Article 2
All children have these rights, no matter who they are, where they live, what their parents do, what language they speak, what their religion is, whether they are a boy or a girl, what their culture is, whether they have a disability, whether they are rich or poor. No child should be treated unfairly on any basis.
Attendance winners
Attendance winners for February were Year 3/4M with a huge 99.03% - well done!
Congratulations!
Well done to Mrs Small, who has become our permanent After School Club Manager. She looks forward to continuing to work with our children and parents in her permanent role.
Children’s Wider Personal Development
At Blanford Mere, we work tirelessly to create a curriculum that supports children’s development. We support children’s interests outside of school and celebrate their achievements in classroom assemblies. Many staff members talk to the children about their activities outside of school – this is superb to see. We aim to equip each child for the next stage in their development, so that they can make the most of their opportunities and fulfil their potential in life.
If your child takes part in out of school activities and you would like this to be shared in the newsletter, please email info@blanford.dudley.sch.uk with the written content and we will gladly do so!
Hardship Fund
We may have access to a small amount of money from the 'Hardship Funding' via Dudley. If you feel that you are in need for this funding then please email the info@blanford.dudley.sch.uk by Monday 14th March 2022, marking it as 'Hardship Fund' and for the attention of Mrs Miller or Miss Stanton. In your email, please include the reasons why you would be eligible and what the funding would be needed for e.g. uniform, shoes, food, heating etc. We will then contact you to let you know if you have been successful.
Holiday Activity Fund - Families can now register for Easter activities!
Children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals in Dudley can take part in a fantastic programme of free activities over the Easter school holidays! As part of our 'Child Friendly Dudley' agenda, Dudley Council is working with Dudley Council for Voluntary Services (DCVS) to offer the Holiday Activity Fun (HAF) programme. Families can register their child(ren) from Monday 14 February through to Monday 28 February. Any child in the borough aged five to 16 who qualifies for free school meals due to low family income can take part.
Activities include:
Sports, dance, drama, gardening, music workshops, arts and crafts, cooking, days out, Easter egg hunts and family activities.
Register your child now!
Parents can register their child on Dudley's Holiday Activity Fund website. Those who registered in 2021 do not need to register again and will receive an email inviting them to book sessions. Activity bookings will be open from 7 March.
https://holidayactivitiesindudley.com/register-your-child/
School Photographs!
The date for ‘The Photographer’ has been arranged for Tuesday 22nd March 2022. Individual photographs will be taken for those children in school who have no brothers/sisters at school. Where there are two or more children from a family in school, they will be photographed together. If you would like any other combination taken i.e. brothers and sisters taken separately as well as together, then please let us know by emailing info@blanford.dudley.sch.uk by Monday 21st March 2022.
We ask that all children wear the correct winter uniform, to include shirts, ties, and jumpers/cardigans.
Children in Year 6 will have photographs taken for a group leaver’s photo. If your child is not in school on this date (illness, appointments etc.) then they will not be included in the photograph.
If you have a child who attends afternoon Nursery and you would like your child to have their photograph taken, then please bring them to the main office in their uniform at 8.15am. If it is your child’s birthday is on this occasion, then please send them in their own clothes on the following day.
Birthdays
When it is your child’s birthday, they are able to come to school in their own clothes wearing suitable footwear. If their birthday falls over a holiday/weekend they are able to come in their clothes before or after the event. Recently, we have been asked by parents to hand out birthday invitations. Please hand these out yourself at the gate. Please be sensitive - we know that it is impractical for you to invite every child in the class/year group, however, some children can be upset by this. Staff do not have the capacity to do this.
Places in Nursery for September 2022
Places for Nursery I September are filling up quickly. We offer morning and afternoon sessions (dependent on the child’s age), as well as wraparound care at lunchtime to support working parents. We also have a limited number of the 30 hour free child care places available. If you have a child or know anybody who may be interested in a Nursery place – please contact the school office on 01384 818365 or email info@blanford.dudley.sch.uk for more information.
School Meals
The cost of a school meal is usually reviewed in April each year. We have received notification from Dolce that the cost of a school meal will rise from 25th April 2022 (start of the summer term) from £2.20 to £2.28.
In their letter to us, Dolce have made it very clear that raising their prices at this time is the last thing they want to do, however, with the rising costs of food currently they are at the point where they have no choice. Dolce are very aware of the financial pressures facing both parents and schools in these difficult times and were able to avoid a price increase last year. They have kept the increase as low as possible and this still represents good value for a main meal and pudding.
Safeguarding
We all have a responsibility for the welfare of our children. If something concerns you about the welfare of a child within school then please contact the class teacher in the first instance who will refer to the Schools Designated Safeguarding Leads within school. If you have concerns which are not school based you can: Call the children's services referral and advice service on 0300 555 0050 during office hours (9am - 5pm). Out of office hours contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0300 555 8574 or in an emergency call 999. Alternatively you can call ChildLine on 0800 1111 or email them by visiting https://www.childline.org.uk/
Dates for the diary
Friday 18th March – Red Nose Day – wear anything red and donate £1 – no red noses will be sold in school. Comic Relief will be donating some of the money raised from this event to support Ukraine. Unfortunately, due to Covid we ask that children do not bring a red nose into school this day for health and safety reasons. However, you may wish to use ‘face paint’ to paint your child’s nose!
On Wednesday 23rd March, we are planning to celebrate ‘World Maths Day’ and enrich our curriculum by promoting number and times tables with our children. Children will be able to take part in the World Maths Day competition on Mathletics – at home and at school. There is no cost involved to take part in this day.
To make the day more special, we would like children to dress up in a ‘mathematical way’. This could be wearing a t-shirt with numbers on, dressing up as a famous mathematician, coming as a TT Rock Star with a cool outfit and rock star hair styling and air guitar, or even coming as a calculator or clock! There are many photos on the internet from other schools who have hosted similar maths days previously if you are looking for some inspiration for an outfit choice. Unfortunately, Year 6 will be travelling to Condover on the same day, so they won't be able to join in this time if they are attending the residential trip. If your child does not want to dress up mathematically, then they should attend in their school uniform.
Thank you for your support in preparing the children with an outfit for this day, which we hope will be enriching and exciting for all our children.
Many thanks,
Mr Baker
What is World Maths Day?
World Maths Day is an international celebration of mathematics coordinated by 3P Learning (the makers of Mathletics).
On which day is World Maths Day celebrated?
Wednesday, March 23 2022 is the date of this year’s World Maths Day. It runs for 48 hours to cover all global time zones. On this day, millions of students across the world compete in Live Mathletics challenges to determine a global winner, while also participating in fun activities that highlight the wonder of numbers.
Why do we celebrate World Maths Day?
World Maths Day is celebrated every year to make maths exciting and engaging for all school-aged children from all over the world – regardless of cultural or socio-economic background, and regardless of ability. World Maths Day disregards the notion that you are either a ‘maths person’ or not.
How do I participate in World Maths Day?
World Maths day is free for anyone to enter. Children should use their current Mathletics subscription - just log in on the day.
What are the highlights of World Maths Day?
World Maths Day is all about fun, fast and inclusive maths, with Live Maths challenges being the highlight of the event. Students compete against peers from across the globe in 20 one-minute challenges. For every correct answer they achieve, they’re awarded one point which goes towards their total World Maths Day score.
Wednesday 23rd March – Friday 25th March – Year 6 Residential trip to Condover Hall. Please see the email that was sent out the w/c 28.02.2022
Monday 4th April – Katie Morag Day – Year 1 – Please see the letter sent on 08.03.2022 for further details
‘Easter Bonnet Parade’
Thursday 7th April 2022- Each child from Nursery to Year 2, should they wish to take part, will need an Easter bonnet for a traditional ‘Easter Bonnet Parade’ for the school during the morning assembly. Afternoon Nursery children will Parade throughout KS1 and Reception. Please work with your child at home to make the bonnet; being as adventurous or as simple as you like. This can be as straightforward as a bonnet from a simple cardboard band painted in Easter and Spring colours to papier mache eggs, rabbits and lambs. This is not a competition, but a bit of fun and a chance for you to create something fun with your child!
Thursday 7th April – TTRS dress up Day for those eligible – check planners nearer the time.
Friday 8th April – school closes at the usual time for Easter break.
Monday 25th April – Return to school – Summer uniform can be worn from today.
W/C Tuesday 3rd May - KS1 SATs begins.
W/C Monday 9th May - Year 6 SATs week.
Thursday 26th May - School closes to pupils for half term.
Friday 27th May - INSET day - school closed to pupils.
W/C Monday 6th June - Year 4 Multiplication Timestables Check begin.
W/C Monday 6th June - Year 1 Phonic Screen Checks begin and Year 2 recheck.
Thursday 21st July - School closes for the Summer break.
Have a lovely weekend
Mrs Miller and Miss Stanton
