Meadows School Newsletter 01

September 2014

Welcome back everyone and a special welcome to all our new starters. The staff and I hope you will all soon feel at home in our friendly and caring school. Everyone here is well rested

after the summer, although school has been a real hive of activity whilst you have been away, in

more ways than one:

Teachers have overhauled all of their planning documents ready for the new national curriculum, which begins today! See below for further details about that

Mrs James’ Reception class has a brand new outdoor play area with a colourful new soft

play surface. As an added bonus, the PTFA have promised to buy some new equipment to further enhance the children’s outdoor learning

The rickety old wooden side gate has been replaced by new metal access gates – much easier for us all to use, and more attractive

The hall has had a major makeover with complete redecoration and curtain clean and the original parquet floor has been returned to its gleaming former glory and looks truly

stunning

All of the window replacements have now been completed Carpets have been cleaned throughout the building

Gutters have been cleaned and trees have been pruned

Coming soon – look out for all of this in book bags:

Diary dates for the term

List of extra-curricular clubs and activities

Class timetables

Homework information

Studies Outlines for the term – giving you an overview of what is going to be taught in all

subjects of the curriculum this term

Some Key Dates – advance notice:

“Meet the Teacher” open session on Monday 15 September, 3:40 – 5:30pm. Parents and children are invited to come into school for an informal look around the classes and a

chance to meet your child’s new teacher. No need to make an appointment for this event, but of course if you have any specific queries and concerns then do just indicate to the

teacher that you would like a private appointment so that this can be arranged

INSET days for the year are as follows: 03 November 2014; 23 February 2015; 08 June 2015; 24 July 2015; 07 September 2015; school resumes on Tuesday 08 September 2015.

Phew!

!

Important Reminder about the end-of-day handover routine, so that it all continues to run

smoothly. Infants should be collected from their classrooms at

3:30pm. Please stand nearby so that the teacher can see you as we won’t

let anyone go without an adult to hand them over to. If you have given

permission for an older sibling to collect an Infant, please let the

teacher know that you have authorised this and tell the older one to

go to the younger one’s outside classroom door. Juniors will come outside,

but have to wait near their teacher until you are in sight. Anyone still

not collected by 3:40pm will be taken back inside and we will phone you.

The teachers are given a daily list of Schools Out Club members, so they will make sure those

children are handed over directly to the SOC staff.

New National Curriculum – this begins this week and has been widely publicised in the media. As I’ve

mentioned before, here at Meadows we spent a lot of time last year in preparation for this new

curriculum and feel as ready as we can be at this stage. When you receive this term’s Studies Outlines

you may notice some changes, for example:

new History topics such as Anglo-Saxons, Scots and Vikings;

new Geography topics such as world Geography for Infants and Juniors, North & South America

and local studies;

‘computing’ instead of ICT;

more learning and reciting poetry by heart;

more emphasis on number work in maths - we already cover this through our ‘Big Maths’

approach

more time to be given to learning cooking in every year group, with the emphasis on savoury

foods and healthy eating – I think this will be popular with parents as it featured widely in the

parent survey at the end of last term. Several of you even offered to come in and help us run

cooking sessions with the children, so no doubt we’ll be taking you up on your offers!

The main messages from Meadows are that we feel well-prepared, confident and excited about the

changes, and we also feel reassured that much of what we are already doing is definitely along the right

lines, so no huge or unmanageable issues are anticipated. Of course we’ll be monitoring progress

carefully as the year goes along.

Allergies in school: a repeat reminder from the last newsletter, with new families in mind. In

particular, please be aware that there are several children who have severe nut allergies, as a few nut-

trace products have slipped through the net recently. Here is an appeal from the parents of one child who

is affected:

As parents we all treasure our children more than anything else. Unfortunately, a number of children in our school

suffer from extremely serious allergies. The school takes steps to mitigate the risks these children face, but the threat

of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) – which can lead to sudden and immediate death – is always very real.

Our son Callum Womsley suffers from an allergy to nuts (of all types) and we live with constant concern for his well -

being, particularly when he’s not in our care. So, we are extremely grateful to the school for giving us this

opportunity to remind everyone of the reality of these issues and that it is of the utmost importance that parents and

their children do not introduce nuts, products containing nuts or products that may contain nuts, into the school at any time.

The potential consequences of even simple skin contact with a nut can be fatal for some of our children, so please help us and the school to keep their school a safe place and KEEP NUTS OUT!

Many thanks.

Nick and Annette Womsley

This alert applies to all of us, as we aim to keep our school nut-free. Please note that this will also apply

to children who bring packed lunches and things such as birthday treats, cakes and sweets for PTFA sales

or fund-raising stalls.

Also on the horizon – a ‘new look’ school website and Learning Platform. These will be going live during

this term and you will be supplied with new personalised secure log-in details to access the parent area of

the Learning Platform. The school website will be open and public, supplying general and mandatory

information about the school to the world at large. Look out for the official launch of these important

resources.

Finally …

The children have been bringing me their splendid holiday diaries, so keep them coming. The deadline for

handing these in is Wednesday 17 September so that I can go and buy the prizes in time for presenting in

Friday’s assembly. Everyone who produces a diary improves their writing skills and receives a small prize.

C. Watkins

Helping in school – please complete and return the form below if you are available to help in school this

year. We appreciate your vital support in many ways to benefit the children in their learning and progress.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Parent Helper Reply Slip

1. Teachers will contact parents throughout the year as the need arises to help in their own children’s

classes for activities such as cooking, trips and outings, workshops, etc.

Please tick the box if you are able to give occasional help in this way [ ]

Please indicate your name and which classes:

2. For regular weekly classroom support the policy is that parents do not work directly with their own

child’s class. Please indicate below if you are available to provide this regular help.

I am able to offer regular help for activities such as hearing readers, supporting in class, working directly

with children and helping them with their work [ ]

I am free on the following day/s each week:

Name ……………………………………………………….. Telephone ……………………………………………………

Email …………………………………………………………………………………………….