September 2022

It’s great to see everyone working so hard to achieve or beating our 97% target.

We can only do this if we all work together!

Our attendance for

the week is

95.73%

Our attendance for

the year to date

96.30%

Keep up the great work!

This half term we will be running several initiatives to encourage great attendance from all of our pupils.

The winners of the Attendance Leagues will win a ‘Popcorn and Movie’ party.

We will also shortly be holding an ‘Attendance Focus Fortnight.’ Look out for more information about both of these initiatives on Class Dojo

Parents of children in Year 6 (6MW and 6BP) must now apply for secondary school places via their council portal.

Birmingham Residents must apply via:

https://eadmissions.birmingham.gov.uk/prefs.php

Solihull Residents must apply via:

https://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/Synergy/Live/SynergyWeb/Parents/default.aspx

Mr Croxon will be running parent drop in sessions from 9:00-9:30 (Mon - Thurs) to support parents with completing their applications.

The deadline for all applications is:

October 31st 2022

Further information can be found on the Birmingham City Council website here: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20119/school_admissions/1778/apply_for_a_secondary_school_year_7_place

Parent Information - Free School Meals

With household budgets becoming ever-more squeezed, families eligible for free school meals are being urged to make sure they don't miss out on the crucial support.

But just who qualifies?

Households receiving a range of benefits may be able to get free meals for their children. The support aims to help low-income families by saving them cash for their children's food.

The offer is even more important at the moment given that soaring energy and food prices are putting further strain on households at what is a worrying time for many. It is not automatic and anyone wanting to take advantage of free school meals needs to apply to their council.

You can check and apply online at: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/birmingham

If you are unsure if you are eligible or would like help applying please speak with a member of our office staff.

It’s been a shorter week in school due to the Queen’s funeral on Monday. However, attendance has remained good with us standing at 96.4% for the year to date and there has been a wonderful buzz around school with learning at the heart of everything! It was great to see so many parents and carers attending our Key Stage 1 parent workshops this week, focusing on READING and PHONICS. More workshops and events are planned throughout the academic year, so keep an eye on our calendar of events so you don’t miss out.

Year 6 Residential

Our Year 6 pupils have spent 3 days at Boreatton Park this week and I was lucky enough to be able to join them on their residential experience. They’ve had so much fun taking part in activities such as: abseiling, raft building, problem solving and rifle shooting. You can check out some of the photographs from their Boreatton visit on the last page of this newsletter. I was extremely impressed with their attitudes particularly when faced with challenges. They were supporting each other to ‘Push their limits’ by climbing higher and reaching goals they never imagined possible: it was wonderful to witness. Well done Year 6, we are very proud of you and ‘Thank you’ to all of the staff who gave up their own time to chaperone the children.

European Day of Languages

On Thursday 29th September, Lea Forest staff and children will be celebrating European Day of Languages, where they will take part in a wide range of exciting European cultural activities and language learning. Each year group will be celebrating a different country, and are invited to come to school wearing the colours of that country's flag or cultural/ traditional attire:

Nursery - English

Year 1 - Spanish

Year 2 - Italian

Year 3 - Greek

Year 4 - Finnish

Year 5 - German

Year 6 - Croatian

Reception - French (will take place on Friday due to PE and parent picnic afternoon)

The kitchen staff will be putting on a European menu to celebrate the event. Children who normally bring packed lunches are invited to have a school meal that day, which can be paid via parentpay.

We will also be hosting a french cafe for Years 1-6 where a selection of French pastries can be bought for 50p each. The cafe has proven very popular in previous years and children really enjoy the experience, we look forward to serving them some delicious treats. Please ensure your child has the correct change.

Parents are required under the Education Act (1996) to ensure children attend school regularly. The headteacher of a school has a discretionary power to authorise absence only in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday is not an exceptional circumstance. If you complete a leave of absence request form and the request is declined, (as it will be in the majority of cases) and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household will be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school.

If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £120. If after 28 days it remains unpaid you may be summoned to appear before Magistrates to explain why your child has unauthorised school absences and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000. Support and guidance on attendance is always available and if you have any questions about this, or if you need help to achieve an improvement, then please contact us to discuss this.

Parents of children in Year 6 (6MW and 6BP) must now apply for secondary school places via their council portal.

Birmingham Residents must apply via:

https://eadmissions.birmingham.gov.uk/prefs.php

Solihull Residents must apply via:

https://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/Synergy/Live/SynergyWeb/Parents/default.aspx

Mr Croxon will be running parent drop in sessions from 9:00-9:30 (Mon - Thurs) to support parents with completing their applications.

The deadline for all applications is:

October 31st 2022

Further information can be found on the Birmingham City Council website here: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20119/school_admissions/1778/apply_for_a_secondary_school_year_7_place

Parents of children in Year 6 (6MW and 6BP) must now apply for secondary school places via their council portal.

Birmingham Residents must apply via:

https://eadmissions.birmingham.gov.uk/prefs.php

Solihull Residents must apply via:

https://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/Synergy/Live/SynergyWeb/Parents/default.aspx

Mr Croxon will be running parent drop in sessions from 9:00-9:30 (Mon - Thurs) to support parents with completing their applications.

The deadline for all applications is:

October 31st 2022

Further information can be found on the Birmingham City Council website here: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20119/school_admissions/1778/apply_for_a_secondary_school_year_7_place

Parent Information - Free School Meals

With household budgets becoming ever-more squeezed, families eligible for free school meals are being urged to make sure they don't miss out on the crucial support.

But just who qualifies?

Households receiving a range of benefits may be able to get free meals for their children. The support aims to help low-income families by saving them cash for their children's food.

The offer is even more important at the moment given that soaring energy and food prices are putting further strain on households at what is a worrying time for many. It is not automatic and anyone wanting to take advantage of free school meals needs to apply to their council.

You can check and apply online at: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/birmingham

If you are unsure if you are eligible or would like help applying please speak with a member of our office staff.

It’s really important that we all have a wider awareness of online safety.

It is not safe to just hand your young child your mobile phone.

These are some key points to think about:

• Ensure you know what your children can access online – monitor what they are watching and using;

• Talk to them about what they are doing online and so that you are aware of any problems;

• Encourage them to come to you if they are unsure – don’t just leave them to it!

• Ensure children understand the importance of not giving personal information to anyone they do not know;

• Tell your children no-one has the right to make them do anything they do not want to do;

• Use parental controls to keep children safe.

Parental controls:

There is lots of helpful information at this link:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/parental-controls/

It’s been another amazing week at Lea Forest. It is always lovely to see how enthusiastic the children are towards their learning. It’s been business as usual and I am so impressed with how the children have all settled into their new classes. I’ve been particularly impressed by our new children in Nursery and Reception who have been unusually brave as they adapt to their new surroundings. I have enjoyed my chats with the children as I’ve completed my walks around school. I would also like to say a huge thank you to all of the parents and carers who have been really patient waiting at the start and end of each day while teachers and staff get to know you all.

Queen Elizabeth II

As a school, we have continued to pay our respects and to support pupils as needed during this period of national mourning. Our community book of condolence can be accessed via the main entrance - thank you to those of you who have left messages so far. As you will no doubt be aware, the late Queen’s funeral will be held on Monday 19 September 2022. As this date has been confirmed as a Bank Holiday, Lea Forest will be closed. School will reopen as normal on Tuesday 20 September 2022. We recognise that for some, the news may also bring to mind other bereavements that our pupils and staff may have experienced over the recent past. Our team is on hand to provide individual support where it is needed, but if there is anything you would like to discuss with us, please do get in touch in the usual way through the school office.

Attendance

Attendance continues to be a huge focus area for us at Lea Forest, but I have been encouraged by everyone’s efforts since the start of term. Last week’s attendance was 96.6% and this week we have achieved 96.8%. It is important that we all work together to ensure we are able to reach (or exceed) our 97% target. If you need to discuss attendance, please contact Ms Wale or Mr Wills.

After School Sports Clubs

Apologies for any confusions over club times and pick-up points this week. I wanted to clarify that ALL sports clubs finish at 4:30pm and children should be picked up from Door 2. We have spaces in a number of our after school sports clubs and have created additional clubs for Year 1 and 2 following parent requests. Places can be reserved on our website. We have availability in the the following clubs:

Monday - Year 3 and 4 - Archery; Tuesday - Year 5 and 6 - Table Tennis;

Wednesday - Year 4 and 5 - Tag Rugby;

Wednesday - Year 1 and Year 2 - Football;

Thursday - Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 - Dodgeball;

Thursday - Year 5 and 6 - Football

Parents are required under the Education Act (1996) to ensure children attend school regularly. The headteacher of a school has a discretionary power to authorise absence only in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday is not an exceptional circumstance. If you complete a leave of absence request form and the request is declined, (as it will be in the majority of cases) and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household will be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school.

If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £120. If after 28 days it remains unpaid you may be summoned to appear before Magistrates to explain why your child has unauthorised school absences and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000. Support and guidance on attendance is always available and if you have any questions about this, or if you need help to achieve an improvement, then please contact us to discuss this.

Lea Forest Primary Academy is working in partnership with parents and the Local Authority to improve school attendance.

Your efforts, working in partnership with school, will ensure that your child will have the best chance to achieve their academic potential and have real opportunity in further education and the world of work. It will also enable your child to:

• access the lessons needed to achieve their expected grades

• maintain friendships and develop new ones

• have access to social and sporting events offered by the school

• explore potential careers

• develop work habits such as good punctuality which are essential to thrive in the world of employment

If you are worried about your child/children’s attendance the first port of call is to discuss your concerns with school directly. We specialist staff who may be able to help, and all schools work closely with health and council teams who may also be able to help if needed. If you have concerns about mental health; domestic abuse; parenting; bereavement; finance; problems with drugs and alcohol; you can find help and support from the ‘From Birmingham with Love’ webpage: From Birmingham with Love

Additionally, Birmingham City Council provides online information and guidance to parents on school attendance which you can access here:

School Attendance Information for Parents

Our children have been busy visiting our newest addition this week! The Portal is our digital immersive classroom and was designed and built over the summer holidays.

The Portal uses specialized software to create virtual environments that children can engage with in a wide range of activities.

This week has seen our Year 3 children visit Ancient Greece and Year 1 and Year 2 have used the portal to support their retelling of Red Riding Hood.

We think you'll agree that The Portal is an amazing innovation and a fantastic addition to our school!

Back to School tips from the NSPCC

It’s common for children to feel nervous about going back to school after the summer holiday or at the start of a new term and you may have noticed that it is taking a while for them to feel happy and comfortable.

To help calm their nerves and make sure they are prepared for the school day, you could try:

• Readjusting bedtimes to get into a healthy routine

• Making sure they aren’t bringing their mobiles, tablets, or any devices to bed that might stop them sleeping

• Helping them get the correct clothing or uniform and equipment ready the night before

• Making sure they eat breakfast every morning

Welcome back!

I hope that you all had a great summer break. The term started for staff on Monday 5 September where we spent the day focusing on curriculum development and looking back and celebrating our successes from the previous years. We also spent time focusing on safeguarding, personal development, behaviour and welfare. It was also a great opportunity to welcome all of our new members of staff joining our Lea Forest family. You can meet our new staff further in this newsletter edition. We have also had lots of work completed in school during the summer break to ensure the children have the best possible setting for them to learn and flourish.

It was really fantastic to welcome children in Years 1 - 6 back to school on Tuesday morning. Seeing happy and excited parents and children at breakfast club and walking through the gates from 8.45am was a wonderful sight. As I walked around school during the day, it was brilliant to see our children actively engaged in their learning and generally delighted to be back to business. It also reminded me, being back amongst staff and children, what an amazing school I have the privilege to lead. Our Early Years team have been busy meeting with new parents and children this week who will be ready to start with us next week. We have also held ‘Welcome Meetings’ for Year 1-6 parents/carers and children this week. I have been delighted with the amount of parents/carers attending these meetings which have been a new addition for the start of term. Hopefully, those of you who have attended these have found them informative.

Attendance will be a continued focus this year as we have a 97% target to achieve. This only allows up to 5 days of absence in the school year. I also shared a letter with you all from Birmingham City Council which can be read here. A big thank you to the majority of parents/carers who make sure their children attend school regularly!

We have ended the week with the sad news of the death of our Queen who has led us through the Elizabethan Age with remarkable service, an incredible dedication to duty, a source of stability and reassurance - an inspiration to us all. May she rest in peace. Class teachers have spent some time today discussing this with your children and we also thought about The Queen and how we’d like to celebrate her life during assembly. The school will be awaiting guidance form the Department for Education regarding any school closures due to her death, and in the unlikely event that closures occur, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Mr Clarke-Castello

Parents are required under the Education Act (1996) to ensure children attend school regularly. The headteacher of a school has a discretionary power to authorise absence only in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday is not an exceptional circumstance. If you complete a leave of absence request form and the request is declined, (as it will be in the majority of cases) and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household will be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school.

If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £120. If after 28 days it remains unpaid you may be summoned to appear before Magistrates to explain why your child has unauthorised school absences and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000. Support and guidance on attendance is always available and if you have any questions about this, or if you need help to achieve an improvement, then please contact us to discuss this.

Dame Rachel de Souza has said the return to school in September is ‘critical’ for ‘getting pupils into school and settled into the school routine’.

Pupils who miss the second, third and fourth day of a new term are likely to have a significantly higher overall absence rate than their peers, according to new analysis from the children’s commissioner, Rachel de Souza.

And pupils with an unauthorised absence on any day in the first week of term had an overall unauthorised absence rate of 25 per cent. This was compared to an overall unauthorised absence rate of 2 per cent for pupils who didn’t miss any sessions in the first week.

Dame Rachel de Souza has produced a new report highlighting the importance of the return to school as “critical” for “getting pupils into school and settled into the school routine”.

In the report, Back into school: New insights into school absence, an analysis of around 32,000 pupils suggested that children who are absent for the second, third and fourth day of a new term are predicted an overall absence of around 43 per cent (or 30 days) across the term.

And, while the study found that Fridays were the most common day for pupils to miss school, the analysis revealed that those that miss school mid-week are more likely to be “habitually absent”.

The data was taken from three multi-academy trusts (MATs) from across the country and with primary, secondary and all-through schools.

The study also found that pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) and those with pupil premium were more likely to have a higher level of absence overall than their peers.

Autumn Term 1

Starts: Tuesday 6th September 2022

Finishes: Friday 21st October 2022

Half Term holiday: 22/10/22 - 30/10/22

Autumn Term 2:

Starts: 31st October 2022

Finishes: 16th December 2022

Christmas holiday: 17/12/22 - 02/01/23

Spring Term 1

Starts: Tuesday 3rd January 2023

Finishes: Friday 17th February 2023

Half Term holiday: 18/02/23 - 27/02/23

Spring Term 2:

Starts: Tuesday 28th February 2023

Finishes: Friday 31st March 2023

Easter holiday: 01/04/23 - 16/04/23

Summer Term 1

Starts: Monday 17th April 2023

Finishes: Friday 26th May 2023

Half Term holiday: 27/05/23 - 04/06/23

Summer Term 2:

Starts: Monday 5th June 2023

Finishes: Friday 21st July 2023

Summer Holiday: starts on 22nd July 2023

(return date for September 2023 TBA)

Please make sure you check ClassDojo and our Website Calendar regularly for updates.

At Lea Forest we aim to develop our pupils’ character through the growth of relationships that define us as human. Through our curriculum, we develop a set of competencies (behaviours) which enable each and every one of our pupils to lead a remarkable life. These competencies can be found at:

https://sites.google.com/aetinet.org/lea-forest-primary-academy/curriculum/aets-character-curriculum.

In addition to the tasks provided by individual class teachers, a ‘Character Curriculum Challenge’ will be set fortnightly on the newsletter.

On this occasion, we would like you to try to complete a Sudoku puzzle. These can be found (for free) in newspapers and magazine and online. Rules and further information about how to complete Sudoku puzzles can be found at: https://sudoku.com/. Remember to share pictures with your teachers via Class Dojo, Twitter and Facebook.

Please help us to keep our children safe by parking in a safe and legal manner. Vehicles should not be parked on pavements, across junctions driveways or our yellow zig zag markings and driver risk an £80 fixed penalty notice if they are parked in a dangerous manner.

It might seem like everything has gone digital, but books still play a very important part in school life. As well as giving your child a head start, developing a love of reading can be really enjoyable.

Make books and stories part of everyday life:

• Build a reading story into a routine, e.g. a story at bedtime.

• Stick your feet up and let your child see your reading a book.

• Go to the library so your child can choose some books to borrow for free.

• Read in fun places, e.g. a den made from blankets.

• Give books as birthday presents - this will show you value them.

• Keep books in your bag or the car.

“Evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures.

In fact, reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school than their social or economic background.” (Pearson 2021)

At Lea Forest, we place high importance on daily reading. Each child is provided with a reading record and books to take home. We ask that the reading records are signed daily and brought into school where they will be collected in, checked and signed by an adult. This is a non-negotiable expectation.

Each child will also receive 1:1 reading sessions, with an adult at school. Comments on your child’s progress will be recorded in red pen.

Parents of children in Year 6 (6MW and 6BP) must now apply for secondary school places via their council portal.

Birmingham Residents must apply via:

https://eadmissions.birmingham.gov.uk/prefs.php

Solihull Residents must apply via:

https://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/Synergy/Live/SynergyWeb/Parents/default.aspx

Mr Croxon will be running parent drop in sessions starting from Wednesday 14th September from 9:00-9:30 (Mon - Thurs) to support parents with completing their applications.

The deadline for all applications is October 31st 2022.

Further information can be found on the Birmingham City Council website here: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20119/school_admissions/1778/apply_for_a_secondary_school_year_7_place