that what they are saying is ‘racist’.

Homophobic language in Primary Schools is often used to refer to something or someone

as inferior. Phrases such as ‘those trainers are gay’ for example, may be used to insult

someone or something, but without referring to actual or perceived sexual orientation.

Intervening when young children use homophobic language, including the use of the word

gay to mean inferior, creates a school culture where homophobia and homophobic

bullying are not tolerated. At Hill West the staff recognise that they have a duty to

safeguard the wellbeing of all young people in their care.

Failure to respond to inappropriate name calling can have an impact on pupils’ confidence

and self-esteem, as well as their attainment in school. In the same way that staff at

Hill West ALWAYS challenge racist language, staff also feel confident to respond to a

range of other inappropriate phrases whenever necessary.

By working together we can reduce the incidents of name calling.

SNOW

Should the inclement weather continue please note the following: If school is closed you will be informed via Parentmail and text

message. You can also check the school website and the school closure’s list on local radio websites.

Please ensure that you have registered for Parentmail as this is the only way to know promptly via email and text message if school is closed.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

We are be running the following clubs this term

MONDAY

Samba Drumming for KS2 Circuit training/ Athletics for KS2

Eco Club by invitation Football Year 2

Outdoor Explorers for KS1

TUESDAY

Hill West Singers for KS2 children German for Yrs 4,5 & 6

Football Year 1 Creative Club for KS1

WEDNESDAY

Multi skills/ Circus skills for KS1

Football for Years 5 & 6

THURSDAY

Dance Depot Football Year 3

FRIDAY

Football Year 4

DEAR PARENTS AND STAFF THANK YOU FOR THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND CARDS, THEY WERE MUCH APPRECIATED. FROM JOHN, THE CROSSING WARDEN

A BIG THANK YOU to all those

parents who didn’t park on the

school side of Clarence Road

when the children returned from

the Pantomime.