Headteacher: Mrs K Brooker Cert.Ed, DipSpLD, AdvDipEd(Open), N.P.Q.H.

 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Dear Parents

I am writing to update you on a variety of initiatives within the school and on other issues that have arisen during the last few weeks.

Behind the scenes

All the staff continually assess the children’s progress in all areas but we do assess slightly more formally every half term.  It is at this time that we look at all children’s progress and decide whether they have made good progress over the last few weeks and discuss planning for the future.  Should any child start to slip behind we look at the specific areas in which the child has difficulty and decide what strategies we need to put into place in order for the child to ‘get back on track’.  We also look at our children who are achieving above expectations and decide how to continue to extend them.  Another group of children that we focus on are the quiet children who do well but maybe could achieve more with a slightly different approach.  As you are aware we really believe in making learning exciting and fun and believe in an exciting curriculum so this is just the background on the formal side of education.  This process is known as ‘tracking’. This process is being shared with other local schools so that we have continuity throughout our local area particularly at the point of transfer to the middle school. 

We are also focusing on the three main areas of writing, reading and mathematics.  We use information gained from monitoring and looking at children’s work to decide on area of focus.  An example of this is our writing, where we have decided that we need to improve punctuation across the school.  We look at the expectations for year groups and for individual children and set them targets.  These targets are part of the planning in lessons.  This process is known as ‘target setting’.

Another way of ensuring good standards is to continually monitor each others lessons and then have a professional discussion between staff to celebrate success and to decide on areas to improve. 

Parent’s Consultation

There will be a parent’s consultation afternoon/evening on 2^nd April.  Look out for the times.

Staffing

Lesley Cable was seconded from her post as teaching assistant at the Barrington Base from September 2007.  Lesley worked in the early years setting and decided to try another aspect of education for a while.  Lesley was due to return at Easter but has asked if her secondment could be extended to the end of the academic year.  This has been agreed and Janine Whitlock who is doing a fantastic job needed no persuading to stay on until the end of the Summer term.  It will be good for Lesley and Janine to see the end of the academic year in their respective posts. 

Topic Work

The topic approach is working really well and the children are excited by their learning. I am really excited by the way the teaching and learning is developing in the school and I know that this approach will contribute to raising standards.  The early years classes are very flexible to their approach and are working towards getting the balance between teacher directed learning and a child initiated approach.  We have recently had a visit from an advanced skills teacher who has been appointed to this position due to her success in early years teaching.  It was pleasing to hear so many positive comments about both our early years’ classes.  However, as always, there were always more good ideas to adopt. 

Church School Status

We are a Church of England School.  We hope that this is reflected throughout the school at all levels and in all activities.  The governors have recently received training on the Christian Distinctiveness aspect of the school and  this has now been discussed at a staff meeting and we have some ideas for developing this aspect of the school but if you have any ideas please let us know.

Amalgamated School

As an amalgamated school we are one school but based on two sites in two villages. It was recently expressed that one site felt that they were always visiting the other site and that it was always a one way process.  When I mentioned it to the other site they said ‘oh no, we are always going over there’.  It seems that when children visit the other base parents register the move but when they receive visits the memory dims.  At a recent staff meeting we discussed this issue and ……………. it’s even!!!!

Premises Development

At Ilton we plan to extend the staff car park.  It is unbelievable that the requirement for a school of our size is for four parking spaces, one being for disabled.  Therefore we have applied to county to extend our car park.  It will have the minimum impact and will require a ‘car parking surface’ to be placed on the grass behind the existing car park.  Staff just have to remember who is leaving first as we will be double parked.  Any mistake and we will have a variation on Strictly Come Dancing for cars.  (Strictly Come Parking??)                                      

At Barrington we are still actively pursuing the new building.  The governors and staff know how frustrating it hase been, fingers crossed – no news yet but………..

Barrington will also have internal redecoration over the Summer holidays and shortly a new path will be put down between the gate next to the kitchen (with intercom) to the wooden buildings. 

Easter Service

A reminder that our Easter Service will be held at St. Peter’s Church Ilton on 18^th March at 2.00p.m.  If you cannot attend the service please could you collect your children at 2.45p.m.   Thank you. 

Holidays

A reminder that we only have Good Friday and Easter Monday as a break from school and we return on Tuesday 25^th March.  The last day of term is Friday 4^th April (finish at 2.00p.m. ) and the children return to school on Tuesday 22^nd April.  However, do not go booking holidays on this pattern for next year as all returns to normal.  Staff have a training day on Monday 21^st April and will be looking at aspects of health and safety as well as planning for the term.

Yours sincerely

Karen Brooker

Headteacher