Weekly Update Friday 17th January
Dear Parents and Carers,
We have been hit particularly hard with a series of 'flu'-like/Upper respiratory/high temperature/cough bugs this week, in both the classroom and the staffroom. 13% of our children have been away daily and 10% of our staff. In children, it is presenting as a temperature spike and often accompanied by sickness due to this. Please be extra vigilant at home, and reinforce the importance of washing hands, especially if the children are coughing and sneezing. We would like to stress the importance of not sending children in when they have a temperature with a dose of calpol, as this is one of the contributory factors to the spread of bugs/virus like symptoms in class, and appreciate parents' cooperation with this.
We have three class outcomes next week in Year 1. Each outcome is at 9.15am in the hall on the following days:
Wednesday 22nd Robins
Thursday 23rd Squirrels
Friday 25th Otters
This week on our school data collection day, children who had packed lunches were offered to try a hot lunch. Many of the children enjoyed the lunch offered, and with a vast choice of lunches, we would like to encourage more parents to try the hot school lunches every day, even if this means bringing a pack up lunch as a back up. If you would like your child to order a lunch with their back up, please tell the classteacher in the morning. Often, if children see their friends eating something, they will want to try it too. Our Year R children currently have the highest amount of school lunches each day, and tuck in enthusiastically in the lunch hall. A warm, nutritious lunch is particularly welcomed on a cold January day, so please encourage your child to give them a try!
We are now two weeks in to our Spring term, and the amount of children arriving late is still quite high since Christmas. If you have found it difficult to get back into the routine on these cold January mornings, please see below for some ideas to help:
Having a timer to finish getting dressed/breakfast etc
Having a picture chart on what to do in each order
Putting school clothes out ready in the morning
Leaving home with enough time to get to school (especially if frosty/rainy in morning)
Setting the alarm a bit earlier, if things are taking a bit longer
Reward charts for leaving the house on time such as stickers/marbles in jar etc
Coming up with the order which the children are going to do things with the child (giving ownership)
Not having screen time/tv on in the morning
This list is not exhaustive, and we are sure that many parents already tried some of these things in the past. Starting school with their friends after a little chat outside or on their way to school, and not arriving late in the middle of phonics, helps children to settle in to the school, ready to learn.
Lastly, if anyone is having a clear out of items after Christmas, we would receive the following donations, gratefully, for playtimes and our wet play boxes:
Lego
Pretend fruit/food for cafe/shops
Dressing up clothes
Dolls and doll clothes
Toy cars
Balls (soft type, not leather)
Skipping ropes
Hula hoops
Role Play items (tea sets etc)
Building toys (duplo etc)
Complete top trumps and uno games
Please can all donations be playable/working order.
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend
Best wishes
Mrs Riches