November 2012 School Newsletter

Clarence Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4LD Telephone: 0121 308 5392 Fax: 0121 308 5061

Friday 2nd November 2012 Fri 2

nd

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES Nov

Mon 5th Nov Tue 6th Nov Wed 7th Nov Thur 8th Nov Fri 9th Nov Mon 12th Nov Thur 15th Nov Mon 19th Nov Thur 22nd Nov Fri 23rd Nov Wed 28th Nov Fri 30th Nov Tue 4th Dec Wed 5th Dec Thur 6th Dec

Tue 11th Dec Wed 12th Dec Tue 18th Dec Wed 19th Dec Thur 20th Dec Fri 21st Dec

“Bonfire” Lunch 2.30pm Diwali Celebration – Year 5 Assembly – 2.30pm Barnardo and Gandhi – KS1 hall Mandela and Pankhurst – KS2 hall Year 2 – visit to Botanical Gardens (Mapping Skills) PTFA Meeting – 7.30 pm Open Morning – 10.00 am talk by Head Teacher followed by tour of school Open Evening – 7.00 pm talk by Head Teacher followed by tour of school Robins’ Class Assembly – 2.30 pm – KS1 hall SRE for Year 5 – Puberty Robins’ Class Assembly – 2.30 pm – KS1 hall HEDGEHOGS’ INSPIRE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS – 9.00 am to 11.00 am RABBITS’ INSPIRE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS– 1.15 pm to 3.20pm Local Elections School Closed for Children – Teacher Day MOLES’ INSPIRE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS – 9.00 am to 11.00 am SQUIRRELS’ INSPIRE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS – 1.15 pm to 3.15 pm Wrens’ Class Assembly – 2.30 pm – KS1 hall Parent Meeting – keeping your children safe 6.45 pm KS1 hall Wrens’ Class Assembly – 2.30 pm – KS1 hall Individual and Family Photos PTFA Christmas Fayre Parent Council - 2.00pm Christingle for Mandela and Pankhurst – 1.30 pm Lichfield Cathedral Carol Concert Christingle for Barnardo and Gandhi – 1.30 pm PTFA Meeting – 7.30 pm Young Voices Concert at the NEC for Year 5 Nativity – Year 2 Assembly – KS1 hall Barnardo and Gandhi – 9.30 am Mandela and Pankhurst – 2.30 pm Nativity – Year 2 Assembly – KS1 hall Mandela & Pankhurst – 9.30 am Barnardo & Gandhi – 2.30 pm Christmas Lunch for Parents – Barnardo and Gandhi Christmas Lunch for Parents – Mandela and Pankhurst 100% Attendance Assembly - KS1 hall Mandela and Pankhurst - 2.30 pm 100% Attendance Assembly – KS1 hall Barnardo and Gandhi – 2.30 pm Christmas Party and visit by Father Christmas Staff Panto for Children BREAK UP

Dinner Money Thank you very much to all those who have paid their dinner money this week.

May we remind anyone who has not paid that dinner money is due to Birmingham City Council in advance. £10.00 per week or £76.00 this half term.

Medicines in school We can only administer medicines that have been prescribed by a Doctor and that require four doses per day.

The medicine should be brought into school by an adult and a request from filled out.

We can not unfortunately administer anything that is not prescribed.

Thank you.

OPEN MORNING / EVENING We would like to remind parent’s of children due to start Reception Class in 2013 that our remaining open day is on Wednesday 7th November at 10.00am with a presentation by the Head Teacher followed by a tour of school and 7.00pm with presentation by the Head Teacher followed by a tour of school We look forward to seeing lots of new and old faces alike.

POPPY APPEAL

The children in Year 6 and Year 2 are selling poppies If your child would like to buy one we suggest a voluntary contribution of 20p.

HALLOWEEN DISCO FRIDAY 2nd NOVEMBER in KS2 Hall 6.00 PM TO 7.00 PM Nursery and KS1 children only 7.15 PM to 8.30 PM All ages and families £1.00 children £2.00 adults £5.00 family Pay on the door.

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Thank you.

THANK YOU Thank you to all those families who donated money for our Harvest celebrations this year. We made £117.00 which we have sent to Free the Children.

Don’t forget that school will be closed to pupils on Thursday 15th November for the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections.

HILL WEST CHOIR Our choir have been invited to perform at several events over the festive season starting with the school Christmas Fayre on Friday 30th November.

They will be singing at the Community Carol Service outside Costa Coffee in Mere Green on Monday 3rd November at 6.30 pm.

They are also taking part in the Lichfield Cathedral Carol Service on Wednesday 5th December.

FORTHCOMING PTFA EVENTS Christmas Fair Friday 30th November. We will be asking parents for help in various ways but most importantly we need people who are prepared to help run stalls on the night of the fair. If you are able to offer any help at all please come and see Miss Marsh.

Mufti Days There will be a mufti day on Friday 30th November when we would be very grateful if children in KS1 would please bring in bottles for the Bottle Tombola and children in KS2 would bring in chocolate.

Christmas Disco Friday 14th December will be our Christmas Disco in KS2 hall. You will receive more details about this nearer the time.

Please come along and support us at these events.

Voluntary School Fund Contributions An enormous thank you to the 76 families who have already sent in their donations of ÂŁ10.00 (and in some cases significantly more) to help us provide all the little extras the children receive through out the year, such as Christmas trees, Easter eggs, party food and theatre productions in school.

With Father Christmas visiting school soon, now would be an excellent time for anyone who has not made a contribution but would like to, to do so.

CHRISTINGLE We are visiting All Saints Church again this year for our Christingle Services Mandela and Pankhurst houses on Wednesday 5th December at 1.30 pm Barnardo and Gandhi houses on Thursday 6th December at 1.30 pm We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Church during one of the afternoons. If you are able to walk with us to the church please let Mrs Balla know.

NATIVITY Our Nativity production led by children in Year 2 will take place as follows: Children in Gandhi and Barnardo houses will perform on Tuesday 11th December at 9.30 am and Wednesday 12th December at 2.30 pm Children in Pankhurst and Mandela houses will perform on Tuesday 11th December at 2.30 pm and Wednesday 12th December at 9.30 pm We will shortly be sending out letters giving you details of how to apply for tickets. We will be supplying tickets in the first instance to parents in Year 2. The remainder will be issued to other year group parents.

CHRISTMAS LUNCHES You are invited to join us for Christmas Lunch as follows Parents of children in Gandhi and Barnardo on Tuesday 18th December and Parents of children in Pankhurst and Mandela on Wednesday 19th December Because of the number of children we now have in the school we will need to strictly limit the number of parents who can attend for lunch.

We will write to you shortly with details of how you can apply for a place but will adhere to the outcomes of our Consultation where it was decided that all parents would be offered a lunch on a first come first served basis.

100% ATTENDANCE ASSEMBLY We are celebrating pupil attendance at the end of term as follows: Children in Mandela and Pankhurst on Wednesday 19th December at 2.30 pm and children in Barnardo and Gandhi on Thursday 20th December at 2.30 pm.

During this celebration we will award all those children who have a 100% attendance record this term with a certificate. We will notify you if your child is to receive a certificate.

Inclusion – The Educational Psychologist Our Educational Psychologist is Dr. Anita Soni. Her role in school is to support those children who have a variety of special needs that impact on their ability to learn. For example some children will find it hard to process lots of information and may need strategies to help them to retain and retrieve information effectively - using visual prompts or clues may help.

Some children may find remaining focused a real problem and Anita can provide parents and school with practical strategies to support and develop their concentration.

Above all Anita , school and parents work as a partnership to support our children to achieve their full potential.

FORMS AND LETTERS COMING INTO SCHOOL Can we please re-iterate that it is almost an impossible task in the office to sort forms, cash and cheques that are not put into separate envelopes. We are sorry to remind you about this but it really is vital that different trip forms and cheques are kept separate and in a labelled sealed envelope.

To avoid long queues at the KS1 hatch in the morning please send trip money forms etc. via your child and their class teacher. All classes have the same procedures for receiving money, letters etc, and if you remind your child that they have something in their bag it can then be handed in by them to the class teacher then passed on to the office by the teachers.

PTFA Meeting We are holding a meeting of the PTFA on Tuesday 6th November at 7.30pm.

The PTFA welcomes any parents who would like to help make a positive contribution to the school by helping to fund raise and organise extra curricular events.

We look forward to seeing lots of new faces!

DON’T FORGET The closing date for applications for Reception 2013 places is 3rd December 2012.

Please apply online at www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

TRIPS THIS HALF TERM 05.11.12 Year 2 Botanical Gardens 06.11.12 Year 1 Aston Hall 19.11.12 Year 3 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Ancient Egypt)

DON’T FORGET Can we please remind Year 6 parents that the closing date for applications for Year 7 places in Secondary School closes on Monday 5th November.

If you have not done so already you may apply on line at www.birmingham.gov.uk/ schooladmissions or telephone 0121 605 0555

What do Ofsted Say about Outstanding Behaviour?

Guidance and grade descriptors for inspecting schools in England under section 5 of the Education Act 2005, from January 2012 Parents, carers, staff and pupils are highly positive about behaviour and safety.

Pupils make an exceptional contribution to a safe, positive learning environment.

They make every effort to ensure that others learn and thrive in an atmosphere of respect and dignity. Pupils show very high levels of engagement, courtesy, collaboration and cooperation in and out of lessons. They have excellent, enthusiastic attitudes to learning, enabling lessons to proceed without interruption. Pupils are consistently punctual in arriving at school and lessons. They are highly adept at managing their own behaviour in the classroom and in social situations, supported by systematic, consistently applied approaches to behaviour management. They are very calm, orderly and considerate when moving around the school. There are excellent improvements in behaviour over time for any individuals or groups with particular behavioural difficulties. Instances of bullying, including cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to special educational need, sexual orientation, sex, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment or disability are extremely rare. Pupils are acutely aware of different forms of bullying and actively try to prevent it from occurring. The school has an active and highly effective approach to identifying and tackling bullying. All groups of pupils feel safe at school at all times. They understand very clearly what constitutes unsafe situations and are highly aware of how to keep themselves and others safe.

It is likely that attendance will be above average for all groups of pupils or will show sustained and convincing improvement over time.

Our aim, as you know is to be outstanding at our next Inspection.

TERM DATES 2012-2013

OPEN

CLOSE AUTUMN TERM 2012

Monday 3rd September 2012 Monday 29th October 2012

Friday 19th October 2012 Friday 21st December 2012

SPRING TERM 2013 Monday 7th January 2013 Monday 25th February 2013

Friday 15th February 2013 Thursday 28th March 2013

SUMMER TERM 2013 Monday 15th April 2013 Monday 3rd June 2013

Friday 24th May 2013 Tuesday 23rd July 2013

The Governing Body have now agreed the following training days for 2012/2013 Monday 29th October 2012 Monday 7th January 2013 Thursday 28th March 2013 Monday 22nd July 2013 Tuesday 23rd July 2013

Extra Holidays Thursday 15th November 2012 (Police Elections) Thursday 2nd May 2013 (Local Elections)