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.

Dear parents and carers,

The children seem to have settled extremely well and we welcome our new families that have started at Blanford Mere Nursery and Primary School. Our new Reception and Nursery children have settled extremely well into school life very quickly.  We thank you for your support with this transition, it has been extremely smooth.  We are looking forward to an exciting half term.

Value Focus

Our Value focus for this half term is Self-belief.

Staffing news

We would like to say congratulations to Mrs Heys who got married over the summer, she will now be known as Mrs New.

We would like to welcome Miss Davies to our school, we are sure that you will make her extremely welcome.

Congratulations to Miss Jordan who is having a baby at the end of the year – wonderful news.

We hope that they will be very happy with us.

New entrance/exit system - trail

Thank you for your support with the trail of entering and dismissal of children.  We will keep trailing this system the rest of the week.

A few reminders to continue with our extremely positive start to the term and maintain high expectations:

Parents wishing to talk with the teacher.

Communication with parents is very important to us and to working in partnership to support individual children in all aspects of their school life. If you would like to talk with your child’s teacher, please make a note in your child’s planner and we will contact you to discuss the issue.

School Uniform

Thank you for your support with ensuring your child has come back looking smart and ready for school. This really helps the children to be prepared for learning and be part of the school community. Can I just remind parents that shoes need to be black and not trainers or converse shoe. These can be saved for the days they have PE. If you have yet to purchase shoes or boots ready for the winter months, can you ensure that they are black please.

Reception children’s uniform is a polo shirt, grey trouser/grey pinafore/skirt and a red cardigan or jumper.

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. Children are not allowed to take part in PE unless all jewellery/earrings have been removed. This forms part of our behaviour system.

Can we ask that parents check that all of your child’s belongings have been labelled, to include shoes.  We have so many children in each class and want each child to learn to look after their belongings and keep them safe.  It is so much easier to give the items to the correct child if they are labelled.  Many thanks.

Earrings if worn should be a plain stud earring (not hoops), one pair.  If you wish your child to have their ears pierced, can we suggest that you have this done at the very beginning of the of the summer holidays, so that their ears have the full six weeks to heal.

We understand that siblings have the same arrival/collection time – we are asking that you drop/collect the eldest first.  Staff are aware of this and placing younger siblings at the back of the line when dismissing.  I’m sure that this will become swifter as the time goes by!

Times Tables Rock Stars & Numbots Apps

Well done to all the children who have been learning their times tables on Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS).  TTRS is a free app that children can access to help them learn their times tables.  It is aimed at children in Y2-Y6 but younger children can have a go if they want to. Passwords are on the inside front cover of your child's planner. Please remind your child to play 'little and often'.

Numbots is also a free app download that is brilliant for children of all ages - particularly Reception and Key Stage 1.  It helps children with their number work so that they can recognise numbers and improve their number skills.  Passwords are on the inside front cover of your child's planner. Please encourage your child to have a go.

Nuts in School

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.

Birthdays

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. Children can send sweets into school again, should you wish.

Hairstyles:

A reminder that it is not suitable for children to come to school with shaven heads, tramlines or extreme colours.  Please remind your children of the rules. Children who have long hair must tie it up.

Can we ask that parents check that all of your child’s belongings have been labelled, to include shoes.  We have so many children in each class and want each child to learn to look after their belongings and keep them safe.  It is so much easier to give the items to the correct child if they are labelled.  Many thanks.

Collection Arrangements

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.

Healthy Tuck Policy at break times.

All schools are expected to adhere to the School Food Standards which include guidance for “school food other than lunch.” 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.

We ask parents to help us by only sending in

                        - Fruit

                        - Vegetables

                        - Water (plain)

from home for tuck.

Children can order daily fruit on a 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 – please read

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, paperwork 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 13^th 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.

Dates for the diary               

Tuesday 24^th September – Blanford Babies – The Hub – 9am-10am

Blanford Mere warmly welcomes all parents/carers from the local community to come along to our Blanford Babies group. This group takes place on the last Tuesday of every month at 9am in our hub. This is a lovely group where children and parents can relax and get to know each other. We offer the chance to play, sing and take part in craft activities. All pre-school ages welcome.

We ask for a donation of £2 per session. Refreshments provided.

Friday 27^th September Macmillan Coffee Morning

Help us to make this event extra special by joining us for a coffee/tea and a slice of cake – only £2.00 donation per person.  Everybody welcome 9.00am – 10.15am.  Music Club will be singing throughout the morning too. 

We are asking for your help by donating cakes either home cooked or shop bought. Please send these in with children on Thursday 26th or Friday 27th. We are asking children to wear their own clothes and make a minimum donation of a £1 via School Money. They will receive and drink and a treat. Let’s try and beat last year’s amazing total.

As a cashless school, tickets for the coffee morning will be available in the School Money ‘Shop’ – please purchase as many tickets as you require by adding them to the basket (please click on the + button).

In addition, for those who wish to make a charitable donation to Macmillan Cancer Research, there will be a voluntary payment option available on your child’s School Money account.  You can donate as much or as little as you like, with the ability to enter and pay any amount over the minimum specified.  If you’d like to Gift Aid your donation, we will ask you to complete the Gift Aid form at the coffee morning.

We look forward to seeing you at this event.

Monday 7^th – 18^th October – Harvest – more details to follow.

Tuesday 24^th October – Blanford Babies – The Hub – 9am-10am

Harvest Monday 7th October 2024until Friday 18^th October 2024

In the weeks leading up to half term, we will be celebrating Harvest.

This year we have decided again to help the Black Country Foodbank who collect items to feed families in crisis in our community. Black Country Foodbank helps vulnerable individuals and families in crisis through the provision of 3 days emergency food supplies while a longer-term solution is developed. The services we provide have an enormous impact on the people who use them, giving them an important breathing space at a time of great need.

The Foodbank would like to collect a range of items so that they don’t have an abundance of some items and a shortfall of others. So, we are going to ask each class to donate particular items, so that we should manage to collect a selection across the school. We will be launching the appeal in classroom assemblies next week, but thought you may like advance warning so that perhaps you can add an extra item into your shopping. Please make sure that the foods are “in date”, i.e. within their ‘best before’ dates as the Foodbank can’t give away food that is past its best—before date and we don’t want to waste any donations.

In these uncertain times, many parents are turning to Food banks for help.  I know that they will greatly appreciate your donations.

If you feel able to support this appeal, then please send the item asked from your child’s class on the list below, from Monday 7^th  October 2024 until Friday 18th October 2024

Nursery – Any items from the lists below.

Year 5/6 — Mr Baker Cereal (preferably non-sugared)

Year 5/6 — Mr Raybould Toiletries (soap, shower gel shampoo, baby toiletries, wipes  etc) 

Year 5/6 — Mrs Oliver Any of the items above.

Wednesday 16^th and Thursday 7^th October – Rec – Yr 6 Parents evening.  More details to follow.

Thursday 17^th and Friday 18^th October – Nursery parent meeting – more details to follow.

Tuesday 22^Nd October – Blanford babies – 9am-10am

Thursday 24^th October – Diwali celebrations - more details to follow

Friday 25^th October – INSET day

Monday 28^th October – Friday 1^st November – Half term

Monday 4th November – Children return to school at the usual time.

Friday 8^th November – Remembrance Day in school.  Children who attend Cubs, Rainbows, Beavers, Brownies, etc can come dressed in their uniform.

Tuesday 19^th November – 3.30pm and 5.15pm.  Year 6 Parent SATs meeting.  More details to follow.

Friday 15^th November – Children In Need.  Children to wear own clothes and donate £1 via School Money.

Tuesday 26^th November – Blanford Babies – The Hub – 9am-10am

Wednesday 27^th November – Tempest Photographer in for children who did not have their photo taken.

Thursday 5^th December– Film Night. 3.15pm-5.15pm.  More details to follow.

Thursday 12^th December – Year 1 - Year 6 Christmas Church Service.  More details to follow.

Friday 13^th December – Christmas Breakfast – Year 1 – Year 6 only.  More details to follow.

Tuesday 17th December – Nursery/Reception Christmas Workshop and Singalong. More

details to follow.

Tuesday 17^th December – Blanford Babies – The Hub – 9am-10am

Tuesday 18^th December – Christmas Lunch

Wednesday 19^th December – Santa’s Grotto.  More details to follow.

Friday 20^th  December – School closes for Christmas Break.

Monday 6^th January 2025 – Children return to school at the usual time.

Have a great week.

Mrs Crook and Miss Stanton