Thursday, 17 July 2014

School Garden

Dear Parents/Carers

I would like to thank everyone for all their support with the school garden.  It has been a real success and the children have been eager to help.  The children have grown the following this term:
·        Radishes
·        Cress
·        Sunflowers
·        Tomato plants
·        Strawberries
·        Peas
·        Flowers


I would also like to congratulate Class 3 (Year 1/2) for winning the “Best Bug Hotel” Competition.  Lots of effort went into creating a wonderful habitat for insects which involved using pallets, grass and tree cuttings, pot plants, etc.  They went the extra mile and created a fabulous sign to go on top of the hotel.


Any child that did not have a turn in the garden will have priority when we return in September.  Finally, please turn over for a leaflet from Bedfords Park Walled Garden who are running a free Children’s Summer Programme (8-12 years old only).  If you are interested please book soon as places are limited.
Yours sincerely,

Mr R Evans

Leaflet:
Children’s Summer Programme   

Bedfords Park Walled Garden Broxhill Rd Havering atte Bower RM4 1QH

Grow Cook Eat 
Children are invited to take part in a playful, inventive and unique experience of discovery about food – how to grow it, how to cook some of it but more importantly they’ll learn about how food affects their bodies and gain knowledge that should last a lifetime. 
It takes place in the walled garden, Bedfords Park with food growing all around them. So they’ll see vegetables in a different light. They may not even recognise familiar vegetables growing in the ground and new vegetables will be an exciting all round encounter. 
Children will be encouraged to taste new vegetables and have a passport/sticker system to monitor progress encouraging the national standards of 5-7 portions a day.  
They’ll be designing rainbows on their plates and playing food games, have some sports to play at lunch time and be directly involved in the lunchtime experience creating their eating environment as well as creating their lunch. 
For one day per week over the 5 week period of the summer holiday from Tuesday 29 July onwards, children aged 8-12 will learn a myriad of skills and have lots of fun doing it. There’s an end of holidays celebration event on Saturday 6th September in the garden for all the family. The students can show off their skills to parents and friends in the garden, with pizza and plants and they’ll receive their certificates too. 
Lunch is provided.  
Places are free, signing up in advance essential. Appropriately checked supervisory and teaching staff. Morning and evening minibus shuttle from MyPlace, Harold Hill. 
To sign up for the programme pick the day for the children to attend Tuesday to Friday (same day each week). Drop off from 8am, activities begin 9am and end 5.30pm pick up no later than 6pm. 
Contact Kirsty kirsty@clear-village.org or call her for a chat on 078 645 645 04 
Clear Village Charitable Trust, the organisation that manages the Bedfords Park Walled Garden, has been commissioned by Havering Council to run a programme for children during the summer holidays 2014. 

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

14th July 2014

 14th July 2014
Dear Parents/Carers,

As you are aware, we have some staffing changes happening at the end of this term.

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Carline, Mr. Botha, Mr. Light and I will all be leaving.

Our new headteacher, Mrs. K. Waters will be making another visit on Thursday afternoon of this week to meet some of the new intake children and parents/carers.

Mr. R. Brown will be the new full time site manager, when Mrs. Howard retires at the end of August.

Mrs. Carline and Mr. Botha were job sharing the reception class teaching. In September, we are delighted to let you know that Mrs. H. French will be joining the staff as the teacher for Class 4. She too will be visiting on both Thursday and Friday afternoons this week to meet her new class on their “taster” afternoons.

Finally, we will be sorry to say goodbye to Mr. Light - our music teacher, who has produced the most amazing standard of KS2 music. Artis - who provide our drama lessons will also be working for a full day next term to cover the music curriculum.

The classes for next term will be:



Yours sincerely,


V. A. Morris






Wednesday, 9 July 2014

7th July 2014

Dear Parents/Carers,

Free school meals for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 from September 2014!

From the beginning of next term, all pupils in the above year groups (or infant classes) will be able to receive a school meal at no cost to their parent/carer. This is known as Universal Free School Meals and is a government initiative from September 2014.

Although children in the infants (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) do not pay for school meals it is important that you still register for free school meals if you are eligible. This is because schools are able to claim a Pupil Premium of up to £1300 per child on free school meals to make sure each school’s budget matches it’s community’s needs. 

FREE SCHOOL MEALS (FSM) AND PUPIL PREMIUM (PP)

What is Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools to help raise the attainment of pupils. It is paid to schools according to the number of pupils who have been registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years and been in care for 6 months or longer. In the financial year 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2015, pupil premium funding will be:
£1,300 for each eligible primary aged pupil
The funding can be used for a range of interventions including: music fees, teaching assistant staff, after school programmes, equipment.
Pupil Premium funding or Free School Meals are for all families with a joint family income of less than £16,190 a year. Make sure you apply today or ask in the school office for help or information.

Finally, a message from Sharon our cook - if you need to order Infant (Class 3 & 4) school meal tickets for the remainder of this term, please do not order more that you will need to cover the meals until the 23rd July 2014.

Yours sincerely,

V. A. Morris


4th July 2014

4th July 2014

Dear Parents/Carers,

MONDAY 7th July 2014

The Tour de France will head through Essex and East London on Monday 7 March. The Tour won't be coming to Havering, but the area may experience travel difficulties. Roads on and around the route will be closed to traffic from 10am. The school will be open as usual.


RE:  One-Day National Strike Action On Thursday 10th July 2014

I write to inform you that the GMB, UNITE and UNISON trade unions have called for national strike action on Thursday 10th July 2014. This action is in response to their rejection of the 1% pay offer for all staff employed within Local Government employed under National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions (which includes support staff in schools). The NUT has also called for their members to take strike action on this same day. This action as part of their national campaign of discontinuous strike action, which is in response to the government’s
proposed changes to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, teachers’ pay and conditions, workload pressures and loss of jobs.

I have now been reliably informed that all staff will be in school on Thursday 10th July 2014 and Dame Tipping C. E. Primary School will remain fully open to all classes. Therefore I would ask that you send your children to school as normal.

Many thanks.

Yours sincerely

V. A. Morris


Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Stubbers

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 6

Due to the hard work from everyone in Year 6 throughout their time at the school they are being invited to the Stubbers Activity Centre (RM14 2TY) on the 10th of July to take part in exciting outdoor activities. 
Please make arrangements for your child to arrive at the reception in Stubbers for 9:00am and for their collection at 4:30pm.  Pupils can wear non-uniform and must be prepared for wet and muddy conditions throughout the day.  The centre recommends children bring a change of clothing, shoes and a towel.

All pupils must bring a packed lunch and a drink for the day. They may also bring along up to £10 spending money in a named envelope to spend in the shop.  The centre does offer the use of lockers to store away bags while on activities.
If you make arrangements for another adult to collect your child you must notify me in writing before the day.
Please complete the consent form attached in full if your child wishes to take part.
Yours sincerely,


Mr R Evans