Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS
Welcome To Our New School Year - Autumn Term 2020 - ‘The New Normal’ Welcome back to Sherborne Primary School! We hope everyone has had a lovely summer holiday and have returned to some sort of ‘normal’ (whatever that is!) I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your amazing support and resilience through the pandemic and school closure. We have complete admiration for all your engagement with home learning, communication and patience during this very challenging time. We are really pleased that SPS is now open to all from the Autumn Term, although things might be a little different to our usual operations (hopefully everyone will have received our communication & video re September operations). We will be grouping the children into safe ‘bubbles’ (as before), although they will now be much larger (EYFS classes / yrs 1 & 2 / yrs 3 & 4 / yrs 5 & 6). This does mean we will all have to be extra vigilant as if just one adult or child contracts COVID-19 this may disrupt many. As always, we will endeavour to offer an exciting range of educational experiences (although as I’m sure you will understand, this will be with your child’s safety in mind first). I know all of my team can’t wait to support our children & families in whatever way possible to ensure we have the best year possible! Best wishes, Mr Bartle Welcome The new school year welcomes our new Reception children who start their school careers at Sherborne Primary. We also extend a warm welcome return to Mrs Saunders from her maternity leave who will be working within KS2. Mrs Babiy will now be working alongside Mrs Rose within Grasshoppers Class. Additionally, we would like to say good-bye and a big thank you to Miss Bright (TA - Ladybirds) & Mrs Gledhill (PE - TA) for all their efforts during their time at Sherborne Primary and wish them both every success in the future. Finally, a huge thank you to Mrs Coleman, who is sadly leaving us after over 15 years at Sherborne Primary School. She will be sadly missed by all and everyone wishes her good health and good luck for the future! Mrs Bentley will be taking over from Mrs Coleman, supporting our speech & language programme. COVID-19 Updates & Reminders I recognise this is an anxious time for families, particularly as children start to show symptoms of common illnesses that would normally occur as schools come back together again. There will inevitably be colds, runny noses, sore throats and possibly upset tummies. It is important that we distinguish these from the Coronavirus symptoms outlined in the current government guidance. Coronavirus Symptoms are: - A new persistent cough - A high temperature - A loss of taste or smell Please DO NOT send your child to school if they or anyone in your household has any of the above symptoms. Please ring 119 for testing & 111 (https://111.nhs.uk/) for advice & support. A useful parent information link is also below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance For medical advice relating to actual Covid-19 symptoms, please use the 111 helpline or online service as we are currently receiving a high number of calls, which should be answered by medical professionals rather than our school office team. All other illnesses and their symptoms should be dealt with in the usual way and we can provide guidance on this when you notify us of your child's illness. As we have explained previously, if any adult or child presents with COVID-19 symptoms whilst at school, they need to be collected and then tested as soon as possible (please ensure your contact details are up to date). If the test is confirmed as positive, it is possible that ALL the adults & children within their bubble may be sent home to isolate for 14 days (this also includes anyone within your household). The school will immediately seek advice from Public Health England for our response. We will still be operating our ONE WAY SYSTEM at the start of the Autumn Term (to avoid everyone crossing on our paths) & a gentle reminder to kindly NOT use ANY of the outdoor play equipment before or after school as it is carefully timetabled for safety reasons.
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS
To reduce footfall in the school we will be staggering the start & finish times to the day. The school has a full & detailed risk assessment for our new arrangements available on request. Annual Flu Vaccination Tuesday 17th November The school nursing team will be coming to the school on Tuesday 17th November to administer the flu vaccination for all children in Reception to Year 6. Consent forms will be online and we will communicate this information to parents as soon as it becomes available. School Open Afternoon - This will be held on Monday 12th & 19th October between 3:30pm, and 5:30pm. The school is inviting prospective parents (Reception intake Sept 2021 & any other year group pupils), to view the school (in a COVID-19 safe tour). These will be booked in small tours in 30 minute slots for all our safety. Adults will be required to wear a mask (unless they are exempt) Please contact the school office to book your visit. The timetable will be - start times: 3:30pm / 4:15pm / 5:00pm Please contact our office on 01935 812619 to book your appointment for a guided tour and more……. (If you unfortunately cannot make this date above, please contact our office for an alternate date / time) If the government’s guidance around Covid-19 changes the school might have to amend the dates of our Open Afternoon. Starting a new school in September 2021 Applications are now being accepted online for new reception children and also for year 7 (secondary school). The deadlines and details on how to apply for each are listed below: Year 7 Secondary School-Please submit your applications by 31st October 2020 https://www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/school-admissions/secondary-upper-school Reception pupils starting School in September 2021-Please submit applications by 15th January 2021 https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/schools-and-learning/apply-for-a-schoolplace/starting-school-for-the-first-time.aspx Stay in Touch with our ‘Teachers to Parents’ App / Communication Methods A reminder that we have a number of ways to keep parents / carers in touch with school activities / reminders / messages, events and to help with communication: - Our ‘Teachers to Parents’ text system and EDUSPOT app - it is vital that we have your current mobile number on our records (please see our Office). We will ask for at least two possible contact numbers - Class Dojo - All Classes. Direct message your class teacher & see the latest class activities / photos / messages etc. (teachers will reply to any messages within normal school hours) There is no need to subscribe to “Home Dojo”. Class Dojo is a ‘must have’ for all, as we will use this online system if we have to revert to ‘remote learning’ in the case of a ‘local lockdown’. - Facebook Page - we only use this for messages to you to tell about forthcoming events etc. - Email - office@sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk - you are welcome to message us on our email - Web-site - www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk - lots of information / photos / messages etc. - SIMS Parent App-We hope to continue the roll out of our SIMS Parent App which allows parents to manage their own personal data. You can update your telephone number, address and more. In the future, we hope to use SIMS Parent App to make bookings for our extracurricular clubs. It is a very useful app and we encourage all parents to download it. Please look out for the letter detailing instructions in the coming weeks. - Our helpful Office Staff are available from 8:45am - 3:45pm each day for face to face information. Please only one parent in the reception area at one time. - Staff - Mr Bartle (Head) / Mr Sales (Deputy) / Mrs Brazier (Parental Support Advisor) - available before & after school to chat / exchange messages etc. PTA IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE PTA, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS WITH THE SCHOOL OFFICE OR CONTACT THE PTA THROUGH THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE. The PTA will be hosting their Annual AGM on Monday 12th October at 6pm on Zoom (remote). More details to follow. The PTA is exploring a number of ways to engage our families and raise funds for the school in a new ‘remote’ way! Linked to the present situation
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS
This year our PTA are funding a number of projects, including helping the school to revamp our reading & library books. Thank you for your kind contributions! SCAPA Updates - COVID-19 Update SCAPA offers a Breakfast Club which currently starts at 8am and Afterschool Club which currently finishes at 5pm (these times will expand as soon as we have tried & tested our new COVID-19 safe systems). If you are new to SCAPA or Holiday Club please email the School office for registration forms to get set up on School Money. SCAPA will be operating within our new larger ‘bubble system’ (to keep all safe). This will mean we will be utilising the hall (as well as the usual SCAPA facilities) to increase COVID-19 safety. Separate information is available for SCAPA via our website / Class Dojo. The October Holiday Club program will soon be available on our website and Facebook. You will be notified when online booking is available. To ensure we are able to provide adequate staffing to safeguard the children, please can you book your SCAPA sessions online through School Money.
The online booking system closes at 12 noon on Friday for the following week and we may be unable to accept late bookings within the same week. Please note all late bookings incur a £2 charge. Reminder: School Money has a new ‘Top up’ feature. To access it log in, click into the clubs section, type in the amount of credit you want to add in the Top Up box and then proceed to the basket to pay by debi52t card. When you book your session(s) and your child attends breakfast Club, SCAPA or Holiday Club, it will use the credit automatically. Please note: It is not possible to add credit for other types of payments such trips. School Uniform with trainers & NO Jewellery Reminder Please remember that children should attend school wearing the correct uniform & trainers rather than school shoes,as described on the school website. This should include a green school sweatshirt/cardigan with grey or black trousers, skirts or pinafores. We will be continuing with trainers rather than shoes for at least the Autumn Term. Boots will only be permitted in extreme weather. Sporting Classics (in Sherborne near Boots the Chemist) stock the school jumpers and cardigans with our Sherborne Primary Logo. Please remember for the safety of all, only stud earrings and a child appropriate watch are allowed (no jewellery / friendship bracelets etc.) Children with pierced ears are required to cover their earrings with tape which needs to be provided by the parent. Thank you for your kind support. Extra-Curricular Clubs We are hoping to start our extra-curricular clubs after the October half-term due to the current COVID-19 situation. More details to follow…...
Chartwells and Booking School Meals If your child is having a school meal provided by Chartwells, please ensure that you book your meal (packed lunches at present to support our COVID-19 risk assessment) with Chartwells by the cut off date. The deadline for ordering meals is at midnight on Sunday one full week before the meal is served. We recommend that you book your meals for the whole term to avoid missing out a week. Please visit https://dorset.mealselector.co.uk) to book your meals. If you have not booked a packed lunch through Chartwells, please provide your child with a packed lunch from home. Please ensure that packed lunches from home are NUT FREE as we have a number of children with allergies. School Meal Taster day Thursday 1st October All children in EYFS and KS1 are entitled to a universal free school meal. If you would like your child to try a school meal, we will be having a taster session on Thursday 1st October. There will be no need to provide a lunch that day as a meal will be ordered for all children in EYFS and KS1 to try. Children in KS2 will still require a packed lunch from home.The menu choice that day will be: Tuna Mayo Sandwich (main option) Cream cheese Sandwich (Veg option) GF Tuna Mayo
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS
roll, Carrot sticks, Orange and a Yogurt. Free School Meals We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious health benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve pupils’ readiness to learn. Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for free school meals. Your child is eligible for free school meals if you’re in receipt of one of the following benefits: • Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400. • Income Support • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance • Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 • The guarantee element of Pension Credit • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) • Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190 Registering for free meals could also raise an extra £1320 for the school to fund valuable support like extra tuition, additional teaching staff or after school activities. This additional money is available from central government for every child whose parent is receiving one of the benefits listed above TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS PLEASE LOG INTO https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/schools-and-learning/at-school/free-school-meals.aspx(You will need to give your National Insurance Number). Once you find out you are eligible, you can book your meals online at https://dorset.mealselector.co.uk)
School Money The school office is continuing moving towards a cashless office and we thank parents for their support and cooperation. School Money is the online payment system. You have the facility to make payments for school expenses such as snacks, trips and SCAPA with your debit or credit card. The payment system benefits both us as a school and you as a parent. Not only are you able to pay for items from the comfort of your own home, but you are also able to access your account at any time to see if there is anything you need to pay for. You will be signed up to the school money automatically as long as you have provided us with the correct contact details. To log into School Money, please visit www.eduspot.co.uk and click sign in in the top right hand corner. In the drop down box, please select School Money Parent Login. You will then need to enter your email address, mobile number and the password we have sent, and your child's first name. Please contact the school office if you require any assistance and we appreciate your cooperation in using this system.
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – Autumn Term 2020 As known at time of printing Date
Time
Details
Monday 21st Sept
All day
Reception Pupils start full-time
Tuesday 29th Sept
All Day
Individual School Photographs
Thursday 1st Oct
Lunchtime
School Meal Taster Day for EYFS and KS1 Children
Friday 2nd Oct
2:30pm - 3pm
Zoom (at present) - Parental Assembly - Harvest Festival (letter will be sent requesting kind gifts for Sherborne Food Bank)
Tuesday 6th Oct
4pm - 4:45pm
Year 6 Parental Assembly - Zoom at present
Monday 12th and 19th Oct
3:30pm - 5:30pm
Open Afternoon - particularly for new Reception intake Sept 2021- BOOKING ESSENTIAL-Please contact the School Office
Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd Oct
4pm - 6:30pm
Parental Consultations (COVID-19 safe arrangements for this to follow)
Friday 23rd Oct
All Day
INSET DAY - NO SCHOOL
Half-Term - Saturday 24th October - Sunday 1st November Tuesday 17th November
All Day
Year R to Year 6 Flu Vaccinations - School Nurse
2nd Half Autumn Term Events to follow as the Covid-19 situation is very fluid Thursday 17th Dec
All day
LAST DAY of AUTUMN TERM (INSET Day - Friday 18th Dec)
1st day of the Spring Term 2021 - MONDAY 4th JANUARY 2021
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
A Snapshot of our Summer Term 2020
REMINDERS
Sherborne Primary School www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk
2020 – 1st Half - Autumn Term Bulletin – No.52
NEWSLETTER NEWS
EVENTS
DATES
REMINDERS