Dear Parents

Welcome to our new term, I would like to introduce a new member to our staffing team, Mrs Mari Meintjes teaching in year 2. Parents of the children in Beech will already know of Mrs Meintjes through her introduction letter to parents. We are hoping to post all our class timetables and termly information booklets via the school website by the middle of next week.

Thank you for the effort you have all made to ensure that your child is in full school uniform this week. The children look great and everyone is now recognisable as belonging to Clays Primary School. On Monday there were only 13 children that were wearing items of clothing that did not adhere to our uniform policy. The parents of those children have been contacted this week and this has now been rectified. The steps by which we deal with children in non–uniform are outlined below:

Procedure for non-compliance to school uniform policy. 1. Class teachers will sensitively remind children of the correct uniform, should a deviation from the policy be noticed. 2. When a deviation is noticed for the second time, class teachers will notify phase leaders who will email parents to remind them of expectations. 3. When a deviation is noticed for the third time, the pastoral lead will contact the family to offer support in the form of previously owned items of clothing. 4. If parents continue to send child to school wearing incorrect uniform, a meeting with the Headteacher will be arranged. Exclusion may be considered for persistent breach of this policy.

If you would like to read the policy in full then you can do so via the school website.

Fixed Penalty Notices

Platt vs Isle of White Council in respect of Penalty Notices 2017: This was finally settled in Supreme Court ruling in favour of Council. As a result, the local authority have resumed the issuing of fixed penalty notices to parents who take their child out of school in term-time. As headteacher, I can grant a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. These circumstances are predefined by the department of Education and do not include absence because of holiday. Holidays will not be authorised and will/may result in a Penalty Notice of £60 per child per adult, needing to be paid within 21 calendar days, rising to £120 if paid after 21 days, but within 28 calendar days. If the Penalty Notice is not paid after 28 days, the Local Authority will prosecute for the offence. Headteachers within the Trust do not want to refer parents to the local authority for taking their child out of school in term-time, we are duty bound by law to do so. By ignoring this legal requirement means we are complicit in the offence and could be deemed as aiding and abetting.

I am in the process of speaking with a holiday provider to source cheap holidays for our parents in school holiday times. I will keep you informed via newsletter or email.

Free school Meals

Today you would have received an email asking you to apply for your child’s free school meal entitlement. It is important you do this as every child in receipt of a free school meal increases our overall school budget. Last year we lost 66K through parents not registering FSM. If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 classes they are automatically given a free school meal as part of the universal school meal programme. This is a previous government initiative that could end at any time. So we urge parents to make an application for FSM and if policy changes they will not lose their right to their child’s free school meal. Please check the criteria in email sent to from Mrs Turner and click on the link to your 2 minute application form.

Regards

Mr. Peltier [email protected].

Imaginative Learning Projects (ILP)

As the children returned this week, each year group began an imaginative learning project around which all of their subjects will be planned this term. Year 2s ILP is called ‘Street Detectives’ while Year 4s ILP is called ‘1066. Our revised curriculum is intended to ensure that every child receives a broad and balanced curriculum. Each ILP launches with a memorable experience to spark enthusiasm and initiate involvement. For some, this meant experiencing a wartime evacuation while others were visited by Pestilence! The varied experiences have certainly had the desired effect and children are talking excitedly about what they have done so far and are keen to show their work. Do talk to your children about their ILPs throughout the term to see how they develop and listen out for an invite at the end of term as many year groups will be looking to showcase their work with an express event! Parent interest and involvement always strengthens a child’s home learning so thank you to everyone who helped, prompted and participated in some of the homework projects linked to the ILPs. See if you can spot your work below!

Ms. Green

Homework Dates

Very similar to last year, homework will be set on a Monday and it is due back in on the following Monday. The tasks will be set on a rotating basis to ensure a variety of tasks. All year groups will be following this schedule of activities (please note that there is more emphasis on IXL and Writing in English, but this balance will be restored in the following half term to ensure even coverage - this ensures that your child's work will be effectively marked before it is returned).

Date Maths Literacy

Mon 11.09.17 IXL online Reading Comprehension

Mon 18.09.17 IXL online IXL online (grammar, punctuation and spelling)

Mon 25.09.17 IXL online Written Task

Mon 02.10.17 IXL online IXL online (grammar, punctuation and spelling)

Mon 09.10.17 IXL online Written Task

Mon 16.10.17 IXL online IXL online (grammar, punctuation and spelling)

Holiday homework will continue to be set over school holidays, and it will continue to be based on fun, exciting tasks that you and your children can do together to introduce them to their upcoming topic.

Mr. Gatenby

Apple Harvest

At this time of year, when we return to school after the summer, the school ground is always abundant with fruit from our fruit trees. Normally, it goes to waste. This year however the children worked together during lunch times to pick the apples and compost the windfalls. Today groups of children from year1 to year 6 prepared the fruit and made apple crumbles. Even though there were a few scraped fingers the thrill experienced by the children as they carried home their individual crumbles was a delight to see. There were so many apples that there was one to spare and so the year 6 children were able to deliver it to the residents of St Anne’s which was gratefully received.

Collection from KS2 Playground Attendance

If your child is new to KS2, you may only just have started to The classes with the highest attendance this week were as go the KS2 playground to collect them. follows: Please be aware that all parents should stand behind the line marked on the playground that identifies where each year Gold Acacia 100% group will stand. Silver Cherry 99.7% Please be patient during these first few weeks as your child’s Bronze Palm 99.4% new teacher becomes familiar with the faces waiting to collect and refrain from taking or calling your child from the The number of children late for school this week was 20. back of the line. These measures are in place to ensure that all of our children When pupils arrive late for school it is disruptive to their learning are adequately safeguarded and that no child is unaccounted as well as that of their classmates. Please make every effort to for at the end of the day. make sure your child is in the playground by 8.50am to walk in to class with the rest of their class and teacher. Ms. Green Mr. Bubb Library Donations Parent and Toddler Group

Last academic year, we asked you to consider sending a Every Tuesday Pips toddler groups is held here at the school. copy of your very favourite children's book to our amazing Please do come along if you have pre –school children and new library. You responded fantastically, sending in over 100 remember to invite friends even if they don’t have children who brand new books complete with your own personal attend the school. Everybody is welcome. recommendations inside to share with all of our children as they consider which book to enjoy next. This was in just a few months! If you haven't done so, or if you can't resisting doing so with a different book, we will of course warmly and gratefully accept more donations. All you need to do is buy a new copy of the book and bring it to our front office where you will be able to write your short recommendation which will be stuck inside the book. Your name will appear in this newsletter to tell the children, parents and governors which new books have arrived and who has been so kind as to donate them. Interested in celebrating a milestone? Why not donate a book to mark your child's starting a new school year, or to celebrate their birthday in a different and more constructive way than sending sweets in, or to mark any occasion of your own?

Mr. Gatenby

PSA News

Welcome back! We hope you had a fantastic summer break.

We are planning our AGM for the week commencing 18th September. Please keep a look out for the posters showing the exact date and time. Hope to see lots of you there.

We have a great calendar of events coming up this academic year and we will share the dates as soon as possible.

Kate Stonell (PSA Chair)

HEADTEACHER AWARDS

Year 1 Fred Turner for settling so well into Ash Class. You were a little worried at the beginning of the week but you overcame it and have been a pure delight all week. Ava Byron for being such a fabulous role model in Maple Class. You are always ready to learn, you work hard in every lesson and are always kind to your classmates. With such a wonderful attitude to learning, Mrs Dessoy is sure that you are going achieve brilliant things this year. Joshua Amish for your confident recital of our class poem ‘Now We Are Six’ by A A Milne. You knew the poem by heart and were a pleasure to watch! Well done Joshua!

Year 2 Sadie Sandford for not giving up when you found work hard. You just kept on trying. Ollie Wall for making a fantastic start in Oak Class. You are always ready to learn and set an excellent example for your peers. Keep it up, Ollie! Bradley Crissell for entering Year 2 with a mature and responsible attitude. Since receiving your monitor job you have carried it out efficiently every day, sensibly choosing an appropriate time to complete your task. You show excellent learning behaviour in class and you set a very good example to other children. What a fantastic start to Year 2!

Year 3 Harley Haylock for being an absolute star this first week back at school. You have already proven how sensible and helpful you are around the classroom and that you are always eager and ready to learn. Alfie Horsup for excellent understanding of a legend and creating sentences using cause conjunctions as well as full stops and capital letters. Well done Alfie. Krrish Darbhanga for working extremely hard in all of your learning. You try your best in everything that you do. Miss Kelly is very pleased to have you in the class.

Year 4 Tia White for an excellent speech, you were very persuasive in your role as William, the Duke of Normandy. You justified reasons why you should be the next King of . Well done great job. Blero Gaxha for your enthusiasm in French this week and also giving your spare PE kit to your friend who had forgotten his own. Well done! Edee Woodward for being an exceptional student this week. You have come into school with a smart attitude to your learning but what has really impressed us it that you have shown huge amounts of independence and maturity which means that you will thrive this year in Cedar Class. Mrs Redmond and Mrs Broyd are delighted to be teaching you this year. Lydia Dennison for settling brilliantly into the Guava classroom this week and becoming an excellent role model for the rest of the class. You are always working hard and ensuring you complete your work to a high standard. I know you will continue to be an excellent member of the class throughout the year.

Year 5 Mac McKenzie for returning to school with a brilliant attitude. You have listened well in lessons, worked extremely hard and asked some excellent questions this week. Keep it up Mac! Harley Hornsby for settling well into your new class, making friends and engaging in all aspects of your learning. William Watts for already showing, in just a few days, that you are willing to work hard in Year 5. You have shown an excellent attitude towards your learning and a good sense of humour in class. Well done! Deanna Lock for your positive attitude to your learning. You are a great role model to all the children in the class. You give everything 110% even when faced with a challenge or an element of uncertainty. Keep up the hard work Deanna

Year 6 Brandon Brackley for an excellent start to Year 6. You are working hard to show what you really can do and so far you've had a very positive and grown up attitude. Keep it up and never give up on learning your times tables and spellings - you can do it! Christopher Dzikiti for your inquisitiveness on your school trip to Duxford IWM. You were eager to find out as much as you could and willingly shared your knowledge. Louis Thompson for engaging in the Year 6 trip to Duxford so well. You used your background knowledge fantastically to get others involved and blew Mr Lamb away with information about your great, great Grandad who was a pilot in World War II.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017

Tuesday 19th Sept Year 4 visit to Battle Abbey (Cedar & Guava Classes) Wednesday 20th Sept Year 4 visit to Battle Abbey (Poplar & Cypress Classes) Friday 29th Sept Macmillan Coffee Morning 9.00am-11.00am Mon 13th Oct Year 5 trip to Greenwich Observatory (two classes) Mon 16th Oct Year 3 Visit to Hadleigh Park Fri 20th Oct Year 3 Visit to Hadleigh Park Monday 6th Nov Year 5 trip to Greenwich Observatory (two classes) Thurs 16thNov Flu jab Mon 4th Dec Artyfact Theatre Visiting KS1 & KS2 October half term Friday 20th October – Monday 6th November Christmas Holidays Friday 15th December – Wednesday 3rd January