Autumn Term 1 Newsletter 2018

Monkton CEP School – “Everyone is Special” Term 1 Newsletter 20 September 2018

Dear Parents and Governors,

W

elcome back to the new school year. I hope everyone has now settled into their new classes and the school routine.

Ofsted As you are aware the school had a visit from Ofsted last week.

A full report of this visit will be available to parents once the report has been proof read and gone through the usual quality assurance checks. Our children were proud to share their learning and thoughts and ideas about our school with Mr Selby. We thank them all for their welcoming attitude towards our visitor.

You will find attached to this newsletter a copy of this Academic Years Term Dates and on the reverse a copy of Term 1 and Term 2 Diary Dates. Please keep these on your notice board for future reference.

Further details regarding all items mentioned and extra class activities will follow as and when they occur.

www.monkton.kent.sch.uk Website Up to date diary dates and class and club dates can be found on the Calendar (quick link located on the top right hand side of the page) on our website: www.monkton.kent.sch.uk.

Please check the website calendar for any information you need regarding, holidays, afterschool clubs and class activities. You will also find useful links to other sources of advice and to our school uniform provider School Trends.

Sick Children – Absence Reporting If you wish to report your child absent, please leave a message on our answering machine. Messages are picked first thing in the morning when the office opens and messages relayed to Class teachers.

Harvest Festival Our Harvest Festival takes place this Monday 24 October at St Mary Magdalene Church at 9:30am. The children from the school will visit the Wednesday Club (elderly resident’s weekly club) to give the members their Harvest bags. The rest of the Harvest bags containing mainly perishable goods will be distributed to the elderly residents of the village by staff and pupils from the school. The remainder of the tinned and dried goods donated by you will be given to the Thanet Food Bank.

Monthly Wednesday Club Visits The members of the Wednesday Club enjoy seeing the children and chatting to them. With this in mind Bee Class are planning to visit the Wednesday Club on a monthly basis. This will enable the children to make friends with the elderly residents of the village and to show them what they are learning in school. The resident will be able to share their skills and time with the children. We will keep you up to date with this exciting project.

Last Paper Newsletter - this is the last paper newsletter you will receive from us. This year we will be going fully digital, please ensure that you sign up for our newsletters on our website. See information below:

Sign up for email updates On the bottom right hand side of the website you will also find a button to register you email address to that you can receive copies of our newsletters to your email.

Text Messaging Service We will continue to use the texting service this year, so please ensure you always keep Mrs Webb updated with your new mobile phone numbers.

Netball Team Our netball team will be taking part in the Thanet Primary School Netball Festivals and interschool matches.

Cross Country Team

New Office Opening Times Our office opening times are changing: 8:40 – 16:30pm Office Open 12:00 – 13:00pm Office Closed Please do not visit the office before or after the times stated above.

Once again our Cross Country Team will be taking part in the Thanet Primary Schools Cross Country Races. The first Thanet Primary Schools Cross Country Race is at Quex Park on Saturday 6 October. Good luck to our team we hope you are as successful as you were last year!

Invictus Games Athlete Visit Darran Challis will be visiting school on Friday 5 October 2018. Darran will be leading a sponsored fitness circuit with all pupils. The aim of the event is to inspire our pupils to take up sport. More details have been sent to you in a separate letter.

Sports Provision and Clubs Team Theme will be providing our Sport Provision once again this academic year, they are delivering PE Lessons alongside staff and running after school sports clubs on three afternoons a week throughout the school year. They are also training our staff to ensure they learn new sports coaching skills.

In Terms 1 and 2 Team Theme will be running the following afterschool clubs: Term 1 Dragonfly Class Ladybird Class Butterfly Class

Football Club Football Club Netball Club

Term 2 Dragonfly Class Ladybird Class Butterfly Class

Dodgeball Club Gymnastics Club Football Club

Mrs Osgood is currently receiving training with Team Theme and will be overseeing the day to day running of sports provision at the school and is the key person to contact regarding sporting events, clubs and enquiries.

The school is taking part in the Thanet Schools Cross Country Meetings; these will also be organised and attended by Mrs Osgood. Mrs Warner and Mrs Osgood will be running our Netball team and accompany children to matches. Details for these events are sent out separately as they occur.

funds. Letters on how to join and reminders have been sent out. There is still time to join as the next draw will take place on Friday 19 October. Last term’s winners of the 100 Club were: Mrs O’Neil Mrs Rennison

£5.00 £5.00

PTA As a parent of a child or children at Monkton CEP School you are automatically a member of the Parent Teacher Association.

Please remember you do not need to be a committee member to come to meetings or to volunteer your help.

For new families, joining the PTA is a valuable way of getting to know everyone and feeling part of the school community.

Even if you cannot get to every meeting your help at parties, school performances and fairs is greatly appreciated.

The PTA are a fantastic group of people who make life special for your children at Monkton CEP School.

As well as fundraising to purchase extras for the children, they provided refreshments after our Class Productions and Carol Service.

They on occasions help provide us with extra ‘manpower’ throughout the year. The Staff and Governors truly appreciate their help, support and assistance in making Monkton CEP School welcoming and friendly.

I would like to encourage everyone to support their work and volunteer to help at their events whenever you can.

PTA Annual General Meeting The PTA will be holding their Annual General Meeting on Thursday 8 November between 3:30pm and 4:30pm in the school. We have brought the time forward so that it is easier for you to attend. We are also offering crèche facilities for your children. Please register your children with the office if you would like them to attend the crèche. Please can you make every effort to attend and support the PTA.

Forest School Our grounds accommodate Forest School Areas which facilitate outdoor activities, Mrs Guilder is a qualified Forest School instructor and all staff have basic fire training. The school PTA are involved with fundraising and parents are keen to maintain the areas. We want to encourage and support our staff to deliver a wellrounded and full outdoor curriculum.

More pupils are presenting with emotional and challenging behaviours and we believe through contact with the natural world we can alleviate and prevent some of these conditions from developing further. In addition to this we are blessed with beautiful grounds and wildlife which we now need to fully use and appreciate.

Everyone who shops in Waitrose for the month of October are given tokens to pledge a donation to a local cause. Our school is one of three causes chosen, and we would be very grateful should you or any of your family shop in Waitrose to make sure you pop your token in our fundraiser. This is only in the Ramsgate Branch.

We stand to receive a share the £1,000 set aside for this project.

100 Club Once again we are running the 100 Club to boost school

PTA Sports Day Refreshments

Bee Class Phonic Sessions Mrs Guilder will be running 3 Bee Class Parent Phonic sessions starting on 27 September and continuing each week starting at 3:10pm.

Staffing Mrs Bax (Bee Class) has been unwell since the beginning of term. We have been in touch with her on a regular basis. Unfortunately she is still quite unwell and will not be back to school next week. In the meantime Mrs Pritchard continues to cover the class. As you are aware Mrs Pritchard is an experience EYFS teacher and we are pleased that she has agreed to cover Bee class so that the children have continuity of teaching.

Mrs Pilcher (Kelly) is also making good progress after a spell in hospital, we hope she will be back Lollipopping in the very near future. Get well soon Kelly.

Parents Consultations Parent Consultations will take place on 17 October 2018.

In a change to our normal arrangements these will now begin at 1:20pm and run through to 7:30pm in the evening. Appointments will be made online and you will receive a text message from our ParentEvening App inviting your to book a time online.

Mrs Wilson will also be inviting parents with children with additional needs to make a separate appointment to meet with her.

There will be a break at the end of school so parents can collect their children and if appointments are during the school afternoon, parents may take their children home after their appointment.

Appointments will take place in the school hall.

Choir Mrs Williams has kindly has offered to run an after school choir club for Years 5 and 6. This will be to practice in readiness for both the Young Voice at the 02 and the Thanet Festival of Song. Details of how to book your place have already been sent to eligible pupils.

Head lice Fact: Lice can be caught at any time of the year, from close contact with anyone, on holiday, day care friends, sleepovers and cousins. Early detection and treatment is the best way to prevent their spread. Please would you check your child/children’s heads on a weekly basis. Follow the detection combing instructions on the leaflets previously provided by us. This advice can also be found on the NHS Choices Website: www.nhs.uk .

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income-related Employment and Support Allowance support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 the guaranteed element of Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of not more than £16,190) Working Tax Credit run-on-paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

If your child is eligible for and getting free school meals at any time before 1 April 2018, they will remain eligible until 31 March 2022.

You can apply online: www.kent.gov.uk If you can’t apply online just pick a form up from the school office, fill in your child’s details, your National Insurance Number and return your form to school and Mrs Webb will apply on your behalf.

Road Safety Please can I ask everyone to make our Road Crossing Patrol’s life easier and keep your children safe by not blocking her sight lines of the road. Please park considerately and sensibly before and after school. Please could you let people not connected with the school know where to pickup and drop off your children safely.

Do avoid parking on the narrow section of road running towards the Foxhunter Caravan Park and obviously on the zigzag yellow lines outside the school. Could you also avoid parking on the private land directly opposite school.

The car park entrance doubles up a pedestrian access point to the school. Can I remind you to let everyone know that the car park to the side of school is for staff parking only. It should not be used by parents or carers to pick up or drop off children.

School Meals School meals are available from Caterlink at £2.00 per day (£10.00 a week). At Monkton CEP School this still consists of a traditional hot meal and a drink followed by a dessert.

Please make all cheques payable to Caterlink Limited.

All meals need to be paid for in advance on Monday morning. If your child would like to change to or from school meals, the office will need 1 weeks notice.

If you realise your child has forgotten his/her packed lunch and you need to order a meal, please contact the office by 10am and send payment by the following day.

Free School Meals Do let us know if your children are entitled to Free School Meals even if they do not wish to take them and even if they are in Classes 1 and 2.

The school receives extra income for your children and this means they are then entitled to free or subsidised school trips and activities at this school.

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:   

Universal credit- your household income must be less than £7,700 a year (after tax and not include any benefits you get) Income Support income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Walking Bus To avoid many of the problems mentioned earlier, why not consider joining the Walking Bus. As it is a ‘park and stride scheme’ you can drop your children off or park up at the top of the village and walk down with your children. This means you do not have the hassle of trying to find a place to park outside school in the morning.

The Walking Bus is currently run by Catherine Arnell and a team of parent volunteers. Walking bus numbers have started to increase, but there is still capacity for pupils and parents to take advantage of this marvellous scheme, for more information or a trial run to see if it suits you please contact Catherine on: 07957641471 or pop into the office to collect information and Walking Bus Promise forms.

Our walking bus relies on us having enough adult volunteers to walk down to school with it. If you are using the bus, please consider if you could lend a hand and become a volunteer, please contact Catherine for details.

New Entrants Can I encourage as many new entrants to join the Walking Bus, this helps keep your children healthy and keeps cars off the road at the beginning of the school day.

Thanet Lions Club Donation of Hi Viz Jackets If your child walks from the other end of the village the Thanet Lions Club has very kindly donated a Hi-viz jacket for your child to wear to keep them safe on the road. If you would like a jacket/s just pop into the office to collect one from Mrs Webb.

Siblings Can you please let Mrs Webb know of any younger siblings that you wish to enrol at Monkton CEP School. As you are probably aware siblings come at the top of our list only superseded by Children in Care. Please be aware if you are moving house you must move to a property that is the same distance or nearer to the school than your previous property.

Problems and Concerns

Family Holidays in Term Time From September 2013 the Department for Education amended the Education Regulations removing the Head Teacher’s ability to authorise leave of absence for a family holiday. Requests for holidays in term-time will not be authorised as the Regulations only allow me to authorise absence (leave) in “exceptional circumstances”.

The School’s Attendance Policy confirms that:  agreement to each request is at my discretion, acting on behalf of the Governing Body  each case will be judged on its merits  my decision is final  leave cannot be authorised retrospectively I am also not able to authorise days or half days off for long weekends.

If you have any traumatic events at home (bereavements, family break ups etc) I would be very grateful if you would let your child’s teacher or myself or Mrs Webb know. We care very much about the health and wellbeing of all the children. If we know they are experiencing problems we can give them the due care, consideration and support that they need.

Penalty Notices will be issued by the school this academic year. Penalty Notices are issued to each parent of each child, the amount of the penalty will be £120 to be paid within 28 days, reduced to £60 if paid within 21 days. Failure to pay the penalty in full at the end of the 28 day period may result in prosecution by the Attendance Service

If you have any school or class concerns regarding your child/children, please see your child’s Class Teacher in the first instance. If you still need to speak to me, please see Mrs. Webb and she will make the necessary arrangements.

If I do agree to a leave of absence in term time, it is very important that your child comes back to school promptly. If you take a holiday without our permission or your child fails to return on the agreed date, subsequent absence will be unauthorised, which is considered truancy.

School Uniform Only Book/Dispatch Bags and Hats are held in stock at the school.

All other items should be ordered online: www.stparent.co.uk or via the office. Please ensure that your order is online or sent into the office by the last day of the month. Your order should arrive approximately 14 days later.

Mrs Webb keeps a selection of sizes in school so that you can check that you are ordering the right size for your child.

Please feel free to pop into the office to check sizes at any time.

We have been using School Trends to supply our school uniform for the last 21 years. They are a British cooperative who make your uniform to order at their factory in the UK. Over the years we have found them to be the most consistent for price, quality and delivery.

Punctuality and timekeeping It is important that your child is on time each day for school. School starts promptly at 8:50 and all children should be on the premises and ready to learn at this time.

Arriving late in school interrupts the start of the day for both the child that is late and for their classmates.

Pickup Time We would appreciate all children being picked promptly at 3:10 from the playground. The Staff often have meetings and training to attend afterschool and therefore we are unable to take care of children in the Library/foyer after school on a regular basis. If you are unavoidably delayed due to traffic or other unforeseen circumstances there will always be staff here to look after your child until you arrive. If you are detained in this way please contact the office as soon as possible, especially if you are arranging for someone else to collect your child.

Yours sincerely,

K A Wilson (Mrs) Head of School

Dates for for your your Diary Diary Dates Terms 11 and and 22 2018 2018 Terms

Term 1 Starts: 4 September Term 1 Starts: 4 September Kent Test – Year 6 Kent Test – Year 6

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Thursday 6 September - am

Thursday 6 September - am

Butterfly Class Swimming 6 weekly sessions starting: -Tuesday 11 September – Herne Bay Pool

Butterfly ClassDahl Swimming 11 September – Herne Bay Pool Roald Day 6 weekly sessions starting: -Tuesday Thursday 13 September Roald Dahl Day Individual & Family Group Photographs-

Thursday 13 September Wednesday 19 September – am

Individual & Family Group Photographs Harvest Festival Mary Magdalene Church, Monkton Harvest St Festival

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Wednesday 19 September – am @ 9.30am at Monday 25 September

St Mary Class Magdalene Church, Monkton 1 Parental Phonics 3 weekly Sessions

Monday 25 September @ 9.30am at Thursday 27 September–3.10pm -4.00pm

Class 1 Parental weeklyVisit Sessions Invictus Phonics Games 3 Athlete

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Thursday 27 September–3.10pm Friday 5 October – pm -4.00pm

Invictus Games Athlete Visit Cross Country – Quex

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Friday 5 October – pm Saturday 6 October - 10am – 12noon

Cross Country – Quex Parent Meeting (Years R – 6)

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Saturday 6 October - 10am – 12noon Wednesday 17 October -1.20pm – 7.30

Parent Meeting (Years R – 6) Staff Development Day

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Wednesday 17 October -1.20pm – 7.30 19 October – School Closed to pupils

Staff Development Day October Holiday

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19 October – School Closed to pupils 22 October to 26 October

October Holiday

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22 October to 26 October

Term 2 Starts: 29 October 2018

Term 2 Starts: 29 October 2018

Height and Weight (Years R & 6)

Height and Weight (Years R & 6) Remembrance Service

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Thursday 1 November - am

Thursday 1 November - am Friday 9 November 10.45am - Hall

Remembrance Service Friday 9 November 10.45am - Hall Flu Vac (Nasal Spray) - Years R to Year 5 inc Wednesday 21 November – 1:30 Flu Vac (Nasal Spray) - Years R to Year 5 inc PTA Annual General Meeting Crèche PTA Annual General Meeting Crèche New Entrant – Open Afternoon

Wednesday 21 November – 1:30 Thursday 8 November at 3:30 – 4.30

New Entrant – Open Afternoon New Entrant – Open Morning

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Monday 19 November –1:30pm Friday 23 November 9:15am

New Entrant – Open Morning Christmas Bazaar

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Friday 23 November 9:15am Friday 14 December – afternoon

Christmas Bazaar Carol Service Christmas

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December – afternoon -Friday 14 Monday 17 December

Christmas Carol Service Whole School Christmas Lunch

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Monday 17 December Tuesday 18 December

Whole School Christmas Christmas Party Lunch

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Tuesday 18 December Wednesday 19 December

Christmas Party2 Ends Term

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Wednesday 19 December Tuesday 19 December @ 2.00pm

Term 2 Ends

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Tuesday 19 December @ 2.00pm 20 December to 2 January inclusive

Christmas Holiday

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20 December to 2 January inclusive

Christmas Holiday

Thursday 8 November at 3:30 – 4.30 Monday 19 November –1:30pm

Term 3 Starts: Thursday 3 January Term 3 Starts: Thursday 3 January More details regarding any clubs or class activities will follow separately

Term dates & holidays for regarding the whole any of this year arewill on follow the back of this flyer, More details clubsAcademic or class activities separately Please do not throw it away Term dates & holidays for the whole of this Academic year are on the back of this flyer,

Up to date information is on www.monkton.kent.sch.uk Please dothe notCalendar: throw it away Up to date information is on the Calendar: www.monkton.kent.sch.uk

Monkton CEP School Academic Year 2018/19 Term 1 2018 Staff Development Day Monday 3 September Start: Tuesday 4 September Finish: Thursday 18 October Staff Development Day Friday 19 October October Holiday

Monday 22 October - Friday 26 October

Term 2 2018 Start: Monday 29 October Christmas Holiday

Finish: Wednesday 19 December

Thursday 20 December - Wednesday 2 January

Term 3 2019 Start: Thursday 3 January

Finish: Friday 15 February

February Holiday - Monday 18 February—Friday 22 February

Term 4 2019 Start: Monday 25 February Finish: Friday 5 April Easter Holiday Monday 8 April — Monday 22 April (Easter Monday)

Term 5 2019 Start: Tuesday 23 April

Finish: Friday 24 May

May Day Bank Holiday 6 May 2019 May Holiday Monday 27 May —- Friday 31 May

Term 6 2019 Start: Monday 3 June Finish: Thursday 18 July Staff Development Days: Fri 19 July, Mon 22 July and Tues 23 July 2019