TeamWorkRespectAimHighIndependenceNeverGiveUp
|
|
|
|
|
Heathcoat Primary School
|
|
Aspiring to achieve our best: moving forward together!
|
|
|
|
Newsletter | 27th November 2023
|
|
|
Author Visit - MG Leonard
|
We were all absolutely blown away by Maya's visit to our school last week - the author MG Leonard of books like The Beetle Boy and Twitch. We all felt very lucky and privileged to have listened to her passion, inspiration and enthusiasm as well as a clear love of beetles, birds and trains!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poppy Appeal
|
Thank you to everyone who supported the Poppy Appeal, we raised an amazing £297.77.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Author Visit - Tom McLaughlin
|
A reminder that we are looking forward to the visit of the author, Tom McLaughlin, tomorrow. He will be working with all of the children from Reception up to Year 6.
|
If your child has one of his books (a few pictured below) please do encourage them to bring it in as he is happy to sign it for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Book Fair
|
A reminder that our book fayre is running everyday this week, from 3.20-3.45 in the cathedral. You can pay by cash or signing the QR code through your phone. No card payments can be made.
|
Books start at £2.99.The more we sell, the more the school can spend on books for our library.
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas Lunch
We will be having our Christmas Lunch on Thursday 7th December. Please note that there is NO jacket potato option on Christmas Lunch day. If you have already pre-ordered a jacket potato on this day, please cancel through your Scopay account. If your child does not wish to order a Christmas lunch, they will need to bring a packed lunch.
|
Please can we ask that Christmas Lunches are pre-ordered by Friday 1st December.
|
Please note the changes to the lunch menu w/c 4th December:
|
|
Main: Beef Bolognaise (Gluten Free Alternative Available)
|
|
Veggie: Mediterranean Vegetable Bolognaise (Gluten Free Alternative Available)
|
Pudding: Chocolate Crunch & Chocolate Sauce
|
Christmas Lunch - Thursday 7th December:
|
|
Main: Roast Turkey with sausage wrapped in bacon & stuffing (stuffing not gluten free)
|
|
Veggie: Quorn Fillet with quorn sausage & stuffing (quorn & stuffing not gluten free)
|
Ice Cream Tub or Dairy Free Smoothie
|
|
|
|
|
Positive Playtimes at HPS
We are delighted that the new playground markings are now in place. This is helping to increase activity levels with the children at break and lunchtimes. The children have really embraced the challenge to beat their personal bests and also compete against one another in standing long jumps and at the target throwing spot. They are enjoying the strategy game of noughts and crosses, having fun playing hopscotch and also snakes and ladders. All of the games have proven to be very popular, encouraging positive interaction between children across year groups, and also promoting our TRAIN values of TEAMWORK and RESPECT.
|
|
We have three new mini football pitches (which is great as football is always a popular lunchtime activity). There are set football days for certain year groups. We also have a Friendship Finder spot, which is monitored by our HPS playleaders. If a child stands in this area, we know that they would like support and encouragement to join in with positive play and interactions with others.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Breakfast & After School club
|
If you would like to make changes to the sessions that your child has from January 2024 onwards, please email alisonwilliams@heathcoat,.devon.sch.uk with details of which sessions you require by Monday 5th December 2022.
|
|
|
|
Wellington School Maths Challenge
Well done to Josh, Joe, Corben and Thomas who represented our school at the Wellington School Maths Challenge. They were one of 60 schools taking part including a school from Oman. They worked hard together as a team to answer the questions, which are designed to be challenging. They were a credit to our school and we are proud of all their efforts.
|
|
|
|
|
School Lunches
Unfortunately, there have been several instances recently where a lunch has been pre-ordered, the meal has been cooked but then a child has brought a packed lunch to the dining hall. As you will appreciate, when this happens there is a financial impact to the school and it increases our food wastage.
|
Pre-ordered meals can be cancelled the day before through your Scopay account. If on the day your child no longer requires a meal, please telephone the school office by 9.00am and the meal can be cancelled. The School Office makes daily adjustments when a child is off sick.
|
If the meal is not cancelled and your child is entitled to universal or free school meals, the school has to still pay for the meal. If you pay for school lunches, you will still be charged.
|
|
Please can we remind parents to pre-order lunches, whenever possible, at least 24 hours in advance. If you forget, or if you have any issues with the lunch ordering, please contact the School Office.
|
|
|
|
Christmas Raffle
Would you like to win one of our incredible hampers at the Christmas Fayre?
Raffle tickets go on sale today - please see Mrs. Sullivan (based in the cathedral).
|
Tickets are £1 a strip. We have wonderful prizes and donations up for grabs from the companies listed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Toys Wanted
If anyone is having a pre-Christmas clear out and has any of the following toys that you can donate to the SEND department, we would really appreciate them to support within some of our interventions.
|
- Light up toys
- Spinning toys
- Musical toys
- Movement toys
|
|
|
|
Wanted
|
We are looking for a real Christmas tree to decorate our lovely school cathedral area. Do you know anyone who might be willing to donate a Christmas tree of 6ft plus? If so, please let us know. We would be most grateful.
|
|
|
|
|
Attendance
|
Attendance at school is so important for learning and also for social connection and creating the feeling of belonging in school. Holidays must be made in holiday time and not during school hours. Having a Friday off, or time off towards the end of term, really impacts on children's learning. At HPS, like the majority of schools, learning activities are happening right up to the last day of term.
|
If a child misses a Friday from school, they are missing a fifth of the learning week. If a child misses the last week of term, it is 8% of the term's learning.
|
Fridays are often the day when the final piece of writing takes place, or the learning for the week is consolidated. If a child is not in school, they are missing out on important learning blocks, and also crucial friendship building time.
|
Mrs Budden is attendance lead. Should you require more support or information about attendance, please do let us know. We are here to help. Thank you for working with us to help improve attendance for your child, and all children at HPS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Action for Children- funded webinars for parents and carers
Action for children – Devon Childrens Centres are offering a selection of webinars and online events. The latest of which are listed below:
|
- Help me – I’m a Parent! – Tantrums & Meltdowns – Monday 15th January 2024 (1 – 2pm)
- Help me – I’m a Parent! – PLAY – Wednesday 21st February 2024 (1 – 2pm)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Attendance
|
Classes with attendance over 97% - 2G
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diary Dates
Christmas jumper day - 7th December
|
Term Dates
|
Last day of Autumn Term: Friday 15th December
|
|
First day of Spring Term: Tuesday 2nd January
|
|
Spring Term Half: Monday 12th - Friday 16th February
|
|
Last day of Spring Term: Thursday 28th March
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heathcoat Heroes
The children below have all reached the very top of our learning behaviours and expectations system last week.
|
1D - River, Maisie & Aaron
|
1B - Ava W, Kasper, Ida & Lyra
|
2P - Cassidy 2G - Eric & Thomas
|
5K - Archie, Jonah, Orlaith & Peter
|
|
|
|
|
|
Absence reporting email
|
If your child is unwell, please contact the school office by 9.15am by telephone (01884 252445) or email (attendance@heathcoat.devon.sch.uk), on each day that your child is absent. Please could we ask that you include the child's name, class and reason for absence (i.e. sickness). If no contact is made, we will follow our attendance procedures and a member of senior leadership may visit your home address.
|
|
Are your contact details up to date?
|
Please advise the office of any changes in your contact details by emailing admin@heathcoat.devon.sch.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
