“Learning and Growing Together”
Church Langley Way, Harlow, Essex, CM17 9TH – Tel: 01279 629427
www.churchlangley.essex.sch.uk
Head teacher: Stacey Ward
10th September 2014
Newsletter One
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! We hope you all enjoyed a relaxing summer break with your children, who have evidently
returned to school refreshed and ‘Ready to Learn’, which is wonderful. A warm welcome to those families who
have children starting school at Church Langley Primary for the very first time, we look forward to working in
close partnership with you over the coming years.
We welcome three new members of staff too:
Miss Prior – a new teacher in Year 5
Mrs Keill – a new teacher working in the Foundation Stage
Miss Walker – a new learning support assistant, who will be working closely with Miss Lewis in Year 1 – we
hope they will all be very happy within our setting and are confident they will each make a positive
contribution to the education of those children they are teaching.
The return to school has been particularly ‘eventful’ in view of our OFSTED inspection just five days in to the
new academic year (our Reception children had been in school for just two days when the inspectors arrived!)
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who went onto the Parentview site to complete the
parent survey for your feedback and positive comments, and to those of you who spoke to inspectors at the
school gate. I will inform you when the report is finalised and published.
Golden Rules and Child of the Week
We have already been speaking with the children, during assemblies and class discussions, about our
expectations, reinforcing the importance of following the school’s Golden Rules. It has been explained to all
pupils that the much coveted ‘Child of the Week’ award will be given to those children who follow the school
rules, without reservation, and who consistently participate as active learners within lessons. This means
attending fully to adult instruction and to the comments of others, responding actively by answering
questions, offering ideas and opinions and working consistently to the very best of their ability; whilst at the
same time showing respect for others and the school environment. Child of the Week was introduced to
acknowledge and reward the conduct and positive learning behaviours of those children who always choose to
do the right thing; we hope this clarifies our expectations regarding which children are likely to receive this
accolade and why.
A few gentle reminders
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Parents of children in KS2, please sure that dinner money is paid on Monday for all meals to be taken
during the week. School dinners cost £2.00 per day; please place money in an envelope clearly marked
with your child’s name, the name of their class teacher and the days on which they require a meal. If you
wish to pay by cheque, please make these payable to Church Langley Primary School, writing your child’s
full name on the reverse of the cheque.
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The school operates a strict no jewellery policy. ALL items of jewellery MUST be removed before the
children come into school, including ear-rings. There can be no exceptions to this policy.
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All children are required to wear black shoes to school.
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Children are only allowed to bring a small bag to school; one that will fit comfortably inside their personal
drawer without blocking the movement of other children’s trays. If bags are too large the children will be
asked to leave them at home. Over-sized bags were becoming a health and safety issue, falling on the
floor in cloakrooms, making it difficult for children to hang coats up properly, etc. and were thereby
creating trip hazards in all corridors. Please comply with this request for the safety of all members of
our school community.
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Please ensure that all uniform is clearly labelled, with your child’s full name (not just initials) in indelible
ink; this will assist us in returning misplaced items to their rightful owner.
Reporting Absence
If your child is unwell and unable to attend school we ask that you ring the office from 8.30 a.m. to report
the reason for their absence. Where a period of absence lasts for more than three days parents will be
asked to provide proof of the reason for absence, this may be in the form of an appointment card; prescribed
medication, etc. a doctor’s letter is NOT required.
Often when children are unwell they are given a course of medication that lasts longer than their illness! We
are very happy for your child to return to school with medication, which we will administer on your behalf, as
long as a parent/guardian comes into the office to complete an authorisation form. All medication should be
brought into school and collected by an adult; children will not be permitted to assume this responsibility.
Attendance Matters
It is important that children attend school regularly on time, every day in order to benefit fully from the
education provided by school. However, on those occasions when children are unwell we would ask that
parents telephone school between 8.30 and 8.50 to report the reasons for the child’s absence.
Leave of Absence during Term Time
Holidays during term time are not permitted.
The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 were amended as of 1st September 2013. All
references to family holidays and extended leave were removed, together with the right for parents to apply
for up to ten days holiday during term time. Head teachers are no longer permitted to grant leave of
absence during term time, unless there are highly exceptional circumstances.
Food Allergies
We currently have a number of children, and members of staff, in school who have quite severe nut allergies,
for which they have emergency medication. In view of this, we ask that children throughout the school DO
NOT bring any nut based products to school in their packed lunch box, i.e. no Nutella, peanut butter, nuts
or nutty sweets. We really do appreciate your co-operation in complying with this request, as your support is
essential in keeping our pupils, who have allergies, safe. Thank you.
Thank you for your kindness
You may recall, towards the end of the summer term that I wrote to you on behalf of parents who were
collecting money to support a child within our school who had suffered bereavement. Your kindness and
generosity was greatly appreciated by the family; I received a letter of thanks form the child’s aunt whose
message I would like to share with you:
‘On behalf of Molly, Max Jay my brother Mike and myself I would like to thank all the mums who have
supported us through the last couple of weeks. We truly appreciate all the help you have given us and
continual support means so very much… Your very kind gift will be used setting Molly, Max and Jay up in their
own home. Thank you all so very, very much.’
Head teacher’s Coffee Afternoons
Last term I hosted Coffee Morning on a Wednesday; to provide parents with an informal opportunity to come
into school for a chat, to ask any questions they may have and share ideas and suggestions for school
improvement. It was lovely to meet with those people who were able to attend and hear their feedback or
simply enjoy a ‘natter’.
This term I have increased my teaching commitments and am unable to host coffee morning each week.
However, I still welcome the opportunity to meet informally with parents and will therefore be hosting
Coffee Afternoons, from 2.30 p.m. on the following Mondays:
Monday 29th September
Monday 6th October
Monday 20th October
Monday 10th November
Monday 24th November
Monday 15th December
I look forward to chatting with you over tea/coffee.
Flu Vaccination
The NHS, in conjunction, with Essex schools is offering every school aged child immunisation against the flu
virus. The vaccination is given in the form of a nasal spray, so there are NO NEEDLES involved. Our
vaccination day is the 7th October. The vaccination will be administered by fully trained NHS staff and is
offered to all children within school. The children are coming home this evening with an information leaflet
and consent form, please take time to read this carefully and return your consent form to school as soon as
possible, but before Monday 29th September at the latest.
Dates for your Diary
We have been busy throughout the summer holiday planning events for this term, which promises to be as
jam-packed with fun and interesting learning opportunities as any other. To assist you in planning your
schedules - in the hope that you may be able to come along and support your child in school activities - we
include a calendar of events arranged to date. Invariably additional events will be added, but we will
endeavour to give as much notice as possible about these.
All class assemblies will take place at 2.30 p.m. on Friday afternoon unless otherwise stated and all family
members are invited to join us for these. However, we ask that pre-school children who become noisy or
restless are taken out of the hall so as not to distract the children presenting assembly and to enable other
visitors to enjoy the assembly without disruption. Again I thank you in anticipation of your co-operation in
this respect.
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19th September –Miss Maslen’s Class Assembly
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Tuesday 23rd September Parent Information Evening:
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Reception Classes and Years 3 and 4 – 6.30-7.30 p.m.
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Years 1, 2, 5 and 6 – 8.00 – 9.00 p.m.
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It is very important that parents endeavour to attend these meetings (at least one parent per child) as
staff will be sharing information about expectations, curriculum delivery, groupings, timetable
arrangements, etc. We look forward to seeing you, but request that you do not bring children along.
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Friday 26th September - World’s LARGEST Coffee Morning in support of Macmillan Cancer Research 9.15 – 11.30 a.m. Please come in and enjoy tea/coffee and cake with your friends and loved ones in support
of a very worthy cause.
Friday 26th September – Sport for All Afternoon – 1.45 p.m. - 3.00 p.m. Please feel free to bring
grandparents and family members along to support your child’s House Team in an array of sporting
activities.
3rd October – Miss Lewis’ Class Assembly
Tuesday 7th October – Flu Immunisation – more information to follow shortly from the NHS
Wednesday 8th October – Children in Years 2, 3 and 5 to Thurrock Cinema for screening of the BBC’s ‘Ten
Pieces’ programme. You can find out more about this new and exciting project by looking on the BBC
website; suffice it to say Ten Pieces id designed to engage children with ten carefully selected pieces of
classical music, that the children will listen to, hopefully enjoy and appraise.
10th October – Miss Johnson’s Class Assembly
Wednesday 15th October – Anti-Bullying Day – Many of you will recall that last year we had a big focus
designed to raise children’s awareness of different forms of bullying and what to do if they felt they
were being bullied. In order to build on the excellent work undertaken we shall henceforth be having an
annual Anti-Bullying Event, of which this is the first. Parents are invited to join us for this special day at
the following times:
- Parents of children in Reception Classes – 9.00 – 10.00 a.m.
- Year One Parents – 10.00 – 11.00 a.m.
- Year Two Parents – 11.00 – 12.00 a.m.
- Parents of children in Years 3, 4 and 5 are invited for the afternoon session 1.30 – 3.20 p.m.
- Parents of children in Year 6 are invited to spend the whole day in school working alongside their
children; you are welcome to stay for lunch but we will need to ascertain numbers nearer the time.
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16 October – Individual and Family Photographs - photographers will be in school to photograph family
groups and individuals. All children registered in school will automatically have their photograph taken on
their own, as will siblings who are in school regardless of which classes they are in. However there is also
an opportunity for children in school to have their photograph taken with pre-school siblings. If you would
like your school-aged child photographed with pre-school siblings please bring all children to the main
school hall from 8.30 a.m. on 16th October. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR SCHOOL AGED CHILD TO
CLASS FIRST – we will take their photograph then send them to class.
17th October – Miss Edmondson’s Class Assembly
Friday 24th October – School breaks for the half term holiday at normal times
Monday 3rd November – children return to school after the half term break
Week beginning 10th November – Remembrance Week
Friday 14th November – VE PARTY for everybody in school. We ask that children dress as if living in the
1940s for this day in order to give our VE celebrations an authentic feel and to develop children’s historic
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understanding of an important time in British history. Please start preparing your costumes ASAP so that
nobody is left out.
Friday 21st November – Miss Ellam’s Class Assembly
Thursday 27th November – Christmas Bazaar straight after school – donations will be collected nearer the
time
Friday 28th November – Miss Huff’s Class Assembly
Friday 5th December – NON-PUPIL DAY – school will be closed to all pupils
Thursday 11th December – KS1 Nativity Performances – 10.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. – information about ticket
allocation will be shared nearer the time
Friday 12th December – KS1 Nativity Performance – 1.30 p.m.
Tuesday 16th December – KS2 Carol Concert – 7.00 p.m. All welcome – please note this takes place outside
so performers and audience will need to wrap up warm!
Tuesday 16th December – KS1 Christmas Dinner – every child in KS2 will need a packed lunch on this day
Wednesday 17th December – KS2 Christmas Dinner – every child in KS1 will have a packed lunch on this
day
Thursday 18th December – KS1 Christmas ‘Golden Time’ Party – children in KS1 do not have to wear their
school uniform on party day; they should wear their party clothes instead! (Children in KS2 do still need
to wear uniform).
Friday 19th December – KS2 Christmas ‘Golden Time’ Party/Disco – children in KS2 do not need to wear
uniform today (but children in KS1 do need to wear uniform).
Friday 19th December – SCHOOL CLOSES FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS – normal exit times
Monday 5th January – all children return to school after the Christmas holiday period
Advance Notice – on Wednesday 7th January school will close to ALL children at MIDDAY. This is to
facilitate a time during the afternoon when parents of children in Years 1 – 6 can meet with their child’s
maths teacher. Appointments will be allocated between 1.00 and 6.00 p.m.
We are advising you of this event now, so as to give you ample time to make child care arrangements for your
child during the afternoon of the 7th January. Exit times from the school gate on this day will be as follows:
Children in the Reception Classes will come out at 11.50 a.m.
Children in Year 1 will come out to the gate at 11.55 a.m.
Children in Year 2 and KS2 will come out to their respective gates at 12 o’clock.
I apologise for the mammoth content of this newsletter, but there is a lot of information to share and we are
conscious – from feedback received – that you are keen to have as much advance notice of events as possible;
we will endeavour to continue providing this throughout the year.
I look forward to seeing you all at Parent Information Evening, Sports for All afternoon, forthcoming
assemblies, performances and coffee mornings.
Kind regards,
Stacey Ward.
Head teacher