January 2013 School Newsletter

Clarence Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4LD Telephone: 0121 308 5392 Fax: 0121 308 5061

Wednesday 23rd January 2013 Dear Parents, Carers and Governors, After many years it has been decided to change the format of the school newsletter and how we communicate with you.

This will be the last edition of the monthly newsletter, but don’t worry we will be replacing it with an online magazine full of reports and articles about what the children have been doing in and out of school. You can look forward to reading this new publication after the February half term.

In addition you will continue to receive Dr Clarke’s pedagogical newsletter and we will issue you with an events calendar that will keep you up to date with everything happening in school over the term. The first one of these has been sent to you along with this newsletter.

If we need to let you know about any additional events or information we will contact you by Parentmail, allowing us to save paper and ensure that you receive the information in good time.

We hope you will enjoy the new magazine and that the events calendar will prove to be useful.

PAYING MONEY TO SCHOOL

THANK YOU Thank you to all those parents who attended one of our festive gatherings before the holiday. We hope that you enjoyed your time spent in school with us. We would like to thank our cook Anita Gould and all of the staff in the kitchen for the delicious Christmas Dinner. Thanks go to Mrs Hull for organising a super Santa’s grotto this year. Thanks also go to the staff in Year 2 for a thoroughly entertaining Nativity performance. We now look forward to the events of this term which started in earnest with our trip to the pantomime, which was enjoyed by everyone.

Can we thank all those parents who send money into school in a marked envelope with the child’s name, class and what the payment is for clearly marked on the outside. This really does help our school office who as you can imagine receive lots of money for lots of different things and from different children in different classes.

We would also kindly ask that you ensure that all envelopes are sent in to school with your child and that you remind your child to hand these to the class teacher during Registration as this helps to develop your child’s growing independence.

The Office will no longer accept payments or paperwork in the morning as notified in the last newsletter

Late Arrivals If your child arrives late to school they should be brought to the school office so they can be entered on the register as part of the school’s Fire Regulations.

Children should be on the playground no later than 8.45am. The bell sounds at 8.50am for the start of school. After this time all children who enter school via the main entrance will be recorded as late.

As part of our commitment to ensure all children have full attendance we carefully monitor lateness and will be contacting parents of children who persistently arrive late to school to offer support in achieving punctual attendance each day.

HILL WEST PTFA As you know we have an active PTFA at school. If you would like to join or feel that you might have fund raising ideas to contribute then please feel free to attend both or any of the meetings below.

Thursday 28th February Wednesday 27th March 7.30 pm start Congratulations to all of our Year 2 children for their super Nativity performances before the Christmas break.

You are all stars in our eyes.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS Do you know who the senior members of staff are in school?

Dr Beth Clarke – Head Teacher Miss Fiona Marsh – Deputy Head and lead on Behaviour & Safety Mrs Joy Hull – Assistant Head, Inclusion Manager, and SENCO Mrs Nichola Leeson - Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning Mrs Lisa Pardo - Enjoyment and Enrichment Manager Mrs Tracey Willmore - Basic Skills Manager Mr Steve George - Strategic Achievement Manager .

PTFA VALENTINE DISCO

Friday 8th February 6.00 pm to 8.00pm The first hour will include party games as well as a disco for everyone!

Adults £2.00 Children £1.00 Family £5.00

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL If your child is absent from school please telephone on the first morning so we can accurately complete our registers. On return to school it is essential that you send a written note giving the reason for the absence.

Thank you.

Thank you to all those parents who are registered to receive ParentMail. There are still however just over 80 families in the school who do not receive communication in this way.

As you know we have been sending our monthly newsletters via email for some time now and it has proved a very reliable way of parents receiving information on time. Those of you who have not registered will shortly receive a letter from us giving you further details. You will continue to receive paper copies of correspondence but, if you do have access to emails (whether at home or at work, or both), we would urge you to join ParentMail by letting us have your email address. This method of communication is particularly useful in inclement weather.

Remember you can also register your MOBILE PHONE number for text messages

SNOW

Should the inclement weather continue please note the following: 



If school is closed you will be informed via Parentmail and text message. You can also check the school website and the school closure’s list on local radio websites.

Please ensure that you have registered for Parentmail as this is the only way to know promptly via email and text message if school is closed.

BEHAVIOUR UPDATE Challenging inappropriate language Sometimes in school, children call each other inappropriate names. This is hurtful and can be quite upsetting for the child it is said to. Sometimes these names stem from certain prejudices and refer to children’s height, weight, hair colour, hygiene or colour of their skin.

Racist language can sometimes be used in Primary School naively e.g. ‘you are black’ however at other times it can be used in a derogatory manor to offend. This language is challenged immediately and the children are told that what they are saying is ‘racist’.

Homophobic language in Primary Schools is often used to refer to something or someone as inferior. Phrases such as ‘those trainers are gay’ for example, may be used to insult someone or something, but without referring to actual or perceived sexual orientation.

Intervening when young children use homophobic language, including the use of the word gay to mean inferior, creates a school culture where homophobia and homophobic bullying are not tolerated. At Hill West the staff recognise that they have a duty to safeguard the wellbeing of all young people in their care.

Failure to respond to inappropriate name calling can have an impact on pupils’ confidence and self-esteem, as well as their attainment in school. In the same way that staff at Hill West ALWAYS challenge racist language, staff also feel confident to respond to a range of other inappropriate phrases whenever necessary.

By working together we can reduce the incidents of name calling.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS We are be running the following clubs this term MONDAY Samba Drumming for KS2 Circuit training/ Athletics for KS2 Eco Club by invitation Football Year 2 Outdoor Explorers for KS1 TUESDAY Hill West Singers for KS2 children German for Yrs 4,5 & 6 Football Year 1 Creative Club for KS1 WEDNESDAY Multi skills/ Circus skills for KS1 Football for Years 5 & 6 THURSDAY Dance Depot Football Year 3 FRIDAY Football Year 4 DEAR PARENTS AND STAFF THANK YOU FOR THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND CARDS, THEY WERE MUCH APPRECIATED. FROM JOHN, THE CROSSING WARDEN

A BIG THANK YOU to all those parents who didn’t park on the school side of Clarence Road when the children returned from the Pantomime.