Dear Parents and Carers
I hope you have all received the message informing you of tomorrow’s Dorset-wide school closure due to the potential for damage caused by Storm Eunice. I also hope you have no damage at home and the children enjoy their extra day’s holiday.
Staffing Update:
Ms Babiy, our Beech Class Teacher, has informed me she is expecting a baby in the Summer. I am sure you will all join me in congratulating her on her good news. She is planning to work until the middle of June. We will be advertising for a teacher for the class shortly after half term and as soon as we have made an appointment we will let you know the plans. We will, of course, be aiming to minimise disruption to the class for the last few weeks of the term, and for a smooth transition in September.
School Safety
In my last newsletter I asked you all to be particularly careful when waiting or driving on the school car park. Please look after your children, including pre-school children, when waiting as unfortunately damage has been caused to both school property (the hedges) and to staff cars by children who are not being supervised closely enough. Please do not let your children play around the cars.
Additionally, I am asking you not to drive on the car park at all at the end of the day, between 3:15pm and 3:25pm when the children are being released by the teachers. A number of times, the teachers have let a child go across the car park to a parent or carer, only for a car to set off from one of the spaces or to drive in from the road. If you are in a hurry to leave at the end of the day, please park on the road, and if you are later than 3:15, please do not attempt to drive in. Otherwise, please wait until the children have been united with their parents and the carpark is clear of pedestrians before driving off. Many thanks for your help in keeping the school a safe place for the children.
Arrangements for after Half Term
We are sincerely hoping that our latest round of positive Covid results in school is subsiding. I understand the Prime Minister is likely to make some announcements about relaxing, or ceasing, the rules around self-isolation and suitable protective measures. Once these are clear, we will be making arrangements for how the children will be mixing in schools and, if appropriate, we are hoping no longer to be in strict bubbles and separate playgrounds. I will update you at the start of next half term and with fingers crossed we may be back to how we were in September.
We are also planning to start lunchtime (12:30 – 1:00pm) and after school clubs (3:20 – 4:20pm) after the holiday. Mrs Batten will be continuing her recorder club at lunchtimes on Fridays and would love to have more children from Chestnut or Oak Classes join. Miss Gale will be running a computing club on Mondays for Chestnut Class, while I will take children from Oak Class for Kwik Stiks (junior hockey). On Wednesday, Mrs Clasby is running her Year 6 Sats Booster Club. If you would like your child to join one of these clubs, please e-mail into the office and Mrs Pike will create the registers. Please encourage your children to attend each week and, if committing to the club, they should stay at least until the end of the half term. If they are not able to attend for any reason in one week, please make sure the office knows at the beginning of the day.
We are now at the end of the half term and are half way through the school year. I am sure the children are looking forward to their holiday and I hope you all have chance to relax and recharge before we all return to school on Monday 28th February.
With best wishes
James Stanford