Issue 2 - 6th September 2019

Headteacher's Welcome

Dear Parents and Carers

I hope the start of the year for your child has been an enjoyable experience. It has certainly been an eventful few days for the Parkfield staff and we've quickly forgot about those lovely six weeks we've just had.

I'd like to thank you all for the fabulous start we've had with our whole school punctuality. We have the vast majority of the children coming into school at 8.45am and before the doors close at 8.50am.

We introduced this week our 'Parkfielder Character' values that we are now delivering through the curriculum and during assemblies. This half term we're focussing on being a 'Listener' and the children will be completing activities in class around this value. Walking around the school this week seeing our children focussing on what teachers are saying in lessons shows that we're already fabulous at this characteristic.

I do hope you're finding our new version of the newsletter easier to navigate with more important information and key dates below.

As always, thanks for your continued support and have a wonderful weekend.

Mr Kemp

Latest News

  • MEET THE TEACHER You're invited to come into your child's class next Wednesday 11th September at 3.15pm to meet your child's class teacher. If you're unable to attend or you have more than one child, all presentations will be placed online so you don't miss any vital information. Please note that Year 6 will be having their event on Tuesday 10th September at 3.15pm.
  • CURRICULUM Our teachers have been working hard on planning the curriculum for the next half term. You can find what your child is going to be learning on the new Curriculum Website found here: https://curriculum.parkfieldprimary.com/home .
  • CURRICULUM OVERVIEWS If you'd like to know what your child is learning in class this half term please click on the specific links below:

Reception Year 1/2 Year 3/4 Year 5/6

(Please note that we will no longer email out seperate curriculum overviews, because all the information is now online)

  • HUMMUS BANNED FROM PACKED LUNCHES Unfortunately, we are going to have to ban hummus from packed lunches. We have a new child in Reception with a serious allergy and for health and safety reasons I have decided to take this action. Thanks in advance for your cooperation on the matter.
  • LEARNING LOGS will be sent home to children in Y1-6 this week. We've tweaked the design so that there is now one main, focus task (that should take priority), along with a few others. In the last week of this half-term, teachers will be letting children in their class share the work they've completed for them and those who bring in their books will each receive house points and a certificate from Mr Kemp.
  • ROBINWOOD Year 5 left school this morning incredibly excited about the weekend ahead of them. Please keep an eye on Twitter as they're going to be taking part in some fabulous outdoor and adventurous activities over the next three days.
  • REMINDER - NEW STAFF ROLES Mrs Whalen is the new Deputy Headteacher and will happily assist with any queries or issues you may have. Mrs Whalen will still be continuing her role as the school SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator). Miss Steele is now the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead. Her role includes supporting families and working with outside agencies (such as social services and the NHS).
  • KEY STAGE ONE DOOR A few of our pupils in Year 1 and 2 have struggled to get into school and through the crowd for the past few mornings because of the large number of adults standing around the door. To alleviate the issue please can you stand back from the railings when dropping off so our Parkfielders can easily enter the school in the morning.
  • EXTRA CURRICULAR CLUBS Children in Y1-6 have been signing up to extra curricular clubs which start next week. You'll recieve a form today detailing which club(s) your child can attend next week. Payments for some of the clubs can be made on School Gateway.
  • PE KITS PE lessons start from Monday across the school. Please ensure your child has their PE kit with them everyday in school. Although PE is planned on particular days for each class, this can change from week to week.
  • PTA There will be a PTA meeting on Friday 13th September in the Blue Room - Miss Steele would love as many parents as possible to come along so we can discuss our fundraising ideas for the year ahead. Click here for more information on the PTA.
  • EARLY BIRDS AND BUSY BEES There are limited places available for our before and after school club. Please click here for more information. Please note that for health and safety reasons, we have to close the gates at the back of school at 4.15pm each night. This will mean that children attending Busy Bees will have to be picked up through the main gates.
  • PARENT GOVERNOR We have a vacancy for a parent governor and I will be sending out a letter on Monday detailing how you can nominate yourself or another person for this important role at the school.

📅 Calendar

🐦 Twitter

🍴 School Dinners🍴

  • 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. We are currently in Autumn 1 Cycle B.

A range of activities are set each half term related to the learning taking place in the classroom. The tasks are set as consolidation and enrichment activities. Learning Logs are handed out at the beginning of each half term. Children must do the main task followed by any of the extra tasks to complete over the half-term. The learning log is to be returned to school on the final week. However, teachers may ask children to bring them in at regular intervals to check progress children are making.

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!

⏰ Attendance and Punctuality

  • If your child is ill you are required to inform school by telephone by 9.30am on the child’s first morning of absence, giving a reason for absence and an indication of when your child will return to school.

⚠️ Health and Safety

  • Please DO NOT bring dogs into the school grounds.
    • A dog may bite when confronted by a pupil.
    • A few of our children are scared of dogs.
    • Faeces have been found on the school grounds where children play.
    • We have found faeces recently on the path leading up to the back gate of the school. Please make sure if this is your dog, any mess isn’t left for our children to stand in.