Thursday 11 October 2007

Whole School Letter No 11

SAFETY
Our school is a very ‘open’ site and I would like to remind parents the measures we have in place to improve the safety of the children during the time they are at lessons.
All fire exit doors from the school will be closed and therefore locked to anyone trying to get inside after 9.00am and before 3.00pm each day. Everyone will be able to get out, of course, in the event of fire.
The two gates leading from the front playground, one to the steps to the front of the school and the other to the car park, MUST BOTH BE CLOSED from 9.00am to 3.00pm each day. Could we ask parents to be vigilant and ensure the gates are closed behind them as they leave after dropping children off in the mornings, or Nursery parents when they collect their children at 11.30am.
The front door and the door next to the hall will be the only doors with access to the school during lesson time. We would ask anyone who wishes to enter or leave the school to do so via these doors. This will include parents helpers, visitors etc.

HARVEST FESTIVAL
Our service will take place on Thursday 18 October in St Michael’s church. This year it has been decided to use the same format as last year for our Harvest Service. The service will include our usual harvest singing and prayers but incorporated into the service will be a series of children’s Harvest Activities. These will involve all the children moving around the church in groups. Therefore, unfortunately, we will not have space for parents to take part this year. Each child may bring in 1 or 2 small items to present for our Harvest collection. Any food donations will be passed on to the West Villa Homeless Families Unit in Ipswich and any money raised will go to the Soup Kitchen in Ipswich.

FUND RAISING – Children in Need – Friday 16 November
As you are aware the school has many fund raising events for charities over the year and this year some Year 5 children are very keen to support Children in Need. Therefore, it has been agreed that money can be raised by Key Stage 2 children (Y3 – Y6) bringing in a set of dressing up clothes with them to change into to take part in a ‘fun run’ around the front playground during school time for a donation. For Foundation and Key Stage 1 children if they bring in a donation they may bring in a teddy (possibly dressed like Pudsey) for the day.

YU-GI-OH CARDS
Unfortunately there seems to be rising incidents of missing and lost Yu-Gi-Oh cards so I feel I must now ban them from school totally. The ban will take effect immediately.

‘RETURNING TO TEACHING’ COURSE – SPRING 2008
Are you a secondary school teacher thinking about returning to teaching after a career break?
Would you benefit from a specialist course to help prepare and support your return to the classroom?
You can receive a bursary of up to £1500, plus help with childcare costs, while you attend a ‘Returning to Teaching’ course in the Spring Term 2008.
The course, based at Kerrison in North Suffolk and is run jointly by Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils. The course runs for one day a week over 10 weeks. Together with 10 days of school experience, the course will give you the chance to increase your confidence and update your knowledge and skills to prepare for your return to the classroom.
If you are a secondary trained teacher with Qualified Teacher Status and are planning to return to work, then contact the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Service (TRRS) for more information and an application form.
TRRS, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX. Tel: 01473 264582.
Email: teachsuffolk@educ.suffolkcc.gov.uk

ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS
As you will have read in our recent Travel Plan update one of our key objectives is to ‘Make children aware of and give them the skills required for Road Safety’. With the help of the SCC Roadsafe team we are starting practical Road Safety training.
Class LC will be our trial class going on The Discovery Trail on Tuesday 16 October, this aims to familiarise the children with the area around school making special reference to the road environment. The Road Safety Officer will draw the children’s attention to safety features and safe approaches to the use of roads and pavements.
They will learn: What are dangerous places and why these are dangerous; Who are the people who help to keep them safe; The skills needed to keep themselves safe; The rules that help to keep them safe; Using their senses to help keep safe; The meaning of the words STOP, LOOK, LISTEN; What is traffic; What are vehicles; The vocabulary of the road - kerb, pavement, road etc.