QUEEN MARY AVENUE

INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL

Headteacher: Mrs K Lakin

Queen Mary Avenue

Cleethorpes

DN35 7SY

Tel: 01472 230230

November 2017

AUTUMN 2 NEWSLETTER – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Dear Parents / Carers,

Thank you to the many of you who attended the parents evenings last week. We believe strongly that a parent is a child’s first educator and it was a pleasure to be able to share with you all, your child’s most recent school achievements.

We received some really useful and constructive comments about the ‘things you like’ about our school and ‘suggestions to improve’. I have got to say, there was an overwhelming positive response . Here are some examples;

21 out of 35 positive comments made reference to how friendly, approachable and caring the staff are.

“All the teachers are lovely. I feel I can approach them anytime with any problems my children are having.”

“FRIENDLY STAFF WHO LISTEN!”

“I can really see the effort that the teachers at this school go to for my child – thank you.”

Other positive examples included how the Breakfast Club supports working parents, communication and quite simply “Everything!” or “Great school. Do not change.” Thank you so much for your kind words. It means a lot to us that we have such strong support from the parents.

Thank you also for your ideas for things we could improve. Your views matter to us and we are always striving to improve in any way we can. The points that came up are as follows;

A number of parents commented that they would like more after school clubs. The teachers have come up with a variety of additional clubs that we can offer and the children have voted on which they would most like. The most popular choices were Computer Club, Science Club, Arts & Crafts, Board Games, Reading / Bug Club and School Choir / Music Club. Letters will be going home later this week so that children can sign up to start the first week back after the Christmas break.

Some parents asked specifically for a Football Club. We already provide an extra curricular Football Club for children in Year 1 and Year 2, two lunchtimes a week. However, we will look at also starting an after-school club for January.

A School Choir was also a popular request. We have therefore built this into the selection of clubs that will be on offer. In addition, we have taken advantage of opportunities for our children to take part in music and singing festivals later in the year by registering to be a part of these local events. I will keep you all posted!

I have emailed the digital response team at Bug Club but unfortunately there is no app. Apologies for the inconvenience. I will let you know if there are any developments in the future.

One parent requested weekly newsletters. After some discussion, we have decided that teachers will begin to produce half termly newsletters, sharing with parents key information for the coming half term. We will provide further updates on a week by week basis via the school website / class webpage. I hope you will find this is good compromise in that it means parents will be increasingly informed without high photocopying and paper costs.

Two parents expressed that they would like to see a Christmas Nativity as the production one year. Performances for this year are already planned and underway but we will consider this for next and coming years.

The Christmas concerts this year are as follows:

Wednesday 6th December – 2pm / Foundation Stage 2
Tuesday 12th December – 2pm / Year Two
Friday 15th December – 2pm / Year One
Monday 18th December – 10am / Nursery morning children
Monday 18th December – 1:30pm / Nursery afternoon children
Tuesday 19th December – 10am / Nursery morning children
Tuesday 19th December – 1:30pm / Nursery afternoon children

You will notice there are two morning and two afternoon productions for nursery – parents only need to attend one, we have simply put on more performances because of fire regulations and the limit on the number of additional adults we can have in the nursery at any one time. All nursery performance will take place in the nursery unit.

All other performances (FS2, Y1 and Y2) will take place in the school hall. Tickets cost 20p and can be purchased from the Main School Office. Owing to fire regulations we have to limited tickets to two per child. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Pupil Premium – FREE SCHOOL TRIPS!

We are slightly changing the benefits we offer for children on Pupil Premium as we no longer sell uniform. All children on Pupil Premium will receive:

·  FREE SCHOOL TRIPS

·  FREE BOOK BAG

·  FREE AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS (SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY)

For in-school experiences we would ask for a small donation towards the cost.

Could you please inform the school office of any changes to your personal circumstances which may make you eligible for Pupil Premium. If your application is successful you will receive the benefits listed. If your child is ‘looked after’, adopted or you work for the armed forces this also makes you eligible. Please contact the school office for a form.

Attendance

We are working really hard to improve attendance in school. Whilst we appreciate there are times when children get ill, it is so important that children do attend school every day that they can. Research evidences a direct link between high attendance and academic success. Children who achieve the expected standards during their primary school stage are 80% likely to go on to achieve 5 x A-C grades at GCSE. That means that children who do not, are only 20% likely to. These infant years are so important as they are the foundations for the building blocks to all future learning.

Last half term, children with 100% attendance for the half term received a certificate in a special attendance assembly and an in-school treat (which was a movie and popcorn experience). This half term the Attendance assemblies will be:

9am Tuesday 12th December – for children in Nursery (FS1) and Reception (FS2)

9am Wednesday 13th December – for children in Year One and Year Two

The in-school reward will be a Mr Shiny Magic Show on Thursday 14th December.

Anti-bullying day / Children in Need

Thank you for sending your children to school looking so fantastic as part of our Anti-Bullying, ‘unique’ theme! The effort people had gone to was great and we raised £189 for the Children in Need cause.

Year Two multi-skills festival

On Wednesday 22nd November the Year Two children represented the school as part of a North East Lincs multi-skills festival. The sports coaches commented on how exceptionally well-behaved the children of QMA are, how carefully they listened and how well they quickly picked up the new skills. We are very proud!

Road Safety Week

We would like to thank Kettle Funeral Care who kindly donated the reflective badges as part of Road Safety Week. The children thoroughly enjoyed having some special visitors to speak to them in assembly and I have seen many children sporting the badges as part of ‘Be Safe, Be Seen.’

School Gates

Please note: The Main School Blue Double Gates will be locked each morning at 8:55am. Anyone arriving at school after this time will need to enter through the main reception.

Important Dates

Thursday 30th November / School Closed – Training Day
Wednesday 20th December / Break up for Christmas – 2:15pm
Tuesday 2nd January / School Closed – Training Day
Wednesday 3rd January / Main School re-opens
Thursday 4th January / Nursery re-opens

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Yours truly,

Mrs K Lakin

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE EDUCATION SERVICE