Friday 4th September 2020 Autumn Term Newsletter Article 15 You have the right to choose your own friends and join or set up groups, as long as it isn't harmful to others.

It has been wonderful to welcome all of our children back into school this week. They have come back into school with such a positive attitude and appear really happy to be back into school – seeing their friends again and settling back into school routines. They have adapted extremely well to the new arrangements put into place to keep everyone safe.

Can I take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to our new Nursery and Reception children and their families. We appreciate how hard it has been for all of you starting school without the usual transition arrangements that would have been in place. Your children have made an amazing start to their time at Blanford Mere – they have come in smiling and positive and have been a credit to you. Thank you for the part that you have played in preparing them to start school. We look forward to working with you all and getting to know you better. We hope that all of our new children and parents will be happy at Blanford Mere.

Thank you too, to parents/guardians of our existing pupils for sending them back to school looking smart and in correct uniform – remember children can wear either summer or winter uniform up until half term.  However, if they are wearing winter uniform they should have a tie on. A reminder that all PE kits should be in school as timetables start immediately. Although all classes have timetabled PE sessions, there are often additional opportunities for sporting activities as well as staff making the most of the last of the good weather for outdoor PE lessons.

The new arrangements for children being dropped off/collected from school are working well.

Thank you to parents for supporting us with the staggered entrances and times and maintaining social distancing.

I know that parents find advance notice of forthcoming dates and events helpful to help when juggling family and work commitments. Further details will be sent nearer the time but known dates for this term are:

Friday 25th September (details to follow) - Macmillan Coffee Morning

Friday 23rd October - Inset Day                                                     

Monday 26th October—Friday 30^th September - Half Term Holiday               

Friday 18th December - End of Term                                                      

Please note that we have children in school with a severe nut allergy – a reminder please that we are a no nut/nut free school (including Nutella).  We really appreciate your support with this as the matter is extremely serious.

It has become a tradition here for children to celebrate their birthday in school by wearing their own clothes. These still need to be appropriate for a normal school day but will help to mark their special day in a fun way. For children who are lucky enough to have their birthday on a Saturday, Sunday or in the school holidays, then they can wear their own clothes on the following Monday.

Collection arrangements at the end of the day.  If your child attends our After School Club, Playbox or other provider on a regular basis please indicate this in your child's planner.  This also applies if the routine changes or another relative is collecting.  If the arrangements for collection change throughout the day, then please call the office on 01384818365.  Thank you.

All schools are expected to adhere to the School Food Standards which include guidance for “school food other than lunch.” In addition, food provided in school will be inspected by Ofsted as part of the inspection framework.   You will be aware from the media that the healthy eating agenda for children is extremely high profile and schools are expected to play an important part. The inspection framework clearly states that:

“Inspectors will look for evidence of a culture or ethos of exercise and healthy eating throughout their entire inspection visit, in classrooms as well as in the school canteen. They will look at the food on offer and visit the canteen to see the atmosphere and culture in the dining space and the effect this has on pupils’ behaviour. Inspectors will also speak to school leaders about how they help to ensure a healthy lifestyle for pupils by helping them gain knowledge of a good diet, physical exercise and mental and physical well being.”     

We ask parents to help us by only sending in

                        - Fruit

                        - Vegetables

                        - Water (plain)

from home for tuck.

Our tuck shop will sell 

                        - plain milk      

                        -water 

                        -toast or crumpet with low fat margarine  (1 slice / crumpet per child)

Children can order daily fruit on a half termly basis when letters are sent out prior to each half term.  Thank you to all those parents who have sent in healthy tuck.

As part of promoting good health, we encourage children to drink water during the day to stay hydrated. Can parents please remind children that plain water is allowed and not squash, juice etc. Children are welcome to include squashes, juices and juice drinks in lunch boxes.                                                                                                                                                                       

Planners are an integral part of communications between home and school. The planner will be used daily to aid learning in school as they have valuable resources inside, messages can be written in the planner by parents, children and staff. All children in school have been given their own planner already. The planners have been carefully chosen to include a mixture of information—some specific to Blanford Mere, other more general information in the reference section. You will find a new reading record as well as a diary.  Children will be encouraged to record spellings to learn and homework.

Teachers will sign planners weekly.

We would like parents to sign the planner every week to confirm that their child’s reading and homework have been completed.

 Homework will be set from next week every Wednesday so that it can be completed by the following Tuesday.  This is mainly set online, however paper work may be set occasionally too.  Spellings will be checked every Tuesday.  Please help your child by ensuring they complete homework set and read daily.

Please encourage your child to check their planner every day so that they don’t miss anything important. We would like the children to value their planners and look after them; we will be asking them not to graffiti or deface them in any way.

Children might like to include the following:

• Homework
• Reminders of things you need to bring to school
• Who is collecting you from school if different from usual
• Team practices
• Rehearsals
• Music Lessons
• Swimming lessons etc
• Other after-school activities
• Going home with a friend
• Parties
• Holidays

Planners and PE kits must be in school every day – as this means that children are ready to learn and have all resources to hand.

In the front section of the planner (pg 4) – there is a home school agreement – we are asking all parents to sign and date this by Friday 11th September please.  You may want your children to sign this alongside you, so that you can talk about this together or children and staff will sign them in school. Thanks.

Let’s hope that the rest of the term is as productive as this week has been! 

Have a good weekend.

Mrs N Miller

Headteacher