Low Ash Primary

Well done to all pupils for another great week. Year 6 have been hard at work doing their SATs tests all week and should be really proud of themselves. We know how nerve racking they can be for many pupils, but they all persevered throughout the week and, to a degree, can now relax and enjoy their final half term at Low Ash with preparation for the show and the residential amongst many, many other things.

The rest of the school of course hasn't stopped this week and, as always, there has been lots going on!

A huge well done to this week's Stars of the Week. They have all worked really hard this week.

This week's school attendance is 95.4%.

Whole school attendance so far this year is 95.1%.

Early Years/Key Stage 1 class of the week is 2M with 96.6% attendance!

Key Stage 2 classes of the week are 4T & 5B with 99% attendance - well done!

We are noticing an increasing number of pupils being late to school. Although, sometimes, there might be an unavoidable issue which results in being late, regular lateness can cause as much harm to a child's education as absence. Many pupils who are late find it very unsettling at the start of the day and are in a heightened state of stress. They also miss out on morning work which is often a time when teachers go over misconceptions or pupils have the chance to re-visit prior learning.

The picture below also demonstrates how much learning is actually lost when a child is a mere 5 minutes late a day.

Saturday 17th May - Staff Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge

Week beginning Monday 19th May - Children's sponsored walk challenge

Tuesday 20th May - Family Breakfast

Tuesday 20th May - Reception vision checks

Tuesday 20th May - Brownlee mini triathlon

Tuesday 20th May - Nursery trip (morning nursery shut)

Wednesday 21st May - Year 4 watching Bournemouth symphony orchestra (live stream)

Wednesday 21st May - 5W trip

Wednesday 21st May - Panathlon

Thursday 22nd May - 5E and Year 6 Dogs Trust Workshop

Thursday 22nd May - 5B trip

Thursday 22nd May - FOLA parent/carer and child craft session

Friday 23rd May - 5E trip

Friday 23rd May - YN - Y5 parents/carers invited into classrooms from 3pm

Friday 23rd May - School breaks up for 2 weeks

Monday 9th June - School re-opens

Week commencing 9th June - Phonics screening check for Year 1 and some Year 2 pupils

Week commencing 9th June - Year 4 multiplication check

Tuesday 10th June - Ilkley tennis tournament trip

Wednesday 11th June - Y6 trip to meet author

Friday 13th June - Father's Day Secret Room in school

Thursday 19th June - 2M school trip

Friday 20th June - 2W school trip

The South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) launched a new survey this month. The survey seeks to understand the concerns, expectations and experiences that parents and carers expect to face after giving a child their first smartphone. The overall objective is to map how this milestone is seen by those charged with caring for children. This is a little understood area, despite the impact that smartphones have on children. In particular the role these devices play in introducing children to the digital world. This survey is designed to change that. With concrete insights into how families navigate this transition, the SWGfL seeks to produce a support kit to help with these issues. This survey would be well worth completing. If interested please follow the link below:

https://swgfl.org.uk/magazine/take-our-survey-share-your-experience-on-your-childs-first-smartphone/

The Telegraph & Argus is inviting you to celebrate Father’s Day this year. They are asking all school children to write a short message to their parent or guardian, and they will publish these inside the newspaper during week commencing 9th June.

They ask that the message is no longer than 25 words in length and is signed off using only the child’s first name.

If your child would like to take part in this, please bring their messages to school on Monday (19th) and we will submit them to the T&A.

As normal we will be holding a Father's Day Secret Room next half term where pupils will be able to buy gifts for their parents / carers.

Friends of Low Ash (FOLA) are looking forward to the parent/carer and child craft session which will be held straight after school on Thursday 22nd May. Hopefully you have seen the school ping about this and are able to join us.

We are really looking forward to our first Low Ash family breakfast which will take place on Tuesday next week. This event was incredibly popular so we are aware not everyone who wanted to has got places. We will look at running another Family Breakfast next half term. Keep a look out for further information.

We have been asked whether we would share the following message from NHS England.

Thinking of returning to your role as a healthcare professional? We can help you!

This message goes out to all parents, carers and members of the local community who may once have been a healthcare professional such as a nurse or midwife and now considering a return. Returning healthcare professionals have a key role to play in ensuring patients and service users have access to experienced and well-trained care staff equipped with the right skills. NHS England provides funding to support the pathways to return and are keen to support or answer any questions you may have if you are considering returning to perhaps nursing, midwifery or If you trained as an allied health professional (AHP) or a healthcare scientist (HCS) but have since left the profession.

Please do contact us for more information on: 0191 275 4796 or email:

england.returntopractice.north@nhs.net

Next week is a busy week in the sporting calendar! As well as the staff challenge and pupils' sponsored walk, we also have the Brownlee triathlon and U11s cricket tournament on Tuesday and the Inclusion Games on Wednesday. Good luck to all pupils taking part.

Having the school minibuses enable us to enter a lot of sporting events and visit a variety of places with pupils. We know that many schools are now struggling to cover transport costs to events and for visits so the minibuses really are invaluable. Our fundraising helps towards the cost of these.

Next week's question should you wish to discuss it at home is Who do you share private information with?

Minecraft is still the best selling game of all time and we know many of our pupils play it. Hopefully the information sheet will help you to make sure your child is playing safely and to help you understand some of the risks.

We hope you all have a good weekend and we will see you on Monday (even if a few of us might be limping!)