Issue 17 - Friday 6th March 2020
Headteacher's Welcome
Dear Parents and Carers
Yesterday's World Book Day celebrations went incredibly well with children completing book reviews, reading to one another, completing art work and swapping recommended reads. There was a great buzz around the school and the day really promoted our 'love of reading'.
Earlier on this week, Mrs Gooding introduced our new Parkfielder Characteristic for this half term during assembly. Our focus is going to be being supportive and we will be looking at ways we can support one another during assemblies and within lessons over the next few weeks.
Have a wonderful weekend
Mr Kemp
CURRICULUM OVERVIEWS
If you'd like to know what your child will be learning over the next half term you will find the information on our curriculum website here. Click on the appropriate link for your child's class on the long term plan for a detailed breakdown of what will be covered during topic time.
LEARNING LOGS (inc. Decorated Egg and Bonnett competition)
Learning Logs will have been sent home this week with a range of tasks included for this half term. Once task for all pupils to complete is the decorated Easter egg and bonnett parade that will take place in the final week of the term (Weds 1st April). We look forward to seeing some of the creative designs. This year, everyone that enters the competition, will recieve a little 'well done' chocolate reward with the overall winners being announced at the Easter Service on Friday 3rd April.
EARLY BIRDS AND BUSY BEES
We have a few spaces available in our after school club. The cost of the club is £8 per night and the children recieve a snack in addition to having the opportunity to take part in lots of fun activities and games. If you're interested please contact the school office or click here for more information.
NEW STYLE READING BOOKS
A reminder that if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, you many notice over the next couple of weeks your child bringing home different styles of reading books. These are part of a new reading scheme we have recently purchased to further develop our teaching of reading and phonics at Parkfield. More information will follow as we fully implement the new scheme but for now you can have a look at the Read, Write, Inc website for more information. https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/
Y5 BRASS CELEBRATION CONCERT
All parents and carers of Y5 pupils are invited into school on Thursday 2nd April at 9am to watch the class perform as a 'brass band'. This will be a fabulous ending to a terms worth of music teaching from Rochdale Music Service.
STONEWALL CHAMPION ANTI-BULLYING TRAINING
The whole staff and many governors stayed late on Tuesday evening for some training delivered by a 'Stonewall training partner' linked to anti-bullying with a particularly focus on LGBT. As a result, we will be renewing our anti-bullying policy and are looking forward to working with our pupils on developing a child friendly policy with the key message being Several Times On Purpose. Our training means we can proudly claim 'Stonewall School Champions' status. The training also looked at how we can make our curriculum even more inclusive and if you're interested in the type of information covered you can find it here on the Stonewall website.
CURRICULUM SHOWCASE EVENT - TUESDAY 31st MARCH @ 9am
If you get only one chance to come to an event this year at school....ensure it's this one! All parents and carers are invited to join us on the date and time above where you'll join your child(ren) to look at the work they've produced in class and also walk around the school with them learning about what every other class has been learning about. More details will follow.
WEBSITE
Please visit our website regularly as it has lots of useful information about the school. It's also regularly updated and includes information about our curriculum, previous presentations for parents, e-safety information and links to school policies. It also includes our calendar with holiday dates for the next few years.
LOVE OF READING
Please continue to read the books brought home by your child so that they can complete their book marks!
SECRET READER - REMINDER
Thanks to the parents and grandparents that have already given up their time and come into school and read. A reminder for anyone interested that we have introduced a new and exciting initiative called 'Secret Reader'. This is where an adult comes into the class for the last 15 minutes of the day and reads a book to the children. However, the children won't know who is coming in and what is being read until the adult arrives. The secret reader maybe a teacher, older pupil, ex-pupil or a family member from someone in that class. If you're interested please click here to suggest which days would suit you best and the class teacher or office will contact you.
VACANCY AT PARKFIELD
If you're interested in joining the Parkfield team as a part time caretaker please find details on the links.
⏰ Attendance and Punctuality
Arriving on time for school is important as late arrivals are disruptive for the class and can be a cause of distress for the child who is late.
Children can also miss important information during registration including the plan for the day.
- Doors open at 8.45am and close at 8.50am
At this time of year, thoughts may turn to booking a summer holiday. Absence during term time will not be authorised and it is very important that parents and carers understand that children with unauthorised absences, including holidays, and unexplained absences are at risk of receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice from Rochdale Council which would be a cost of £60 for each child's parent.
We need to work together to ensure that our children receive their educational entitlement that they deserve.
⚠️ Health and Safety
- Please can you support school by reminding children not to use the playground equipment before and after school.
PTA News
The PTA are working hard to organise events to raise funds for the pupils of Parkfield.
The up and coming events that need your support are:
- Forfeit Day (Donate an Easter Egg) Friday March 27th.
- Family Easter Bingo in the evening of the 27th. The first session will be 3.30 to 5.30. There will be soft drinks and hot dogs available, fun family bingo and games. The cost is £5.00 for a family of 5. The second session will be at 6.30 to 8.30pm. There will be drinks and food available, fun family bingo and games. The cost again is £5.00 for a family of 5. We are trying to accommodate more families by having 2 sessions.
- This year we are going to try and have a Summer Family Fun Day on Saturday 4th July. This will be instead of our usual Summer fair after school. More details will follow.
- We would like to do a family sponsored '3 Park Challenge'. This will be held on Saturday 6th June. We are inviting the whole family to join us starting with a 1 mile walk at Heaton Park, moving on to Chadderton Park for another 1 mile walk and finishing at Queens Park for the final 1 mile walk. We would like your child to enter our create the poster competition to advertise this event in around the school.
Thank you for your continual support, we are promoting fun family events that will raise money for the pupils of Parkfield.
Our current balance is £4011.39
🍴 School Dinners🍴
- Please let the school office know as soon as possible if your child is changing from school meals to packed lunches and vice versa.
- In line with local authority guidance, the price of school meals has increased to £2.20 each day, £11 per week for KS2 children. All monies will be collected using 'School Gateway'. Please note, if school meals are 2 weeks in arrears you will be asked to provide a packed lunch.
- The school provides healthy and nutritious school meals that are cooked onsite. The contents of each school meal is in line with Healthy Eating Guidelines which is a requirement for all schools.
- All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM), irrespective of family income and family circumstances. If your circumstances change in future and you then receive benefits, you will need to apply for a Free School Meal (FSM). The number of children entitled to a FSM affects the funding we receive as a school. Therefore, we kindly ask all parents that believe they may be entitled, to apply for FSM. These forms can be collected from the school office or downloaded online from http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/schools_and_children/free_school_meals.aspx
🔗 Useful Links 🔗
Find out about how our curriculum is structured and the objectives children learn in each year group and subject.
A range of activities are set each half term related to the learning taking place in the classroom.
Payments for dinners, trips and other activities can be made online using the School Gateway.
Would you like the opportunity to win £25,000 each week and support the school? If so, please join the Parkfield school lottery where one person from our school is guaranteed a prize each week. A percentage of the money raised goes towards school funds.
🔔 Reminders 🔔
✅ Please read as much as possible with your child. Just 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference.
✅ There is a spelling test each Friday for Y1-6 and new spellings to be learnt are also given out on a Friday.
✅ Library days: Mon – 5/6, Tues – 3/4, Weds – 1/2, Thurs – R.
✅ Mathletics tasks are set online each week to consolidate and extend learning.
✅ ‘Plain black’ shoes or trainers with no other colours on them
✅ Information about school uniform can be found on the school website here.
✅ All after school clubs finish at 4pm. Please let us know if your child doesn’t want to continue as we usually have long waiting lists.
✅ School water bottles are available for £1 from the school office. No other water bottle is allowed.
✅ All equipment is provided by school. Please don’t send pens, pencils, pencil cases…etc.
✅ Remember to check your emails, we like to send plenty!