Issue 40 - Thursday 21st July 2022
Headteacher's Welcome
Dear Parents and Carers,
I would like to start by congratulating and thanking the Parkfield staff that worked tirelessly on Monday and Tuesday to keep children as safe and cool as possible in the heat. The staff came up with some innovative ideas to keep everyone cool - from feet dip water trays to water bandanas!
Today we said goodbye to our Y6 Parkfielders in a special leavers' assembly. Y6 performed and sang wonderfully in the assembly following lots of hard work in rehearsals over the past few weeks. We wish each and every year 6 all the best in their high schools - we are sure you are going to be a success.
You can watch their Leavers' video here to look back at seven years of memories at Parkfield.
Today we also said goodbye and thankyou to Miss Bradley who has been teaching Y4 over the past term. We wish her all the best at her new school and thank her for all her hard work. We also say goodbye and good luck to Miss Pearson who has been working in the school office for the past 18 months.
We also presented Mrs Price with a gift as she finished for her maternity leave. We wish Mrs Price and her husband all the best on the new addition to the family and we are looking forward to meeting them in the near future.
As we finish for the summer, I want to thank you all for your support over the past year. It has been lovely to get back to some normality following the pandemic and I'm excited about how the school will continue to grow and develop over the next 12 months.
Have a wonderful summer and we will see you back in school on Monday 5th September.
Mr Kemp
LATEST NEWS
PARKFIELD'S GOT TALENT
Congratulations to all twenty acts that took part in Parkfield's Got Talent. The talents were endless with: singers, dancers, gymnasts, ventriloquists, magicians, comedians and speed cubers to name just a few. The children demonstrated great positivity and resilience as they took to the stage and performed both to the whole school and and then families in one day. We had acts that came first, second and third place after the whole school voted for their favourite. Photos from the event can be found here.
PARKFIELD CHARACTER AWARD
Today we had a total of five nominees and then two winners of the Scott Hetherington Award. The focus this half term has been 'honesty and responsibility'. Congratulations to all that had been nominated and the two winners who were voted on by the school council. The winners will be added to our hall of fame.
SEPTEMBER 2022 INFORMATION
Diary Dates - We like to give as much notice as possible and dates of events across the next school year and holiday dates can be found below or on our school website here: https://www.parkfieldprimary.com/website/calendar-inc-holiday-lists.html
PE Lessons - We have been fortunate to appoint Mrs Banks as a Parkfield member of staff from September and as a result we have been able to increase our PE provision. From September each class is going to be having two PE lessons per week. As a result, children will be able to come to school in their PE kit for two days out of five. The days for each class are as follows:
Reception - Tuesday and Wednesday
Year 1 - Thursday and Friday
Year 2 - Thursday and Friday
Year 3 - Monday and Wednesday
Year 4 - Monday and Wednesday (Swimming)
Year 5 - Tuesday and Thursday
Year 6 - Tuesday and Friday
Bags - Please note that children only need to bring small bags into school. Oversized rucksacks don't fit into the school lockers in KS2 or take up too much space in KS1.
Pencil Cases - There is no need for children to bring in their own pencil cases. All stationary is provided by school.
Uniform - Please visit ouur web page for a reminder about uniform. There have been no changes for September. https://www.parkfieldprimary.com/website/uniform.html
Water Bottles - All children will be provided with a free water bottle on their first day back in September.
Building works - When you return in September the offices will look slightly different as we are having some renovations in the foyer area so that we have an additional office space. We are also revamping our resillience room so that it's a more pleasant working area for pupils. Our KS2 climbing frame, which had been delayed from June, will hopefully start being built in the Autumn term.
Punctuality - We're going to be having a focus on punctuality in September to ensure that all children are at school lining up with their class at 8.45am. This will mean that lessons start promptly and no learning time is missed by any children.
School Dinner Cost Increase - School Dinners will be increasing in price next year to £2.50 per meal. This is an increase of 10p or 4.1% and is the recommended increase from the local authority. A copy of our new dinner menus from September can be found here.
CLASS TEACHING STAFF FOR SEPTEMBER 2022 - REMINDER
There are very few changes to staffing next year and the staffing will be as follows:
Reception: Miss Iqbal and Miss O'Connell (Mrs Price on maternity leave)
Year 1: Mrs Hartley and Mrs Gully
Year 2: Miss McCall and Mrs Mullane
Year 3: Mrs Gooding and Mrs Bardsley
Year 4: Miss Milovanovic and Mrs Naughton (Mrs Taylor on maternity leave)
Year 5: Mrs Acil and Miss Dipnall
Year 6: Mrs Howard and Mrs Jeffrey
NON-UNIFORM DAY
Congratulations to Bamford for being this half term's house point winners. All members of this house will be able to come to school in non-uniform on Friday 9th September. We will remind you nearer the time!
EARLY BIRDS AND BUSY BEES - SEPTEMBER BOOKINGS
For those that have already booked on using the link below - your place is confirmed. We still have a few spaces available for those that wish to book.
A reminder that the governors have agreed to simplify the pricing structure and reduce the cost of Early Birds to £1.50 per session for all pupils (7.30am - 8.45am). Busy Bees will continue to cost £8 per session (3.15 - 5.30pm). To access the booking form you can click here: https://forms.gle/uakBD8oUrJTweFfN7
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION
Mrs Whalen is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) supported by Mr Kemp and Miss Steele (Deputy DSL). If you have any concerns about the needs or welfare of a pupil, please don't hesitate to contact the school. We all share a responsibility to our pupils safety and wellbeing.
As a school our promise is: We will listen, we will support and we will take action.
ATTENDANCE and PUNCTUALITY
As you are all aware, school attendance and punctuality is one of Parkfields priorities and I have been thrilled with the support that parents have been giving with regards to improving their children’s attendance.
Our school target is 96%. We are currently below this target and we need your continued support to ensure that we meet this mark.
Persistent Absence
Persistent absence is defined by the Government as attendance below 90%. This equates to 19 days or more of absence a year or 100+ lessons missed. If a child’s attendance drops below 90% this could lead to them becoming a safeguarding concern. This could also result in the authority taking legal action against parents, resulting in a fine or court appearance. Over the next few weeks I will be making contact by letter with the families of children whose attendance is below 90% to invite you into school for a discussion about how we can support you to improve your child’s attendance.
Thank you so much to all the families who have been working hard to ensure children’s attendance and punctuality is high. Establishing early good habits really will make a positive difference to their lives. The link between attendance and achievement cannot be over stated. Your child will achieve better if they are in school every day. Only in very exceptional circumstances should a child be absent from school. Please ring the school office no later than 8.30am to report an absence.
Punctuality
Please get your child to school on time. Poor punctuality can lead to your child…
Feeling embarrassed in front of their friends
Missing the beginning of vital lessons making them fall behind
Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day
At Parkfield children are to line up before school and doors open at 8.45am. They close at 8.50am.
If you arrive after 8.50am you will have to come through the school office.
HEALTH and SAFETY
Dogs are not permitted in the school playground.
If driving, park further away from the school and walk to reduce congestion and the possiblity of any serious accidents.
Unfortunately, Parents and Carers are not allowed to drop off and pick up from the school car park at any time.
Children are not allowed on the play equipment before and after school. Please keep them off.
