5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
Safeguarding Children As part of their curriculum, the children learn how to keep themselves safe. The following website has been set up by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to offer parents and schools advice on how to raise safeguarding awareness with children. There is a notable section called ‘The Underwear Rule’ which is of particular support and guidance to parents. The website also offers advice regarding ‘online safety’ and how to obtain support or advice regarding the safeguarding of children. www.nspcc.org.uk
Uniform Information & School Uniform Purchases The Primary uniform can be purchased through the Khalsa Schoolwear website or can be bought at Khalsa Schoolwear shop in Bethnal Green. To save on the cost of delivery charges, Khalsa Schoolwear does a school delivery once every month. You can find further details of the delivery dates on their website or you can ask the reception office staff.
• • • • • • • •
We expect every child to be in full uniform every day with their top button done up and wearing their tie All coats must be plain black Shoes must be plain black – no trainers, plimsolls or boots! If you are not sure about the types of shoes that are part of our uniform policy, please ask. Please label every item of clothing One pair of plain stud earrings can be worn Nail polish is not allowed Jewellery is not permitted Long hair for both boys and girls must be tied back. Hair decorations must be small and plain and match the school uniform
Important reminders •
Schools starts at 8.45am (8.35am for Year 3 & Year 4). It is important that your child arrives on time every day so that the teachers can start the lesson promptly. The school gate will be open from 8.25am and will close at 8.45am.
•
School finishes at 3.45pm (3.35pm for Year 3 & Year 4) every day other than Tuesday when we finish at 3.00pm (2.50pm for Year 3 & Year 4).
•
If any of your details have changed e.g. your address or phone number – please ensure you contact the office to inform us, so that we can update our records and contact you in case of an emergency.
•
Please ensure your child attends school every day and on time. If your child is sick then you must call the office to let us know by 8.15am. If your child has a medical appointment you must let us know in advance.
2 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
From Tam Broadway – Primary Headteacher As always, the children and staff have worked incredibly hard to make this term a wonderful one. On behalf of all the Primary staff we would like to thank you for your tremendous support this term and take this opportunity to wish you all a restful break and a Happy Easter. The children return to school on Tuesday 23rd April at the usual time. The Pupil Progress Reports will be sent out to you on Friday 26th April and the Parent Progress Meetings will take place on Tuesday 30th April; school will finish at 12.15pm on this day.
Absences immediately before or after a school holiday If your child is absent before or after a school holiday we must see evidence for the absence. This may be medical evidence if your child is unwell, or evidence of flight delays or circumstances beyond your control. We cannot authorise any absences before or after a holiday without this evidence and you risk being issued with a penalty n�tice.
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
3
Stop norovirus spreading this winter Norovirus, sometimes known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’, is the most common stomach bug in the UK, affecting people of all ages. It is highly contagious and is transmitted by contact with contaminated surfaces, an infected person, or consumption of contaminated food or water. The symptoms of norovirus are very distinctive – people often report a sudden onset of nausea followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Good hand hygiene is important to stop the spread of the virus. People are advised to: • Wash their hands thoroughly using soap and water and drying them after using the toilet, before preparing food and eating • Not rely on alcohol gels as these do not kill the virus An infection with norovirus is self-limiting and most people will make a full recovery in 1-2 days. It is important to keep hydrated – especially children and the elderly. Do not visit either A&E or GPs with symptoms as this may spread the virus. Further information and advice is available from NHS 111, including an online symptom checker at nhs.uk. Gateway Number: 2013189
4 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
1 April 2019 Dear Parents/Carers, I want to update you on our efforts to find a successor to Rachel Macfarlane as Principal at INA. We’ve had two goals in mind during the search process: to find a person with the leadership qualities and experience necessary to ensure that INA would not only maintain its high standards but continue to set new records for achievement; and to keep disruption to the school to a minimum. I am happy to report progress in this effort. I hope you will agree that the steps described below ensure that INA continues to be a vital learning community for students, teachers and staff alike: First, Jo Spencer, who had been due to retire this spring, has agreed to return next year as Interim Principal. Second, we will be appointing Jane Witheford as Executive Principal, beginning in September. Jane is a superb school leader. She joins us from an outstanding school, Ark John Keats, where she will also serve as Executive Principal. Third, we will continue the search for the permanent Principal position next year – and expect that the opportunity to work with Ms. Witheford at INA will be highly attractive to talented, up-and-coming school leaders. This plan would not have been possible without Ms. Spencer’s willingness to defer her retirement by a year, nor would it have been achievable without the considerable help of Ark Schools. I hope you will join me in thanking Ms. Spencer for her exceptional commitment to INA, in welcoming Ms. Witheford, and in looking forward to the exciting next chapter for INA. Very truly yours, Gerard Griffin Chair of the Isaac Newton Academy Board of Governors
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
5
Lunch Ambassador Party After a term of cleaning tables, clearing away plates and setting the space up for the younger pupils to enter the dining hall for the second and third sittings of lunch, the hardworking Lunch Ambassadors were treated to a well-earned party. With an Easter theme, the children enjoyed a party of cakes, chocolate fruit dips and sandwiches. Thank you to Mr Marshall-Jones for organising the event and thank you Ms Gilley for such a beautiful spread as always.
6 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Message from Ms Chaggar The sign up for Parent en Progress Meetings will op ll on Friday 5th April and wi th 24 close on Wednesday rned April once we have retu to school.
Message from the Reception Team
As part of your child’s learning and demonstrating a ‘good level of development’ for their age, they must be able to dress and undress themselves. This will also help them as they move up to Year 1 in September. Next term, on Fridays, the children are expected to come to school in their normal school uniform and will need to bring their PE kit with them to change in to for their afternoon lesson. They will remain in their PE kit for the rest of the day, bringing their school uniform home in their bag. Can you please ensure that every item of clothing is clearly labelled with your child’s name. There is a lost property box in the main reception area for any items found around the school, or for you to drop off any items that your child may have taken home by mistake. In preparation for this transition we suggest that you start getting your child to practise getting dressed and undressed more independently, giving lots of practice to undoing buttons etc.
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
7
Easter Bonnet Parade
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 We were all fully entertained by a parade of fabulous bonnets again this year! It really was tough choosing the winners! Well done to all the participants and the winners, you all looked amazing!
8 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Easter Bonnet Parade
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
9
Lovely Learning this week! This week the Year 1 pupils went on an exciting school trip to the Museum of Transport! They thoroughly enjoyed exploring the museum and finding out new facts about vehicles from the past. The children were excellent ambassadors for Isaac Newton Academy as they displayed exemplary behaviour throughout the trip.
10 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Lovely Learning this week! A big thanks to all the parents who helped out on the trip – we could not have done it without you!
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
11
Learning in Year 3 On Friday 29th March, year 3 participated in an entire day of design technology! During their Design Technology day, the Year 3 children designed and created their very own magnetic maze toy. They first designed and drew their mazes – which were incredibly innovative! Once they had completed their design, the children needed to measure, saw and sand their wood (and they did a wonderful job making sure that the pieces were all the same length – which was trickier than it looks!) Following this, the wood was glued together to make the game’s frame, and the children’s designs were stuck on. The games turned out wonderfully, and the children were able to utilise lots of the things that they had learned about magnetism as they navigated their magnets through their mazes.
12 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Learning in Year 3 It was a fantastic day which was enjoyed by all involved. The children learned some particularly useful skills, whilst having a great time, and they got to produce their very own toy to play with! Well done Year 3!
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
13
Decorated Eggs Competition Year 3 and Year 4 Well done to everyone who entered their decorated egg for the competition this year, there were some brilliantly creative ideas making it very hard to choose the winners.
14 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Music of the Fortnight Sergei Prokofiev
For the next few weeks after half term, we will be listening to and learning about Sergei Prokofiev as our Composer of the Fortnight. As a suggested activity to support at home, you could gather some facts about Prokofiev in preparation for the coming weeks. You can find out some facts and hear some of his music on the following links. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/0e43fe9d-c472-4b62-be9e55f971a023e1
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
15
Attendance
Regular attendance is a crucial factor in students’ educational development and ability to achieve their full potential. At Isaac Newton Academy every student is set the target of 100% attendance. The class with the highest attendance for the phase by the end of every week is awarded the attendance trophy during Friday’s Award & Recognition assembly.
Early Years and Key Stage 1 Curie Maxwell Newton
95.0% 92.7% 89.7%
Britten Fitzgerald Glennie
99.7% 96.7% 95.0%
Al-Kashi Fibonacci Pythagoras
96.0% 99.0% 97.3%
Well done and congratulations to Britten class who are the winners again this week with 99.7%.
Key Stage 2 Ellington Nicks Shankar
95.7% 92.0% 100%
Lovelace Mirzakhani Ramanujan
96.7% 92.7% 97.0%
Well done and congratulations to Shankar Class who are the winners again this week with 100% and have earned themselves some extra play.
Overall Attendance: 95.7%. The attendance figures continue to be quite disappointing within some classes this week; we hope to see a vast improvement next term. National average attendance for primary schools is 97.1%. It is important that the children attend school every day and do not miss any learning. Thank you for your support in ensuring your child is at school every day. We always strive for 100%.
16 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Merits The following pupils have received 25 merits since September for making good choices and moving up to gold on the class ‘good choice chart’ – this is fantastic achievement. A special ‘bronze’ certificate will be presented during the Celebration and Awards Assembly. Aishah Musa Monira Miah Ekaterina Ratkova Swara Kinhiker Alisha Haleem Aarav Singh Abdul Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahim Ibrahim Nabi Panth Singh
The following pupil has received 50 merits since September for making good choices and moving up to gold on the class ‘good choice chart’ – this is fantastic achievement. A special ‘silver’ certificate will be presented during the Celebration and Awards Assembly. Hamza Ahmed Mariam Shaikh Nadia Khan
Manav Ahmed Qirrat Sobia Brandon Sagar
Haniah Bilal Taheem Ali Haniya Shaikh
The following pupil has received 75 merits since September for making good choices and moving up to gold on the class ‘good choice chart’ – this is fantastic achievement. A special ‘gold’ certificate will be presented during the Celebration and Awards Assembly. Ceylan Warner
5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
17
BRIDGES in the Primary Phase “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.� Isaac Newton BRIDGES are habits of mind or learning characteristics that develop a pupil's character and learning power and enable him/her to grow into a well-rounded individual and resilient learner. There are seven BRIDGES habits that we will be working on, which will rotate on a weekly cycle throughout the year. The BRIDGES habit of the week will always be introduced at the beginning of the week during the Monday assembly and reinforced throughout the week across the curriculum. Each class teacher will award a certificate to a pupil that they feel has demonstrated the BRIDGES focus for the week. Each week we will update you on the BRIDGES habit that will be introduced in the coming week and offer some top tips on how to reinforce the habit at home too. Please also refer to the Primary BRIDGES wheel below.
18 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019
Week commencing 22nd April 2019
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence comprises seven dispositions: Empathy Sociability Reflectiveness Listening Collaboration Understanding Openness At School • At school we always remind the children to treat others in the way that they would like to be treated in return. • At school we talk about having good listening skills and that we must look at the person who is talking to us to show respect for them and that we are listening to them properly. • During every lesson the children are encouraged to develop their sociability by talking to their talk partner, when some children find this hard to do; an adult will sit and help facilitate paired talk. During the course of the year the children will be moved around and will have been encouraged to have different reading partners, maths partners etc. • We discuss the importance of working together as one big team or family at school and that we need to take care of everybody – we use the phrase ‘kind hands, kind feet’ to remind children that we do not hurt others. • When a child hurts someone or makes a poor behaviour choice, it is important that they reflect on their behaviour and if another person is involved, that they apologise to them. • Through wider reading and research the children are able to extend their understanding of the world around them, reflecting on what makes things different and what are the common thread through life. • Though reading stories the children can develop their skills of empathy through their comprehension of the characters, their motivations etc.
At Home • Having consistent boundaries between home and school is very important. Talk to your child about the importance of not hurting or hitting other children and that we need to treat everyone kindly and respectfully. • We know that you have equally high expectations of your child at home as we at school and working in partnership has great strength in supporting your child to make good choices each day. 5 April 2019
Primary Newsletter
19
Key Dates for
Summer Term 2019 Tuesday 23rd April–Tuesday 23rd July 2019 Half Term: Monday 27th–Friday 31st May 2019 INSET Days: Friday 21st & Monday 24th June 2019 Tuesday 23rd April
Pupils return to school
Friday 26th April
Pupil Progress Reports sent home
Monday 29th April
Wonderful Handwriting Week
Tuesday 30th April
Parent Progress Meeting – School Finishes at 12.15pm
Monday 6th May
Bank Holiday – No School
Wednesday 8th May
Reception Parents Meeting 2019 Intake – 6pm
Thursday 9th May
Coffee Evening 6pm
Friday 10th May
Curie Class Assembly – 9am
Monday 13th May
Home and Family Week (No enrichment clubs)
Monday 13th May
Science Week
Friday 17th May
Nicks Class Assembly – 9am
Friday 17th May
Glennie Class Assembly – 10.20am
Thursday 23rd May
Movie Evening – 4.00-5.30pm (Further Information to follow)
Monday 27th– Friday 31st May
Half Term
Monday 3rd June
Pupils return to school
Friday 21st June
Staff Inset Day – no school for students
Monday 24th June
Staff Inset Day – no school for students
20 Primary Newsletter
5 April 2019