Reception open events
We still have a number or dates available to visit our wonderful Reception Class:
Friday 2nd December - 9.30 - 10.30am
If you would like to arrange a visit, please contact the school office to book a space
To apply for a Reception Class place please click below to visit our School Admissions page
attendance
Vomiting and Diarrhoea
We have had lots of children off this week with sickness bugs!
Be assured we are doing our best in school to slow the spread of germs, with lots of cleaning and additional handwashing! Please be reminded however, that you can do your part in stopping the spread of sickness bugs by not returning your child to school too soon. Our school policy is that children should not return until 48 hours after their last episode of sickness or diarroeah.
Penalty Notices (Fines) & Term Time Holidays
Unfortunately, during Term 1, we had to issue 4 Penalty Notices to families that took holidays during term time. This is a disappointing amount, and we would like to remind parents that children should not be taking holidays during term time.
If you need to take your child out of school during the term, it is essential that you complete a leave of absence request form to inform us of this. Holidays will not be authorised and will result in a penalty notice - this is a fine of £60 per child/per parent.
New guidance from the Education Welfare Service also states that families that take holidays consistently each year, will bypass penalty notice procedures and be referred directly for prosecution.
Absences for other reasons will be looked at on a case by case basis and authorisation will be dependent on your child's current attendance and attendance from previous years. Unless absences are for an exceptional circumstance, it is likely that they will also be unauthorised which means you may also be at risk for a penalty notice. Please be aware that we may ask for evidence of exceptional circumstances.
Also, from now on, if we have reason to believe that your child’s reason for absence is not legitimate (for example you have told us your child is ill, but we have been advised you are actually on holiday), we will investigate this. This may mean that home visits are carried out during the absence period to establish your child’s whereabouts.
school news
After School Clubs - Friday 16th December
Please be aware that there will be NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS (INCLUDING CHILL TIME) on Friday 16th December. This is our last day of term before the Christmas break and all children will need to be collected at the end of the school day at 3.15pm
Year 6 SATs Week 2022
As you may know, an additional bank holiday in honour of the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Monday 8th May 2023.
It has been decided that the KS2 SATs test will still take place during this week, and the schedule will be as follows:
Tuesday 9th May - English grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) papers 1 (questions) and 2 (spelling)
Wednesday 10th May - English reading paper
Thursday 11th May - Mathematics papers 1 (arithmetic) and 2 (reasoning)
Friday 12th May - Mathematics paper 3 (reasoning)
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.
Haircuts and colouring
We have a number of children who have come into school recently with dyed hair. Please be reminded that we have the following rules around hair that should be followed by all pupils:
All hairstyles must be neat, tidy and appropriate for school
No extremes or haircut or hair-fashion should be worn e.g. tramlines or patterns shaved into the hair, stripes of contrasting colours
Hair should not obscure the face as this interferes with learning
If hair is dyed, it should be a natural colour e.g. blonde, brown, black
Long hair should be tied back during the school day
We thank you for your ongoing cooperation with this matter.
Saving money on energy bills
With the rise in energy prices, we know many families are concerned about how much their bills will go up.
While it has been milder for this time of year, here are just a few tips that may help to reduce energy bills. People can also check if they’re eligible for help at www.bristol.gov.uk/benefits-financial-help
• Turn appliances off standby mode and you could save around £55 a year.
• Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures.
• Be careful in the kitchen – avoid overfilling the kettle and only boil the amount of water you need.
• Keeping your shower time to just four minutes could save a typical household £65 a year on their energy bills.
• Avoid using the tumble dryer and dry clothes outside or on racks where possible to save around £55 a year.
• Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use.
Don’t forget about the city’s network of Welcoming Spaces too. These are places where people can socialise, keep warm and access support relating to the cost of living. Find a full list of Welcoming Spaces here: Cost of living support (bristol.gov.uk)
INFORMATION
Click the buttons below for up to date information about various areas of school life...
headteacher awards
Reception
Ellis - for trying his best to use his sounds to write a caption linked to our work during Nursery Rhyme week.
Year 1
Luke F - for being more focussed on his learning, especially for excellent maths!
Year 2
Reggie - being a brilliant team player and singing his heart out, during Mass. He supported others and brought joy to all!
Year 3
Mouhammad and Tyron - For making such amazing progress in maths this term. Their hard work was reflected in their brilliant assessment scores. Well done!
Year 4
Mateusz and Ralf - for taking lead roles in Friday’s Mass. Both boys sang proudly with joy and could be heard from the back of the church.
Year 5
Ella - for her deep thinking about how our world compares to the one Isaiah talks about in our RE discussion.
Year 6
Bernice for being a great friend and stepping in to help those on her table by reading or explaining tasks.
wellbeing
community
There's so much going on in Knowle West!
The Knowle West Alliance and Knowle West Media Centre, along with many other charities and business, work together within our community to make it a inclusive and inviting place to be.
If you are interested in the events going on in our community, click the image below to visit the Knowle West Community Website.
