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Welcome to a 'New School Year' - Link Parental worries? - Link Mathematics - Link Home School Partnership Agreement - Link Homework Schedule - Link Bullying - Link Extra Curricular Activities - Link Residential Visit 2012 - Link Swimming this term - Years 3 and 4 - Link Noah's Ark Breakfast and After-School Club - Link 'Friends of Innsworth Junior School' - Link School Driveway/Parking/Walking - Link Secondary Transfer (Year 6 parents only) - Link Peripatetic Music: Budding Musicians - Link |
Healthy Eating/Drinking - Link Lunch boxes - Link Free School Meals - Link School Terms and Holidays - Link Calendar of Events - Link Staff Thanks - Link Year 6 Parents SATs 2012 - Link PE Lessons - Link Safety Issues - footwear / earrings - Link Reading Record / Homework Log - Link A Year 3 Parent Needs Help With Transportation - Link Headlice - The Sunday Night Check - Link Text Messaging Service - Link Thought for the Day - Link |
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Welcome to a 'New School Year'
We are delighted to welcome all of our new pupils and their families to Innsworth Junior School. This is the second year for us to have families arriving from across the European Union. This week we have welcomed Italian, Spanish, Czech, Greek and Turkish children into our classes. It is very hard for us to contemplate how a school day must feel for these children who speak very little English. However, we do know from last year, that if we all work together and provide as much support as possible, these pupils will thrive. Last year our families welcomed many of the ARRC children into their homes and this approach enabled both friendships and language skills to develop. We are equally delighted to welcome our Year 2 children and their parents from Innsworth Infants and other UK schools and know that they are going to enjoy their time with us as 'Juniors'. It is nearly the end of the first week and I am not aware of too many 'teething problems'. However, if you know differently, please make contact with your class teacher. At Innsworth Junior we have always had an 'open-door' policy for parents. This means that we want to know if you or your children are experiencing difficulties concerning school. Your first approach must be to the class teacher who is there to help resolve class-based issues. [After school is the best time to see a teacher.] If further help is needed, I will always make time to see a worried parent. However, as I am now class-based for Monday and Tuesday, I may not be able to see you during the day. However, I am always available during the early evening. Mrs Hamblett, our school secretary, is the keeper of the school diary and will certainly set up an appointment, at the earliest opportunity. We no longer have a PSA [Parent Support Advisor] but this does not diminish our responsibility to you. If you are experiencing difficulties at home and feel we can help you [even if it is only a sympathetic ear and a cup of coffee], come into the office and make an appointment. We may even be able to point you in the direction of someone who can provide a solution to your difficulties. We value our relationship with parents as we believe children learn best when we are 'singing from the same hymn sheet'. Mathematics groups started on Wednesday of this week. Children in Classes 1, 2 and 3 have been set by ability across these three groups. Similarly, children in Classes 4 and 5 have been set by ability into two groups. Home School Partnership Agreement
You should all receive these forms with the newsletter. Every child will receive an agreement as we want a fresh start to this new academic year. If you have any fundamental disagreement, please speak to us as we want to develop a successful relationship between children, parents and school. The homework schedule is also attached to this newsletter. Teachers know that they must keep to this schedule so that parents can keep the more reticent children on task. Obviously, if a teacher is absent, the homework may not be issued. You know your child. If you have any reason to doubt a lack of homework, ring or come in and we can check for you. This is another one of those times when some children just need a timely reminder from a parent. If your child seems to be engaged in tackling hours and hours of homework, question it as no set task should require more than 45 minutes of studying.
Bullying will
not be tolerated at our school. We will not accept name-calling or
physical violence of any description. 'NO TOUCHING WITHOUT PERMISSION' The pupils
are encouraged to tell an adult whenever they feel someone has done
something wrong to them e.g. hit, name calling etc. Our motto is: We cannot say bullying does not happen but we can say that we will immediately act on any instances whenever they arise. We also deal with these types of issues through PSHCE [Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education] programme and Circle Time. Children need to feel empowered to say 'No, I am not accepting your behaviour towards me' as this may just be enough to make a bully stop and think about what they are doing. The majority of extra curricular activities will be starting week beginning the 19th September. Football Club on a Monday will, however, start earlier on Monday 12th September. Again, the information sheet should be attached to this newsletter. Please note that some clubs are run by outside agencies so this will incur a cost. Year 5 and
6 Residential Visit to Saundersfoot,West Wales
Swimming this term - Years 3 and 4 Swimming lessons take place on a Friday afternoon for Years 3 and 4 only. These lessons start on Friday 16th September for ten weeks and letters have already been sent home to parents. We are anticipating a late return for one group of pupils, possibly about 3.30 p.m. A letter requesting parental help has also been sent out. Even if you feel you cannot commit to a regular 'swimming session' we would be delighted to accept an offer of one or two individual sessions. Ultimately, we cannot operate without help because of health and safety issues. If you feel a little unsure, please come and have a chat with Mrs Wilmot. Noah's Ark Breakfast and After-School Club
At the end of each day, children going to Noah's Ark are sent to the inner reception area. This is where the club leaders collect them. Should any child forget and go out to the gate, one of the teachers will bring them back into school. If you are late collecting your child at 3.15 p.m., do not worry, especially when you arrive at school and they are not immediately obvious. They will be sitting in our inner reception area. 'Friends of Innsworth Junior School'
School Driveway/Parking/Walking Two reminders:
Secondary Transfer (Year 6 parents only) All Year 6 parents have received a letter from Shire Hall about the secondary transfer. All the information about the schools and their Open Evenings is now online. However, we do have one booklet in school if you are unable to access the Internet. Two key dates for your diary: if you are considering a grammar school:
Please come and see me if you need any support or advice. Peripatetic Music: Budding Musicians Miss Schofield
has sent home a letter about opportunities for learning to play an
instrument- flute, clarinet, brass, guitar and possibly violin.
Just to remind
you that we are a 'Healthy School' so please only pack fruit, vegetables
or cheese for your child's mid morning break.
Extra funding
for schools is based around a pupil premium. At the moment this funding
is allocated on the number of children who are eligible for free school
meals. Therefore, if you are eligible we need you to register with
the local authority. Registration does not mean that your child has
to take up the offer of a free school meal.
For more information please go to: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
A copy of our School Terms and Holidays for the Academic Year 2011/2012 can be downloaded here. Please note that the next Inservice Day for staff is Friday 21st October so your children will not be able to come to school on this day. We always try to keep our Inservice days to the beginning or end of terms. A calendar of events for the Autumn Terms 1 and 2 can be seen here. On behalf of all the staff, I would like to say 'Thank You' for the many presents that we received in July. All our staff work very hard and when parents recognise this in whatever way they feel fit, it is always appreciated. It is never expected and it always surprises me at the generosity that comes our way. A card or letter with a personal message can mean such a great deal to the receiver.
Year 6 SATs will be taking place from Monday 14th to Friday 18th May [main tests] with Level 6 tests [for children working above the main levels] taking place on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd May. Please do not book your holiday during this time as we will not authorise it. Talking of holidays….we know that holidays taken in the main school breaks can be very expensive. However, holidays taken in school time can be expensive in terms of pupil learning and progress. Permission for holiday absences is treated as an individual case but repeated holiday absences will be refused. If you need to take your child out of school for any reason, please ask for an absence form at the school office.
It is important that all children have their kit in school for every PE/Games lesson. We need you to make sure that it is brought in on Mondays and we will make sure it is taken home for washing on Fridays! If you are buying new kit, please could you make it black for shorts and white for the tee shirt. Safety Issues - footwear / earrings It is very important that children wear shoes which are suitable for school. Whilst wedges and heels can enhance an outfit, they are not very good when a child is running around in the playground. Similarly, earrings need to be of the small stud type (no hoops) so that they do not get caught when children are involved in playground games. Many thanks. All children have/will have a red Reading Record and this should be brought home each day so that parents may listen to their child read. Even if your child is a 'free' reader, he/she will need to discuss the text in order to develop the higher order reading skills. Teachers expect
every child to bring their red Reading Record Books back into school
every morning. A Year 3 Parent Needs Help With Transportation One of our Year 3 parents needs help [up until Christmas] with transporting his child to and from school; they live near Gloucester Royal Hospital. He is willing to pay for this service. If you are able to help, please contact the school office and we will put you in touch with the family. Many thanks. Headlice - The Sunday Night Check Headlice will make a regular appearance throughout the school unless we take a proactive approach to keeping them at bay! We need every parent to sign up to 'The Sunday Night Check'. We simply need you to check that your child's head on a Sunday night is clear of the eggs or the actual lice and then let us know of any positive sightings! This helps parents and staff as nothing causes more upset than finding these unexpected 'visitors' amongst us. Yes, school staff can catch headlice, just like the rest of the school population. Many thanks. If we do not already have your up to date mobile number, please add it to the slip below. "Kind
words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." If any parent, whose first language is not English, has difficulties in understanding this newsletter, please get in touch with me. Coffee and support will be provided! |
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The Friends will shortly be considering this year's programme of events.
New members are needed as last year's ranks have been greatly depleted.
For our new parents, being part of our 'Friends' does not have to
be an onerous task. It is actually a good way of getting to know us
all! Just come along when the next meeting is announced and decide
whether it's for you.
Please try to make your child's lunch as healthy as possible. It is
now widely accepted that children's behaviour and learning is directly
affected by the food which they eat. If this simple measure improves
learning, please try and think carefully about what your child eats
at lunchtime. Obviously they must have food which they like and will
eat. 
