November Newsletter

Thank you to the H.S.A. and everyone who helped at the Winter Fair on the 25th November. It was a great success and very enjoyable!  It was well supported and raised in the region of £2000. The Book Fair raised over £400 just on that day, with the total amount still to be counted. This benefits school significantly as 60% of the profit is given back to the school in books. Indications are that we will benefit from around £700 worth – this is fantastic and will boost classroom libraries! We have been lucky to have had such amazing support from a number of parents, some of whom have dedicated a lot of time to school to make the above events a success. Thank you!

Anti- Bullying Week

…was another success with some thoughtful work from your children.  The focus was on the role of the bystander and how everyone can take a role in tackling bullying – the message is it is not good enough to know about bullying and take no action.  Children did some interesting work in class and the week rounded off with examples shown in assembly and a live performance from our own boy band “ Crazed Conditionz” who started the week by  performing for the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall. After assembly everyone in school joined their blue bands together to make a large linked chain around the school.

School improvement…..

Next week there will be some changes made to the fabric of the school and contractors will be working on site for four days. The first phase of window replacement starts for the three ground floor classrooms by the top playground and the ceilings are to be lowered in all the downstairs classrooms. This will mean that the whiteboards can be installed before the start of the spring term.

We have decided to go ahead at this time, instead of waiting for the next available shutdown, because we want the children to benefit from the improved learning environment and progress the work to other classrooms during the next school holiday sessions. We hope to minimise the disruption for the children while this takes place and look forward to the improvements it will bring. 

Centenary 2007 - Community Event 7th December 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 

On the afternoon of December 7th the school will own its doors to anyone with prior connections to the school. If you know anyone who came here – either as a pupil or member of staff, please let them know – they may have information that will help us complete our planned projects, which includes a book. .

There will be copies of the old log book entries for people to look at and there will be refreshments and tours around school. We are hoping to collect articles, photographs, stories etc to help us produce a book about Hunter’s Bar since the school was built.

Attendance

The target for this academic year is 95.6% attendance. So far we have achieved 96.3% attendance – well done.

Holiday request (reminder)

Although we encourage good attendance and hope that children can achieve 100%, In special circumstances, parents can request time off school for their children. If you feel you need to do this a holiday request form can be obtained from the school office and should be completed and returned two weeks before the requested day(s). It is possible for up to ten days to be authorised within an academic year for each child, but this should not be assumed as an entitlement. If the reasons for the absence are compelling and notification is given to the school at least two weeks in advance the absences can be authorised. The only exception to this will be in emergency situations when the required notice could not be given.

Cards….!

Children are bringing cards to school to swap etc. and this is presenting challenges in many ways. Unfortunately there have been incidents when cards have been lost and probably stolen. In one case a child has had a large number of cards taken. We are always disappointed when this sort of thing happens - we want to think the best of our children and hope that they can resist temptations like this. We hope to resolve these sorts of situations but are often limited in what we can do and dislike the interruptions this brings to lesson time. You can help us in two ways; please support us in discouraging children in bringing these cards to school and secondly if you notice your child has more cards than you think they should have please can you investigate. It would be a happy ending for the child whose whole and expensive collection went missing if they could be returned to school. However – a lesson for all…please leave them at home!

Free Cycle Training…

Available from the Council’s Road Safety section for  children aged 7 – 10 years: Norfolk Park (Centre in the Park) and Concord Sports Centre; Saturday mornings; 10:00 – 12:00 noon.

To book a place contact Mike Stanley on 2736162

Dates for the diary

I have enclosed known dates for the rest of this academic year. (from November 2006)

December

7th                       Community Event (Centenary) 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

13th                      Afternoon Y3 performance

14th                       Evening Y3 performance

20th                       INSET Day 3

21st – 2nd Jan       Christmas Holiday

January 2007

3rd                         Spring Term begins

February

12th – 16th             Half Term holiday

19th                       Return to school

26th  – 27th             Y4 at Castleton

March

20th  and 22nd       Parents’ Evenings

April

2nd – 13th              Easter Holiday

16th                       Summer term begins

May
3rd                           INSET Day 4

4th                           INSET Day 5

7th                           May Day         

28th – 1st June      Half Term holiday

June

4th                             Return to school

11th – 15th                 Theme Week

16th                            Garden party (3 – 5 p.m.)

17th                            Hunter’s Bar Junior School - 100 years old

July

20th                            Last day of term.