18th November 2022
Dear Parents and Carers,
We started off the week with an Anti-Bullying Assembly for the whole school on Monday morning. We wore ‘odd socks’ to symbolise our differences, and we learned about tolerance and respect. Mr Hanratty dropped by and it was lovely to have him sit in on an assembly. I have fond memories of sitting in on his assemblies for the eleven years that he was my Headteacher!
Mr Hanratty was here again on Tuesday for our Wow Maths Day, organised by Mrs Gavins, who knows what a keen mathematician he is. He was present throughout the day and organised Maths games and puzzles for the children. The day was a fantastic success and we are so lucky to have the support of such an experienced and cherished member of our school community.
This week, we also had a visit from Nuala, the school’s new therapy dog. Mrs McNamara was so pleased with how welcoming everyone was to Nuala, both staff and pupils alike. We are hoping that she will be a regular visitor from now on, and I must admit I had a few cuddles myself! Meanwhile, many Year 6 pupils completed their Bikeability course this week and the instructors were very impressed with our pupils.
We finished the week on Friday with a Cake Sale (led by Year 4) for Children in Need. The children in Year 5 attended a Sports Festival at Bishop Fox’s on Friday morning, but the kind Year 4 children kept a range of goodies back for them so they didn’t miss out on the tasty treats. Thank you to Mrs Potter for organising the Cake Sale and to all who donated or gave their support. The team here at St George’s work so hard to ensure the children can flourish through the wonderful and wide-ranging experiences they are offered and it is a joy to see them learn and grow with every week that passes.
Safeguarding and Playground Parking
This week, myself and Mr Davies had a conversation with a parent who questioned why we close the gates just after 9am. I appreciate that for families who regularly arrive late, this does mean they will need to drop off at the front gate. However, like every school we have rules and procedures in place to keep children safe and to ensure the school day can begin on time. It is a matter of safeguarding that we lock all our gates at the start of the school day and we have a legal responsibility to keep all children in our care safe.
Classrooms open at 8.50am. Therefore, if you are arriving after 9am, you will find that the gates have been closed. This is because lessons have already started and children should be sitting at their desks and learning by this time.
I have sent out a copy of our school Attendance Policy with this week’s newsletter, so parents can be informed of our school procedures. I have also included below an extract about the effects of late arrival at school.
On a linked issue, I have had to speak to several parents about parking in the staff car park this week, and about leaving their cars unattended in the lane. It is very disheartening when a few parents ignore our school rules, which are in place so that the one-way system can run smoothly. When one person parks where they know they shouldn’t or leaves their car unattended in the lane, others follow their example, and the whole system starts to fall apart. I can think of several schools in the local area who have closed their school grounds to parent’s parking. We have always strived to avoid this at St George’s.
We know that the majority of parents support the school in our efforts to keep pupils safe and to ensure drop off and pick up times run smoothly. We are certainly thankful for that. We would encourage everyone to think about the bigger picture, the impact they are having on everyone else, and the respect that everyone deserves in our community.
Effects of Late Arrival at School – extract from our Attendance Policy
The table below indicates how frequent lateness can add up to a considerable amount of learning being lost. This can seriously disadvantage children and disrupt the learning of others.
|
Minutes late per Day |
Equates to Days of Teaching Lost in one Year |
Which means this number of lessons missed |
|
5 mins |
3 days |
15 lessons |
|
10 mins |
6 days |
30 lessons |
|
15 mins |
9 days |
45 lessons |
Mufti Day
The Parent Support Group will be sending out some information on the upcoming Mufti Day which will take place on Friday, 25th November. The children can wear their own clothes for the day in exchange for a specified item. These donations will then be used to create the much sought after prize hampers and a raffle will be held in the run up to Christmas. Do look out for further information from the PSG via school email. Raffle tickets will go home in book bags next Friday.
Reception Intake Applications
Time to start school? If you have a child born between 1st September 2018 and 31st August 2019, then now is the time to apply for a place at our school for admission from September 2023 onwards. You must complete an application form that is available from the school admissions team at County Hall, Somerset County Council. Please ensure you apply by the closing date of 15 January 2023. If your child is Catholic, you must also provide a copy of the baptism certificate to the school by this date.
Best wishes,
Edwina McDonnell
Upcoming Dates:
Friday 25th November – Mufti Day for the Christmas Raffle – more information from the PSG soon
Tuesday, 29th November – Flu Immunisations
Tuesday 6th December – EYFS Nativity at 2.30pm
Wednesday 7th December – KS1 Nativity 2pm matinee performance
Thursday 8th December – KS1 Nativity 6pm Performance
Tuesday 13th December – Christmas Dinner Day and Christmas Jumper Day
Wednesday, 14th December – Carol Concert at St George’s Church, 9.30am. Parents welcome.
Thursday 15th December – End of Term Mass in School, 9.30am. Parents welcome.
Friday 13th January – KS2 Disco / KS1 Movie Night – further information from the PSG soon
Friday 3rd February – KS1 Disco / KS2 Movie Night – further information from the PSG soon
