Welcome back!

Dear Parents/Carers,

A huge welcome back everyone. We are all very excited to start the new school year with you all.

We wanted to remind you of some of the ways that you can keep in touch with us, and we can keep in touch with you! We very much value your support to ensure your child enjoys every moment at Newdale. Communication between school and home is so important. Please ensure we have your correct contact details recorded.  We regularly send out key information via text message.  If you need to update your details, please email newdale.primary@taw.org.uk.

  • Staff are always available for you to informally chat with at the beginning and end of the day outside school.
  • We also have our home-school communication books as well as year-group emails.
  • Our pastoral team are on hand to support families as well as children in school.
  • Our SENDCo team, Mrs. Poole and Mr McFarland, are always keen to ensure children with SEND have the best support – please contact them should you need anything at all on newdalesendco@taw.org.uk.
  • Before and After School Club staff are available should you need to speak with them.
  • We hope you find our newsletters and other digital communications useful and informative, especially our Top Tips for e-safety.
  • Please remember that all the information you need about what your child is learning is on our website – but do ask if you need any further information at all.
  • We have recently updated our school attendance policy based on the new statutory requirements. Our attendance email is: attendance@newdaleschool.org.uk. Please visit our website for more information.

Year Group emails are as follows:

Reception                                            newdale.yearrteam@taw.org.uk

Year 1                                                   newdale.year1team@taw.org.uk

Year 2                                                   newdale.year2team@taw.org.uk

Year 3                                                   newdale.year3team@taw.org.uk

Year 4                                                   newdale.year4team@taw.org.uk

Year 5                                                   newdale.year5team@taw.org.uk

Year 6                                                   newdale.year6team@taw.org.uk

Just a few reminders:

  • We do not permit parents to use their mobile phones on site at any time for safeguarding reasons.
  • Year 5 and 6 children are permitted to bring in mobile phones to use in an emergency if they travel independently to and from school. These phones MUST be handed in to the teaching assistant as soon as they arrive at school. They will be locked in the office and then returned at home time. We do not take any responsibility for any mobile phones that are not handed in. All children in all other year groups should not have a phone on site unless discussed and agreed with the teaching team.
  • Year 3 children who are not registered as Free School Meals now have to pay for their dinners. If you need more details or believe you may qualify for Free School Meals, please call the office on 01952 387720.
  • Nail varnish and what we deem as ‘extreme’ hair styles are not permitted whilst the children attend school.
  • Small stud earrings are permitted, but should be removed on PE days. If this is not possible, they will be taped for PE in line with health and safety regulations. Please ensure all other types of earrings are left for weekend and holiday use.
  • PE kits – We are continuing to allow children to come to school in PE kits on their PE days. Please see the website or email your year group teachers for information around this and anything else to do with the lessons your children have.

We are excited to share that there has been a change in our leadership staffing structure (please see attachment).

 Please remember that classroom doors open at 8:35am and registers are taken at 8:40am.

 Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Cook

 

Welcome to Reception at Newdale!

Welcome to Reception!

We hope you had a lovely summer and we are really looking forward to welcoming you into school on Tuesday and seeing you in your smart new uniform. ☺️

Here is our information sheet again (attached) with reminders of staff, details of PE and Forest School days and a school map ready for the first week.

Class intro page Year R 2024-2025

We would also like to remind you of our pupil booklet, which can be found below on our class page. It would be great to spend a little time ahead of Tuesday, looking through this with your child to help prepare them.

Enjoy the last couple of days.
The Reception Team.

Safeguarding, Health & Safety Committee Update

Governors observed the annual innvacution and were impressed with the speed in which children got into their classrooms.

ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) report was analysed thoroughly, and governors had the chance to look first hand outside at items listed and share their thoughts.

Governors were delighted to speak to a parent in the meeting who receives excellent support from school. Governors are looking forward to seeing the opening of the new hub provision and talking to the children during the autumn term.

Finance and Personnel Committee Update

The Finance and Personnel Committee met last week and discussed the highly positive quality of Nursery provision along with Nursery future plans. They received an update on the SEND provision across the school and spent time reading the parent comments, analysing and creating an action plan following the recent parent survey feedback. Governors would like to thank parents for finding the time to fill a survey in. Governors were delighted in the widespread positivity highlighted throughout the survey by parents. They would also like to reassure parents that each and every single comment was read and where appropriate actions planned. 

Attendance Update

Dear Parents and Carers,                                                                                                           July 2024

RE: Attendance Update

From 19th August 2024, the Government have introduced a new ‘National Framework for Penalty Notices’. These will apply across Telford and Wrekin from 1st September 2024.

Whilst these changes are a few months away, I felt it was important to share the information we currently have available. Below are some of the significant changes you need to be aware of:

  • If your child has 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10 school-week rolling period, you may be issued with a Penalty Notice. These 10 sessions may include any unauthorised absence, including leave in term time and do not have to be consecutive. Unauthorised absences are recorded for children who are late after the register has closed, do not provide medical evidence, or have not contacted school.
  • Penalty Notices are increasing to £160 from September 2024. This can be reduced to £80 but only for the first Penalty Notice issued, if paid within 21 days – this reduction does not apply to any subsequent Penalty Notice.
  • Any 2nd Penalty Notice, to the same parent for the same child, issued within three years of the date of the first Penalty Notice will be charged at a flat rate of £160.
  • A third Penalty Notice will not be issued within a three-year rolling period, to the same parent for the unauthorised absence of the same child, – alternative action or legal measures will be utilised for subsequent offences.
  • In some circumstances a ‘Notice to Improve’ may be issued. However, a Notice to Improve will only be used in cases where support is appropriate. They will not be issued in cases of unauthorised leave in term time for holidays; where information for parents is included on the school’s website; or a simple warning has been given by the school that a Penalty Notice could be issued for unauthorised leave in term time.
  • Absence for leave in term times will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances – please note that holidays or extended leave for family visits cannot be considered as exceptional circumstances. We will be updating our Attendance Policy to reflect this.

I totally understand the challenges of the costs of holidays during the school holidays and of having extended family who live abroad; however, the guidance from the DfE is clear that we cannot authorise these absences. As a school we will always consider exceptional circumstances that sit outside these reasons on a case-by-case basis. I also want to make you aware that there is a tightening of the guidelines around pupils arriving late. If pupils are consistently late this could contribute to their unauthorised absence levels and result in action being taken by the Local Authority. Maintaining a good level of attendance is not only essential for your child’s day to day learning but is also crucial in setting positive habits and mindsets for their future. If you need support with your child’s attendance, please come and talk to a member of our office or pastoral team.

Kind regards,

 

Miss R Cook