Newsletter Term 1 2007/08

Dear Parents and Governors,

Welcome back to the new school year. I hope you all had a enjoyable summer break. I would like to welcome the following children and their families to our school:

Class 1 - Charlotte Rendle, Taylor Dumigan, Ben Savage, Harry Day, Leila Tudor, Rosie Warren, Emily Cheesman, Alfie Pennie, Kiera Stephens, Joshua May, Evie White, Oliver Stephenson, Phoebe Clements, William Ainsworth and Summer Bradley.

You will find attached to this newsletter a copy of the Academic Year Dates. On the reverse is a copy of Term 1 and Term 2 Diary Dates. Please stick these on your notice board for future reference. Further details regarding all items mentioned and extra class activities will follow in due course.

I?themba Visit

Last Thursday 13 September the children had a visit from a South African music group called I?themba. This visit was funded by Pie Factory Music. Each class took part in a workshop and learnt a little about South African chanting and drumming.

Head lice
We have already had a couple of cases of head lice reported in school. Please check your children's heads at least every week. We have a very Eco/child friendly product called Folicel which we recommend as it contains no organophosphates. It is made from citrus pulp and it can be used as a repellent and treatment. 500ml bottles are available from the office. They cost £16 and there is sufficient for up to 30 applications

PTFA Meeting
The first PTFA Meeting will be held on Friday 21 September at 9.00pm at Fiona Tudor's home (42 Monkton Road, Minster). Do make every effort to support our very valuable PTFA. For new parents it is a good way of feeling part of the school community and making new friends.

Harvest Festival

Harvest Festival will take place on Monday 1 October at 9.30am at the church. All Parents and friends are welcome to join us. Once again we will be asking you to fill a decorated shoebox which your child will have designed and prepared especially for their Harvest Festival gift. We would be very grateful if all children could bring an empty shoebox into school by Wednesday 19 September. Thank you.


School Meals

As you know school meals are provided by Scolarest and are now cooked in our own kitchen. School Meals are available for £1.80 per day for primary school children. You can pay for these on a weekly, monthly, termly or half-termly basis.

If you are in receipt of Income Support, 'Income Based' Job Seekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit, without Working Tax Credit and your income does not exceed £14,495; your child is eligible for free school meals. Pick up a form from the school notice board or pop to the school office Do let us know if your children are entitled to Free School Meals even if they do not wish to take them as this now has a significant effect on the School?s statistical information. Thank You

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

Allergy Alert - Peanut Free School

Please remember when making your children's packed lunches that we have a child in school with a peanut allergy. Wherever possible please try to avoid products containing peanuts. The children have been reminded to tell staff if they find products with peanuts in so we can take the appropriate action. Thank you once again for your care and co-operation.

Spoons and Drinks

Also when packing your child's lunch would you kindly remember to pack them a spoon if they are having yogurt and a drink. Thank You


Puffin Book Club

Once again Mrs Webb will be running the Puffin Book Club. A magazine is sent out approximately once every 12 weeks. School benefits from your orders by receiving 100% in books providing the total school order is over £100. Orders together with the payment should be sent to school with your child in a sealed envelope. Cheques should be made payable to Monkton CEP School Fund.

School Shop

Mrs Webb has plenty of items in stock. However if you would like to order, coats and fleeces, ready for the winter please do so on the attached order form and return it to school before the 5 October 2007. This will be the only order sent in before Christmas, so please take advantage by ordering your winter uniform now. Orders take approx 4 weeks to arrive.

Data Checking Sheet

Enclosed with this letter is a sheet with all the information we have on your child/children. Please take a moment to make sure that this is correct and up to date, then sign and return it to school ASAP. Thanks.

100 Club

Mrs Gunton will be running the 100 Club to boost school funds. If you are new to the school please complete the attached form and return it to school if you wish to purchase a number. Renewal slips will be sent out to everyone else in due course.

Football

Monkton CEP School Football team is taking part in the Thanet Primary School Football Association Mini Festivals held at Upton School. The school has agreed to play on the following dates: 14 Sept, 28 Sept, 19 Oct, 10 Nov, 24 Nov and 8 Jan. Any extra inter -school matches will be notified as they are arranged.

ECHO Schools

This years ECHO Group held their nominations for new members last week. The members for this year are: Samuel Horsburgh, Georgia Hayward, Molly Tudor and Todd Jordan. The Healthy School Committee is made up of nominated representatives from Year Groups 5 and 6 together with Parent, Governor and Staff Representatives. Look out for the termly newsletter from the group.

ICT Suite

Our new ICT Suite is almost complete we are just awaiting delivery of new chairs! The staff, Governors and Children would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Mr Stuart Cockett and his Kent County Council Department for donating nine of their surplus computers to us. The computers cost us just £500 to upgrade so that we could use them on our new network and should last us 3 to 4 years. In real terms this donation has saved the school £5,000. It would have taken us at least 3 years to purchase these machines under normal circumstances.

Water Bottles in school

Your child should have his/her water bottle in school each day as we do not have water fountains on site. Could you please ensure that these are only filled with water. Flavoured water or fruit juices are not acceptable due to the tooth decay these cause.

Local Visits Consent Form and Photographic Consent

If you are new to the school you will find a local visits consent form and a Photographic Image Consent Form for each of your children attached to this newsletter. Please complete and return the consent forms via your child?s book bag. These are to give us permission to take your child on trips in and around Monkton Village and to use photographs mainly in our newsletters, prospectus and on our website.

Road Safety

I would like to remind everyone of the importance of parking considerately and sensibly before and after school. I know that some residents are still experiencing problems with parents or guardians parking inconsiderately across their driveways. Please could you let people not connected with the school know where to pickup and drop off your children. Thank You.

Please avoid parking on the narrow section of road running towards the Foxhunter Caravan Park and obviously on the zigzag yellow lines outside the school.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Recycling with Recycool

We are now able to recycle mobile phones, PDAs and empty printer cartridges to raise money for our school. Please place your print cartridges and mobile phones in the silver bin in the entrance hall. Recycool will then collect the full box and pay the money raised directly into school funds.
Please read the following information and reminders. We put them in first newsletter to jog your memory, they are important and helpful :

Notes/Messages /Payments
Please remember all correspondence, dinner money or payments for school trips should be given to your child to put in their book bag. These can then handed to their teacher at the start of the day. Remember to look in your children's book bags each evening as we send all correspondence home via their bags.

PE Kit
Do make sure that your child/children have their PE kits in school every day. This should consist of a PE T- Shirt, Shorts, Socks and Trainers or Plimsolls. As the weather gets colder please ensure that your child also has a tracksuit (bottoms and top). If children do not have a kit with them they will be given a clean school kit for that lesson. Children must take part in PE unless we have received a letter regarding a medical reason for being excused. Thank You.

Labelling Clothes
All items of clothes should be clearly labelled with indelible ink. It is very difficult for children and staff to keep track of sweatshirts etc when there are 30 others to look through to find a missing item!

Coats
Please make sure your child/children have a coat/jacket in school so that they can go outside and play. Thank you.

Family Holidays in Term Time
As you know, pupils of school age must, by law, attend school regularly. If your child is to be away from school, you need to ask us to approve the absence, which we will do when there is good reason. You cannot yourself authorize a child?s absence.

The Government has urged parents to avoid taking their children on holiday during term time. Research has show that 5.4 million school days were lost due to holidays during Autumn 2006 to Spring 2007.

Please do not ask for leave for a family holiday in term time if you can avoid this. We will consider every request for leave for a holiday individually. The most important consideration is the effect an absence would have on your child?s education.

If we do agree to a holiday 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 unauthorized, which is considered truancy.

I would be grateful if you would consider this advice very seriously before you take your child/children out of school during term time and help us provide the education for your child to which he/she is entitled.

Year 6 - it is imperative that Year 6 children are in school at all times during their final year.

School Tests and SAT Testing

SAT?s Testing

It is very important that children are not absent from school during the following assessment periods:

Years 3, 4 and 5 ? Mon 4 February to Fri 15 February
Year 2 - whole April and May
Years 3, 4 and 5 - Mon 1 May to Fri 16 May

SAT's Week is Mon 12 May to Fri 16 May for Year 6.

It is important Year 6 are in school all year.

Due to the importance of the National and School Tests I cannot authorise any absences for children during the assessment period.


Returned Cheques
Please make sure that you have sufficient funds in your account before paying for goods from school by cheque. As we are now charged for every cheque returned, the cost will be passed on to you if your cheque is returned unpaid by your bank. Sorry!

Walking Bus
If you haven't already returned your Walking Bus Permission note/Pupil Promise into school, please do so ASAP. Thank You.

School Website
The school website is: www.monktoncep.ik.org this contains all details of school dates and often is the first place to look if you can't find your newsletter. It also has useful links to other websites.


Problems and Concerns
I
f you have any problems or concerns regarding your child/children, please see the relevant 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.



Yours sincerely,

J. C. Graham
Headteacher Back to top