Queen’s Hill Primary & Nursery School

Newsletter February 2015

Having had a fairly mild winter the cold weather has really kicked in

this week! Please ensure that your child has suitable (named) clothing –

we still have some children arriving at school without a winter coat.

As I write this, the Key Stage 2 children are sitting their mid year

assessments. The amount of effort the children are putting in has

really started to pay off and they are being able to see the benefits

themselves. Our drive remains on getting every child to show a passion

for learning. Please make sure you ask your children what they have

been learning at school. Reading is the key to success and we have lots

of children who are now on track to gain their Bronze Award.

I was fortunate to visit some “Outstanding” schools in London last week.

What was reassuring from my point of view was the number of systems

in place that are the same as we have at Queen’s Hills. The difference

was that their pupil cohorts were stable, so they do not have children

joining other than in Reception. The other difference was the level of

funding that the schools get. It is a difficult time for the State Sector

at the moment and with the forthcoming election it seems that

everyone has a view on how to improve the education system. Whatever

happens and whatever new initiative is introduced at National level,

know that the staff at Queen’s Hills work their hardest for the best of

all the children in their school. Wrongly or rightly we are determined

that your child has a love of learning rather than just being taught to

“pass a test”. Last week 24 Y5/6 pupils came with me to The Theatre

Royal as a reward for showing grit and determination. We got a guided

tour backstage and the children were fortunate enough to be able to

learn and experiment with the sound and lighting too. The children

asked some very good questions about how things worked and how to

get a career in the theatre industry. Their enthusiasm, energy,

politeness and passion for learning were praised by the Theatre staff. I

wonder who will be rewarded next?!

Penny Sheppard

CongratulationsCongratulationsCongratulationsCongratulations

Seb’sSeb’sSeb’sSeb’s

Friend of the WeekFriend of the WeekFriend of the WeekFriend of the Week to all of Seb’s Friends of the Week

during January 2015 for

showing a positive attitude to their learning

Chelsea D, Sophie P

Dylan H, Yasmin A Chelsea D

Ben L, Bethany-Kate, Lucy C, Emily B,

Cameron, Izzy G, Anais, Harry G

Norfolk's Special Educational Needs and Disability

(SEND) Local Offer Consultation 2015

Since its launch on 1st September 2014 when the Children and Families Act

2014 came into force, Norfolk’s SEND Local Offer has continued to be

developed. There has been a slight restructure and new content, links and

photographs have been added to make the web pages more user friendly,

and to help young people, parents/carers and professionals more easily find

the information they are seeking.

Norfolk’s SEND Local Offer can be found within the NCC website from

the Children’s Services home page, it can also be easily found using Google

or you can go direct to www.norfolk.gov.uk/send.

Our aspiration is to make Norfolk’s Local Offer a one stop shop for

information on SEND provision and services in Norfolk and beyond and to

also develop this further to outline our overall support to enhance and

improve inclusion for all children and young people across Norfolk.

Today we are launching a consultation on Norfolk’s SEND Local Offer using

Smart Survey. We want to know from those who use the Local Offer, how

we can best improve it. Additionally we would also like help in shaping the

future of this Speech and Language service and so have also included some

questions about this.

We would be grateful if you could encourage all staff and governors within

your school to take the time to look at Norfolk’s Local Offer and then

complete the Smart Survey following the link below.

http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/SEND2015

We would also encourage you to advise parents/carers/young people of this

consultation and provide the link to the survey in your regular newsletters

or school updates while the consultation is open.

There will also be a series of focus groups with young people, families and

professionals to drill down further into various themes during February

and March. The consultation opens on Friday 16th January 2015 and closes

on Friday 27th March 2015.

A report will then be prepared during April which will provide analysis of

the feedback received and outline the next steps in the development of

Norfolk’s SEND Local Offer.

Parking Outside School

A near miss incident has

recently been reported to us.

Please park and drive

carefully around the school as

careless parking puts our

children at risk.

Please also note that car park

is for staff only

.

This term we have appointed

three new members of staff.

Reception parents may have

already met Mrs Julieann

Challen who started with us in

January. Mrs Maria

Nesterowicz will be starting

in February in Les Coccinelles

Class and Mrs Manuschka will

be starting after Easter

working as an HLTA in Y3/4

School Dinners

&

Breakfast Club

Please remember that

payments for School Dinners

and Breakfast Club should be

made in advance

or on the day the meal is

taken. We do not have a

facility for being in arrears

and if payment is not received

in a timely fashion

a reminder will be sent out

on the day the meal is taken.

BREAKFAST CLUB

SESSIONS have been increased by

15 minutes.

Sessions are from

7.45 – 8.30am.

£2 per session

Booking is not necessary just

come along to the School

Hall from 7.45am onwards

Monday 23rd February 2015

On Monday 23rd February it is the 100th day of the

school year, and children in every class will be taking

part in activities based around the number 100 . They

might be writing words in a short story, making lists

of 100 countries, foods, animals etc and they will

certainly be doing some counting activities up to 100,

and beyond for the older children.

As part of these celebrations we would like all the

children to start to collect 100 objects they can

bring in for their home learning.

Your child will be given a plastic bag, us before half

term. Please can they collect 100 of ‘something’ to

put in the bag (if you need to use a bigger bag, please

do!). Examples might be 100 cheerios, 100 paper clips,

100 stones, 100 sequins. We will be making a display

of the items, and using them in school for counting

etc. Please let us know if you want the 100 items

back.

Attendance at school and legal

intervention This is a reminder to all parents/carers regarding the law that

requires them to ensure that their child attends school regularly.

The Government remains very clear that schools must aim to have

the highest attendance possible for all of their pupils in order for

them to achieve their maximum potential.

The Local Authority operates a system where any pupil who has an

attendance of 85% or less with at least 15% unauthorised absence

over a 6 week period OR 10 consecutive sessions unauthorised

absence, will meet the criteria for legal intervention which could be

in the form of a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Any pupil in Queen’s Hill Primary School who meets either of the

criteria, will be referred to the Local Authority for action to be

considered.

If a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued it is a fine of £60 per parent

per child which must be paid in one payment in 21 days. If unpaid, a

further invoice for £60 per parent per child is issued; both

individual invoices would then have to be paid making a total payment

of £120 in 28 days.

Failure to pay the total amount within the timescale will result in

legal action being taken. We have had a case in the school where a

parent has been prosecuted and sentenced to a fine totalling £590.

Research has shown that children often do not catch up on work

missed, which can have serious consequences for their learning and

progress. Our aim is to ensure that all our pupils receive the most

from their education. I hope we can count on your support in this

matter.

Would you like

to save over

£350 per year?

Dependent upon your family

circumstances,

your son/daughter may be entitled

to a free school meal every day or

when they choose to participate

in our Special Meals

(Christmas lunch,

Family lunch week etc).

If this is the case, the local authority

has funds allocated for this purpose.

Please contact the School Office

this week and ask for Form FSM1.

All information is completely

confidential.

We are participating in the

World Read Aloud Day and would like to hear as many pupils

read aloud as possible.

Would you like to volunteer to help

support us by coming into school

to listen to the children read?

If you can give an hour on

Wednesday 4th March

please sign up at the

School Office

or email office@queenshill.norfolk.sch.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Government has introduced new legislation regarding

food in Schools with effect from the 1st January 2015. At

Queen’s Hill Primary School we always encourage our

children to make sensible choices and regularly discuss the

importance of a balanced diet. We would like to remind you

that breaktime snack should only consist of fruit or

vegetables. We will be discussing our new updated Food

Policy at the next Parent Forum on 26th March. It would be

great to see you there ☺

Useful websites for lunchbox inspiration…

…

http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx

http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Activity.aspx?contentId

=56&sectionId=37&siteId=3

http://www.freshforkids.com.au/lunch_box/lunch_box.html

Thank you for your support – Mrs E. White (PSHE Leader)

Diary Dates

February 2015 Thursday 5th Paddington Bear Lunch – story telling in library

Friday 6th Les Lapins Show & Share Assembly

Friday 13th Safety Awareness Day

Mon 16th

To Fri 20th

Half Term Holiday

Monday 23rd 100 Day

Thursday 26th 3.15 LKS2 Reading Café

Friday 27th 2.30pm Les Taupes Show & Share Assembly

March 2015 Monday 2nd 3 – 6pm EYFS Parents/Teacher Interviews

Tues 3rd The Tale of a Nail – Science based drama -KS2

Wednes 4th Read Aloud Day

3.15-4 UKS2 Reading Cafes

Thursday 5th World Book Day (dressing up as a book character)

3 – 6pm EYFS Parent/Teacher Interviews

3.45 QH Football team away @ West Earlham

Friday 6th 2.30 pm Les Sauterelles Show & Share Assembly

Mon 9th Science Curriculum Day to launch Science week @

QH

Wed 11th Governor Activity Day

Friday 13th 2.30pm Les Coccinelles Show & Share Assembly

Friday 20th 2.30pm Les Souris Show & Share Assembly

Thursday 26th 9am Parent Forum with Mr Roughsedge

3.45 Away football match @ West Earlham

Friday 27th 2.30pm Les Grenouilles & Les Papillon Vert Y1 pupils

Show & Share Assembly

Last Day of Spring Term

April 2015 Mon 13th Children return for start of the Summer Term

Mon 27th Travelling Book Company here for the week

Term Dates

2014/15

Spring Term 2015

Tuesday 6th January to Friday 27th March

Half Term holiday: Monday 16th February to Friday 20th February

Summer Term 2015

Monday 13th April to Tuesday 21st July

Half Term holiday: Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May

(May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 4th May)

2015/16

Autumn Term 2015

Thursday 3rd September to Friday 18th December

Half Term holiday: Thursday 22nd October to Friday 30th October

Spring Term 2016

Tuesday 5th January to Thursday 24th March

Half Term holiday: Monday 15th February to Friday 19th February

Summer Term 2016

Monday 11th April to Wednesday 20th July

Half Term holiday: Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June

(May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 2nd May)

***Please Note*** The Local Authority is currently consulting on the term dates for 2016/2017.

As Ormiston Victory Academy and Costessey Junior and Infant schools are

Academies they are able to set their own term dates. This means there are

different times when we may be open and siblings at the OVA on holiday and

vice versa. Whilst this is unfortunate, Queen’s Hill School can only deviate from

the Local Authority Term Dates if we give 18 months’ notice and have consulted

all stake holders.