Willoughby Primary School
Church Lane
Willoughby on the Wolds
Loughborough
Leics.LE12 6SS
Tel: 01509 880620 Fax: 01509 881834
Email: head@willoughby.notts.sch.uk
Head Teacher: Mr Alan Guilder
‘Learning For Life’
2015 July
Dear Parents/Carers
As we race towards the end of another school year, I write this final newsletter with some
updates and information to the end of term and details for the new academic year.
This issue contains:
 Quality Assurance Visit
 Key dates for your diary
 Next year’s classes
 News from the Chair of Governors
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Financial Information
Guilder Trophy Winners
Reports and Open Afternoon
Safety First
Quality Assurance Visit – ‘Maintaining good or better effectiveness’
Willoughby Primary School is identified by Ofsted as an ‘outstanding school’ and therefore we are
not routinely inspected, although we do remain subject to a short-notice inspection as do other
schools. Nottinghamshire L.A. recently conducted its own Quality Assurance visit of our school,
where they interviewed both myself and Chair of Governors, looked at the school environment and
saw pupils working and evidence of their written work. A whole variety of evidence was looked at
to support our self-evaluation and a detailed external analysis of achievement was considered. I
am delighted to report that we were judged as ‘Maintaining good or better effectiveness’ needing
no support and retained as a ‘low/no risk’ (category 1 or 2) school.
Key dates for your diary
Listed below are some key dates for your diary. I would particularly like to bring to your
attention details for the final week of term:
On Monday 20th July we will be holding an Outdoor Adventurous Activities day at the Community
Park. Children are invited to bring a small tent to school. (If you are able to help put these up,
can you be at the park for 9.15am/for taking down, from 3pm). All children should bring a packed
lunch as no hot dinners will be available. (No fizzy drinks please).
Sports day is on the afternoon of Tuesday 21st July and again will take place at the Community
Park, beginning at approximately 1.15pm.
Wednesday 22nd July is our Leavers’ Service, which takes place at Willoughby Church. We will
make a prompt start at 2.45pm as we have eight year 6 leavers’ this year. All are invited to
attend.
Dates List:
July
w/c 6th
Weds 8th
Weds 15th
Thurs 16th
Mon 20th
Tues 21st
Weds 22nd
French week
Devizes Clothing Collection
Whole School visit to Twycross Zoo
Water Safety Assembly
Open Afternoon – from 3:15pm
Outdoor Adventurous Activities day – details above
Sports day – details above
Leavers’ Service – details above
September
Thurs 3rd
Children start back to school (Autumn term)
Next Years Classes
The structure of classes for next year will be:
KS1 - Class 1 (Reception/Year 1 & 2)
KS2 - Class 2 (Years 3-6 inclusive)
Within this structure, the Reception group (9 pupils) will have Mrs Dornan as their key adult. Year
1 (6 pupils) and Year 2 (8 pupils) will be taught by Mrs Marshall on Monday, Tuesday and alternate
Wednesdays and Mrs Tomlinson will teach on alternate Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I am
also delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Brooks, who will provide extra support across
the school, but mainly within the KS1 setting.
Within the Key Stage 2 setting, the Upper and Lower key stages will be taught separately on
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. When together the class size will be 20 pupils in total,
with Mr Guilder taking responsibility for learning in Years 3 & 4 (10 pupils) and Miss Smith Years 5
& 6 (10 pupils). Mrs Griffin will be providing extra support within the KS2 class.
In summary the structure is now:
Year
Reception (Foundation 2)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Class
Class 1
Class 1
Class 1
Class 2
Class 2
Class 2
Class 2
Key Stage Group
F2 (Foundation 2)
KS1
KS1
KS2 (lower KS2)
KS2 (lower KS2)
KS2 (upper KS2)
KS2 (upper KS2)
News from the Chair of Governors
The Governors have a responsibility for the strategy and vision of the school. I had previously
mentioned that the Governors would be meeting on 19th May, in addition to our regular termly
meeting on 13th May, to focus on ‘strategy for a confident future’. We must ensure that we are
thinking ahead about the challenges of funding and fluctuating pupil numbers, and that our vision
for the school is sustained. The minutes and actions from the meeting are available from school
or from me. There will be more about this next term.
Simon Rose’s term of office as governor ends in mid-July and he has decided not to renew his
membership. Simon, though also having interest in the school as a parent, has formally been the
governor representing the local authority. With his business and organisational experience, he has
contributed greatly to the governance of the school. So we are very grateful to him for his time
and energy, especially in leading on matters of school finances.
We now have two vacancies for school governors, so I encourage you to give some thought to
whether you could contribute to the life of the school in this way. Financial analysis experience
would be especially useful. Perhaps you know someone outside the school community who could
contribute as a co-opted governor. Contact me if you want to know more.
Returning to one of the governors’ key roles, next year the school will be building a new forwardlooking vision, ‘Vision 2022’. We’ll be working with Alan Guilder and his team, and also with pupil
council and parents’ representatives, on that. It’s important that everyone has an opportunity to
contribute.
The governors wish the whole school community a great summer. We look forward to the next
school year with confidence.
adrianbath@gmail.com
Financial information
The School Governors’ Year End Financial Statement 2014/15 is available for those who have a
particular interest. Please email or ask in the office if you would like a copy of this. If this is an
area you do feel interested in please consider (as Adrian has eluded to above), exploring becoming
a governor.
Guilder Trophy Winners
Congratulations to the recent winners of the Guilder Trophy, selected for their hard work and
effort:5/6/15 – Samuel M (Y6)
26/6/15 – Isla N (Y3)
12/6/15 – Jack J (2)
3/7/15 – Alice W (Y6)
Reports and Open Afternoon
All children should receive their report for this year on Friday 10th July. Apart from end of KS1
(Year 2) and end of KS2 (Year 6), the government have stopped the reporting of levels with the
change to a new National Curriculum. An explanation of these changes is contained within the
report, along with an invitation to our Open Afternoon on Thursday 16th July (from 3:15pm), when
you will be able to look at your child’s work, with them alongside you. Please could you send back
the slip within the report to acknowledge that you have received your child’s report.
Safety First
As we head towards the Summer holidays can I ask that you highlight with your child the need to
stay safe, both in terms of knowing where your child is, who they are with and what they are
doing.
In children aged 6-17 the major cause of injuries are:
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Road accidents – as a pedestrian or cyclist
Falls – in playgrounds and taking part in sports
Please help your child weigh up risks whilst enjoying their summer holidays.
As school can you help us enforce:
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No children on the boundary walls
No children playing on playground, including climbing frames outside school hours
Keeping a watchful eye on pre-school children
Staying off the grass bank – especially when wet, outside school hours
Scooters not to be ridden inside the school gates
Encourage children to stay on the pavement outside school and not wander out onto Church
Lane.
These key messages will help to ensure the happiness and safety of all our children.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy summer holiday and thank you for your
support throughout the year.
Yours sincerely
Alan Guilder
Head Teacher