PARENTS
NEWSLETTER
SUMMER TERM
2009
Singing School - Gold Award
Some months ago the government set up a national awards scheme to promote singing in schools. On the
strength of what we are already doing, we recently heard that we have been awarded ‘gold’. The regional
officer for the ‘sing up’ scheme will be visiting the school next week; with a view that we should be upgraded
to ‘platinum’.
Trim Trail and Play Park Swings
Using the proceeds from last Summer’s sponsorship we have, as from Thursday of this week, a new trim trail.
It is situated on the school field and is suitable for all our children. This in addition to the new swings
installed in the play park, provides new opportunities for children to improve their physical fitness.
Building Work
We have been fortunate in securing funding for a new, large group room, and replacement of the playground
outside toilets. The new facilities, which will be situated adjacent to classroom 13 and 14, will be used by
both the school and the Out of School Club.
In the present economic climate now is a good time for building work; construction will commence on
Monday of next week and will continue up to the middle of October. We are not anticipating any serious
disruption to school activities during this period but pedestrian access to the large playground will be
restricted. For the remainder of this term and the early part of the Autumn term it will not be possible to
access the large playground via the pedestrian gate adjacent to the hall. Parent/carers/children approaching
the building from the north ie the Twelvetree Avenue end will need to come via the Reception classes
playground.
Instrumental Music Lessons
We are currently recruiting for 2009/10. If you are interested in your child starting to learn a musical
instrument:
violin, cello
- Years 2 and 3
Brass
- Years 3 and 4
Woodwind or Drum - Year 4
please call in to the school office and ask for future details.
Walk (Cycle) to School Week
Throughout Walk (Cycle) to School Week, which was the week immediately before the half term break, we
made a record of how children had travelled to school each day. The percentage of children using each mode
of travel was as follows:
Walking 57%
Cycling 19%
Vehicle 27%.
This is an excellent result with more than three-quarters of our children having come to school ‘under their
own steam’ with all the resultant benefits of fresh air and exercise.
Parent/Carer concerns about how their child is being treated by another child
It is not unusual in schools that, on occasions, individual children have disagreements with other children.
Teachers and support staff are very skilled at dealing with such situations. We need to remind parent/carers
that should they be concerned about how their child is being treated by another child, they must take this
concern to their child’s class teacher. Under no circumstances should a parent/carer take it upon themselves
to approach a child, for whom they have no parental responsibility, about such matters. Indeed, approaching
other children to admonish or warn them, places the parent/carer concerned at risk of legal action being taken
against them.
Healthy Lifestyles Week: Whole School Run
Monday 15th June is our 'Great School Run' day. Children from Year 1 upwards will have the opportunity to
run in the region of 1mile [for older children this will be closer to 2 km]. This activity needs to be well
marshalled; parent help would be much appreciated [offers of help either to Miss Jones in Class 9 or via the
school office]. The run will start at 11:15 for Years 1 and 2, and 11.45 for the older children. Although
children will be encouraged to run the full distance, we expect that most of them will resort to walking at
times!
Excellence Awards Assembly, Friday 10 July
Two children from each class will be awarded a certificate during the Excellence Assembly to be held on
Friday 10 July. The focus this term is ‘Being a Good Friend’. Parents are welcome to attend. The assembly
will start at approximately 9.00am.
Uniform and general appearance
We remind parents of a few matters concerning school uniform and general appearance.
 children’s footwear must be sturdy and safe, without excessive heels. Ideally children should
wear black shoes. Trainers should only be worn during PE/ sporting activities.
 With the exception of small stud earrings, jewellery is not allowed at school; neither is make up.
 Radical hair styles including shaven heads, tramlines and patterns cut into the hair, and excessive
use of gel are not acceptable.
Pupil Reports, 2009/10 Classes
Teachers are currently working hard on compiling reports for pupils they teach. Reports will go out on Friday
10th July. Notification of which class children have been allocated for 2009/ 10 will be given on that same
day. Parents need to know that this year we will be reconstituting classes at the end of Years 1, 2 and 4. This
is to ensure there is an even mix of ability and social skills across classes, and to encourage children to extend
their friendship groups. A decision has been made that in this next school year we will have three classes in
every year group. Classes within each year group will be even in size; there will be no mixed aged classes.
Pupil Attendance
Attendance data is regularly collected and reported to the Local Authority and DCSF. The attendance
percentage for our school for the academic year 2008/ 09 [up to 22 May 2008] was 96.21%. We continue to
be well above the national average. Our thanks to parents for getting their children to school, and on time.
Once again we are planning to award certificates to those children who have attained 100% attendance from
the beginning of the school year. A presentation will be made to these children at a special assembly on
Thursday 16 July. In order to determine which children should be given an award a very careful check is
made of the attendance records. It has to be 100% attendance; right up to the day of the assembly. No
mitigating circumstances are taken into account.
School Term & Holiday Dates
A list, giving the latest information about school term and holidays dates, is enclosed with this newsletter.
Please be aware that some of these dates do not coincide with those of other Werrington Schools - this is
particularly the case for the Autumn Term 2010 when we will be starting and finishing later than other local
schools.
Summer Term Events
JUNE
Week beginning 8th June
Monday 8
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10
Thursday 11
Friday 12
Week beginning 15th June
Monday 15
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17
Friday 19
Tuesday 23
Wednesday 24
Thursday 25
Friday 26
Tuesday 30
JULY
Wednesday 1
Friday 3
Monday 6
Tuesday 7
Wednesday 8
Friday 10
Monday 13
Tuesday 14
Wednesday 15
Friday 17
10-14 August
P R Williams
Headteacher
Book Week and Sponsorship Week
Vivien French [Author] visiting school [Books will be available for purchase]
Book Fair arrives
2.45-4.00pm Book Fair in main hall
Year 3 visit to Snettisham Farm Park
2.45-4.00pm Book Fair in main hall
2.45-4.00pm Book Fair in main hall
2.45-4.00pm Book Fair in Activity Hall
Healthy Lifestyles Week.
Morning Workout
Whole School Run
pm Kwik Cricket tournament at Castor Cricket Club
2.00-3.00pm Reception Induction [Group 1 Session 1]
Class 11L visiting Lyvden New Bield
Assembly: Class 3B
2.00-3.00pm Reception Induction [Group 1 Session 2]
2.15-3.00pm Strings Concert in the Main Hall
7.00pm Secondary Transfer meeting for parents of Year 5 children
12.15pm Buddy Picnic
Year 2 Creepy Crawly Day
6.30pm Music Evening
Assembly: Class 19HC
Year 6 visit to the WW1 Battlefields in Belgium
Year 6 Secondary school visits
2.00-3.00pm Reception Induction [Group 2 Session 1]
6.00pm Derbyshire Meeting for parents of Year 5 children
Year 6 Secondary school visits
Assembly: Class 6R
Year 6 Cycle ride
School Association BBQ
Year 4 Residential visit to Grafham Water Centre [until Wednesday]
Year 5 visiting Sacrewell Farm
2.00-3.00pm Reception Induction [Group 2 Session 2]
Year 4 return from Grafham Water Centre
Excellence Assembly [Choir to perform]
Reports go out to parents
Last swimming session [Year 4]
Year 6 Concert to parents [afternoon & evening]
Sports Day
Alternative Sports Day
6.30-8.30pm Year 6 Leavers Disco
Leavers Service
Last day of Term
‘Showstoppers’ Holiday Club at Emmanuel Church
4 June 2009
SCHOOL TERM & HOLIDAY DATES [and Professional Days for Teaching Staff]
Spring Term opens
Half Term
Spring Term closes
2008/2009 SCHOOL YEAR
Tuesday 6th January 2009
16th to 20th February [inclusive]
Friday 3rd April
Summer Term opens
May Day
Half Term
Summer Term closes
Tuesday 21st April
Monday 4th May
25th to 29th May [inclusive]
Friday 17th July
Autumn Term opens
Half Term
Autumn Term closes
2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR
Wednesday 9th September 2009
26th to 30th October [inclusive]
Friday 18th December
Spring Term opens
Half Term
Spring Term closes
2010
Tuesday 5th January 2010
15th to 19th February [inclusive]
Friday 26th March
Summer Term opens
May Day
Half Term
Summer Term closes
Tuesday 13th April 2010
Monday 3rd May
31st May to 4th June [inclusive]
Friday 23rd July
Autumn Term opens
Half Term
Autumn Term closes
2010/2011 SCHOOL YEAR
Wednesday 8th September 2010
25th to 29th October [inclusive]
Wednesday 22nd December
Spring Term opens
Half Term
Spring Term closes
2011
Wednesday 5th January 2011
21st to 25th February [inclusive]
Friday 8th April
Summer Term opens
May Day
Half Term
Summer Term closes
Wednesday 27th April 2011
Monday 2nd May
30th May to 3thJune [inclusive]
Thursday 21st July
Professional Days [teachers only in School on these dates]
2009/2010
7th and 8th September, 4th January, 12th April, 5th day disaggregated
2010/2011
6th and 7th September, 4th January, 25th and 26th April
Pupil Assessment Dates
2009/2010
2 weeks in November: 16-20th November and 23-27th November 2009
2 weeks in May:
2-7th May and 10-14th May 2010
Please note that although every effort is made to ensure that our term dates coincide with those of local schools,
there may be one or two variations.
P R Williams
Headteacher
Revised June 2009