Newsletter No 2 October 2009

HARVEST ASSEMBLY - on Monday 19^th October (next Monday)

We are doing our normal thing of distributing boxes of produce to our infirm and/or elderly neighbours and the remainder will be delivered to the Padley Centre for them to use.  If you have any names of people for the boxes then please pop their name and address down on a piece of paper and hand it in to the class teachers.  From the cards of thanks we receive these boxes are really appreciated by the precipitants.  The Padley Centre cannot accept any out of date items now, so emptying your cupboards out isn’t an option any more - sorry!  They have expanded their wish list though and this now includes items such as liquid soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as toilet and kitchen rolls.  If you want to bring in perishables then please leave these until Monday morning.  Any other items can be brought in at anytime this week.  Thank you in anticipation of your continued kindness. 

PTA

Your PTA is up and running again. And the AGM is on Wednesday 21^st October at 2.30 pm (in School).  Everyone is a member so please come and join us. 

PTA are in the process of organising a ‘family’ disco which will take place off site, sometime in November – watch this space.  The Christmas Fayre has been organised for Friday 4^th December straight after school.

The PTA are also trying to raise funds by selling Christmas cards this year.  These cards will have been created by your own children and then professionally made into cards for you.  They make lovely cards to send to friends and family.  The children will create the cards in school and bring them home with an order form on 6^th November.  Orders have to be placed by 10^th November please.  The cards will be out to you by 7^th December. 

Date for your diary - INSET DAY – Monday 30^th November. 

Walking with bikes and scooters in school.

This isn’t a rule that we have made up to be mean, and sadly because children and parents/carers are flouting it, two accidents have occurred in the last couple of weeks.  It is brilliant that so many children are either biking to school or using scooters, but to prevent any more needless accidents they MUST walk with them on the school grounds.  This is a request that has been made on several occasions, so if your child ignores this rule they will unfortunately receive a verbal warning and then a repeat incident will incur a ban.  Thank you for your understanding. 

Performances

It is the turn of the juniors to do a performance this year and the infants will be doing a selection of Christmas songs and Carols.

Separate letters will be coming out for this but we are letting you know now so you can pencil the dates in your diary.

Junior Performances – Wednesday 9^th December (pm) and Thursday 10^th December (am).

Infant songs and carols – Thursday 10^th December (pm).

We served mince pies and tea/coffee last year.  Could I have a bit of feedback on this please – yes again please or no don’t bother!

Cheers!

Newsletter No 1 September 2009

Welcome back everyone 

A big Meadow Farm welcome to Mr Moore (Year 6), Mrs Beck (Nursery) and all of the new children who have joined us this year.   

All of the children have made an excellent start to the year and are ready to do lots of ‘learning’ this year.  We are trying very hard to use the word ‘learning’ rather than ‘work’ from now on in school.  It’s just a little thing but we want the children to recognise that they are in school to learn and learning isn’t really work.  That’s something for when you are older! 

Healthy Snacks 

It seems a lifetime ago that this was introduced in schools and we had parents lining up outside saying that under no circumstances would their child eat fruit at playtime.  How things change.  

ALL of the infant children are provided with a piece of fruit each day.  There is therefore no need for them to be provided with anything else to eat, as they want to play with their friends and not stand around eating.  If there is any fruit remaining then the junior children are given it at their playtime.  Although many schools have gone to ‘fruit only’ we are still being more flexible as I know there are children who can’t face eating food first thing in the morning and therefore miss breakfast.  We are still allowing children to bring in hard cheese (cheese strings are fine) or cereal bars.  These however must not be chocolate flavoured or have chocolate flavouring on them.  We had been allowing ‘dunkers’ in school but unfortunately this has led to children bringing in crackers and then biscuits and all sorts of varieties of things.  Therefore, fruit, hard cheese or a plain cereal bar is allowed at playtimes.  The children are encouraged to bring fruit juice or water too.  Water is the only drink allowed in classes.  This is to keep the children’s’ brains hydrated and assist them with their concentration and learning.   

Deodorants 

Children’s perspiration does not smell until they are at an age when their hormones are changing.   Some children then choose to bring in a deodorant for after PE.  The amount of children doing this has risen a lot during the last couple of years (a sign of children growing up much more quickly).  If the older children wish to use a deodorant it needs to be a ‘roll on’ one please and not a spray.  The sprays cause our asthmatics to have breathing problems as well as needing to consider the damage they do to the environment.

Play area refurbishment on Waterford Drive  

Councillor Bolton came in to school at the end of last term and thanked the children for their surveys which resulted in the City Council agreeing to upgrade the play area.  The work is beginning in October and the plans are displayed in the entrance hall.  Let’s hope it stays in good repair so that the children have somewhere to play. 

PE kit

Children need to have their PE kit in school all week (including plimsolls) please.  The juniors go out at least once per week and this continues all through the winter.  Please ask if you don’t know what a PE kit should consist of. 

Good Learning Assembly 

This year these assemblies are going to be on a Thursday morning at 9.10 am.  You are more than welcome to come along and see your child receive their Gold star certificates and Headteacher awards.  These are given for a whole range of things and show how hard your child has done with their learning in a curriculum area or demonstrates wonderful attitudes. 

Photos 

Individual photos are being taken on Tuesday 22^nd September (sorry this is tomorrow).  If you wish to have a family photograph taken then please come to the hall at 8.30 am and the photographer will be happy to do these for you. 

Building work 

This seems to be going on for ever but the first phase should be finished within a couple of weeks.  The work transferring the old Nursery building to a Children’s Centre should begin by the end of October.  Thank you for your patience. 

Birthdays 

You are very kind when it is your child’s birthday and often bring in sweets etc. for everyone in the class.  We will always give these out at the end of the day so that you can see what your child has been given and make the decision about it being eaten then or at tea time.  Can we ask that you don’t bring in lollipops as they can easily choke a child if they eaten on the way home and a child falls over.  Thank you. 

Free School meals (FSM) 

Many families are entitled to these but Parent/Carers are not always aware of it.  There is no stigma attached to having FSM and no one in the class knows.  The registers are done in alphabetical order and your child says either sandwiches or dinners when the register is called.  You are entitled to FSM if you get:- 

·         Income Support

·         income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

·         support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

·         Child Tax Credit – but not Working Tax Credit – and your annual income is not     more than £16,040.

·         Guarantee Credit element of State Pension Credit.

·         Income Related Employment and Support Allowance ESA(IR). 

However, free school meals cannot be claimed by families receiving Working Tax Credit or for children in care. 

Dinner Money 

Could you please ensure that dinners are paid for on a Monday as we collect the money for Derby City Council and a security company collects it. This is to ensure we don’t keep any money in school.  Please put the money in an envelope with the name and the days your child is staying for lunch on it.  The envelope then needs to be given by the child to the class teacher, as money is collected during registration.   If you require change it will be given to your child’s class teacher in an envelope for you  at the end of the day.

Please refrain from paying at the office.  Thank you.