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Dear parent/carer,

Christmas Facebook Live on keeping children safe, offline and on phones, games & devices

Some of our children will be lucky enough to receive new devices, games consoles and phones for Christmas. Many of the rest will have access in one way or another to internet-enabled devices. We all want to ensure that everyone in our school community has a safe Christmas holiday, online and beyond.

We encourage the positive use of technology at school and often talk about the fun that goes on in lessons, but we also discuss the scary things too throughout the year. As we approach the holidays, why not find out about how you parents can help – whether by setting parental time and age controls (before you wrap new ones), or simply by finding out more about what’s going on?

There will be a Facebook Live drop-in for parents on Monday 20 December 7pm on the @LGfLDigiSafe channel talking about staying safe online and offline too – what to worry about and what not, and how to have tricky conversations at home. There will also be discussion of how parents can help with bullying, relationships, criminal and sexual exploitation and simply starting tricky conversations!

Sign up now by heading to facebook.com/LGfLDigiSafe/posts where you can click ‘Interested’ / ‘Going’ on the post to receive a reminder when it is about to go live.

Please also remember before buying Christmas presents that games, series and films (including on Netflix!) have age ratings linked to their content, not their difficulty (we often forget for games that they are also rated 18 for the same reasons as films - language, sex and violence).

You may wish to visit the parentsafe.lgfl.net website where you will find many of the resources that will be presented to you on the evening.

Kind regards,

Mrs P keen

Network Manager

Dear Parents Welcome to the start of yet another very busy term. This is the most magical one of all that leads us up to the exciting event that is Christmas…...yay!!!! (Not that I am a fan of the snowy season and am currently counting down the days on 3 calendars at home next to my fluffy Xmas bed socks with the snowmen and bells on ). The term ahead continues to hold some uncertainties for us as far as covid restrictions go, however, we are still complying with all government guidance and working hard in school to keep the All Saints family community safe. We usually have lots of events planned for this term; services at Church, performances at school, trips out to the pantomime and of course the school Christmas Fair. We are taking things one day at a time this year and following directions issued by our Trust before releasing any dates for these events to happen. With covid cases locally on the rise we are understandably erring on the side of caution. However, being Christmas soon, this got me thinking about my own Xmas wish list to that very special man…...

Dear Father Christmas, it’s Miss Strachan here, if I work hard at being good girl please could I have my top 5 wishes under the tree?

1. All children arriving in school before 9.00am. When they arrive after this they are marked in as ‘late’. We do not want the attendance advisory service fining parents and children falling behind in their learning when covid has affected this already.

2. All children bringing school items in in carrier bags. Big bags knock coats onto the floor and we do not want coats getting ripped and unable to be worn by children in cold weather at playtimes

3. All children in the correct school PE kit— white T shirts, plain navy/black shorts, plain navy/black tracksuit bottoms/leggings and school jumper as a tracksuit top. Anything else and staff have to nag—we don’t want nagging at what should be a ‘merry’ time of year.

4. All children receiving a school dinner. Parents have to order it online whether they get it free or not. I would hate to see the catering firm refuse to feed a child because their parent had not organised food for them.

5. Children being collected from school on time. I do not want us to do what many schools do and charge late parents for childcare, however we will have to begin doing this soon in order to release our staff on time to collect their own children.

I am sure that with a little help from the parents at All Saints these things could actually happen Santa and if they do I promise that next year I will actually leave you a mince pie and sherry beside the fire….(I don’t know how an empty plate and glass always end up in my bedroom???)

I urge parents to look out for more communication from school about the events that we are hoping to run prior to Xmas, to continue adhering to the covid regulations that we have in place on school site and to work with me on the 5 items in my wish list above so that everyone at our lovely school can enjoy this happy and exciting festive term.

Best wishes for a wonderful term and kind regards Miss Strachan

Homework

Teachers are reporting concerns to me about the low number of pupils completing homework. We desperately need your help in this matter and we need your involvement in it to start quickly. Every child’s learning has been affected by this national pandemic. In order to prevent any further loss of learning, school and home need to work together to ensure that homework tasks are completed and handed in to teachers on time. Reading, spelling, times table and knowledge organiser work should take place verbally with your child each night. Literacy and maths skills work should take place with your child once a week. Homework consolidates and extends children’s learning and prepares them well for future work to come. If pupils do not complete homework, experience tells us that their learning is affected. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CHILD DOES THEIR HOMEWORK EVERY SCHOOL DAY

Our All Saints Family Shining Stars

Our whole school would like to thank the following children for representing All Saints so well at the basketball tournament on Thursday 4th November: Rutendo, Daniel, David, Irene, Adijat, Anya, Jamal, Kyrus and Desireoluwa. Their behaviour was impeccable as was their sporting attitude. We came 22nd out of 24 teams and the attending staff said the children were a real credit to the school. (Thank you Mrs Massie and Mrs Ingram for taking them). We would also like to congratulate Rebecca A in St Augustine ‘s class. She did the most accurate quizzing on our Accelerated Reader programme across the whole school in term 1. She looked so smart in her special AR school uniform top which was given to her as a prize…..a very proud moment for us all. Well done Rebecca you are on the top readers list every term without fail so you definitely deserve this win!

Volunteers Wanted

If you are able to volunteer any time to help us in school please let us know. We could always do with additional adults to fulfil a whole host of jobs both inside and outside the building. Some may involve working with children but not necessarily so. If you would like to offer us some of your time, pop into the school office and ask for a volunteers application form or email the school office to request one instead. Once we see which days and hours you are able to offer, one of the school team will get back to you and invite you in for an initial informal chat.

After School Provision

During term 1 we had 3 clubs running—Kingsquad, Table tennis and Basket ball. During term 2 we have the clubs above running and also—Choir and British Sign Language. Each term staff are trying to increase club provision and offer our children something a little different to what they usually have access to. Because of our small site, places at clubs are limited so if children wish to go they must apply early. All of the clubs we have offered so far have been heavily over -subscribed and staff are doing their very best to ensure as many children as possible are chosen to participate across the year. If your child is not successful in their after school club application, we know that they may be disappointed, however, encourage them to apply for something else the term after, they may have more success.

Term dates for this academic year Please note that SATS tests will be taking place for Y2 and Y6 during the month of May and the Y1 phonics screening test will be happening in June. Children in these year groups must be in school at these times.

Please do not request permission for your child to be absent from school during term time for family holidays, parties, events etc. Whilst we understand the importance of such family events, absence for occasions planned in advance such as these will not be considered ‘authorised’.

Staff development dates that your child does not need to be in school include: 1st September,1st November, 4th January, 6th June and the 22nd July Expected national bank holiday dates that your child does not need to be in school include: 2nd May, 2nd June and the 3rd June

All Saints Family News This term we have got some news to share with you about the staff in the school.

• Mrs Forghani is back from her maternity leave and has returned to her role as school SENDCO.

• Mrs Reynolds is back from her maternity leave and has returned to her 3 day a week class share role in St George.

• Miss Collins in St Andrews has got married and is now genuinely known as Mrs Banks.

• Miss Akrill has decided to move on to pastures new in a completely different role as SENDCO in a school closer to where she lives on the Isle of Sheppey.

• Mr Pullen our caretaker has decided to retire and go off to enjoy some well deserved time travelling with his wife and seeing his family who live both far and near.

I am sure that you will join me in wishing Miss Akrill and Mr Pullen a fond farewell when they leave us at Christmas. We will send them off with lots of love, best wishes and maybe a present or two.

Thoughts from the Chair of Governors for term 2 May I start by welcoming you all as the new Chair of Governors to the school (owing to Rebecca Wood standing down from the role.) I would like to thank Rebecca for all her work and support to the school during her time as Governor and Chair. It has been decided by the MAST Trust that the governing bodies of All Saints and St Johns schools will combine to form The Local Governing Group. Both our schools are in similar areas of Chatham and face the same sort of challenges and opportunities. We aim to strengthen the links between our schools and offer each other support. Councillor Vince Maple from St Johns and I will Co-Chair the new LGG which will include both Head Teachers, and one Parent Governor and One Staff Governor from each school. The remaining places will be made up of Co-opted Governors who will bring a range of skills and experience to the LGG. We look forward to working closely with St Johns, and resolve to do our very best for the children and families of both schools.. With best wishes for an exciting and Christmassy Term 2 Janet Harsent. LGG Co-Chair

Parents Evenings

This term we are running a remote parent evening consultation process the same as we did l last year. This will help to keep parents/ carers updated on their child’s progress and achievements so far and will provide teachers with the opportunity to discuss the next steps of learning for each child. Parents will be sent a date/time of when teachers have scheduled for this 10 minute conversation to take place with them over the phone. If the date/time is impossible for parents to talk for 10 minutes then they can contact the teacher using their work email address provided to arrange a mutually more convenient time. This is the most important parents evening of the school year where targets are shared for each child and parents find out what they can do at home to help their child to achieve them.

Phonics Test for current Y2 and Y3 pupils

Last summer the Y1 pupils did not take their phonics screening test due to Covid and the Y2 re- sits did not take place either. The government have instructed all schools to do this testing during the current term 2 instead. Miss Akrill our reading leader, has been working with the teachers to help your child to catch up on lost learning in this area and she has prepared some parental resources for you to work on with your child at home. The additional phonics work for parents to do with their children at home can be found on the reading subject page of the school website. Together we can help your child to reach their reading potential and to unlock a whole new world of learning for them.

Knowledge Organisers

As part of our curriculum, at the start of each class topic, parents are informed via knowledge organisers what their child should be taught to remember at the end of every term and what 3 questions they should be able to answer verbally and in depth about the topic they have just completed. Parents can help their child to secure this knowledge by reading the knowledge organiser document through with them on a regular basis, preferably every school night . Knowledge organisers can be accessed each term via your child’s class page on the school website. Very simply, the more you read these knowledge organisers with your child – the more that they will know.

Respectful reminders about parking around school

Remember to park and drive carefully when you drop off and collect your children at school. Do not park on the yellow zig zag lines as this is endangering children’s lives and their safety is a priority that we MUST all share. Please do not park in the doctors surgery or in the MHS resident housing bays. We have been advised by Medway Council to share this number with all of you and if you see parents parked inconsiderately—call it. 07718130962

When you call you should give the registration number of the car and your own name and address so that someone can get back to you.. Please let’s all model a bit of respect to others for our children—and remember that they WILL learn to copy what they see.

Dear Parents

As we approach the end of term, I write to inform you of some events that are taking place before school ends on Friday. Add them to your calendar and remind your child(ren) of them too.

On Thursday 21^st October from 3.15-3.45pm we are hosting a ‘Book Look’ session. This is an opportunity for you to come into your child’s classroom, sit in your child’s chair and get your child to show you their school books and talk about what they have been learning this term. You will see the standard of work your child is producing, get to identify any areas for celebration or improvement and have the chance for a quick chat with the teacher to see how their first term has gone. (Please don’t plan too detailed a chat with the teacher as we are scheduling a parents’ evening to take place early in term 2).

On Friday 22^nd October the health team will be in school in the morning administering the nasal flu spray to all children whose parents have requested their child should receive it. The school staff have nothing to do with this process except provide the health team with access to a suitable room.

In the afternoon of Friday 22^nd October, the children will be having the first of our termly House Hub sessions. During this time, all the children in the same House ‘buddy up’ together and have the chance to work with other children of all ages across he school. This term’s theme for House Hub day is ‘Book and Biscuits’. Whilst together in this session, the older children will pair up with the younger ones and share books with them whilst having a sweet biscuit treat from their teacher. Please can children from Ocelot, Valiant and Victory House bring in a book on this day to share with another child. It does not need to be new or long – just a book that is well loved. Children should make sure their name and class is written inside the cover of their book just in case any of them are forgotten by their owner or go astray around the school throughout the day.

The house that gained the most points for good work/ good behaviour this term was Arethusa so during house hub time when the others are sharing books/biscuits, they will be having a celebratory house party elsewhere in the school.  Children in Arethusa house should wear party clothes into school on this day to stand out from the others (names on all items please folks). Their planned house party involves all ages of children coming together for music, dance, party games, food and party bags to bring home. Well done Arethusa you were 120 points in front of the next house – a clear win…save a party game prize for me please!

When school finishes on Friday 22^nd October at the usual time, the children will depart knowing that they have a half term holiday awaiting them. All children will resume their schooling again on Tuesday 2^nd November at their normal entry time after a staff development day on Monday the 1^st.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their support of the school, for helping to keep our All Saints family achieving well and to wish you all a very restful and a very safe half term.

Yours faithfully