Isham CE Primary School Weekly Newsletter - FRIday 29th September 2023

Encourage each other and build each other up

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Nurturing the infinite worth of every person through love, respect, perseverance, honesty and forgiveness

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Pupil Achievement - Teacher Awards

Reception

• Star of the Week: Charlie - for amazing mental maths.
• Values Champion: Emilia - 'Respect' - for treating all of our resources (especially books) with lots of care.

Year 1

• Star of the Week: Evie - for lovely writing and spotting adjectives.
• Values Champion: Charlie - for perseverance.

Year 2

• Star of the Week: Josie - for trying really hard with making amounts to 99.
• Values Champion: Olivia - for understanding forgiveness in assembly.

Year 3

• Star of the Week: Isla - for a fantastic hot write about escaping the witches!
• Values Champion: Elisia - for perseverance in maths this week!

Year 4

• Star of the Week: Kevwe - for super effort in all of his lessons- especially in maths.
• Values Champion: Evelyn - for showing all of the school values all of the time- especially love and perseverance!

Year 5

• Star of the Week: Spencer - for his perseverance in all subjects and his kindness and helpfulness all week.
• Values Champion: Lawson – for his perseverance, especially in English.

Value Family Captains

This year we have introduced Value Family Captains to Isham School, which is a very coveted position for our Year 6 children. Any Year 6 students interested in applying for the role had to write a letter of application and have an "interview" for the role. We were blown away by all the letters and applications and it was a very difficult decision. We would like to thank all of our wonderful Year 6 children that took the time to apply, it really was a tough choice as they were all amazing! But we would like to say a huge congratulations to the following children who were successful: Alyssia who will be captain for the Oak family, Adam who will be captain for the Sycamore family, Abigh who will be captain for the Willow family and Edward who will be captain for the Beech family. We look forward to working with our captains in school and all the positivity and commitment they will bring to our school Families throughout the course of the year.

Harvest Festival

Monday 9th October at St Peter's Church

Harvest Festival will be held at St Peter's Church at 2:15pm on Monday 9th October, all are welcome to join us! We are now collecting non-perishable food items for the church to donate to local food banks, these items can be brought to the school office and left in the foyer. Any donations will be gratefully received, but please see the list below of needed items, (please check that the 'use by'/'best before' dates are still in date) :

• Tinned Meat: Ham, Chicken, Chilli, Curry, hotdogs, Corned Beef, Chicken in sauce, Steak, Mince
• Tinned Fish
• Small jars of fish/meat paste
• Large & small bags of sugar
• Large or small tins of potatoes
• Instant Mash
• Jam, Marmalade, Marmite, Instant Desert, Jelly, tinned custard
• Mug Shots, Cup-a-soup, Noodles, Pot Noodles, Super noodles
• UHT milk, UHT Fruit Juice, Fruit Squash
• Tin Spaghetti, tin Macaroni
• Tea, coffee

Thank you in advance for any donations you may be able to make, big or small, any donations will be greatly appreciated by the food banks that supply food to people in times of crisis.

School Hours

• School gates open at 8:35am
• Lessons begin at 8:45am
• School finishes at 3:15pm - (whole school)

Please note that children arriving after 8:45am will be marked as 'Late' in the registers, and this will affect their overall attendance marks. Children arriving after 9:15am will be marked as 'Unauthorised Absence', this will affect their overall attendance marks. Letters will be sent home to persistent latecomers and a meeting arranged if persistent lateness is not addressed.

Our Attendance Policy can be found here: https://isham-cofe-primary-school.secure-primarysite.net/policies-documents/

School Office Hours

The school office hours are from 8:30am until 3:30pm. Please note the office is closed from 12:30pm - 1pm for lunch break. You can email office@isham.pdet.org.uk outside of these hours.

Reporting your child's absence

All absences need to be phoned in to the school office which is open from 8.30am. Please do not email your child's teacher to report an absence.

NHS Guidance: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Doctor's/Dentist Appointments - We are now required to see evidence of all medical appointments, this can be a text message, email or letter.

Lateness - If you are late dropping your child off to school, please make sure they are safely handed over onto the school premises - please do not leave them to walk down the road and through the gate unattended.

Parking at School & One-Way System

We have a voluntary one-way system during drop-off and pick-up times. We politely ask that parents enter down Church Street and then follow the road up and out through Middle Street, this then reduces potential blockages in the small road next to the school.

Please do not drop-off children outside the school gate in the middle of the road as this is unsafe/dangerous and also blocks the road for other road users.

Please be careful and considerate to pedestrians when driving down Church Street at drop-off/pick-up. Please do not mount the pavements and be mindful of your speed.

Parents can park in a number of places around school:

• The Sorrels
• Fairfield Road
• At the bottom of Church Street, near The Lilacs

On the opposite side of the road to school, against the wall, on Church Street, not opposite zigzags

Please park considerately, please do not block driveways, park on pavement/corners/zigzags/staff car park entrance.

Thank you for your support in keeping everyone safe.

Attendance

Poor punctuality can lead to your child…

• Feeling embarrassed in front of their friends
• Missing the beginning of vital lessons making them fall behind
• Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day
• Learning bad habits which could affect their employability in the future.

Please work with us to provide your child with the best chances of learning by ensuring that they are in school every day and on time

Isham CE Primary School - Attendance

25th - 29th September

• EYFS/Reception = 100%
• Year 1 & 2 = 99.3%
• Year 3 & 4 = 96.7%
• Year 5 & 6 = 94.5%
• Total = 97.3%

Parents/Carers with any Concerns - Please phone to make an appointment

We urge parents/carers with any concerns regarding the provision made for their child to speak to the school as soon as possible and, in the first instance, to the class teacher by making an appointment through the school office, (parents cannot 'drop in' to speak to a teacher or Headteacher). If parents / carers feel their child's needs are still not being met they should make an appointment to see the Headteacher. If concerns are still unresolved parents / carers may wish to engage with PDET’s Complaints policy procedures.

School Uniform

Coats - Please remember to send your child in with a coat every day, thank you.

School PE Kit - Please go to our school website for the school PE kit expectations: https://www.ishamprimary.org.uk/policies-documents/ The PE kit for both girls and boys is a black sports t-shirt, black shorts or skorts, bottle green hoody, trainers and black tracksuit bottoms.

Trainers - Trainers are to be worn for PE and brought in for non-PE days so they can safely complete the daily mile. Children should not be coming to school in trainers and wearing them for the school day.

Nail Varnish - As part of our school uniform policy, children should not be coming to school wearing nail varnish.

Name Labels - Please label all clothes, lunch boxes, drinks bottles, etc so if (when) it gets lost it can be easily returned to your child.

The Stikins labels can be purchased from https://www.stikins.co.uk/name-labels/ you just need to enter our code 10571 at the check out where it says school code

The Stamptastic labelling stamp can be accessed from https://bit.ly/STAMPNN141HD and our PTA code is NN141HD

Our Safeguarding Vision

Isham CE Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. Our school has a child centred and co-ordinated approach to safeguarding. Consequently, safeguarding and child protection is at the forefront of everything we do. We ensure systems are in place that are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for children to confidently report any form of abuse or neglect, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously, and knowing they can safely express their views and give feedback.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads

If you believe that a child in our school may be at risk, please talk to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. These are:

Miss Alexandra Price (Headteacher and Lead DSL) - a.price@isham.pdet.org.uk

Mrs Helen Hughes (Deputy Safeguarding Lead) - h.hughes@isham.pdet.org.uk

If you are worried about a child outside of school time, you can call the local Multi Agency Support Hub (MASH) for advice (anonymously if needs be) on 0300 126 7000 (option 1).

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Activities and Ideas for Parents

• Mindful breathing can be a good place to start regulating and recognising breathing patterns. Mindful breathing and colour activities can help slow down the pace of the day and enjoy some reflection time.
• Going out for a walk is a great way to reset and enjoy nature. Why not try a sound walk together and let the sounds of nature give your walk a purpose?
• Use Daily Reflection Journal Pages to help learn how to reflect on a days activities.
• Interaction: Children need to connect, so build connections with people around you. Stay in touch with family and friends in person or via video chat.
• Energy: Children need to be active, so help boost your energy and mood by doing something active.
• Mindfulness: Children need to take notice so encourage curiosity about the world and savour the moment.
• Discovery: It's important to keep learning, so learn something new to boost confidence. Consider taking virtual tours - for example, check out the animal cameras at places like the Edinburgh Zoo. Kids can use this to then create their own animal portraits.
• Be Creative: Find time to paint, make, sing or dance on your own or with another person.

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National Online Safety release a weekly guide, #Wake up Wednesday and aim to cover all major social media platforms, apps and issues that children encounter online. This aims to help empower parents with the knowledge to protect their children from the dangers of the internet.

Technology changes at such a rapid pace that it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends. The resources below are an invaluable way of making sure you know as much as your children. You are the first line of defence in keeping your children safe online – our aim is to encourage and support you to become involved in this process so that they are receiving the best protection they can – you can’t eliminate the dangers but you can reduce them!

Please click on the button below:

Useful Links for FOIS fundraising extras:

Easy fundraising – sign up via their website www.easyfundraising.org.uk and search/register to support Isham CEVA School – Kettering or follow the link: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ishamprimary/?utm_campaign=raise-more&utm_medium=clipboard&utm_content=rm-cpl

Stikins Labels - Name Labels For School Clothes. Stick On Name Labels: Stikins. When ordering name labels please use the School Fundraising number 10571 (Isham C of E Primary School) https://www.stikins.co.uk/

Stamptastic – Name stamps for labelling. All purchase give donation to FOIS if you need to enter the PTA code (usually for deluxe packages) it us NN141HD https://bit.ly/STAMPNN141HD

Follow us on Facebook or email us on Fois@ishamprimary.org.uk

Please 'like' our Facebook page as this will keep you up to date on all events: https://www.facebook.com/FOIS-Friends-of-Isham-School-176690376296486/

Secondary School Applications

Dear Parent / Carer,

Applying for a Year 7 place in secondary school for September 2024

Your child is due to move on to secondary school in September 2024 having completed the primary phase of their education. You now need to apply for a place at secondary school for your child.

How to apply: The easiest and quickest way to apply is online at: www.northnorthants.gov.uk/admissions

Applications opened on 8th September 2023. You will need to register using an email address. You may also download a copy of the composite prospectus from our website; ‘Applying for a Secondary School Place in North Northamptonshire 2024/25’, and you are advised to read this carefully before making your application. Alternatively, you can make an application by completing a common application form on paper. You can request an application form from the School Admissions Team (contact details above).

Some schools require you to complete a supplementary information form (SIF) and some also require your child to sit a common ability test (CAT). There is a list of schools which require a SIF on our website. SIFs should be returned directly to the school. It is important to be aware that some schools give priority to children who sit their common ability test, so those who do not will have less chance of getting a place.

Closing date for applications: Your application must reach us by 31st October 2023. Failure to get your application in on time will affect your chances of obtaining a place for your child at your preferred schools.

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan): If your child has an EHC Plan, you do not need to apply for a school place using the process explained above. Instead, you will receive a letter from the EHC Team seeking details of your school preference.

Pupils living outside North Northamptonshire: If your home address is outside North Northamptonshire (even if your child attends a North Northamptonshire primary / junior school), you should make your application to the local authority where you live (your home local authority), not NNC. Contact details of neighbouring local authorities can be found on our website.

Please contact the School Admissions team (details above) if you have any further questions.

Yours faithfully,

School Admissions Team

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Collective Worship

This year we have introduced our new collective worship sessions which are class based. Each week, the classes are asked the same question, this then creates an opportunity for the children to discuss with their peers, take into account others' viewpoints and broaden their knowledge on worldwide views.

This week their big question: Why do we need to listen to people who are different from us? The children have been introduced to the five British Values at the start of the term, this session enabled children to discuss the values again and reflect on what we can learn from others. Here is a link to understand more about British Values: What are British Values? - YouTube Take a look at some of their ideas....

Music in Collective Worship

We continue to broaden our breadth of songs to learn as part of Collective Worship. As our SIAMs inspection stated, Collective worship is an integral part of our day. Over the past couple of weeks the children have learnt 'Feels Good' by Rend Kids and 'I give you my hallelulah' by Hillsong Kids. These songs are uploaded onto our Collective Worship tab on the school website so you can sing along at home!

Dates for your diary

Please look at the calendar on our website to see further ahead: https://www.ishamprimary.org.uk/diary/grid/2021/11/

• Monday 2nd October - Early Reading Information evening for Reception parents 5pm - 6pm in the School Hall
• Monday 9th October - 2:15pm Church Harvest Assembly
• Tuesday 10th October - World Mental Health Day
• Tuesday 17th October - Whole School Flu Immunisations
• Thursday 19th October - Whole School Photos - Individual
• Thursday 19th October - PCSO Visit on Fire Awareness
• Friday 20th October - End of Term
• Monday 30th October - School Re-opens to Pupils
• Thursday 2nd November - Outdoor Classroom Day (more info to follow)
• Monday 6th November - Thursday 9th November - Book Fair week
• Monday 6th November - Parents Evening 3:30-6:00pm (more info on how to book will follow)
• Wednesday 8th November - Parents Evening 3:30pm-6:00pm (more info on how to book will follow)
• Friday 24th November - EYFS/KS1 - Book and Biscuit - 8:45am - 9:10am
• Thursday 30th November - School Christmas Fair 3:30pm-5:00pm
• Monday 4th December - Music Assembly 9am
• Monday 4th December - 2pm EYFS/KS1 Nativity Dress Rehearsal for Grandparents
• Tuesday 5th December - 2pm EYFS/KS1 Nativity Performance
• Wednesday 6th December - 6pm EYFS/KS1 Nativity Performance
• Thursday 7th December - Choir sing at Westhill Park Care Home
• Thursday 7th December - FOIS Wreath Making at 5:30pm
• Friday 8th December - Christmas Jumper Day
• Monday 11th December - Choir singing at Tesco
• Thursday 14th December - Whole School Trip to see Christmas Panto at The Old Savoy in Northampton
• Monday 18th December - Christmas Church Service at 2pm
• Wednesday 20th December - Last Day of Term - School Closes at normal 3:15pm pick-up