We hope everyone had a safe and happy Easter break. The first week of Term 5 has been full of happiness, enthusiasm and super learning. Each key stage has started their new topics and are keen to progress on these new learning adventures.

You can access all the latest topic overviews on the school website or by clicking Topic Overviews

Staffing Updates

The teaching staff have had a lovely Easter break with their families and are excited for the term ahead.

We would like to welcome Miss Natalie Hawkins to the school who has been appointed as a 1:1 teaching assistant. Miss Hawkins will be working in LKS2 supporting one of our pupils and will also have general teaching assistant hours. We look forward to her starting with us in a few weeks time.

Miss McKenzie has started a phased return to work. She will be working alongside Mr Edwards over the next few weeks.

Mrs Gillings' class is being covered by Mrs Goodburn. Mrs Bellamy will continue to manage Seesaw. Mrs Duggin will be carrying out intervention work with our LKS2 pupils over the course of Term 5.

Foundation Stage

The children in Foundation Stage have been learning to make numbers beyond 10. They have learnt that 12 is made up of 'ten and two more'. They have also begun their learning on Minibeasts, sequenced the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and learnt the days of the week from the story. They have also had fun cutting shapes and creating their very own caterpillar craft.

Key Stage One

This term KS1 have lots of fun learning planned. We are going to be learning about the artist Matisse and recreating his famous Snail picture. In PE we are going to be playing tri-golf and competing in different sports as a whole key stage to win house points for our houses. We are looking forward to learning fun facts about plants and minibeasts. What an exciting term!

Lower Key Stage Two

This week we have been reading Greta and the Giants and exploring the different perspectives to understand how each side of the story feel and why. We have also begun our Science topic exploring different states of matter. We have explored how the particles are move differently in a Solid, Liquids and Gas.

Upper Key Stage Two

This week, UKS2 have started their history topic on the Mayans. The children were interested to learn about the discovery of the abandoned Mayan cities. They had to think hard about how they would've felt, and what questions they would've asked, if they had been the ones to make the discovery!

Every child from Year 2 upwards has a TTRockstars account which can be accessed in school or at home via the website TTRockstars

Each issue we will list the latest leader board for Times Tables Rockstars. To get on the leader board, you need to play 'studio' on TTRockstars and you need to play at least ten times. Well done to our leading ten:

Complaints and concerns

The Local Authority have asked all schools to remind families of the complaints and concerns policy and procedures. These are available on our school website. Please remember to follow the correct procedure if you would like to raise a concern or complaint.

Attendance

Attendance is always a high priority at Metheringham Primary School. This year, we have 31 pupils on track to achieve 100% attendance for the whole academic year. This is an incredible achievement during a 'normal' school year but even more so when the year has been full of challenges and uncertainty.

Every day counts towards excellent attendance. As a school, we aim for all pupils to achieve an attendance level of 95% and above. Any pupils falling below a level of 90% attendance is considered to be persistent absentee. In Term 5, we will update families on their child's current level of attendance and write to any families where a child is falling below 90% if this is non-covid related.

Advanced Notice to changes in the leave of absence procedures

Our updated Covid-19 risk assessment and the latest advice for schools is available on our school website or by clicking here.

Here is a brief outline of the latest advice:

• Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education or childcare setting.

• Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people. They can go back to education or childcare setting when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough.

• If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day, they took the test. The risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower after 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature.