Hartley Primary Academy Newsletter
February 2024
Principal's Welcome
Dear Parents/Carers,
We've had another great term at Hartley, despite the freezing weather at times! Fortunately, the days are gradually getting longer and warmer and the end of the gloom is in sight!
Nothing ever gets us down at HPA anyway - our fabulous teaching team always manages to make school a happy and positive place to be and there has been a ton of learning taking place across the school. I've been amazed and delighted to see the progress that our children are making and the high-quality work that they are producing - our children really do try their best on the whole and it certainly pays off! Thank you to all of you at home for supporting your children with their homework and reading - please keep up the reading over the holidays!
When we return after the half-term break, it will be my final term at Hartley. I am already feeling very sad about saying goodbye but I am so grateful for all the kind words and support you have given me since hearing about my departure from HPA. Mr Mitchell, the new principal has already started his induction this week. He has met with me and all of the teachers and is gradually learning more and more about our wonderful school. I know he is very excited to come and join the team here and lead this outstanding school. Mr Mitchell will spend an afternoon per week at HPA next term, meeting with staff individually and no doubt meeting the children. I will be doing a similar induction at my new school but right up until Thursday 28th March Hartley will be my priority and very much at the centre of everything I do - please rest assured that my head and heart still belongs to Hartley!
Have a wonderful week off - I hope you all get to enjoy some time with your children (or at least benefit from them not being tired and grumpy after a school day!) and we will see you all back on Monday 19th February.
Best wishes,
Nicole Galinis
Principal
Dates for the Diary
(please note these are subject to change but we will inform you as soon as possible if this is necessary)
Monday 19th February - Start of Term 4
Friday 23rd February - Year 3 Swimming (sessions every Friday in Term 4)
Monday 4th March - World Book Day Vocabulary Parade
Tuesday 5th March - 'The BFG' Storytelling Shows for Years R-6
Thursday 7th March - Book Swap
Friday 8th - Weds 13th Book Fair after school
Friday 15th March - Red Nose Day
Thursday 28th March - End of Term (normal finish times)
Staffing
Miss Moloney will be continuing in Willow Class for the rest of the academic year while Mrs Smith continues in her role as Vice Principal. We were going to be putting our new Assistant Principal Mrs Johnson into Willow after Easter but with Mrs Palmer going on maternity leave we have decided it would be better for Mrs Johnson to go into Cedar and give Willow better continuity by keeping Miss Moloney where she is.
Mrs Mitchell (Kelly) our Nursery teacher will be leaving at Easter due to ill health. Unfortunately, those germs just keep attacking her and she needs some time away from little people who do love to share their germs so freely! We are currently advertising for a new teacher to replace her.
PTA
Our amazing PTA have been busy planning lots of wonderful events for over the coming months. This week we ended the term with their 'odd day' and tuck shop and next term they are planning for the Easter Bunny to return with eggs for the children!
The PTA are also planning to have a Movie Night (hopefully in Term 4), a Mother's/Special Person's Day gift activity (similar to the Christmas card activity), a Summer Disco (Thursday 18th July) and a Summer Festival (Saturday 15th June). The PTA will also be in school on Friday 8th March, joining us at the Book Fair after school, where they will be selling tea/s coffees and afternoon tea boxes for a little early Mother's/Special Person's Day treat - why not come along to buy a book then sit and share it with your child over a lovely cuppa!
Over recent months the PTA has part-funded ukelele lessons, paid for our Pantobus pantomime, paid for our annual subscription to Animaphonics and they have also agreed to pay for us to have Donna, the Forest School Ranger, to come in for Outdoor Leanrning Week in the summer, for a Flat Stanley first aid course for all of KS2, new sports kits and new football goals for the lower field (ours aren't regulation size apparently!). The PTA has also kindly offered to help fund a trip for Year 5 who had a rather disastrous trip to the National Gallery where they ended up having to get the train home because of a problem with the coach! Hopefully, Year 5 will be off to the theatre later this year with the help of PTA funding - I'm sure all the parents and children will be very grateful!
Breakfast Club Request
We understand that some parents/carers need to use Breakfast Club on an ad hoc basis, e.g. for those who work shifts etc, but we are currently having an increasing number of people turning up without pre-booking which potentially can cause issues to do with staff-to-pupil ratios. Please can we request that you prebook your child/ren's places whenever possible to avoid our team being understaffed? Many thanks!
Clubs
Just a reminder that children should only be signed up to one club at a time. If there are additional spaces we will inform you in the first week back so that you can choose a second club if you wish.
Please can we also request that if your child has done a club once you do not sign them up for the same club again, to allow other children a chance to have a turn! In some instances, the adult running the club may allow children to repeat a club but this is only when there is not a waiting list.
Save our environment!!
We have a number of parents who are arriving early in Roundash Way, Fairby Lane and Chantry Avenue. We understand the desire to get a parking space but please do not leave your car running will you are sitting there - this is polluting the environment with fumes and noise!
Car parking
Yet again I am having to have a moan about bad parking and poor driving. During my time as Principal at HPA I have probably had more complaints about parking and driving than anything else and the complaints come from parents, residents, staff and even some of our pupils. Please drive slowly near our school and don't park on curbs or block driveways - it's just plain inconsiderate!
Attendance Term 3
Please have a look at our attendance policy to make sure you are aware of our procedures regarding lateness and unauthorised absences.
We have a number of classes who have done really well with their attendance, as you can see below:
Well done to Oak class for achieving a fantastic 98% attendance this term and to Elm for being the most improved!
Well done as well to Elm, Oak and Chestnut classes for achieving over 95% attendance every week this term - wow!
(data based on attendance up until and including Wednesday 7th February)
Year 6 trip to the RAF museum
On Thursday 11th January, Year 6 were fortunate to visit the RAF museum in London. Firstly, the children walked around the museum, observing differences in size, colour and purpose of the planes. They noticed lots of symbols on the planes, which helped to explain what they were used for. As well as this, the children also took part in a workshop, where they learnt about air raids, and were able to try on the uniform of members of the RAF.
Year 6 behaved fantastically well during the trip and represented HPA very well.
Young Voices 2024
On January 15th 2024, 39 choir members from years 4,5 and 6 spent the afternoon at the O2 Arena rehearsing with 8,000 children from schools across the country. They then went on to perform 10 songs ranging from a Moana Mash-up, a Matilda Medley and a YV original song on the stage at the O2 Arena.
The choir signed up in October and from then, were dedicated by coming to weekly rehearsals. Leading up to the big day, we had 2 weeks where we met each day to ensure we were O2 ready.
The children (and adults accompanying them) performed amazingly on the night and it is definitely an experience that will stay with them for many years to come.
YV24.mp4Sporting Activities
Basketball
On 18th January, HPA took part in a basketball competition at Northfleet Technology College. It was a very competitive event and the standard of basketball was fantastic. The children showed great skill, team work and determination throughout the event. Unfortunately, we did not progress into the knockout stages of the competition but enjoyed cheering on the schools who made it to the final. As always, the children demonstrated brilliant sportsmanship and we were extremely proud of them both on and off the court.
Boccia & Curling
12 Year 2 children went to Cobham Hall for a Boccia and Kurling festival. This was a chance for the children to experience two new sports as well as develop fundamental movement skills. This was an enjoyable morning for all and the children had a fantastic time.
Playground games
8 Year 5 children went to a playground games event to develop problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills. They learned a variety of playground games that they can play at lunchtimes with their peers as well as children in KS1 and LKS2. This was a lovely event for the children to develop new skills which they can then bring back and apply at lunchtimes to make lunchtime an enjoyable, fun time for all children.
Girls Football
On Thursday 1st February, 8 girls from Year 5 and 6 took part in a cup football match against Shears Green Junior School. The girls demonstrated great determination and resilience against confident opponents. Our team performance improved with every quarter of the match. We are extremely proud of all of the girls - well done!
Boys Football
On Wednesday 7th February, 11 Year 6 boys took part in a cup match against St John's Catholic Primary School. It was an entertaining game with chances at both ends. The boys battled hard against some very strong opponents and didn't give up. Although we will not be progressing in this cup competition, the boys are looking forward to some friendly fixtures in the coming terms. Mrs Fewell and Louis (football coach) were very proud of the effort, commitment and attitude the boys displayed throughout the match. Well done!
Severe weather arrangements
Although there is currently no imminent forecast of snow, it would seem timely to remind parents of the procedures in the case of severe weather. Please be reminded that the main means of communication are via the website (www.hartleyprimary.org.uk) and text messages to parents.
Please monitor our website for updates. In the event of heavy snow which requires us to close the school we will also alert Kent County Council. Updates on the status of our school and others can found on Kent Schools Closures www.kentclosures.co.uk. BBC Radio Kent, Heart FM and KMFM will use this information to broadcast school closures over the radio.
Parents can also register for alerts by email for free via www.kentclosures.co.uk - as soon as we notify the KCC website of our closure, parents will be updated almost instantaneously.
Every effort will be made to keep the school to be open - the factors that will lead to the decision to close the school are:
If the site is unsafe due to ice and/or snow;
If a reasonable temperature cannot be maintained in the building;
If water is not available and the toilet system is not working satisfactorily;
If staff cannot reach school and not enough staff are available to supervise the children.
We may ask all children to come into school with a packed lunch in the event that the Cucina team are not able to get in.
If school is open and the weather deteriorates during the school day we will text you and update our website to request you to come and collect your child. You must contact the school if an adult other than yourself is going to collect. An email will suffice (office@hartleyprimary.org.uk) - I encourage you to use this method to prevent our phone lines from jamming.
FREE APPS to support children with their mental health
· Mindful Powers - 4-12yrs (Apple Store) Mindful Powers
· EQuoo - 12+yrs (Apple Store and Google Play) Conquer Anxiety with eQuoo | Equoo Game
· Chill Panda - All ages (Apple Store and Nintendo) Chill Panda – Reducing anxiety and improving well being in Children through a fun gaming app
· Cove - All ages (Apple Store) Cove (cove-app.com)
· GoNoodle - 6-12yrs (Apple Store and Google Play) GoNoodle | Home
· Plant Nanny - 9+yrs (Apple Store and Google Play) Plant Nanny | Stay Hydrated, Grow a Forest
· Dreamy Kid - 3-17yrs (Apple Store and Web based) DreamyKid • Kids Meditation App • DreamyKid The #1 Kids Meditation App
· Children’s Sleep Meditations - All ages (Apple Store and Google Play) Children's Sleep Meditations - Apps on Google Play
Free School Meals
If your child is under 19 and in full-time education, you may be able to get free school meals for them if you receive certain benefits. The quickest and easiest way to check whether your child is eligible for free school meals and to apply is via the KCC website:
https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals
If your child is already registered for free school meals, you do not need to reapply. If you’re not sure whether your child is already registered, please call the school and we can check our records, or you can contact KCC on 03000 416464.
Check out our Facebook Page!
If you haven't already, please like and follow our Facebook page Hartley Primary Academy for updates and information about our school.
Follow us on Twitter @HartleyAcademy
Look out for school information and updates, as well as recruitment opportunities! Please encourage friends and family to follow us too!
