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Posted on: 18/12/2020A message from Caroline Lancey
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome to our final newsletter of 2020. I have to say I don't think any of us would have predicted how the year would have turned out. I know it has been very disruptive and all of us have had to make sacrifices. However, the children have settled and it appears that they are catching up the ground they have missed. Don't under estimate the impact you have, keep reading with them daily, help them with their number bonds or times tables. Over the holidays watch some of the lovely children's programmes that are based on well-known children's books, then talk about what they have seen, ask questions about how characters are feeling or why they did what they did. Giving reasons for their thoughts is something we are working on in school. Get them to write a thank you note or two.
So what has Christmas been like in school, has it been no Christmas post, no Carol Concert, No Nativity, no Christmas Lunch or Party. You would think so....especially when I came across this:
No Nativity this year as the 3 Wise Men face a travel ban.
The Shepherds have been furloughed.
The Inn Keeper has shut under tier 3 regulations and has had a slump in bookings.
Santa won't be working as it would break the rule of 6 with Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner and Blitzen.
As for Rudolph, with that red nose he should be self-isolating and taking a test!
I hope it made you smile, it did me. But we have managed to do everything we normally would, albeit in a different format. I know that we had a few technological problems with the evening performance of the Nativity so, thank you for sticking with it. I hope you agree it was worth it.
The Advent calendar has been brilliant, it has been a joy to watch and I know that a lot of the classes look forward to sharing it each day.
We have ended the year with a really positive monitoring visit from our Trust leads. We know we have things to still work on but the overriding message in the report is that we are on the up, behaviour throughout the school is good, learning is much better and the children are getting a better and more interesting curriculum.
Uniforms
One of the things I tell children is that school isn't just about learning Maths and English it is also about learning to be a grown up. Being at a certain place at a certain time, turning up even when you don't want to and being dressed the way you are expected to be. You can help massively with this.
I have noticed that there are an increasing number of children wearing training shoes to school. I know that shops have been closed lately so I understand it has been difficult. However, we are about to have two weeks off and the shops are now open so when we reopen in January I am expecting ALL children to be in correct school uniform. This includes black shoes. (The school uniform is out lined on the parent page of the website).
Can I also remind you that this also means shoulder length hair should be tied up. It shouldn't be any shorter than a number 3 anywhere on the head. It should also be a natural colour.
Earrings should be studs and not loops. This is a safety issue as they can be easily caught especially in Forest School
I will finish by saying a huge thank you and well done to all the staff; all of whom work so hard and as a leader this is the best bit NEVER moan (well not when I am around anyway LOL). They have made the difficult situation bareable and more than workable for your children.
Have a very Happy Christmas, I wish you all well and I look forward to seeing all the children on Tuesday the 5th of January.
