From this month's newsletter
Dear Parents and Friends
Didn’t the Christmas holidays fly? I hope you all had enjoyable times with your families and friends and that Santa brought something from your Christmas lists.
We’re in the second week back of school now and the children are busily working on their new themes and topics in class. Decorations are down, role play areas have been changed and there’s a real learning buzz in school.
This Friday (13th January) is our last Open Day for parents to put their children’s names on the local authority admissions list to start in Asmall Reception Class next September (2012). The closing date for all applications is this Sunday 15th September. If you know of any child who is going to be four on or before 31st August this year, please let them know about our Open Day. All parents and friends of children already in school are always welcome to look around on Open Days. It is a good chance to see your children at work and to speak to teachers in class. Children always like to see their parents in school, so please do take this opportunity to join us on Friday morning.
We have lots of events and visitors planned this term which will supplement our curriculum. Classes 1 and 2 are focusing on outer space in their topics, whilst Classes 3 and 4 are concentrating on safety. We will all be thinking about road safety, with our older children doing some work on safer cycling too. I’m sure the children will keep you informed as the term progresses and I look forward to their class assembly presentations of learning later in the term.
We are so fortunate in a small school to have such a large team of staff. This enables us to work with classes, groups and even individual children throughout the week. Our SEAL and booster groups have started again this week; all children will be involved in small group support during the term…. these enable us to identify strengths and areas for development and to help children, particularly with reading, writing and maths, on a daily or weekly basis. This can be seen particularly at 11.30am each morning when the children divide into their phonics / spelling groups. They are so eager to learn and the programme is fun and motivating. All staff completed further phonics training at the start of term, and we have received a grant to buy more resources, so watch out for more spelling patterns and games in the coming weeks!
I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.
Mrs Michelle Speak, Headteacher
