Weekly Newsletter
20th October 2023
THANK YOU
I am writing to you today to thank you for your efforts this half term in getting your children to school every day and on time. I know that this is not always easy, especially on busy mornings but your commitment to ensuring your child has regular attendance is helping your children to succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. It also helps prepare them for the future.
Today all children will have some extra playtime as a reward for their efforts this half term.
We understand that you may be concerned about sending your child to school with a minor cough or cold. However, we want to assure you that it is generally safe for children with minor illnesses to attend school. Children often feel better when they get into school. Click here for NHS ‘Is my child too ill for school?’ guidance.
Click here for some tips for getting children to school on time. Click here for a blog about school attendance.
Kind regards
Miss Shaw
REMINDERS
From September 2023, drop off time for Year 1-6 children is from 8:30am - 8:40am. Gates will close promptly at 8:40am. Punctuality to school each morning is vital as key learning and pre-learning takes place at the start of the school day. Any pupils arriving after the gates are closed will have to come through the school office to sign in as late.
Reception can enter between 8:40am - 8:55am
In order to safeguard both our children and staff, we have made the following changes to external gate opening times. Please do not wedge the Tilehurst gate open.
Stoughton Gate
Open 7am - 8am
Open 8.25am - 8.55am
Open 11.55am - 12.15pm
Open 2.55pm
Tilehurst Gate
Open 8.25am - 8.55am
Open 2.55pm
We are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential for an accident involving scooters and/or bikes being ridden on school property. We have previously asked for children not to ride scooters or bikes in the playground or any of the school paths.
Please ensure that your child DOES NOT ride their scooter or bike in school - they should get off and walk to and from the school gates.
Year 3- 6 Chrome books need to be charged and in school every day for learning
DIARY DATES - AUTUMN TERM
Monday 23rd October - Friday 27th October - Half Term
Monday 30th October - Inset Day - No School
Tuesday 31st October - Return to school
Tuesday 31st October - Closing date for application to Secondary school (Year 6)
Thursday 2nd November - Year 2 - Local Walk - details here
Thursday 2nd November - Year 5 - Orchestra Unwrapped Trip - Details here
Thursday 9th November - Year 1 Hearing check - Letter to school by Tuesday 7th Nov
Friday 3rd November - Year 3 - Sleepover - Details here
Monday 13th November - Nursery & Reception - Dress up day
Tuesday 14th November - Wednesday 15th November - Parent/Carer Consultations
Thursday 16th November - Year 5 & 6 - Water Safety Workshop - In school
Wednesday 22nd & Thursday 23rd November - PTFA School Discos - Details here
Tuesday 28th November - Reception - Story telling Workshop - Details here
Thursday 30th November - Year 2 - Time Traveller Workshop - Details to follow
Tuesday 5th December - Year 1 - Magical Toy Workshop - Details here
Friday 15th December - St Ralphaels Rudolph run - Details to follow
Wednesday 20th December - Christmas Dinner - Details to follow
Friday 22nd December - School finishes 2:00pm
SPORTS CALENDAR
HARVEST - THANK YOU
Thank you to all the Parents and Carers that kindly donated good to the Harvest festival.
PTFA NEWS
Spooky Spoon Winners....here
Welcome we were overwhelmed with the entries, they were amazing.
Thank you to Miss Shaw for choosing our winners. We raised £52.85!
Dress up day - Friday 20th October - Thank you we have raised £285.91!
LUNCH AT CHEAM FIELDS
During this half term, we have received feedback from Parents and Carers that their children are not always able to have the choice they would prefer from our School Lunch Menu.
Each morning, your child’s teacher asks them whether they are School Dinner or Packed lunch. From Monday, we will be making the following change to improve the lunch time menu selection process:
Your child will be able to choose the jacket potato/pasta option during morning register. If your child would like a jacket potato/pasta for lunch, they will need to say this when the register is taken. They will be given a yellow wristband to wear and will need to keep this on so they can be identified in the lunch hall. Years 4 - 6 will receive their wristband in the morning, Reception to Year 3 will be given theirs just before they go to the hall.
In order to help ensure that your child has the option they would like, please download and share the menu with your child so they are aware of the options available.
As per the menu, Jacket potatoes are available as an option on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Pasta is available on Tuesday and Thursday.
Please ensure you update Arbor if there are any changes to your child’s dietary requirements or their food allergies.
CHEAM FIELDS CLUBS & LEO HOLIDAY CLUBS
Autumn Term Clubs are now viewable on Arbor under Activities/Clubs.
Please see Autumn Term list of clubs here for dates and times.
If you no longer require a club space, please email the Office and let us know as some clubs have a waiting list.
Please click here for information on External led clubs at Cheam Fields & our LEO HALF TERM CLUBS
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black History Month
Black History Month 2023: Celebrating our Sisters, Saluting our Sisters, and Honouring Matriarchs of Movements
At Cheam Fields we like to celebrate diversity in a variety of ways such as through stories and art. The month of October is Black History Month and we would like the pupils to be involved in this by choosing an activity from the homework matrix.
The homework is optional but we do hope that children will enjoy learning more about black history! Any activities completed should be shared with the class teacher and will also be shown to Miss Shaw and Mrs Mann.
DONATIONS WANTED
Maggies at Royal Marsden are collecting Christmas decorations for their Christmas tree. Its a really worthwhile cause. All donations need to be brought to the school office by 17th November 23.
SUTTON LOCAL AUTHORITY - YOUTH NEWSLETTER
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
At Cheam Fields Primary Academy we recognise that good attendance gives our children the best possible opportunity for learning and reaching their full potential. Children need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the education opportunities available to them as well as their relationships with friendship groups. Giving your child the best start in life is every parent or carer’s wish. The opportunity to learn and make progress is essential to improve life chances. Good attendance is key to securing this.
Illness - If your child is going to be off school due to illness, please complete our Absence form here by 8:30a.m on each day of Absence giving the reasons for any absence, this is an important safeguarding issue for the school.
Appointments - If your child has to have an appointment during school time please fill in the appointments form here. If your child will be in school over the lunch period please ensure you have filled in if they will be school dinners or packed lunch. A copy of any evidence for appointments can be emailed or brought into the office.
Exceptional Absence - Taking holidays in term time affects children’s schooling as much as any other absence and the school expects parents to help us by not taking children away in school time. There is no automatic entitlement in law to time off in term time to go on holiday. The Governing Body does not sanction absence during term time. Any authorisation given by the Principal will be at her discretion and only in exceptional circumstances.
Please fill in the request for exceptional absence here.
CHEAM FIELDS HOME LEARNING
PUPIL PREMIUM
All children in Sutton will automatically qualify for Universal Free School Meals, but this does not mean automatic qualification for benefit related Free School Meals. It’s vitally important that you
still complete your school or borough’s registration form in case your child is eligible for extra funding for their school from the Government, worth £1,300 per year. That’s extra money to spend on enrichment activities, teacher development, and targeted support for the children that need it most. Depending on how schemes operate in your borough, it may also entitle you to other benefits like food vouchers during the holidays. Please register for free school meals here.
MEDICINES IN SCHOOL
We are able to administer prescription medicines in school. However we only administer medicine when the course cannot be completed at home. If you are unable to do this we would kindly ask that you do the following:
Complete the medicine form here
Ensure medicines are clearly labelled and in date
Come to the office with your child and their medicine before school each day
Your child will receive a medication label
Collect your medication from the office each day
PARENT/CARER SUPPORT
Please click here to be taken to our Support page which has information on Parent/Carer workshops/courses/resources in the local community or online
TRANSITION SUPPORT TO SECONDARY
If your child is Year 6 there is lots of useful information on transferring to secondary school here. Please be reminded the closing date to submit your application to secondary school is the 31st October.
Please click here to be taken to our Transition Support page
APPLYING FOR RECEPTION
Children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 are due to start primary school in September 2024. Applications are open now and close on 15th January 2024.
Please click on the links below for information about applying via Sutton Council. If you live in a different Borough, you will need to make your application through your home Borough Council.
Applying to start primary school - Sutton Council
eAdmissions Application Process Film - YouTube
If you have any questions about applying for Reception, please contact the School Office.
LEO LOTTERY
The LEO Lottery raises money to enhance the opportunities for ALL our pupils!
Join our weekly lottery from just £1 a week
It’s an easy way to support our Trust and help raise funds for LEO Foundation projects
40% of ticket sales come back to us
There’s a guaranteed winner every week as well as the chance to win £25,000
It’s easy to sign up online so start supporting our Trust today!
Last year, funds raised by the LEO Foundation supported our LEO PRIDE Awards in EYFS, our ECB All Stars Cricket Development Centre for Year 2 pupils, Mandarin lessons for Year 5 pupils and our Year 6 Junior Citizenship Programme.
Your support is greatly appreciated and we wish you good luck!
Support LEO Academy Trust when you play Your School Lottery - Your School Lottery
KEEP UP WITH CHEAM FIELDS PRIMARY AND LEO TRUST ON TWITTER!
