Anti-Bullying Week 14th - 18th November 

Next week we will be celebrating Anti-Bullying Week. We will be kicking the week off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 14th November. Children are invited to wear odd socks to school. Odd Socks Day is an opportunity to encourage our children to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique. 

Children will also be working on activities in classes throughout the week around this year’s theme - Reach Out. 

For more information on Anti-Bullying Week, visit the Anti-Bullying Alliance at https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/anti-bullying-week-2022-reach-out

Year 6 SATs Week 2022

SATs Week for Year 6 will take place from Monday 8th May 2023. As this Monday has now been announced as the Bank Holiday date for the King’s Coronation, we are currently awaiting updated details on how the week will run - we will share any guidance with you as soon as it becomes available. 

 The children will be working hard in the lead up to this and we are sharing these dates with you so you are able to support us in helping your child from home. 

As you know, families are discouraged from taking holidays in term time, however please be aware that, under no circumstances, should holidays be booked for this week. Children absent due to holidays will not have an opportunity to retake these tests and this could be detrimental to their ongoing secondary education. 

HEAD LICE

We currently have an outbreak of head lice at school, with cases being identified in almost every class. We understand that head lice can be a nuisance, and while they can cause irritation and discomfort, they are not a reason for children to be missing school. 

Please be vigilant and check your child/children’s hair regularly and treat as necessary. If you do find head lice, please be sure to check everyone else in your household too. Please also ensure you are checking and cleaning shared hairbrushes/towels etc. 

For further information on head lice and how to treat them effectively, please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/ 

Hair Dye 

A polite reminder that children should not be coming to school with dyed hair. Not only can hair dye be damaging to children, it can also cause distraction in classes. We thank you for your cooperation with this matter. 

Children in Need 

We will be fundraising for Children in Need in school  on Thursday 17th November. Children are welcome to come into school wearing something spotty for a donation of £1 per family. 

Accessing Food during the cost of living crisis

If you are struggling to afford food at the moment, there are organisations and schemes available across the city that may be able to help. 

Food Banks - for information about food banks in South Bristol visit https://eastbristol.foodbank.org.uk/

Too Good To Go  - Too good to go offers food from restaurants, cafes and supermarkets at a reduced price that would otherwise go to waste https://toogoodtogo.org/en 

Olio - Olio can link you to people in your own community who are giving away food https://olioex.com/

A few tips for keeping your food costs down: 

• Plan your meals - buying food for the week helps to cut down on impulse buys

• If you can, buy foods like rice and pasta in bulk - it’s often more cost effective than smaller bags

• Buy what you need - buying loose fruit and veg instead of pre-packaged can help you save money and food waste

Cost of Living Support 

The rising cost of living is impacting people across Bristol in different ways. To help support people most impacted, including those who have not faced financial challenge before, the council has a cost of living support webpage: www.bristol.gov.uk/costofliving 

It provides advice and guidance on topics including housing, benefits and financial help, employment and skills, mental health and wellbeing, and provides links to useful websites and community organisations. It also includes information on the city's network of Welcoming Spaces where people can meet up, socialise, keep warm and access support relating to the cost of living crisis. 

You can also call the We Are Bristol phone line on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm

Incidents/Concerns  in School 

We have recently had a number of conversations with parents regarding incidents that have happened during the school day. These incidents have been reported to parents at home time but not to staff at school, and therefore, not resolved. 

If your child comes home from school and shares with you something that has happened during the school day, please check with them that they have told an adult, and if so, who? 

Whilst the safety and happiness of our pupils is of utmost importance, we cannot deal with concerns children have if they do not report them to us. 

School Meals Pricing 

As of this term, our school meals provider, Chartwells, have increased the cost of a school meal to £2.45 per day. 

After School Clubs 

A little reminder that all of our sports/music/art clubs that take place after school are still FREE for Term 2. 

Ukulele Club - Monday - Years 5 & 6 

Art Club - Every other Monday starting 7th Nov - Years 5 & 6

Basketball - Wednesday - Years 3-6 

Multi Sports - Thursday - Year 1 & 2 

Chess Club - Friday - Years 4-6 

Archery - Friday - Years 4-6 

Please remember to book your child into clubs using the School Gateway App before 12 noon on the day of the session - alternatively you can contact the office to book in, but this also must be before 12 on the day. 

Parent Helpers for School Trips

We would like to create a small team of parents who are available to help out with school trips. We would offer some simple training and a full DBS check would be required to ensure safety. . Parent volunteers would not necessarily be on trips with their own child’s class but would have a great opportunity to support the school and our children. Please contact the school office if you are interested.