Autumn Newsletter 9

Dear Parents & Carers

Thank you to everyone who filled in the parent survey on Google Forms. We had forms completed for 153 children, which is a return rate of 45%. We really do value your views. Once we have collated your responses, we’ll share the results of the survey.

I just wanted to remind you to check out the class pages on the school website to see what your children have been learning. You’ll find lots of photos showing what they’ve been up to. On the nursey & reception class pages you’ll also find activities to do with your children during the week that will help them with their learning (these are the statements written in green). https://www.woodlandsschoolformby.co.uk/topic/class-pages

I have attached a letter [on the ParentMail version of this newsletter] from Mr Grant about a Times Tables Rock Stars event for Maths Week – it sounds very exciting & your child’s class could win £100 of Amazon vouchers to spend as they wish (within reason).

This week’s ‘nudges’ to help you start conversations about your children’s learning are as follows…

Nursery

Cab you name the days of the week?

{Maths}

Reception [Red & Blue]

Can you explain how a pumpkin grows? What does it start as?

{Understanding the World}

Y1&2 [Green, Yellow & Purple]

Can you name the countries in the British Isles?

{Geography topic: ‘The British Isles’}

Y3&4 [3A, 3/4M & 4G]

Name some of the countries in Mediterranean Europe & their capital cities?

{Geography topic: ‘Mediterranean Europe’}

Y5&6 [5D, 5/6P & 6R]

In music, what do we mean by pulse, rhythm & metre?

{Music topic ‘Metre’}

Still no classes achieved 100% in their attendance this week & our overall attendance has fallen to 93.2%. This is the lowest weekly attendance we have had for some time. It is really disappointing. We understand that if your child is genuinely ill then they should not be in school. However, we are being told by the children (& they never can keep a secret) that they have been absent for a whole host of reasons that are unacceptable, e.g. It was mummy’s birthday so we had a day at home or My sister wasn’t well so I stayed at home too. These are 2 of the things children have told staff when they returned to school this week.

We do have some better news when it comes to punctuality. We had 7 classes who had no late marks this week Red Class, Blue Class, Green, Yellow, 3G, 3/4M & 5D. There were only 5 late marks across the whole school.

A reminder about next week: on Tuesday (9th November) the children will be having their individual & family photos taken, so you’ll maybe want to make sure you give their hair an extra brush when they leave home that day…

Also, Woodlands’ BBC Children in Need day will be on Friday 19th November 2021.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend & enjoy bonfire night. By the way, Classic FM have scheduled a special radio programme for this Friday & Saturday nights (6pm – 10pm); they’re playing a calming music playlist designed by an animal therapist specifically aimed at pets. I think I may give it a listen myself!

KD Williams

Headteacher

Last word

A pyrotechnic expert friend of mine lost his job after the fireworks didn’t go off in the right sequence.  

That’s bang out of order.