Dear Parents/ carers,
Newsletter Week Beginning 13th September
It has been lovely to welcome the children back to school with slight relaxation of the rules and regulations, which we have all followed over the last 18months. The children have settled well and I’m pleased to say they ALL look super smart in their school uniform. Reception are all in school today after a staggered week and have made a great start to the term. Our new little nursery class look tiny but so grown up! Thank you for making sure they have the correct uniform and have what they need. Just like you, I’m also a busy parent of two boys and I know it’s no mean feat to get what they need in the right place on the right day!
Thank you again for your patience and understanding when we’ve had new guidance to follow, particularly with testing and isolation. I am so grateful to you for your compliance and understanding with new rules and TTP processes. If you are unsure about anything, please look at the website below or contact Mrs Seager in the school office.
Now we are starting to open up our school activities further and I would ask you to read the following information carefully so that you know what to expect in the weeks ahead.
Breakfast Club.
As you should know, Breakfast Club has opened up again for children from Nursery to Year 6. We are still keeping the Foundation phase pupils separate to KS2 pupils as much as possible and so KS2 will have their breakfast club in the gym and Foundation phase children will be in the hall. You don’t need to book the children in but they will need to continue to sanitise on entry to school. We do need to keep the rooms fully ventilated so it might get chilly when the weather changes.
Breakfast is still toast or fruit and a bottle of water and will be served from 8.20am. As before, children can arrive before this time (from 8am) but will be charged £1 to cover additional costs.
School Dinners
Hot school dinners are continuing and children from Foundation phase will eat in the dinner hall from 11.45am. It is then cleaned before KS2 children come in at 12.25. Please ensure you have put money on your sQuid account as this is the only way you can pay. We have a weekly list of children entitled to free school meals. Please check with Mrs Seager in the school office if you think you might be entitled to claim free school meals. The menu for the meals can be found here.
https://www.swansea.gov.uk/primaryschoolmeals
Snack
Foundation phase pupils are welcome to bring in £1 per week for fruit. We have a selection of Gower-grown fruit delivered from our local greengrocer- Shepherds. You are more than welcome to provide your own fruit snack but please can I remind you that it is fruit only. Some children have brought in yoghurts, biscuits, pepperami and fruit winders. These items would need to be eaten at lunchtime as part of their packed lunch if they bring them to school.
Drinks
Please also continue to send in a named water bottle for your child which they can refill throughout the day.
Kids Club
After school Kids club has also started again on Monday but you will need to book your children into club in the usual way. Strict procedures will still be in place to keep your children safe and to ensure we maintain hand hygiene at all times.
Information about your child’s new class!
Pre-covid we would normally invite you in to meet your child’s new class teacher to find out all the important information you need. This would normally be held with the children in their new classroom. For obvious reasons, we can’t do this in the usual way. However, we feel it’s important for you to meet your child’s class teacher to ensure a smooth transition to their new class. Next week, we will hold a socially distanced and safe meeting for parents who would like to meet their child’s class teacher.
There are some rules you will need to follow and we completely understand if you wish to receive the information by letter. To attend the meeting safely only one parent per child can attend. You will need to wear a mask and sanitise on your way in to school. You will meet the teacher in the hall and will remain seated in a socially distanced way and not move seats. The doors and windows will be open to ensure the hall is well ventilated. You will need to wear your mask throughout the meeting and the children will remain in their classroom with me. At 3.30pm I will bring the children to the hall and then you will leave in a socially distanced way following the one-way system.
The meetings will be held on different nights so that there will be no more than 25 people in our large hall. Year 3, Nursery and Reception have already had a meeting outside in Summer Term so we will NOT be holding a meeting for parents of children in these classes. You will need to arrange for siblings to be looked after as we won’t be allowing other children in the hall at this time. I understand that this might be difficult which is why we will also provide the information by email or letter home. The meetings will take place as follows:
Monday 13th September 3pm- 3.30pm Year 5
Tuesday 14th September 3pm-3,30pm Year 4
Wednesday 15th September 3pm-3.30pm Year 6
Thursday 16th September 3pm-3,30pm Year 1
Monday 20th September 3pm-3.30pm Year 2
Again, if you would prefer to have the information by letter or email please let us know. If you have any questions for Mrs Mead Yr3, Mrs Glass Nursery and Miss Trotman Reception, please ask via class dojo in the usual way.
Children in ISTF and JSTF will have a socially distanced coffee morning once we have worked out how to do this safely and with minimum risk to the children, staff and parents. More information will follow.
Parents Evenings
Parents’ evenings will be after half term and will be via telephone call just like last year. More information will follow later on this term.
As you know, I will always make myself available to discuss any concerns you may have, preferably by phone but I’m always in one of the yards in the morning before school.
PE KITS
The children will wear their PE kit to school on their PE day. Staff will inform you of this in the meeting or via class dojo if you haven’t already been told.
PE kit consists of trainers, a plain white round neck t-shirt OR a plain house colour t-shirt with the school logo, black shorts, black leggings or black tracksuit bottoms. Please do not send the children into school wearing a football kit, rugby kit, crop top, and brightly coloured leggings or a t-shirt with a slogan or sports brand. I have a selection of plain white t-shirts in my office for those children who may forget!
Rainbow Room and Thrive Hive
We have a duty of care for ALL children in our school. At times children become distressed or upset about things that might have happened at home, in the yard or in school. The staff who work in the Thrive Hive or the Rainbow Room focus on children’s well-being. They have been trained and are very experienced. If children need support for something linked to their well-being they might spend some time with Mrs Bessent or Miss Kelshaw. This could be anything from a 2-minute chat to reassure them or a 20-minute session once a week. Please always know that we have the children’s best interest at heart and we want them to succeed. If your child wants to share good news or is particularly proud of their work, they might also pop in to see Miss Kelshaw or Mrs Bessent.
Please be reassured we will always inform you if the children need further support because working with you, together as part of a team, will always get the best outcome. Please give me a ring if you have any questions.
Events this week
Monday 13th September
Year 5 meeting at 3pm
Tuesday 14th September
AM- Roman Visitor to Year 4
PM- Celtic Visitor to Year 3
Year 4 class meeting at 3pm
Wednesday 15th September
Year 6 Parent meeting at 3pm
Thursday 16th September
Year 1 Parent meeting at 3pm
Friday 17th September
Year 4 Swimming- Please can all Year 4 children bring a swimming kit
Monday 20th September
Year 2 Parent meeting at 3pm
Tuesday 21st September
Year 6 visit to 1940’s museum.
Year 2 visit to Loughor Castle
I hope you all have a great weekend!
Kind Regards
Mrs L Davies