St. Andrew’s MethodistPrimary School
Headteacher’s Newsletter
Spring 2018
Introduction
I would like to update you on some of the events that will be happening in the spring term. Youwill receive a Home/School Topic Letter from your child’s teacher, outlining work to be covered this half term. I hope you find these interesting, and useful, when supporting your child with homework. There are lots of useful information and photographs, about your child’s activities on the school website on their class blog.
Staffing
Welcome to Mr Baron, our new site officer. I know you will all make him feel very welcome, as he goes about his duties. We also welcome Mrs Bell who will be working as a teaching assistant in KS1.
Fundraising
The November Book Fair raised £360, which we were able to claim in books for school. This year, the whole amount was spent on supplementing the fiction books Year 3 and Year 4 are able to choose from, once they finish the Oxford Reading Tree scheme. The Toy Sale made a fantastic total of £346.18 which was used to help Santa say “Well done” to our children over the festive season! The school Disco and Christmas Raffle made a profit of £463, whilst the Christmas Cards you bought, designed by your children, raised £420. These monies have gone into School Fund to be spent directly on your children.
From collections taken from families, during our Christmas performances in school, we raised the sum of£100 which was donated to St Ann’s Hospice, as agreed by the School Council.
School Council
Bags 2 School
There will be a further clothes recycling collection on 20th April at 9am. The children will bring home a blue sack the week before. Please note though, that clothes and shoes can also be brought in bin liners. The heavier the bags, the more money we make!
Family Worship
Below are the dates for acts of Family Worship for this term. These are usually on a Friday morning at 9am.
The classes and dates for this term are as follows:
19th January: Y1
26th January: Y6
2ndFebruary: Reception Class
9th March: Y5
16th March: Y3
23rd March: Y4
Parental Partnership
Grace Thomas, our Family Support Worker, is available for parents and carers to speak to. She can be contacted, via, the school office, any day except Wednesdays.
Parent Governors
Two vacancies for parent governors were advertised in the autumn term. Several parents put themselves forward for nomination and a ballot was held. I pleased to inform you that Cora Griffin-Goy and Jillian Lynch were elected to serve, and I am sure they will represent the parents well in their new role. Congratulations to both of them.
Parent/Pupil Consultations
The spring term parent/pupil consultations will be held on Tuesday 20thMarch between3.30-6.30pm. All families will be allocated an appointment time and it is vital that you make every effort to attend. If there are exceptional circumstances that make it impossible for you to attend on this date, please speak to your child’s class teacher. I will be available on 20th March, but if you wish to contact me in advance to book an appointment, please feel free to do so. Pupils from Y2 to Y6 are asked to attend with their parents/carers.
SATS meetings
Children, who are in Y2 or Y6, will be formally assessed this year. Y6 pupils will take Key Stage 2 SATs in May, while Y2 pupils will be assessed over the spring and summer terms using an ongoing process. We are holding an information meeting for Y6 parents/carers on 13thMarch at 3.30pm, which we urge you to attend, or send a representative to.
Other Dates for Your Diary
Grace and Mawuli will be hosting an Internet Safety Coffee Morningon 9th February- all welcome.
The school health service will be in school to do routine Reception Class Height and Weight Checks on 9th February.
Break Up for Half Term: 16th February
World Book Day: 1stMarch (more details to follow)
Y6 London Trip. Mrs Hodgkinson and Mrs Lysons are taking Y6 on a special trip to London to visit the Houses of Parliament on 27th March. This is a wonderful opportunity for them and something they will always remember.
Break Up for 2 week Easter holiday: Thursday 29th March
Y5 will be attending weekly swimming lessons at Worsley Pool each Wednesday afternoon until February half term.
School Sport and Extra Curricular Activities
Tag Rugby
The two Y3 classes are having a series of Tag Rugby sessions, led by Sale Sharks. These commence on 11th January.
Dodgeball Competition
A mixed team from Year 3 and Year 4 will be taking part in a Dodgeball tournament at Broadoak Primary School on 26th January. Miss Smith will organise the team and communicate with parents/carers regarding this.
Football
The Football Association will be coming in each Tuesday for 6 weeks commencing the 27th Feb to work with Reception Class and Years 1, 2, and 5.
I include a list of the activities available this term, individual members of staff will send out further details.
Spring Term Clubs
Monday – Dodge ball Years 3 & 4
Tuesday - Dance Club Years 4 & 5
Thursday - Football Years 3 & 4- Kevin Smith
Attendance
Our school attendance target is 95%. Last term we achieved 95.9%.Well done toLily McDonough in Year 1 who was the lucky winner of last term’s 100% attendance prize- £25! At the end of the spring term, we will not only be giving a money prize to one of the children who has 100% attendance this term, their parents will also receive Tesco voucher.
You can keep in touch with all the day to day happenings in school on my headteacher’s blog on the school website. Thank you for your continued support with everything we do in school.
Mrs A Barker
Headteacher
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