Hartley Primary Academy Newsletter
May 2021
Principal's Welcome
Dear Parents/Carers,
We have had a fantastic term at HPA and we are really looking forward to some exciting changes that will be happening in Term 6. Although we can't do everything we normally would, we are making great strides to get things back to normal and improve school life for the children. Year 6 are busy preparing for their end of year production 'Star Warts', which we are all excited to see, and we are starting to have visitors back into school to support the learning taking place across the school. So far, Year 3 have had a visit from Andrew Berry to hold an exciting workshop on rocks and soils (who knew rocks and soils could be exciting!!) and our Forest School Ranger, Donna, has been leading some amazing sessions for a variety of year groups (see below for photos and more details). Hopefully, with restrictions continuing to ease, we will be having some more fun, engaging activities taking place in term 6! So far, we have booked 'Samba drumming' sessions for all of the children in the first three weeks and 'Olympic dance' sessions in the second three weeks. Every class will be participating in these activities, including Nursery, thanks to the generous donations from our wonderful parents! Some classes still have Forest School sessions to look forward to, Reception will be off on their trip to Godstone Farm, Year 6 are going to Lullingstone Country Park and Chessington and they'll be having a sleepover at school (all in place of their residential trip), Mr Bull is coming to do cricket with Years 2 and 5, Year 6 have Bikeability and all year groups will have a session with two rugby coaches! What a busy term it is going to be!
Please see below for more information on new drop-off and collection arrangements and changes to what children can bring in to school. We are still planning for children to come to school in their P.E kits, on P.E days and rucksacks or other large bags are still not acceptable. Children in Reception and Year 1 can bring in a book bag and the rest of the school can bring in a draw-string bag only.
The teachers have been busy assessing the children's progress this term and will soon be embarking on their report writing. Reports will be coming home to parents/carers on Friday 9th July and you will be offered an opportunity to discuss the report the following week, should you have any problems or queries.
Enjoy half term and we will look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday 7th June!
Nicole Galinis
Principal
PYP Update
As many of you are aware, Hartley Primary Academy is currently working towards becoming an IB World School through our delivery of the Primary Years Programme (PYP). We have been a candidate school for just over two years, and, following a hugely successful 'Pre-Authorisation' visit in March, we are excited to be entering the final stage of the journey in becoming authorised as an IB World School. Please do take some time to visit your child's class page on the school website to see the amazing inquiry work that happens as part of the PYP work. Mrs. Smith, our PYP Coordinator, will be sharing more information about the PYP at Hartley as we move into the new academic year.
Friday 16th July - Day of Reflection - School closing at 2pm
Mr Beamish, our CEO, has requested that we close at 2pm on Friday 16th July to hold a special event for the staff to thank them for all of their amazing hard work over the last year. I am sure you would all agree that it has been a very challenging time for all and our staff have done a fantastic job throughout and they truly deserve this recognition. We will be having a fun day for the children, before they leave at 2pm, to mark the amazing job they have also done during this difficult time.
Important! New drop off and collection arrangements for Term 6
I am sure you will all be delighted to hear that we are going to trial a new drop off and collection system from the beginning of term 6. We are very aware that it has been challenging for parents to have to deal with the staggered drop offs and collections and we are so grateful for your patience and cooperation with this. As a school, we have decided not to revert back to how we previously did things, because the top playground, in particular, was always very chaotic and we often had to deal with problems that had happened before or after school, which impacted on the children's wellbeing. So, instead of opening the gates at 8.30am and having a congregation of parents/carers and children on the playgrounds, we will open the gates at 8.40am and we would like you to walk your children to their classroom back door, where your child's class teacher or TA will be waiting to welcome the children in. Parents of Year 5 and 6 children are encouraged to drop them at the gate and allow their children to walk straight to their classroom back door. Years R , 2, 3 & 4 will need to walk to the left of the building, across the path on the field and down to the lower playground. From there, you will be able to deliver your child to their classroom, either via the Reception garden for Year R children, or through the classroom back doors for Years 2, 3 and 4. Please then proceed to follow the path around the building to exit. Year 1 will need to also walk to the left of the building from the top playground, but instead of crossing the field on the path, you will need to continue further down the path and turn left to arrive at Elm class or walk a little further on into Oak class' garden. Everyone can enter via the Roundash Way or Fairby Lane gates and we will operate a one way system, with the exit being at the lower field gate. From there, parents can exit onto Roundash Way or walk back up the path to the Fairby Lane gate. We are hoping that this will mean less waiting around for parents/carers which in turn could alleviate some of the parking issues. This is a trial and we be monitoring how effective it is as we go through term 6.
Collections will also be slightly different, with only Years 5 and 6 being collected (unless children are walking home independently) from the top playground at 3.30pm. All other year groups will be collected from the lower playground. Year R will be collected at 3.15pm, Years 1 and 2 at 3.20pm and Years 3 and 4 at 3.30pm. Again, our one-way system will be in operation, so we would like everyone to exit via the lower field gate, so that we do not have a traffic jam on the path that runs between the woods and the Year R/1 gardens. Again this is a trial and we will monitor how successful it is. Please can parents make sure younger children are collected first - if you have children in Years 5 or 6, as well as children in Years 3 or 4, the older children can wait for you on the top playground while you collect those who cannot walk home independently.
Breakfast Club
From Monday 7th June, Breakfast Club will return to its usual arrangements. All children attending will be able to enter via the Breakfast Club door anytime from 7.30am. If your child needs to have breakfast here, they must not arrive later than 8.30am, after which time food will not be available. Children will be kept in phase bubbles during breakfast club - Reception will be separate, Years 1 and 2 together, Years 3 and 4 together and Years 5 and 6 together. The children will still be encouraged to distance from children in the opposite year group but they will share an area of the hall.
Nursery drop off and
collection plans
If you are dropping your child off at 8.45am or collecting at 3.30pm, we would like you to follow the one way system detailed above, like all the other parents. Drop off and collection will be from the nursery gate. If you drop off or collect at any other time, this will continue to be from the lower field gate.
Bikes and scooters
It could prove challenging in Term 6, while we are trialling our new drop off and collection arrangements, to have bikes and scooters left at school. Currently, there are not enough bike racks anyway and those we do have are not located in places that would work with our one way system. If parents can take them home, that would be appreciated. We are working on getting some bigger and better bike racks to be located on the top playground and just inside the Fairby Lane gate entrance, but this will take time to have ready. Year 6 children have Bikeability during Term 6 so they will need to take priority when it comes to bike storage on the top playground!
Mobile Phones
After half term, our Year 5 and 6 children may start to bring their mobile phones into school if they are walking to or from school independently. The phones will be secured in the office during the day and handed back to the class teacher at the end of the school day. Please ask your children to make sure they turn their phone off before handing it in. It is also worth speaking to your children about not walking along while looking at their phone, as this does take their attention away from traffic and other obstacles on their journey.
Birthday sweets
We will once again be able to allow children to bring in sweets to share, for their birthdays. This is certainly not expected but we know a number of families do choose to do this. We would just ask that sweets are in individual packets and that if your child is given sweets by a friend that the rubbish is not deposited on the school grounds as you exit! We cannot accept cakes in school though. Thank you!
Rocks and Soils in Year 3
On Monday 10th May, Year 3 received a visit from Mr Andrew Berry, who delivered his 'Rocking around Britain' workshop. Throughout the day, the children worked scientifically in order to find out lots about rocks and fossils, which is the science focus in Year 3 this term. They looked at rocks, minerals and fossils using microscopes, modelled how rocks are made and created volcanoes. The children were really engaged and excited to take part in all of the activities. You could say it went with a bang!
Forest School Fun!
Lots of our children have been very lucky and had some great Forest school sessions this term. Donna, our ranger from Lullingstone Country Park, has provided a range of wonderful and exciting learmning opportuniites, as well as making hot chocolate and s'mores on the fire! Any children that haven't had their session yet will be doing this next term.
Requests from Reception and Nursery
Our Early Years team are desperately trying to replace various resources that have been broken or simply worn out. If anyone is having a bit of a clear out or your children have outgrown certain toys we would be really grateful for donations of any of the following:
Dolls clothes (babies), Lego figures, small construction vehicles (diggers, etc), small princess figures (not Barbie sized!), party banners, dolls pram, dolls high chair, small animals and people, buckets and spades and storybooks (picture books).
Any donations will be gratefully recieved at the school office - thank you!
Consideration for local residents
We have had a number of complaints this term from local residents. Sadly, despite repeated requests, it appears that some of our parents are being very disrespectful of people living in Roundash Way and Fairby Lane. There was a recent incident of a parent/carer standing by while their little boy urinated in a resident's front garden. When the resident spoke to the parent/carer they were ignored. This is appalling behaviour and not only teaches the children that it is ok to treat other people and their property so poorly, but also brings shame and embarrassment to our school. We were disgusted to hear about this incident and I am sure you would all agree that this is totally unacceptable behaviour.
Parking on zigzag lines
Yet again, parents continue to ignore requests to park more considerately and we have had a number of issues with cars pulling up on the zigzag lines at the Fairby Lane gate to drop their Year 5 or 6 children off. There is a reason you are not supposed to park or stop on the zigzag lines and this is to ensure our children can cross the road and access the school safely. Will it take for there to be an accident before this ridiculous behaviour stops? Be considerate, think of others and park in an appropriate spot!
COVID testing
We know it is a pain and a number of people are feeling frustrated at having to take their children for PCR tests if they get a cough or high temperature, but these are still the rules outlined by the Government - not by us! If your child does have a cough or high temperature you will need to get them tested, even if you think it is just a cold or seasonal allergies. We cannot make medical decisions and will not put anyone at risk by saying a test is not needed. The last thing we would want would be for that one child who didn't get a test to bring COVID into our school and for it to cause others to get ill. Please do not moan to the office staff about this - it is not their fault! If you or your child have symptoms all members of the household must self-isolate until a negative result has come back from a PCR test - a home testing kit is only for asymptomatic people. Any siblings must be kept at home!
Parent/Carer Emotion Coaching Virtual Workshop Part 2
This workshop provides you with:
A Refresher of the key elements of an Emotion Coaching style
A space to practice developing your own Emotion Coaching style using a range of scenarios and models
Date: Wednesday 7th July 2021
Time: 1.15-2.15pm
Venue: Google Meet
The meeting will be via Google Hangout/Meet. (You will need this app to access the meeting)
It will be facilitated by Rajinder Sodhi (EP) and Vicki Adams (SENCO)
If you would like to join this meeting, please email office@hartleyprimary.org.uk to register your interest and you will be sent the ‘virtual’ invitation to join.
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.
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