Welcome to QRA Weekly!
This week I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in Mental Health Day by wearing something yellow yesterday. It's a small gesture, but it helps to raise awareness about the importance of mental health, especially for our young ones. A special thanks goes to Mrs Moore for organising this event; it's crucial that we continue to foster an environment where mental health is openly discussed and prioritised and her enthusiasm and commitment to this was wonderful.
On the educational front, our staff have been busy enhancing their skills. We have had staff attending valuable Reading training provided by HCAT, while others participated in specialized Writing sessions for EYFS and Year 2. We've also had our second consecutive week of phonics development days, with Mrs Cuthbert leading the charge in this crucial area and doing a fantastic job.
A big welcome to Mrs Sumner, who has joined the Queens Road Academy team this week! Mrs Sumner will be teaching in Year 3 on Wednesdays and Fridays, sharing teaching responsibilities with Miss Hird, who this year has taken on the hugely important role of SENCo. Having worked with Mrs Sumner previously, I know the children will be in great hands and that she will love our Year 3s.
I'm delighted to report that there's been fantastic learning happening in our classrooms. The 'Headteacher Award' stickers are well and truly flying off the roll! It's always a highlight of my day when pupils show me work they're proud of. These stickers mean they've truly embodied our values - Being Kind, Aiming High, and Discovering something new.
A special congratulations to this week's assembly award winners. We've seen some brilliant work from all the recipients, and it's wonderful to see their hard work and dedication recognized.
These events and achievements reflect our school's commitment to nurturing well-rounded, confident, and happy learners. We're dedicated to providing top-quality education while also supporting our students' mental and emotional wellbeing.
As always, your support at home is invaluable. Whether it's discussing mental health, practicing reading and writing, or simply celebrating your child's achievements, your involvement makes a significant difference.
Thank you and see you next week!
Mr Smith
A reminder that we are aligning the school's opening times across classes in FS2, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 from next half term. This change will reduce waiting times for families at the start and end of the day.
From Monday 4th November (when children return to school after half term):
Children in Reception, Y1-Y6:
Classroom doors will open at 8:45
Children will be dismissed at 3:15
Children in Nursery:
Morning sessions: 8:45-11:45
Afternoon sessions: 12:00-3:00
Thank you for your continued support. If you need any more information, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
We have listened to lots of feedback regarding our Uniform and Jewellery policy and I can inform you of some changes we've made to the policy. The updated policy will be updated on our school website imminently, but please see the following for the main changes:
One pair of stud earrings and a watch may be worn for school. No other jewellery, including smart watches or other piercings are permitted. All jewellery must be removed by the child when participating in physical education, so we encourage no jewellery at all on PE or swimming days. For safety reasons, when ear-studs are worn, they should be removed prior to PE lessons as these items can be hazardous. If a child does wear ear-studs, they must remove them independently, as staff cannot assist. Taping jewellery gives a false sense of security and does not effectively prevent injuries, so is not permitted.
If a pupil cannot remove their earrings (e.g., due to new piercings or an infection), and the risk of injury is higher due to the activities involved, they may be assigned alternative roles in the PE lesson to minimise risk. Please note that PE is a statutory subject, so pupils will not be excused from lessons.
We ask parents to support the school by following our guidance on jewellery and recommend that any ear-piercing is done at the start of the summer holidays to allow for healing time.
Queens Road Academy prohibits all jewellery, earrings, and ear-studs during physical activities to ensure safety for all and we advise that pupils should leave these items at home on PE days.
We hope you will see this as a positive change. Thank you for your support.
Another big thank you for attending our Book Fair last week! We have a great update regarding this.
Your purchases at the Book Fair raised a total of...
...for Queens Road Academy!
Thank you so much for your support and again to Mrs Cuthbert for organising this. This will be used to enhance our school's reading offer even further.
Our current school attendance rate sits at 93.7% for the year.
This week we achieved 94.3%
A big well done to Year 4 - they achieved 97.1% attendance this week. A great effort!
Here are a few simple ways you can help with attendance:
Establish consistent bedtime and morning routines
Schedule non-urgent appointments outside school hours when possible
Talk to your child about why attending school every day is important
If you're facing any challenges that are affecting your child's attendance, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to support you and can offer guidance or connect you with helpful resources.
Remember, every school day counts. By prioritising attendance, school and home are working together to give our children the best possible start in life.
If you would like information on our new phonics programme, including ways to help at home, please visit https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/
Our remaining INSET days for this year will take place on:
25th October
22nd July
23rd July