Cherry Orchard Primary Academy Newsletter
September - Issue 1/2021
Principal's Welcome
Welcome back to all our families! It has been a great start to the new school year, the children have come back with smiley faces and have been keen to get back to their learning. At last we managed to have real, face to face assemblies in our Key Stages last week. This was the first time our younger children have had the chance to go to assembly in the hall, so exciting times for all of us!
Please do take the time to read our newsletter carefully as there is lots of useful information here ...
Julie Forsythe - Principal
Well the day has finally arrived !
It seems only yesterday when the school opened its gates for the first time - with only 67 pupils in KS1 in 2017. Four years on - one and a half of which have been the most challenging 18 months in teaching ever - and we have finally filled our Year 6 classrooms with happy smiling faces! Welcome to the first COPA Year 6 classes with Miss Brylikowska and Miss Chandler - we look forward to introducing our House Captains / Y6 Prefects to you in the next few weeks. We are so proud of the fine and confident young people they have all become and look forward to a fantastic and enjoyable last year before they move on to pastures anew!
Some Y6 have already started their year with a bang , sitting their 11+ exam this week, just a few days into the new term . They faced the challenge with enthusiam in a calm and mature manner and we wish them every success with their results.
School News & Updates
Drop off / Pick Up Arrangements
Following the letter from Mrs. Forsythe to bring forward the timing for collection of Year 1 to 3:05 on the main playground, please be prompt to pick up to get our youngest children collected before the playground gets too busy. We also continue to appeal to parents to congregate along the back of the playground in front of your class sign, so that teachers and children can see their parents to dismiss quickly. If parents amass outside the hall on the corner, it is difficult for the little ones to see their parents and also does not allow Years 3 and 4 enough room to line up under their class signs. To remind you again, Years 5 & 6 will exit and line up at the woodland end of the playground, Years 1 & 2 exit in the middle and years 3 & 4 exit and line up at the Hall end of the playground. Thank you for your cooperation to help us dismiss the children quickly.
Parent Governor Election
We have had two applications for the role of Parent Governor and this will mean an election to determine a candidate will now be applied. The work of a parent governor is vital to the effectiveness of the overall board and you should take the time to carefully read the statements of each of the candidates and vote accordingly. These will be sent out shortly.
KS1/KS2 Google Classroom
For the purpose of our new parents, we would remind you that all classes put important notes and information in the Google Classroom and you can view newsletters, class contact books and reading records all from here. Teachers are in the process of migrating all the children over to their new classes, but the log in details should already be with you. Please put any messages to the class teacher in the contact book and hand it in - the class teacher or teaching assistant will look at this and respond if required or acknowledge it not.
Ebbsfleet Academy Saturday Workshops for Year 6
The Trust has agreed to fund the Saturday Workshops for Year 6 this September and for Year 5 later in the year. This means your child can now attend completely free of charge on Saturday mornings. If Y6 have not already done so, please sign up on this link. For further information please see here and we will release further information for Year 5 when available.
Relationships, Health and Sex Education Policy
Relationships and Health Education are compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education. We are not required to provide sex education but we do need to teach the elements of sex education contained within the primary science curriculum and we understand that pupils will require and benefit from age-appropriate teaching and learning on certain issues.
This policy is in its draft form at the moment and will be developed in consultation with staff, pupils and parents. We invite you to view the policy currently on the website here and make your comments on the google form link here.
House Points
Many of you may know our Houses derived from the hub stations on the Ebbsfleet line and that four years ago we took the children on a day trip to visits each of the stations of Ebbsfleet, Stratford, St. Pancras and Ashford.
From this week, our DoJo points - which can be awarded for the different attributes of the IB as well as behaviour and academic achievement - will be linked to our House points system and updated by our 'soon to be elected' House Captains in Year 6.
Golden Afternoon
For the benefit of our new parents, at the end of every term, we hold a 'Golden Afternoon' of activities across each key stage. This has been limited during COVID but will be relanched to the children as an incentive to reward good behaviour. Activities will include cooking, sporting, crafting and other exciting opportunities which the children choose at the beginning of the term.
Car Park
Please be aware that this is a public car park and is not under the jurisdiction of COPA - however we are appealing to our parents to please park in the parking bays only to make entry/exit safe and quick for parents at drop off/pick up.
Attendance for school age pupils
Please be advised that any leave of absence during term time will not be authorised, except in the most exceptional of circumstances. In this instance, leave of absence must be approved in advance by the Principal and will be dependent on individual circumstances. The Principal must receive your request in writing in plenty of time to consider the circumstances and will inform you once this has been considered. Unauthorised absence will be subject to a fixed penalty charge of £120 per parent per child applied by KCC - reduced to £60 for early payment. Please see our full policy arrangements for attendance. Find out more about our term time holidays.
This term we will return to issuing certificates to children with 100% attendance each term and where there is a concern about absence, we will return to regular letters of concern to raise awareness. The expectation for all pupils is 100% attendance, but where the percentage falls below 95%, you may be requested to attend a meeting with the Trust Attendance Officer to discuss how attendance can be improved.
Every Friday in Assembly, we will celebrate the class with the highest attendance that week and they will be awarded with our Attendance Chimp and an extra five minutes of playtime!
w/e 10.9.21 - KS1 Best Attenders
w/e 10.9.21 - KS2 Best Attenders
World's biggest Coffee Morning!
COPA to host a coffee and cake competition for Parents on Friday 24 September - You bring the cakes and we will provide the coffee!
Parents are invited to the World's biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Cancer Research - please see our invite for further details - and get baking! Bring along family and friends and meet our new cook Salome who will judge the cake baking competition. All cakes will be sold or auctioned at the coffee morning in aid of Cancer Research.
Our 'Window into the Classroom' Sites
Our existing parents will already know where to find our class websites and how they can find out all about what their children are learning and get a glimpse into the classroom to view work and photos. For our new parents, these can be found on the front page of the website on the 'our classes' tabs.
From here you can navigate to your child's class year group and see the staff, newsletters, information and photos which you can use as a base for a discussion with your child about their learning.
Please bear with us whilst we update with this term's information and check back weekly to view new items as these will be added all the time.
Primary Years Programme IB Learner Profiles
Each Tuesday, pupils will be reflecting on different attributes of our Learner Profile and thinking about how these can be demonstrated and nurtured through our learning at school and at home. At the end of the week, teachers will choose a child from each class that has demonstrated the attribute in a particular way and present them with a certificate to take home. Last week we were all great thinkers - lets see who the teachers spotted being great thinkers!
KS1 Thinkers w/e 10.9.21
KS2 Thinkers w/e 10.9.21
Cherry Orchard Primary Academy is a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme and pursuing authorization as an IB World School. You will notice that in the description below, there are words and phrases that may be new to you when describing your child’s learning within the IB PYP programme. To help you as valued members of our learning community, we will be introducing you to these in more detail.
This week, we wanted to introduce you to the word ‘agency’ and what it means in the school learning environment. This image summarises the different ways that we, at COPA incorporate pupil agency.
By teaching using the IB PYP programme, we are able to promote learning that allows pupils to have more ‘agency’.
Guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, pupils broaden their learning by developing their conceptual understandings, strengthening their knowledge and skills across, between and beyond subject areas.
This term, in Years 1-6, our transdisciplinary theme is ‘How We Express Ourselves’. Teachers have created central ideas which describe what the pupils will be investigating within their unit of inquiry. Their lines of inquiry help to define the central idea and are explored by the children throughout the unit.
Here are the Central Ideas for Years 1-6 this term:
Year 1: Humans may choose to express themselves in different ways
Year 2: People use communication and creativity for different purposes
Year 3: Humans choose various ways to express and communicate the complexity of themselves
Year 4: People’s expression of themselves can be appreciated and enjoyed by others
Year 5: Reflection can bring about change and enhanced enjoyment of creativity.
Year 6: Humans may express their appreciation of aesthetics through their choices
Cherry Pips and EYFS focus on 4 different Transdisciplinary Themes throughout the year. This term and next their theme is Who We Are.
Here is the Central Idea for Cherry Pips and EYFS:
Relationships with others influence people’s lives in many ways.
IB PYP Information Event
Tuesday 19th October - 9am
You are welcome to join us at this event held in our school hall, designed to give you more information on how the learning community at COPA teach and learn through the IB Primary Years Programme. This session is designed to inform but also for you to ask questions to our IB PYP coordinator, Mrs Foxwell, regarding the programme implementation.
National Online Safety
We are a fully certified NOS School!
A message to all parents who children have recently joined Cherry Orchard. Please sign up yet for a National Online Safety account by clicking on our unique school link here.
You will be able to access up to date online safety information and watch a range of free, informative webinars. You will also be able to find out all of the important safety information regarding apps like TikTok as well as teaching your child to look out for 'fake news' and other important, topical current events. We encourage all parents to sign up, accounts are free and apps on android and IOS are also available.
Remember to always encourage your child to play in a shared family space, where you can supervise their activity as this is the best way to ensure their safety.
COPA celebrate reading success
Children will continue to be able to access 1000's of free e-books through their myOn accounts. Children new to the school will be set up with logins and information sent out to you in due course. Children in KS2 (Years 3 - 6) will be able to link their myOn accounts to their Accelerated Reader account meaning that their 'suggested' reads will be within their ZPD level.
COPA Parent Teacher Association
Following the lifting of restrictions, we aim to get our PTA up and running again this term. We will shortly be sending out information to request initial interest in helping reestablish this very valuable team of volunteer parents to help fundraise and host events for our children over the coming year.
Further information from the PTA will follow.
For Nursery and Reception, newsletters are posted on the class pages here.
Class Newsletters
For our new parents, here is a reminder that the class newsletters are posted directly onto the class sites, which can be accessed via the Google Classroom. Our new class sites are currently being updated and this is where you will find out all about what your child is currently learning - as well as photos of events and activities. In addition each class has a newsletter tab showing newsletters for Terms 1 - 6. Term 1 is out now!
KS2 have been issued with their user name and password to access our fantastic Spanish program LanguageNut.
The child who achieves the highest engagement score each week, will be recognised with a certificate, presented by Mrs Forsythe in our weekly celebration assembly. For further information see this link.
Mrs. Mithen will be looking out for some 'Language Stars' over the coming week.
International Language Day
In recognition of International Language Day on Thursday 23 September, we will be celebrating in school by inviting children to wear the traditional dress of their country or origin - or wear clothes in the colours of their National flag.
Children can come to school that day in their own clothes but these should represent or reflect their country in some way, not football shirts.
We hope to offer a taster lunch with dishes from around the world, but we will keep you informed nearer the time.
Extended Schools News & Information
Registration Links
Please use the links below to register for Extended Schools Provisions for TERM 2. These booking links will all close on Friday 9th October for processing and invoicing and your invoice will be confirmation of your sessions.
Lunchtime Club Programme
Now that restrictions have lifted, we are able to return to a mixed lunchtime club programme. Miss Peacock will lead two KS2 lunchtime clubs a week - a Sports Club on Tuesdays and a Games Club on Thursdays.
Lunchtime Clubs for KS1 will commence shortly. Further details to follow.
Registration for ASP / BC
Registration for Term 2 for EYFS/KS1/KS2 is now open and will close on Friday 8th October for processing; no ad-hoc or late bookings after this date will be accepted. Confirmation for your booked sessions will be by receipt of your invoices, which will be sent out w/c 11th October; payment will be required 7 days from the receipt of your invoice, which will be your confirmation of a place. Please double check your junk mail or spam folder if you do not receive your invoice and let Cherry Finance or Extended Schools know in plenty of time to rectify in the last two days of term.
After School Activity Clubs
Registration for Activity Clubs for Term 2 will be sent out shortly once club leaders and activities have been confirmed. Watch out for notification on the school website blog or log onto the Activity Clubs tag to see what is available.
Please note pick up for Activity Clubs will be at 4:15 from the side gate off the main playground except for EYFS, which will by via the Nursery gate. Staff will bring children out at pick up time. Please be prompt to collect as staff have already had a long school day.
Window into Extended Schools
We are currently compiling our new website for Extended Schools which will be released in the next few days. This will give you constant up to date information on the activities, timings and release dates of new registrations, as well as a glimpse at some of the activities your children get up to after school. You can view a representative programme of activities for KS1 and KS2 by clicking on these links - some activities may be subject to change or a swap.
COPA Minibus
Plans for our COPA Minibus have been reinstated and this week artwork for its livery has been approved. We hope to take delivery of this by the end of the term ready to roll out in Term 2.
This will allow students to visit local attractions and take outings during the school day and we hope to be able to offer school drop-offs in the morning at a reasonable cost, for those parents who are interested. More details to follow in the next newsletter.
Welcome to our new Chef
Olive Dining our onsite catering company have appointed a new Chef Cook. Her name is Salome and she will be meeting you all at the parents coffee morning.
Please see our email explaining that lunch prices have increased by 5p to £2.45 from September or £12.25 per week. This should be paid in advance and posted through the letter box situated outside the Kitchen and on the Reception side of the building for Early Years.
Celebrating COPA Student success outside of the Academy
Arjun Bhattiprolu - Year 5 - Badminton
News just in today is that Arjun is the new Kent Under 12s Singles Champion winning gold at the weekend in Badminton singles. As if that wasn't enough, he also took silver in the doubles and silver in the under 14s - what a trio of successes for our boy! Well done Arjun.
We look forward to cheering you on at the Olympics one day
Outdoor Learning Environment
A very exciting delivery arrived this week for the woodland area!
A number of pallets containing some very exciting equipment arrived on a lorry this week to compliment our woodland area and our new outdoor classroom. Trim trail stations will begin to be erected around the Rotunda building adding some much longed for fun and exciting activity trails for the children to enjoy in the coming months.
Watch this space to see them as they are added and once fully assembled, we will be introducing the children to their new play areas. Exciting times ahead - further details in the next newsletter!
Usual Reminders
Lunch Prices increased in September to £2.45 per day or £12.25 a week
Sign up for Year 6 Saturday Workshops at Ebbsfleet Academy here
Please be prompt to pick up your child from the playground
Please remember no sweets/cakes for birthdays - a class book is preferred
Calendar dates for your Diary
International Language Day Thursday 23rd September
Macmillan's Coffee Morning Friday 24th September @ 9am
Ebbsfleet Academy Workshops commence Saturday 25th September
T1 Golden Afternoon Friday 22nd October
Term 1 End Friday 22nd October
Term 2 Start Monday 8 November
Term 2 End Friday 17 December (early school closure)
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