September Newsletter

Value of the Month – “Friendship: I am a good friend”

Welcome back to the new school year.  We hope you all had great summer holidays and are feeling excited about the challenges ahead for the coming school year.

Dates for your diary

2nd September – school closed INSET day
3rd September – First day of new school year, children return at the usual times
4th September – reception children start
Week beginning 15th September – start of school theme week – “World War One”
24th September – 9.00am – Meeting for parents in the Infant hall – “Our Vision for PE and Sport”
1st October - 9.00am – Meeting for parents in the Infant hall – “Phonics and Handwriting”
2nd and 3rd October – Parent Values Assemblies
8th October – Individual Photos
8th October - 9.00am – Meeting for parents in the Infant hall – “How we support children’s learning in reading with Reciprocal Reading”
15th October - 9.00am – Meeting for parents in the Infant hall – “How we personalise the learning for under fives in the Foundation Stage”
15th and 16th October – Year Five residential at Gilwell Park
22nd October – Parents’ Consultations from 3.30 to 8.00pm
Week beginning 27th October – Half term holiday
3rd November – School closed for staff training
4th November – children return to school at the usual times
6th and 7th November – Parents’ Values assemblies
12th November - 9.00am – Meeting for parents in the Infant hall – “Our Big Ideas”
4th and 5th December - Parents’ Values assemblies
19th December – last day of term, also Non-uniform day

Class teacher list:

Nursery -         Ms Suleiman and Mrs Hinkley
Reception class U -         Miss Patel
Reception class T -         Mr Truong
Reception class S -         Mrs Sharma
Year One class 1O - Mr Wilkes
Year One class 1P - Miss Frost
Year One class 1V - Mrs Zubair
Year Two class 2L - Mr Ali
Year Two class 2M - Mr Stringer
Year Two class 2N – Mrs O’Driscoll
Year Three class 3J - Mr Matthews
Year Three class 3K - Mr Felix
Year Three class 3L - Miss O’Reilly
Year Four class 4I - Mrs Dickson
Year Four class 4D - Mr Nobeebaccus
Year Four class 4C - Mr Ahmad
Year Five class 5B - Miss Anand
Year Five class 5A - Mr Hession
Year Five class 5H – Mr Alam
Year Six class 6G -   Miss Fan
Year Six class 6F –         Miss Kang
Year Six class 6E -         Miss Begum

News and events

Our Big Ideas - 2014

How are we going to make the school even better?  Our Big Ideas have been chosen to do just this. They are the most important things we will be doing in school over the next year.

Our Big Theme is: Towards Outstanding – raising standards of teaching and learning

We want to achieve the following:

1. We will help all children to make excellent progress in their learning
2. All of the teachers will continue to assess children’s work accurately
3. We will think of new ways of helping children learn about writing so they can be even more successful
4. We will plan a new curriculum map of learning
5. We will help to train members of staff in other schools
6. We will encourage children to be sporty
7. We will help children to be even better at thinking scientifically
8. Teachers will help each other to be even better at teaching
9. We will help children to be resilient, responsible and independent
10. We will help our school leaders to be even better at helping others

We are all a part of our school and all agree to take responsibility for making these Big Ideas happen.  We look forward to learning new things together, taking risks and enjoying our learning together.

Head Teacher Vision statement

I believe that the main purpose of our school is to provide challenging learning experiences for each child who attends.  These need to be personally relevant for every one of them.  In order to achieve this goal I will lead the school with the following focus:
In order to be effective, the school will develop its existing relationships with parents, our partners within the Teaching School Alliance, support services and the wider local community.  We need the support of this learning community to meet children’s needs I embrace the school’s role in this partnership and accept responsibility for developing it.

The cohesion of the school community is important as an enabler to successful learning.  We will play an important part in developing this.  I accept the school’s part as a member of a wider learning community that we are active in.

We will treat each child as an individual who has the right to learn, access a broad curriculum and be successful in his/her learning.

We have high expectations for all children.

In order to meet the needs of each child, we will identify and remove barriers to learning, develop enabling strategies through creative and innovative teaching, and see the child in the context of his/her family and related community

Governing Body Vision statement

We will provide a happy, secure and stimulating learning environment where everyone will be inspired to do their best, to achieve their potential.

We will have high expectations for all.  Children will be encouraged to become lifelong learners.

We are committed to achieving the highest standards of teaching required for outstanding attainment and progress. We will support our staff in delivering this through continuous professional development, outstanding leadership, appropriate initiatives and the effective deployment of resources.

We will provide a broad and balanced yet challenging curriculum that is relevant to children’s interests and responsive to their learning needs.  Our core priorities are to our “Key Skills”, English and mathematics.

We will encourage each child to be confident, independent and well-rounded citizens who will be able to make a positive contribution to the world around them.

We are committed to ensuring that every child achieves their full potential in an inclusive, caring environment which respects our diverse, multi-ethnic community and the individual needs of all learners.

Our Achievements in 2013 – 2014

Our performance against agreed school targets: see attached chart

Gearies Primary School
• Our first full year as a new Primary school
• National Teaching School status
• Award of £75,000 grant from the London Mayor’s Excellence Award to develop Reciprocal Reading
• Bronze Award – Transport for London’s School Travel Accreditation scheme (STARS)
• School choir Merit award in the Stratford East Choral competition – 2014
• “Avalanche” Tag Rugby team – 4th place ranking in Redbridge league – most improved Redbridge team
• Areesha Haque, winner of “My dream bike journey” 2014 competition
• 28 children were awarded full-attendance certificates for the entire school year
Staff achievements
• Miss Matwychuk – awarded MA: Education
• Mrs Taylor – Leader award from the Petchey Foundation – 25 years service to leading local Cub groups
• Mr Drew Jnr – awarded MA: Museum Cultures
• Mrs Zubair – level 1 badminton coaching award
• Cache level 3 awards – Mrs Din, Mrs Kalaidzi, Mrs Khokhar
• Mr Drew Snr – National Leader of Education status

Playground notices

Reminder – children are not allowed to play on the climbing frame in the playground before or after school.  Please respect this rule and keep your children from playing on this.

Football – children are not allowed to play football in either playground before or after school.  There is a risk of other people being struck by the ball.  Also, playing this game before school does not help the children focus for their learning in the first lesson.

Bicycles – we would encourage children to cycle to school. If your child wants to do this, he/she is recommended to wear a safety helmet.  If the bicycle is parked in our cycle shed, it needs to be secured with a chain.  Helmets can also be added to the chain or kept on the coat peg inside school.  Please do not allow your child to ride their bike around the playground before or after school.  This may be dangerous and contribute to an accident in the playground.

Before school starts children should line up in the playground in their class lines.  Parents are reminded to supervise their children and make sure when they arrive that they are lined up ready for collection.   Children should not be left unattended in the playground before school starts.

Healthy Lifestyles
 
We are committed to supporting children achieve a healthy lifestyle.  We wish to encourage the following and invite you to support this important message:

• Children should, whenever possible, walk or cycle to school
• Children should try to eat 5 portions of fruit or vegetable each day
• Children should take part in daily exercise
• Children should brush their teeth twice a day
• Children should eat a well-balanced diet, avoiding regular treats
• Children should drink plenty of water each day

To support this, we will remind you of some current school policies:
• Children are encouraged to bring a personal water bottle to school
• We are a no-nut school – this includes peanut butter and chocolate spread
• Children are not allowed to bring sweets, crisps, cakes and carton drinks in their packed lunches
• Children will take part in all PE lessons even if they have forgotten their PE kit

General reminders

Please make sure your child is always brought to school on time.  This means he/she should be lined up in the playground five minutes before the start of the school day (by 8.45am in the Juniors and 8.55am in the Infants).  Please help your child to get the best start to the school day by always being punctual.

Sickness – if your child is not well and unable to come to school please contact the school office on the day to let us know what is happening.  If your child is off for more than 2 days we would expect your child to visit the doctor to receive appropriate advice.  On return to school following an absence of more than 2 days you will need to bring with you evidence that you have been to the doctor’s (an appointment card or copy of a prescription).  Failure to do this may result in a fine for unauthorised absence.

Summer holiday building works

During the summer holidays, work began on converting the Servery in the Junior hall into a full production kitchen.  These works are due to be completed by half term.  Once they are finished we will be able to cook our own school meals and serve them fresh to the children.

Other works undertaken have included the transformation of our library.  This has been fully refitted and redecorated with a generous bequest from a former pupil.  This is being dedicated to this patron and will be renamed the Mitchell Library.

Parents are reminded that the School Office is solely located now on the Warmead Road site.  There is now no access to the building via the exit in Gantshill Crescent.

Assemblies

These classes attend the following Values assemblies, which begin at 9.05am:
Thursdays – T, U (both attending from the spring term), 1P, 2N, 4C, 4D, 5H, 6G, 6F and 6E
Fridays – S (attending from the spring term), 1O, 1V, 2L, 2M, 3J, 3K, 3L, 4I, 5B and 5A
We will be introducing a new school prayer this term.  This was written by the pupils in last year’s Year Six classes.

Personal Property

Children should not bring their own playthings into school.  This includes balls, pencil cases, loom bands, trading cards and toys.  Please help us to maintain an orderly school by ensuring your child does not bring any of these items in.

Agreed Uniform policy

Details of our agreed policy are attached.  All school uniform can be ordered via the Tesco website (details from our school office).  Please note also that:

White shirts are NOT school uniform!  Children should wear white polo shirts with the school logo.

Each child is expected to come to school wearing the correct uniform.  Please help us to maintain our high standards and comply with this policy!