Free entry!

FREE entry to Coalbrookdale museum of Iron, Enginuity and Darby Houses on September 17th and 18th September. This is a great opportunity for the children to learn about local history such as the Darby family and Thomas Parker, an electric car inventor from Coalbrookdale!

https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/events/family-events/heritage-open-days-coalbrookdale/

 

Additional bank holiday

13.9.22

Dear Parents & Carers,

Guidance has now been provided to schools from the Department for Education:

Following the announcement from Buckingham Palace of the death of our sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a period of National Mourning has started and will continue until the end of the State Funeral. This is a period of time for reflection in response to the death of our Queen.

The official date of the State Funeral is 19 September 2022. This day will be a bank holiday and schools that are normally closed on a bank holiday, should close on this day as a mark of respect.

As a result of this guidance, we will be closing on Monday 19th September.

Normal attendance is expected throughout the National Mourning period, other than the bank holiday.

If you have any queries, please do email the school account newdale.primary@taw.org.uk or call the office on 01952 387720.

Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Uniform for next year

Dear Parents / Carers,

Uniform is incredibly important to us at Newdale: it underpins our ethos, values, and emphasis about how children should approach life at school.  We understand there are differing opinions on the need for school uniform, but through my personal experience in many different educational settings, uniform does set a positive tone for expectations around conduct, behaviour, and attitudes; this in turn has an impact on the smooth running of lessons and the atmosphere within the school.  We will continue to place a high emphasis on children wearing it correctly and well and your continued support in this respect is very much appreciated.

We request children wear a navy jumper or cardigan and grey or black skirts / pinafores or trousers along with a light blue collared shirt. If you would like to order uniform with our school logo on, please do so via Baker and Sons Schoolwear in New Street, Wellington 01952 641897.  Please note that this is not compulsory: uniform without a logo is acceptable if it matches our chosen colours. In warmer months, blue gingham dresses / black or grey smart shorts can be worn.

All children need to wear sensible black shoes (no heels or trainers please). In the colder weather, girls are permitted to wear black, navy or grey tights.

We have decided that we will continue to allow children to come to school in their School PE kit on PE days.

Our reasoning behind this is that some children take a long time to get changed which can impact the length of a PE session; in addition, there is a lack of private space for children to get changed, and we do not want to resort to the unhygienic option of children changing in the toilets.

It is important to us that children do come in proper school PE kit: we do not want children coming in with other sport clothes please. All uniform should be clearly named. Any lost unnamed uniform will be taken to lost property. Lost property still unclaimed after a realistic period will be sold or donated.

The school PE kit is as follows:

White t-shirt

Black shorts

Black pumps / trainers

And for winter or when it is colder:

White t-shirt

Blue / black sweatshirt

Black shorts

Black jogging bottoms

Black pumps/ trainers

If children forget to wear kit or have incorrect kit on PE days, we will ask them to get changed into one of our clean spare kits. The expectation will be that they bring this spare kit home to be washed before returning the clean kit to school as soon as possible.

Please note we only allow plain stud earrings and ask that all other jewellery is left at home. Earrings will be taped up just before PE, to always ensure safety.

Nail varnish is not permitted in school and the school does not permit children to have extreme haircuts that could serve as a distraction to other children and are not in keeping with the ethos of the school. This includes patterns shaved into the hair, excessive use of hair products and false hair. The definition of an extreme hairstyle is at the discretion of the Headteacher.

School kit

We do not have cloakrooms outside of the classrooms and therefore the space available for children to store coats and bags is limited. Please refrain from buying them huge school bags. School supplies everything they need in lessons, so there is no need for pencil cases, notebooks or other stationery and they certainly will not have time for toys please.

Thank you for your support in this area. We are a ‘BeSMART’ school, and we want all children to feel part of our team whilst wearing our ‘BeSMART’ uniforms.

 

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Playtime snacks and drinks from September

Dear Parents/Carers,

Each day, we offer fresh fruit for all children and milk for our younger children to have at playtime.

We are more than happy for children to bring in their own fruit if you prefer to provide this.

However, due to our healthy lifestyles agenda and the fact we need to carefully monitor who is eating what due to allergies, it is important that parents do not supply children with alternative snacks to fruit or vegetables please.

We are of course happy with children bringing water bottles into school, but we also stress that it must only contain only water. Water is by far the best liquid to keep children hydrated in school.

Thank you for your support in this matter.

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Family Lunch

Dear Parents/Carers,

We welcomed 310 parents/grandparents into our school today. Thank you so much for coming, especially in this extreme heat.

We were considering cancelling the event due to the weather, but now we are delighted that we carried on. The children simply love showing off their school to you!

The kitchen team worked tirelessly under extreme conditions to prepare and the other Newdale teams went above and beyond as they always do.

Thankfully, this heat is due to ease over night so we should enjoy a much more comfortable last few days.

Kind regards

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Family Lunch

Dear Parents / Carers,

We are looking forward to welcoming you into school for the family lunch today. Please remember it is not compulsory! We are suggesting that if you have mobility or underlying health conditions that perhaps you do not attend this time (we will be continuing family lunches next year!).

Times – 

Nursery Family Lunch will start at 11.10am

School Family Lunch will start at 11.30am

Please remember to bring your own water, sun lotion and hats. We are suggesting umbrellas as a means to shade yourself whilst outside.

Parents and children are welcome to eat lunch indoors or find a shady spot outside.

The temperature is peaking around 2pm today, so we are going to allow parents to take children home after lunch to avoid parents having to make a double trip in the extreme heat.

Clearly, all staff will remain on site all day so do not worry if you are either not attending the lunch, or plan to pick up at normal time.

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Update

18.7.22

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are constantly monitoring the weather apps and adapting our offer accordingly.

As the peak has remained at 3 – 4 o’clock, we are cancelling the Crossbar outdoor football club today and tomorrow.

All classrooms will remain open at play and lunchtime to provide shade. We are also opening up forest school which has fabulous natural shade. Mr Thomas is busy putting up our gazebos to increase our shade options.

We are going ahead with our family lunch but may bring the times forward a touch. More information to follow. We do suggest that you bring in an umbrella if you have one, as these will offer you some shade. Please don’t arrive way in advance as of course, that would leave you waiting outside in the sunshine for longer than is necessary.

Staff are aware of the need for extra precautions and will ensure all children in their care drink plenty of water etc

Just when we think the massive pressures of Covid have left us, mother nature hits us with another challenge to deal with.

As ever, we will do our very best for our school community.

Miss Cook

Headteacher