We’re back to school with a bang!

Welcome Back!

It’s been great to see the children settle back into school so well. We have enjoyed a number of great things this week with Y3 hosting Kielder Observatory team to discuss rocks, and our World Book Day book swap, as well as being back in the hall for lunches in key stage sittings rather than staggered. We are continuing with the same key question, ‘Is there time to save the world?’ linking with our investigation about climate change, sustainability and pollution.

The staff teams moderated writing and talked about their children’s writing achievements and we are hoping to get a date in the diary for the much missed ‘book look’ for families that have not taken place since the start of the pandemic. I am really proud of the children’s writing and how it has come on since the start of the year and I know that you will love coming in to see their books again. Y3 and Y4 feature heavily in the photos this week including one from Joshua Mitchell’s martial arts expertise which was shared from home. Please share any photos of clubs or special achievements the children have outside of school so we can share in the celebrations! We loved Allison’s photo with her family visit to the Discovery Museum – she was so excited that the museum is still exhibiting the Y4 fairground creations from last summer’s learning!

It’s been especially great to welcome Sarah Koratzitis this week back to CVPS as a Vice Principal leading English. The children and staff team have been delighted to have her back and the additional support for the whole team, including myself has brought some much needed capacity back into school.

Parent Survey

A huge thank you to the families who responded to the online parent survey which has now closed. There have been some lovely comments and feedback and we have analysed these and actioned some of the really constructive comments. It is encouraging and reassuring to hear that 88% of respondents would recommend CVPS to other

parents and that 80% of children feel happy to come to school. We have already contacted most of the small number of families who chose to use the survey to indicate any issues which has allowed us to have conversations about their circumstances. Please don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher if you have any concerns, and if you feel things haven’t improved you can speak to a senior leader in school. I am happy to discuss any issues with parents individually if things have not resolved. I would like to reassure everyone that our school aim is that all children thrive so if your child is not thriving in your opinion, we want to know so we can work in partnership to move things forward. The hard and fast results are included on the newsletter email as an attachment. Some of the useful comments included ideas about more after school clubs, more opportunities for music tuition (this was tried a few years ago but did not have the uptake to be viable) and more information about the curriculum the children cover in school.

Please try and use the school website to ensure that you are up to date with the curriculum as our planning is uploaded every term. https://villageprimary.org/

COVID Update

We all know that on Feb 24th the legal requirements for isolating and testing became advisory.

However as a government funded school this means that we are still required to follow the same expectations as we did previously. The only real difference AT THE MOMENT is that isolating if you test positive is no longer legally enforceable. However at school there has been an expectation in guidance documents that we continue to expect children with Covid symptoms and positive test results to isolate. With rates still high in the community we are continuing with this.

We hope this will be reviewed when Lateral Flow Tests are no longer free of charge, but for now we will continue with the same notification and isolation expectations as is on our previous risk assessments.

School Covid Restrictions

We have been very conscious in school that our children have sacrificed an awful lot in terms of learning and socialisation as a result of our Covid restrictions. We are no longer operating under our contingency framework but have started to sensibly relax some of the previous restrictions. Lunch times in the hall as a whole key stage have been very welcome this week!

We need your help!

If you have green fingers our greenhouse needs you! We are looking for a gardening volunteer to help plant it up with some help from the children in the gardening team (plants, tools and soil are all available). If you have a few hours a week that you can spare to come to school around lunchtimes when the children are free – it would be great to hear from you. Let the staff know or drop an email into info@villageprimary.org as soon as you can…spring is just around the corner.

Covid consistencies….?

Some of the more constructive comments on our parent survey related to the face to face access given to teachers and called out perceptions of inconsistencies during lockdowns and the recent easing of restrictions. I’m keen to put the record straight with this so there is clarity with all of us about the rationale we applied.

At all times we have worked within the parameters of our carefully considered and consulted Covid risk assessments. There have been occasions when we have tried to welcome parents back in to school, for example for the Christmas dinner and to the church at Christmas – to create some sense of school community. During these occasions contact between adults and school staff was kept to a minimum, and we tried really hard to ensure that any prolonged time spent by staff with other adults was minimised. Many staff have done this at home too, isolating themselves from Covid cases in their family home to be able to continue to attend school (when it was permitted) making significant sacrifices. I feel it’s important to set the record straight about this publicly in the newsletter.

We have tried throughout Covid at every stage to ensure that we minimise disruption to the children and transmission in the school and wider community by protecting staff attendance at school as much as possible. I am exceptionally proud that on the whole our staff attendance rates have been outstanding throughout the pandemic due to the success of our approach and the commitment and dedication of the team. A huge thank you to those families who recognised this in their comments, with 85% of respondents in the survey stating we dealt well with Covid. We really appreciated the many families who have supported and respected the school’s communication and decisions about this. It has not been easy for any of us.

Weds 9th March Parent Consultations

By now you will have received the link for the online parent consultations which will take place next week on Weds 9th March. Parents asked for a slightly longer time slot which we have been able to facilitate. Please be on time for your slot as it automatically cuts off at the end of the time slot allocated.

Paul’s Outdoor Idea

Thank you (Gratitude) Tree

It is excellent to see the sun shining and the feel of Spring in the air, a lot of children have spoken to me about the signs of Spring.

This week’s idea is to combine the outside with a nice craft. I have been grateful for lots of things this week: friends, family, colleagues, the Spring and lots of other things. To celebrate, this

week’s activity is a ‘Thank you’ or Gratitude tree.

Basic instructions

First, go for a nature walk to find the perfect tree branch that has multiple limbs. Next, make and decorate different colour leaves to adorn the branch with messages about thankfulness. Once the leaves are attached, place the branch in a vase or jar.

It would make a beautiful gift for someone you are thankful for.

More detailed instructions

1. Go on a nature walk to find a special tree You want to make sure that the branch is fairly large and has multiple limbs.
2. Bring the branch inside and set it on your
3. Brainstorm some things that you are thankful for in your family (e.g. food, water, shelter, love, family, friends, your dog, )
4. (Optional) Paint the tree branch.
5. Draw leaves, make the leaves fairly big, about two leaves per page. Cut out the leaves, aiming for about 10 finished leaves.
6. Use a hole puncher to create a hole at the top of each leaf.
7. Write down the things you are grateful for on the leaves.
8. Put string or wool through the holes of each leaf and tie the leaves to the branch.
Don’t forget to share photos of your tree on the class Facebook pages!

Family Support Worker Amy’s Update

Great first week back at school! Remember, to be an Attendance Hero at the end of this half term you must be Here, Everyday, Ready, On time. We will be holding our attendance awards at the end of the Spring term again. Last time, our hero’s got to wear a special attendance hero mask. I have already started to think about what special item the children will receive this time!

It is amazing to see 3 classes with 99% this week! I am sure we could see at least one class with 100% next week. Well done to Year 5 and Year 6 for significantly lower lates our first week back. Remember, the gates close at 8.30am. After this time children will need to go through the office and will be marked as late on the register.

Achievement Awards

Kindness champions

Ayman Alwendi, Jaxon Gunnell, Caileigh Rutherford, Avraj Singh and Anabelle Lister

Swimmer of the week – AJ Jefferson

Gold celebrations

Y1 – Jaxon Gunnell (twice), Alexis Simm, Freya Brady, Matilda Charlton, Abbie Griffiths and Nadia Al Haj Moussa, Y2 – Lily Morgan-Derby, Y3 – Elliot Page, Y4 – Ryan Wells, Brian Campbell, Jessica Gorton, Aysha Kaur, Megan Finlay, Masie Morrison, Delilah Piriz and Daisy Bushby