Newsletter Date Volume 1, Issue 1
Newsletter September 2015
Welcome Welcome to the first newsletter of the 2015— 16 academic year. We have had an amazing start to the year and are very excited about our plans. Over the summer we have completed some basic work to our Reception classes to provide additional space for our bumper year intake of 75 children. These children are being taught as three separate classes and our plan is that this will continue throughout their time at the school. Although we have only been back at school for a couple of weeks, we have held a Meet the Teacher event for all parents , d a Parents Information event surrounding literacy, and a wonderful Grandparents Day that raised over £535 for MacMillan Nurses and £320.50 for Ethical Enterprise.. For more information about this, please see page 5. We are also very excited about the wonderful leaving gift that Mrs Shar-
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ratt presented to
Growth Mindset .......................2
the school and
Ethical Enterprise ....................4
are looking for-
Importance of Reading ............5
ward to the chil-
Staff News ................................7
dren using the
Sports News .............................7
seat for reading.
Dates for Diary.........................8
GROWTH MINDSET What do Albert Einstein, Walt Disney and Oprah Winfrey have in common? All of them were told that they would never amount to anything, yet all of them succeeded to the top of their chosen field. The reason why is attitude, or in modern language, they all had a growth mind set. As a school we want to develop this mind set in all of our children and we would ask for your support in doing so. The word “Yet” can be very strong, if your child says that they can’t do something, reply “Yet”. Through perseverance and determination all of us can achieve amazing things but we need to believe that we can and we need to be able to fail but to learn from our failure. Our staff training in September concentrated on developing independent learning and growth mindset in our pupils. If you are interested in learning more, more information can be accessed here.
Albert Einstein—”He’ll never amount to much”
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THEATRE COMPANY VISIT
TAPESTRY We have processed all requests for Tapstry access for
Arty Fact Theatre Company came
Reception class pupils. If you
in on 15th September and fascinat-
have completed the form
ed the year 4 children with their ta-
but not received an email
les of Romans, Anglo Saxons and
confirming your activation
Vikings.
details, please let us know. Tapestry is an online system
All the children were completely
that enables the school and
mesmerised by the production and
parents to track the development of the children during
it was a very informative start to our
Reception class. Once the
history topic.
children progress to Year 1 Arty Fact Theatre Company
they move to a new curriculum.
PEOPLE WHO EPITOMISE GROWTH MIND SET
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ETHICAL ENTERPRISE—IMPACT The work we do with Ethical Enterprise makes a difference, not only to our pupils but to the people who benefit from the donations. Last year, one of our adopted charities was Litlle BIG Africa who work in partnership with local communities in Eastern Uganda to protect, harness and promote natural resources, with a big focus on Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) & efficient energy. Through our Ethical Enterprise initiative, pupils at Bexton raised and donated over £1,000 to the charity. This money has been used to build a water tank for a school in Manafwa over the school holidays and as the rains came earlier than usual this year, it was full of water when the children returned to school. They now have a steady supply of water rather than needing to walk for 15 minutes to get to the nearest water supply. The tank is painted with the safe water chain, reminding children, teachers and families about the importance of making sure water stays clean from the moment they collect it until it is drunk, and also with pictures of the benefits of clean water. The Headmaster told Little Big Africa “Thank you so much for helping us to continue making education a possibility for our children. Water is Life and without it our children are suffering. Please send our sincerest thanks to our friends, who are now our family, at Bexton Primary. It is sincerely a great thing to think of someone else across the other side of the world and take action on their part. We are very proud of what you have done for us and we will never forget your love.” This year we will continue with our Ethical Enterprise initiative which provides pupils with the opportunity to study local and world issues and learn how particular charities help. Through developing enterprising fund raising, children develop their entrepreneurial skills whilst raising funds for the charities and these funds are donated based upon the house points that children achieve through working hard and displaying the Bexton values. This year, we will be looking at the rebuilding of communities in Nepal, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hampers of Hope and Lower Moss Wood.
OFFICE
THE IMPORTANCE OF READING
UPDATES
We were delighted to wel-
The uptake of SCOPay has
come Jonathon from
been great—thank you. If
'Literacy First' to talk to par-
you would like to register more than one email ad-
ents about developing
dress, you will need an ad-
strong literacy skills. Over 90
ditional link code, please
parents attended the talk
email ad-
which was entertaining and
min@bexton.cheshire.sch.u
'inspiring'.
k and we will get this information to you.
Many parents have given very positive feedback
We are currently experi-
about the evening. One
encing some issues with
fact that has stuck with us is
children
the school website. We
that a child who is read to
to choose
are looking at how best to
every night will come to
what they enjoy reading-
school in reception with
even if it is Sponge Bob four
over 282,000 words, where-
nights on the run! Thank you
as a child who hasn't had
to all the parents who at-
following the link on the
that experience will come
tended this evening. It is
Weekly Updates section of
to school with only 8,000
definitely something we feel
the website. We apologise
words. Jonathon also re-
is worth repeating next
for the inconvenience.
minded us that it is im-
year.
deal with these but for the next few weeks, diary dates and school meals details can be found by
portant to continue to read to your child beyond primary school and whilst we should choose quality texts to read with our children, we should also allow our
“A child who is read to every night may start school with a vocabulary of over 282,000 words whereas a child not read to will start with about 8,000”
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT…. Parking Please can we remind parents that the school car park is for the use of staff only unless you have been given prior permission.
Medicines in school If your child needs emergency medication keeping in school, please can you complete a health care plan and return to Mrs. Graham in the office? We are unfortunately only able to store prescribed medication as part of our administration of medicines policy.
Walking Home If you wish to give permission for your Junior children to walk home, please can ensure this is written clearly in the front of their home/school diary. This helps if there is someone different in the class and to prevent confusion.
SOCIAL MEDIA
BEXTON
Should you have any queries
ORCHESTRA
or concerns regarding any matters in school, please dis-
Building on the success of
cuss these initially with your
our choir, we are delight-
child’s class teacher as they
ed to be providing all
are unable to respond on closed social media pages.
Year 5 children the opportunity to develop their orchestral skills through work with Love Music Trust. Children can also take part in an after
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CAR PARK—for staff use.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS Our after school clubs and activities continue to thrive. In addition to a host of sports clubs and our orchestra, demand for our gardening, chickens, board games, art, pottery and lego has been huge!
school orchestra club
170 separate pupils are
and we would love to de-
taking part in a variety of
velop a Bexton orchestra!
clubs this term alone.
STAFF NEWS Welcome to Mrs Airey and Mrs Joyce, our two new teaching assistants and to Mrs Taylor who is covering Mrs Morgan’s maternity leave in the school office. Also, congratulations to Mr Hammond who became a daddy to a baby boy just before the school holidays and to Mrs Morgan who has had a baby girl.
SPORTS NEWS Once again, we are working with the other primary schools in Knutsford, and with Egerton Football Club to offer children the chance of a number of sports tournaments, competitions and events. Our plans for this term include netball, football. Cross country and tag rugby. Every primary school in Knutsford took part in the Knutsford Harriers’ Cross Country event at Egerton Youth Club with 150 children participating in 8 different races, The great weather was only second best to the attitude of all the pupils who raced, very well done to you all. A big thank you must go to the Knutsford Harriers for their organisation and running of a very smooth event. We will keep you updated on these events via the newsletter, but more information can be found on the Knutsford Schools Sports Partnership area of Egerton Football Club’s website, details can be found here. The response to our extra curricular clubs this term has been amazing, we are delighted to be offering more clubs than ever and you are certainly making the most of it—over 125 children will be taking part in sports - based after school clubs this term. As you may be aware, the school has offered Sports Bonanza days during recent school holidays through Sportscape. We would be interested in hearing your views on whether this is something you feel is of benefit to you and your children and whether you would like it to continue. Please email your views to admin@bexton.cheshire.sch.uk.
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Thursday 8th October
Parents Evening 4pm-6.30
Tuesday 13th October
Parents Evening 3.30-6.00
Thursday 15th October
Individual & Family photos
Friday 16th October
FOBS Race Night (see form sent alongside newsletter) Y6 cake sale
Wednesday 21st October Thursday 22nd October
Friday 23rd October
Dress down day £1 donation to Ethical Enterprise project Children break up for half term INSET day for teachers
Monday 2nd November
Children return
Friday 6th November
How to help your child sheets out
Monday 7th December
KS2 Rehearsal at St Johns Church 1.30
Tuesday 8th December
KS2 Church Service at St Johns Church 1.30
Wednesday 9th December
Infant Nativity 10am Pre-school children only
Wednesday 9th December
KS2 Christmas Service 6.30
Thursday 10th December Friday 11th December
Infant Nativity 2pm Year 5 cake sale Infant Nativity 10am
Wednesday 16th December
Children’s Christmas Lunch
Thursday 17th December
Children’s Christmas Parties Dress up day £1 donation for Ethical Enterprise project Children break up for Christmas INSET day for teachers
Friday 18th December
Bexton Primary School Blackhill Lane Knutsford Cheshire WA16 9DB
01565 632816