This week our Y5 children have had an amazing time at the Planetarium as part of their learning about planets and the solar system. Also this week the weather was finally kind enough for us to hold our Y3/4 and Y5/6 sports day events. It was great to see all of the children so engaged in their sporting activities and showing effort and resilience with big smiles on their faces.

This week we also received our KS2 results for our Year 6 children who sat their SATs tests in May. I am pleased to say that the school is in line with national standards in Reading, Writing and Grammar, punctuation and spelling and exceeded the national standard in maths. More detailed information about this attainment will be shared on the school website. 

There are further events coming up next week but before then England play Spain in the European Championship final on Sunday. Good luck England.

Changes to Penalty Fines for Unauthorised Absence 

We are writing to inform you of recent changes made by the government regarding penalty fines for unauthorised absence / non-attendance to school, and to emphasise the crucial importance of regular school attendance for your child’s academic success, overall development and wellbeing. 

The government has taken a proactive step to reinforce the significance of consistent attendance, by implementing stricter and higher penalties as part of their commitment to improving educational outcomes for all students during their educational journey. 

Academic Progress Regular attendance allows students to keep up with their school work and education which is essential for their academic progress and success. 

Social and Emotional Development Schools provide structured environments where students learn social skills, build friendships, develop emotional resilience, all of which are crucial for their overall development. 

Prepare for the Future Regular attendance creates habits of responsibility and discipline that are invaluable as student’s transition into higher education or the workforce. 

Legal Obligations Parents/Guardians have a legal obligation to ensure their child/ children attends school regularly and arrives on time at the start of the school day. All Schools must follow the National Guidance in regards to unauthorised absences. We understand that various factors may occasionally impact your child’s ability to attend school, such as illness or family emergencies and in such cases please communicate with the school promptly to allow for us to provide appropriate support and guidance 

Fixed penalty fines effective 01 September 2024 will be issued per parent per child. A fine to parents will be considered if a child misses 5 days (this will include 5 consecutive days or 5 sporadic days of school) for unauthorised absence (including Unauthorised holidays.) Alongside this, costs for fines will go up from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days and from £120 to £160 if paid in 28 days which will ensure all parents are aware of when they might face a fine to ensure all councils are issuing fines appropriately. 

1st Offence £80 fine – will be issued and would need to be paid within 21 days If payment is not received within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 and must be paid within 7 days. Failure to pay the fine of £160 will result in prosecution in the magistrates’ court. 

2nd Offence within 3 years £160 fine – will be issued and would need to be paid within 21 days. Failure to pay the fine of £160 within 21 days will result in prosecution in the magistrates’ court. 

3rd Offence within 3 years Where a family is identified to be fined on a 3rd occasion within a 3-year period, these cases will be referred straight to the magistrates’ court for prosecution. 

Cross Borough Checks In cases where your child has moved between local authority areas the authority for that area will be contacted to check whether a penalty notice / prosecution has been actioned. 

Co-parenting A penalty notice can be issued to each parent or guardian liable for the attendance offence. This means if a child is residing with a parent and is taken on unauthorised leave with another parent or guardian, both parents would be issued with a penalty notice fine regardless of which parent has applied for a leave of absence.

 National Threshold If the local authority believes a penalty notice would be appropriate in an individual case, they retain the discretion to issue one before the threshold is met. We encourage parents to work with us in fostering a positive attitude towards education and reinforcing the value of regular attendance with your child. Together, we can create an environment where every pupil has an opportunity to thrive academically and personally. Should you have any further questions or concerns around attendance please contact the school for support. 

Year 2 

In year 2: English - The students have been working on a biography of Isatou Ceesay who was the creator and innovating force behind the recycling women in The Gambia. They are documenting the different stages of her life and achievements.

Maths - The students have been exploring the concept of positioning and turning, using different shapes and pictures to better understand directions such as clockwise, anti-clockwise, quarter turn, half turn, three quarter turn and full turn.

Science - The students have been discovering the properties of different materials in order to successfully understand which material would be the best to make a raincoat out of. The children have also been working on a biography of Charles MacKintosh the inventor of the raincoat.

RE - The students have been studying Sikhism and exploring the 10 gurus creating a timeline of events from the 15th century to the 17th century and understanding the history behind the festivals and Sikh practices.

Geography - The students have been studying The Gambia looking at population, over development and pollution gaining a growth mindset to better understand the global journey in our curriculum.