Notices

Notices

Barlaston C.E. (VC) First School

Newsletter –April 2008

Welcome back to the start of the Summer Term. Hope you all enjoyed the Easter holiday.

Personal Possessions

Our own money and possessions are really important to us all. In fact they play a large part in our feelings of security and well-being. However bringing personal possessions and excessive money to school is not necessary or appropriate. It can lead to disputes of ownership and loss, both of which take teachers time away from their prime role as educators and cause distress to children.

To help your child please do not let him/her bring any toys, games, balls etc. to school. If your child brings pencils, rubbers etc. please make sure the pencil case is marked with their name and only items necessary for school work are brought.

Sun Care – in readiness for the good weather!

The damage that can be caused by over exposure to the sun is now widely acknowledged. Too much sun can cause skin damage including sunburn, premature ageing and skin cancer. Skin cancer is now the second most common cause of cancer in the UK with over 40,000 new cases and 1,800 deaths each year. This is an issue for all ages, but extra care needs to be taken with children as sunburn in childhood can lead to long term skin damage.

Parents to protect your children in sunny weather please:-

 send them to school with a hat, broad-brimmed are best as they protect both the face and neck

 if you wish send sunglasses, which can be worn unless they are taking part in physical activities

 apply sunscreen before your child comes to school

 send sunscreens, labelled with your child’s name, to be applied, as required

 encourage them to wear loose fitting clothes whenever they are not participating in physical activities

 send them to school daily with clean water in their water bottle

In sunny weather, the children use the field, which offers shade under the trees. The children are able to have regular drinks from the water fountain as well as their own drinks they bring from home.

On Sports Day there will be plenty to drink if the weather is hot.
By following this advice we will keep our children safe from over exposure to the sun.

Money

Dinner money and milk money need to be in separate envelopes each marked with your child’s name, class and amount.
Tuck money. This should be in a named purse and contain only the amount needed to buy their tuck. Any change needs to be put straight back into the purse, and returned to the class ‘tuck box.’
Any child found in possession of large sums of money will have the money taken off them, for safe keeping, until parents can be contacted.

please turn over…………..

Library

Our village library closed on Saturday 29th March and will be replaced by a mobile library from this month. The mobile library will sometimes operate from the Village Hall car park and it is our intention to visit every alternate Tuesday afternoon starting on 15th April.
Then on the following dates this term: 29th April, 13th May, 3rd & 17th June, 1st & 15th July.

Photographer

The photographer is in school on Tuesday 29th April. If you would like a family group photograph please bring any young children, who do not attend this school, at 8.45am. Family group photographs will be taken first.

Vouchers

We continue to collect vouchers from Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s.

P.E.

P.E. is an important part of the National Curriculum, helping to develop co-ordination, physical fitness and an ability to work with others. Now the weather is hopefully improving all children will, whenever possible, go outside for their games lessons.
Please ensure your child has a P.E. kit, including T-shirt and shorts as well as a change of shoes either pumps or trainers all named, in school, ready for lessons.

Violins

It is hoped that in September violin tuition will again be available for pupils in Years 3 and 4. However to enable this to be organised we need to know how many children would wish to take part. As we use Music Service staff there is a cost involved. The costs will be £45 per term for tuition plus approximately £12 insurance cost to hire a violin.
If your child will be in Year 3 or 4 from September and you wish them to have lessons, please complete the reply slip.

Family Worship

Family worship will take place on Friday morning as usual at 9.05am except for Friday 25th April when it will be 3pm.

Sports Day Date

Sports Afternoon – 1.30pm Friday 20th June & Reserve Day is – 1.30pm Friday 27th June.

Holidays

Half term – Monday 26th May to Friday 30th May
Staff Training Day (School closed for pupils) - Monday 2nd June
School re-opens Tuesday 3rd June
School closes for Summer holidays – Friday 18th July at 3.30pm

PTA

Bag2School Jumble bags will need to be in school by Tuesday 15th April.
Plant orders – need to be in school by this Friday 11th April.
Summer Fair – Saturday 14th June
Next PTA Committee Meeting is at 2.15pm on Wednesday 16th April at school. All are welcome to attend, new ideas and support are always needed.

Barlaston C.E. (VC) First School

Dear Parents

Many of you will have heard of one of the Governments latest initiatives regarding Workforce Reform and Remodelling. We felt that it would be really useful for you, as parents, to have a greater understanding of what this will actually mean to your child. Workforce Reform and Remodelling has been ongoing since September 2003 with complete implementation statutory by September 2005.

Remodelling is about:

 making the best use of the skills of ALL staff

 developing our thinking about learning and teaching

 raising standards – for children and for communities

 giving expert attention for individual children’s needs

 helping to provide greater consistency and care

 freeing teachers to teach (previously about 30% of teacher’s time was spent on non-teaching related activities)

 the right person in the right place at the right time doing the right thing

 providing opportunities to enrich and broaden the curriculum

Essentially, all schools are having to reconsider their workforce to take account of government requirements. The Department of Education and Skills (DfES) is introducing some statutory changes, which aim to improve teaching in our schools. Central to their plan is the ‘Reform of the School Workforce’.

This aims to:

 continue to raise standards for pupils and staff in school

 free teachers to teach, plan and assess pupil’s learning

 develop a career structure for support staff

 improve training for support staff

 increase the number of new teachers and retain those already in post

Education support staff include:

 nursery nurses

 teaching assistants

 technicians

Support staff in schools are already taking on a greater number of tasks during the school day. Teachers will always remain in charge of your child’s education, but will be using the skills of other educational staff in order to deliver the most effective curriculum for each child.

Implications for you and your child
This means that as well as the class teacher, other qualified, skilled staff will sometimes be supporting your child and/or the class, in certain subjects and areas of the curriculum. Other teachers and support staff, who may be supporting the teaching of your child, will be trained, skilled and have the knowledge, to deliver specific work within the curriculum

i.e. A teaching assistant might greet your child first thing in the morning and listen to and answer any concerns you may have.

Sports coaches, dance or musical experts etc. may take groups of pupils or whole classes during the day.

Teachers should now have more time to concentrate planning, preparing and assessing your child’s progress (at least 10% of their teaching timetable).

At Barlaston we are working very hard to develop education, so it benefits all our pupils and supports them in achieving their potential.

We hope this letter has been informative and helps clarify any concerns you may have. However, should you wish to discuss this further, please feel free to contact me at school and I will gladly assist in any way I can.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

H I Sharp
Headteacher