Hi, welcome back ... Please note new dates added to the calendar this week are in red.

Y1 Phonics Meeting

In June 2019, your child will take part in a phonics screening test.  Throughout the country, all Year 1 children will take the test in the week commencing June 10^th 2019.  We would like to invite you to a brief meeting, regarding this, on Tuesday 16^th October at 2.50p.m in our school hall.  The meeting will be finished in time for you to collect your child at the usual time.

 Photographer

We have booked the photographer in earlier than usual as many parents said they would like the photos for presents etc. The photographer is booked in for 15th October. As usual all siblings (including babies) will be done before school 8:15-8:45. All pupils will then have their individual photos taken throughout the day. If you wish for this not to happen then please let our school office know.

Spooky Disco

On Tuesday 30th October there will be a Spooky Disco afterschool. Children may dress up and there will be a prize for each year group. If children do not wish to dress up, then of course they are still welcome to attend. No tickets are necessary. Children are to just pay at the door if they wish to come. All children need to arrive for their allocated slot. Entrance is £2. Each child will receive a hot dog, drink and a chocolate bar. There will be games and prizes to be won.

Reception and Y1 - 3:30-4:30

Year 2 and 3 4:45 - 5:45

Year 4,5 and 6 - 6:00- 7:00

 Those children in Reception and Year 1 do not have a great deal of time to get changed. Therefore you are welcome to come into school and change them in the classroom and then their classteachers will take them up to the disco.

Harvest Festival

In school for Harvest, we are going to be learning about the Harvest Festival and about eating healthily.  As part of this, we are going to be collecting food donations for a local charity, streetcare.This is where we can help!  We would like all children to donate one item of food.  This could be a tin of baked beans, tinned vegetables or a bag of pasta. The food that you donate must be either tinned or dried. You can donate as little or as much food as you would like.  This can be brought into school up to the 17th October. Thanks you in advance for your donations, they are greatly appreciated.

All children in Y5 will be presenting to the whole school in an assembly for parents on Thursday 18th October at 2:15. Tickets are not necessary.

 Y1/2 trip to Hartlepool Historic Quay

Years 1 and 2 will be visiting Hartlepool Maritime Museum on Wednesday 31^st October 2018.  The coach will be leaving school at 9.15 a.m. so please make sure your child is sent to school on time as we don’t want them to miss their trip!  The children will arrive back to school in time for their usual finish time.  Throughout the day the children will take part in workshops and discover how sailors (and pirates) lived.  A contribution of £10 is required to cover the cost of the bus, entry into the museum and the workshops.  Your child can come dressed as a pirate, so they can act the part when we go on board the HMS Trincomalee!   Please be aware that some of the museum is outdoors and therefore your child will need a warm coat and hat.  Your child will need a packed lunch which school can provide however if you wish to send your child into school with a packed lunch from home then that is no problem.  Please provide your child with a drink however no fizzy drinks or glass bottles are allowed.

Give Racism the Red Card

On Friday 19th October, children in our 2 year old provision and those in Y1-Y6 are able to wear a red top/jumper/cardigan etc with their school trousers/shirt. Children in Nursery and Reception will not be involved in this as they will be dressed in their superhero outfits as it is their end event.

 Supporting the school financially

Would you like more staff in your child’s class to help and support your child?

We can only do this with funding.

A large amount of our funding come from pupil premium money.

Unfortunately, only one quarter of our pupils are signed up to this due to the fact that their children are in Reception/Year 1/2 and get a free school meal anyway or their child is on packed lunches so they don’t think it applies to them. It still does matter - it matters to us and it matters to your child. Please sign up,we were £100,000 short in our budget this year due to parents not completing the application form. This could employ up to 6 more full time adults in school!

 To apply for free school meals you must access the family portal on together for children at:
www.togetherforchildren.org.uk/families/free-school-meals or contact 0191 5611417 for additional support if you experience any problems or don’t have access to online.

 Governors

Towards the end of the last academic year, the parents' questionnaire showed that people were unsure of the role of a school governor.

We are currently in the process of training our school governors in being able to engage with our school on a more practical level.  This will involve working alongside class teachers and the senior leadership team in understanding the strategies that are used across school to support our children's learning.

We will keep you updated on all future governor developments.

 Celebrations

Congratulations to Molly Daymond in Year 5 who has auditioned for a pantomime through Inspire Stage School. She was successful and is playing the part of a lost boy in Peter Pan at Whitley Bay this Christmas. Well done Molly we are very proud of you!

 Dogs

Please refrain from bringing dogs into school. This includes you carrying them!

We love dogs but many of our children don’t and we have received several complaints as it is breaking our school policy.

Staff can't look after your dogs or collect your children for you- please leave them at home or at the gate with a friend.

Thanks for your cooperation with this.

 Bikes and scooters

Several children are leaving their bikes /scooters in school over night. School can not be held responsible for missing bikes. We advice children/parents to lock them up to keep them secure

 Smoking

Please do not smoke in our school yard. We want to set a good example to our children and we don’t want cigarette ends in their yard where they play.

 Behaviour 

Our winning house this week was Darling house - so far they have won three out of four times!!!

Attendance