Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope you have had a restful and enjoyable break. It has been great to welcome back all the children and to see them enjoying spending time with each other and their classroom adults.  

We have been hosting the welcome meetings for parents/carers this week and will continue to do so next week.  During these meetings, you will hear about the School's Improvement focus for the year as well as all the important information for your child's year group.  The four areas we will be focusing on can be seen below alongside the meeting times and dates.

The main focus areas for each of the School Improvement segments are as follows:

Quality of Education: Disadvantaged pupils, SEND provision, pupils who are new to English and, peer and self assessment.

Leadership: pupil leadership, development of new curriculum leaders, staff-wellbeing and consistency across phases.

Personal Development: pupil responsibility, communication with families and support for families where needed.

Behaviour: Lunchtime atmosphere, consistency in our approach and Year 2 of THRIVE implementation.

If you would like any further information on the areas above, please do not hesitate to speak to myself or one of the senior leaders, who will be able to provide you with more detail.

As you are aware from last half term,  we have had some changes in staff.  I would like  to take this opportunity to welcome any new members of staff to the Central team as well as any new children that have joined us.  

Reminders from last term:

• Children are not allowed on the adventure area before or after school this is based on our risk assessment and insurance policy.

• Children are not allowed to scoot or ride bikes on the school premises this is based on our risk assessment.

• Staff are not available to supervise children before the school classroom doors open at 8.45am.  Please ensure your child/children are supervised before this time.  Teaching Assistants are on their entrances to take messages if needed for the class teacher and to welcome the children.  Members of the SLT are on duty at various points across the school when they are available to welcome the children in also.  

• Children who walk to school/ride to school on their own (Y5/6 with written permission only) should not be arriving before 8.45am to meet with their friends as they will be unsupervised.   

If you have changed your address, telephone number or email address over the Summer holidays please contact the office so we can update our records.

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend.  The staff and I look forward to seeing you at the remaining welcome meetings. 

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.  

Kind regards,

Mrs Wright

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This term, we have been focusing on teaching our pupils about online safety, an essential skill in today’s digital world. As part of our commitment to keeping children safe online, we have been taking part in Google’s Interland lessons—a fun and interactive way for children to learn how to navigate the internet responsibly.

During these lessons, the students have been learning several key principles of online safety:

1. Creating Strong Passwords: We’ve taught the children how to make strong, secure passwords by combining letters, numbers, and symbols. A strong password is one of the best ways to protect online accounts.

2. Keeping Personal Information Private: We have emphasized the importance of never sharing personal details like addresses, phone numbers, or passwords online. The children now know how to think carefully before posting or sharing anything on the internet.

3. Spotting Suspicious Emails or Websites: Identifying phishing scams or fake websites is a crucial part of staying safe online. Through practical exercises, the children have been learning how to recognize warning signs and avoid dangerous online content.

4. Being Kind Online: Just as kindness is important in the classroom, it is essential when interacting online. We’ve discussed how to be respectful and kind to others on the internet, reinforcing that online words can have real-life effects.

5. Reporting Concerns: Finally, we’ve been teaching students how to report anything suspicious or uncomfortable they see online, whether to a trusted adult, their teacher, or through appropriate online safety channels.

We encourage you to continue these discussions at home. Google’s Interland website is free to access and a great tool for practicing online safety skills together as a family. You can explore the various games and scenarios with your child and help reinforce what they have learned in school.

If you have any concerns or questions about online safety, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher. We are here to support you and your children in navigating the digital world safely.

Later this academic year, we will be hosting a coffee morning focused on online safety. This will be a great opportunity for parents to learn more about the topic, ask questions, and gain practical tips for keeping your family safe online.

Lastly, to make sure online safety stays at the forefront of our students’ minds, we start every lesson with a brief discussion using online safety scenarios. This helps students practice thinking critically about how to stay safe online in real-world situations.

Thank you for your continued support in promoting online safety both at school and at home.

Best regards,

Mr Freeman 

This week's book recommendation is suitable for EYFS children.

My Big Fantastic Family
By Adam and Charlotte Guillain

A beautifully written rhyming book that looks at how a little girl - Lily-May - feels and copes with change when her parents separate. This uplifting story embraces all the positive aspects of becoming part of a blended family and helps children to understand that they will always be loved, no matter what their family may look like. It looks at how Lily-May navigates spending time with her dad and mum and the changes in their lives and how many people love her. 

Good Afternoon,

Hertfordshire County Council and the NHS are delighted to share with you the exciting and new Supporting your Neurodivergent Child handbook that has been developed for Hertfordshire parent/carers and professionals.  The  Neurodiversity Handbook has useful resources, support and signposting on a whole range of things relating to Neurodiversity. 

The resource is accessible to all regardless of whether a young person has a diagnosis or not, and can be used at any point during a young person’s journey.