March 2012 School Newsletter

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

2nd March 2012 DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES Mon 5th Mar Tue 6th Mar

Wed 7th Mar Thur 8th Mar Fri 9th Mar Tue 13th Mar Thur 15th Mar Tue 20th Mar Wed 21st Mar Thur 22nd Mar Tue 27th Mar

Wed 28th Mar

Thur 29th Mar

Fri 30th Mar

Mon 16th Apr Tue 17th Apr

Book Fair begins Parent Council Meeting - 2.00 pm Reception at Birmingham Nature Centre Four Oaks Cluster Cross Country at Mere Green - 4.00 pm Parent Consultations KS1 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm KS2 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm Parent Consultations KS2 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm KS1 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm Rabbits’ Class Assembly – 9am KS1 hall Rabbits’ Class Assembly – 9am KS1 hall Four Oaks Cluster Cross Country at Hill West - 4.00 pm Spring Musical Evening – 7.00 pm KS1 hall Year One out at Conkers Free Day of Sport, all children will need P.E. Kits PTFA Meeting – 7.30 pm Year 2 visiting the Botanical Gardens Easter Lunch for Parents Yr 4 Easter Assembly - 2.30 pm for Barnardo and Gandhi - KS1 hall Followed by Easter Bonnet Parade for Robins Yr 4 Assembly - 2.30 pm for Mandela and Pankhurst – KS1 hall Followed by Easter Bonnet Parade for Wrens Year 4 Football Tournament at Four Oaks Primary School 9.00am Nursery Easter Bonnet Parade 2.30pm 100% Attendance Assembly for Barnardo and Gandhi 3.00pm 100% Attendance Assembly for Mandela and Pankhurst Easter Egg Rolling am, all children will need a hard boiled egg Easter Egg Hunt pm BREAK UP FOR EASTER HOLIDAY SCHOOL CLOSED FOR CHILDREN PUPILS RETURN TO SCHOOL

YEAR 4 EASTER ASSEMBLY This year’s Easter Assembly will take place on: TUESDAY 27TH MARCH Barnardo and Gandhi at 2:30pm KS1 Hall Followed by the Easter Bonnet Parade and WEDNESDAY 28TH MARCH Mandela and Pankhurst at 2:30pm KS1 Hall Followed by the Easter Bonnet Parade A letter will be sent shortly for you to apply for tickets which will be limited to 2 per family.

EASTER BONNETS (RECEPTION CLASSES ONLY) Get your scissors to the ready!!

Robins

Tuesday 27th February 2.30pm

Wrens

Wednesday 28th March 2.30pm

Could all bonnets be sent into school on the morning of the event please.

A letter will be sent shortly for you to apply for tickets which will be limited to 2 per family.

BEHAVIOUR FOCUS—A Whole School Project We have recently embarked on a project with the exHead Teacher of Wylde Green Primary School who since retirement has moved into professional photography. We invited him into school for the day and asked him to capture a day in the life of Hill West in photographs. We were really amazed not only with the quality of his photographs but also with the variety of school activities taking place on any given day. His work is soon to go on display around school in four different locations.

We are having a photograph album in the main entrance that will show 50 different photos taken on the given day. The Key Stage One entrance will also have a permanent photograph display board showing a montage of three of four photographs. Many of the photographs are being prepared to be installed outside and the front of the KS2 building (where the painted wooden montage is at present) and will soon showcase some of the work. Other photographs have been selected to decorate our friendship area on the KS2 playground as they portray the values that underpin our behaviour policy in action. If a photograph of your child has been selected for display then Miss Marsh will be making contact with you in the very near future so that you can view the picture before it is displayed and of course give us your consent. We are hoping that this project will be complete by the end of this term and very much look forward to seeing the pictures in situ.

100% Attendance Assembly Thursday 29th March The 100% Attendance Assemblies will now be held on Thursday 29th March at 2:30pm for Barnardo and Gandhi and at 3.00 pm for Mandela and Pankhurst in the Key Stage 1 Hall after the Reception Easter Bonnet Parade.

Letters of congratulations inviting parents to attend will be sent out towards the end of this term.

EASTER EGG HUNT & EASTER EGG ROLLING Could all children bring a HARD BOILED egg with them on Friday 30th March.

Eggs can be decorated and should be labelled with your child’s name and class.

The egg rolling will take place on the school field during the morning and is an event for children only

Dinner Money Thank you to everyone who has already sent dinner money to school for this term.

The amount payable until Friday 30th March is £57.00 or £9.50 per week. As you will know school dinners will cost £2.00 per day following the Easter holiday - £10.00 a week.

If you think you may be in credit please contact the school office who will be able to assist you.

HEALTH WEEK Monday 12th March to Friday 16th March During our health week the children will be taking part in lots of activities and will be learning about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.

On Tuesday we have Paralympian Archer, Mel Clarke, joining us to talk about sport.

Mel won Silver and bronze at the Beijing Paralympics 2008 and holds 10 national able bodied records and 6 Paralympic world records.

We are collecting Sainsbury Active Kids 2012 vouchers.

Please send your vouchers into school or place in the collection box in reception.

Many thanks for your support.

EASTER LUNCH If you were unable to obtain a place for Christmas Lunch with your child then please contact Mrs Connop in the school office who will be able to add your name to the list of parents attending the Easter Lunch on Tuesday 27th March.

Please contact the office before 9th March if you would like to attend.

Lunch will be held at 11.30am

START AND END OF DAY SUPERVISION At the start and end of the school day KS1 children must be supervised at all times. Please do not allow children to run around and please be especially careful of cars on the driveway Thank you

Tanzania

SANDWICH WAITING LIST Due to seating capacity there is a waiting list for those children who wish t o bring a packed lunch to school. All requests to transfer from dinners to sandwiches should be made in writing to Miss Clarke and you will be notified when a vacancy arises.

WOODPECKERS AND WAGTAILS

We are thrilled to have been linked with a school in Tanzania called James Ole Millya Primary School. This primary school has 11 teachers and just under 400 pupils. We are looking forward to learning more about them and working collaboratively on some joint projects in the coming months.

Please be aware that Wagtails and Woodpeckers are now frequently running at full capacity.

This means that you must book your children in in advance and will not be able to telephone school on the day to ask for your child to attend.

CHANGE TO SCHOOL MEAL PRICE Birmingham City Council’s Direct Services Department have recommended that all schools increase the amount charged for school meals.

From 1st April 2012 the cost of school meals will rise by 10p to £2.00 per day.

Dinner money for next term until1st June will therefore be £64.00

PARENT MAIL If you wish to change any of your details on the Parent Mail system, it can easily be done at home. Just log on to your Parent Mail account with your details as usual, and you should be able to change your details online.

SPRING MUSICAL EVENING We will be holding our Spring Musical Evening this year on Thursday 15th March at 7.00 pm in the Key Stage One hall. The choir will be performing along with our talented instrumentalists.

You will receive more information shortly.

Evening Parent Consultations You will remember that we have changed the format for parents evening this time. On arrival please take a seat in the hall. Your child’s class teacher will call you through into one of the year group classrooms at your allocated time. This is in response to your requests to see your child’s books. These will be available in the adjacent classroom after your appointment.

Educational Visits to Come Tues 6th March Tue 20th March Thur 22nd March Mon 23rd April

Reception - Birmingham Nature Centre Year One - Conkers Year Two - Botanical Gardens Year Five - Bockleton

BE ON TIME - 10 TO 9

INCLUSION FOCUS Classroom Environments

In recent weeks we have been discussing how our classroom environments support and encourage learning and have decided that we would like, over a number of years, to re-design the classrooms for 21st Century learning. We are not sure what these will look like as yet but have been talking about removing all of the old storage furniture, purchasing tables with wheels that can be moved easily to the edge of the classroom to allow for greater flexibility, and new floor coverings. We will be consulting with you, your children, staff and Governors in the coming months on this new and exciting development. The aim is to ensure that our learning spaces help all children progress regardless of additional need. It will mean that we will be breaking away from traditional classroom management and organisational structures in order to be truly innovative and leading edge.

Book Fair Books will be on sale in the KS1 hall after school until 4.00 pm every day during week commencing 5th March 2012.

Please come along and have a look.

WHOLE SCHOOL TAKEOVER DAY Today the school has been taken over by Year 6 pupils shadowing members of staff.

Great fun was had by all.

Thank you to all the children who took part and the staff for sharing their work so well.

DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW HILL WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL ON TWITTER

CPD MARK / BASIC SKILLS We are pleased to tell you that we have recently been awarded the Continued Professional Development mark for our investment in, and the organisation of the professional development of our staff.

PTFA FUN RUN The PTFA Fun Run this year is on Sunday 20th May. If you are able to volunteer your services please let us know via Miss Marsh or the school office.

If you would like to run look out for the entry form on the website.

RABBITS CLASS ASSEMBY This will now be held at 9.00am on Thursday 8th march and Friday 9th march DON’T FORGET TO TELEPHONE IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL AND CAN NOT ATTEND SCHOOL. THANK YOU

Extra Mile Award This new award will be given at the end of every term to one pupil who staff feel has shown determination and persistence to succeed despite difficult circumstances.

BOCKLETON Excitement is building in Year 5 as Bockleton is fast approaching! The children have been thrilled to find out that many new events can now be enjoyed. This year the children will be canoeing, raft building and completing the rather mysterious powerfan activity. There are all in addition to the long favoured activities of rock climbing, zip wire and the low ropes!. We are sure that great fun will be had during the Year 5’s stay there which begins on 23rd April. The children always have a fantastic time and we are can’t wait to hear about all the fun the children have this year.

CONGRATULATIONS! Well done to the Cluster Choir who got through the first round of the Choir of the Year Competition on Saturday 25th February .

We wish them lots of luck and hope they will be selected for the finals.

Community Aspirations Day On Saturday 25th February we opened our doors to ex-pupils.

We had a wonderful day and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces.

Thank you to everyone who attended and made the event so enjoyable.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS Just to remind you that After School Clubs (with the exception of Computer Xplorers, Dance, and Karate) are not running during Book Fair Week. w/c 05.03.2012

In Owls and Kingfishers we have enjoyed our Olympic topic. Here are some things we have learned: Derek Redmond tore his muscle in a race and he showed courage and determination Usain Bolt won lots of world records for running The Olympics are taking place this year in London.

Exercise and a balanced diet keeps you healthy At the moment in Year 2 we are learning about famous people and famous artists. We have painted in the style of Van Gogh.

On March the 22nd we are going to the Botanical Gardens. We are looking forward to it because we are excited about learning new things while we are there! We are going to be orienteering and developing our map skills through problem solving activities.