Twyning School - Newsletter 24.01.2025

Here is this week's news:

I hope that you have all had a great week so far. We have had a very busy and successful week here.

Morning timings:

It has come to my attention that there has been a little confusion / uncertainty regarding the official start time of school in the morning so I can only apologise if there has not been clear enough information - I do appreciate it may have become confusing as it changed in the last 12 months with new guidance from the DfE.

The gates open in the morning at 8:30 am so that there is a 15 minute window for children to arrive and enter the playground. The doors open at 8:45am when the school day begins. There are morning activities set up in class from 8:45 and this is when we like the children to get settled ready for the register at 9am. The gates are closed at 9am (half an hour after opening). The register for the first session is taken at 9.00am and is kept open until 9.15am. We will mark children as officially late if they arrive after 9:00am. After 9:15am, if a child has still not arrived and we do not know the reason for absence, it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence in the register. We ask please that children are on the playground before 8:45am so that they are ready to walk through the doors when they open. Thanks for your support!

PTFA News:

I would like to highlight the PTFA information below in this newsletter. Our PTFA do a fantastic job fundraising for our children. Last year they were able to give school £6463 which went towards the rabbits class canopy, and many other playground items enjoyed by our children every day. This year, funds are being raised to buy new laptops. Sadly our Chair and Treasurer are stepping down this year - after many years of volunteering, it is time to pass the reins on to a new committee. Without a new committee forming, our PTFA will have to fold. Please have a think and put your name forward if you can - the existing chair and treasurer are willing to give a full handover and offer any assistance that you may need.

Parking outside school:

Please can I ask again that parents do not stop vehicles on the yellow zigzags outside school (even for a brief moment while a child gets out of the car). There have been a number of concerns raised by members of the community about this and the risk of accidents that may occur. Please allow enough time to park across the green if needed. Many thanks again.

Miss Gladstone

Platinums

Congratulations this week go to...

Hayden P

Frankie D

Sophie T-P

Lacey-May B

Montana S

Leo H

Dates for your Diary

12th February - Valentine's Disco evening. See flyers below.

17th - 21st February - Half Term holiday

5th March - No After School Club today due to staff training

19th March - Cyber Security evening

14th - 25th April - Easter Holidays

28th April - INSET DAY - school closed

5th May - Bank Holiday - school closed

26th May - 30th May - Half Term holiday

25 June and 26 June - Tewkesbury School Big Step Transition days 2025

11th July - Year 5 trip to Tewkesbury Medieval Festival Schools Day

18th July - Last day of term

vacancies

We are advertising for a TA position in KS2. The advert can be found here: https://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schoolvacancies/details.aspx?ID=32993&page=0

We also have a vacancy for a mid-day supervisor to work during lunchtimes - if you would like to join our team or know anyone who might be interested, please let Miss Gladstone know or email Mrs Tingle at bursar@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk .

PTFA CHANGES - can you help?

Sadly our Chair and Treasurer are stepping down this year. After many years of volunteering, it is time for them to pass on the reins to a new committee. Without a new committee forming, our PTFA will have to fold. Please have a think and put your name forward if you can - the existing chair and treasurer are willing to give a full handover and offer any assistance that you may need.

COULD YOU BE OUR NEXT TREASURER?

Our Treasurer is stepping down this year! We need a treasurer in order for the PTFA to continue. If you can help please email us at PTFA@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk Support will be given to ensure a smooth handover.

COULD YOU BE OUR NEXT PTFA CHAIR?

Our Chair is stepping down this year! We need a Chairperson in order for the PTFA to continue. If you can help please email us at PTFA@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk Support will be given to ensure a smooth handover.

JOIN OUR PTFA!

Please email PTFA@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk or just turn up to our regular meetings which are published in the newsletter.

Parent pay accounts

Please can everyone make sure all school dinners accounts are in credit at all times. Many thanks.

Menus for this term are now available from the school website - click to download or ask at the office for a printed copy. www.twyningschool.co.uk/page/school-lunches/106163

disco!

Order forms are being sent home today (and Monday for some classes). Please send in your children's forms with £2.50 asap if they wish to go to the disco.

move more holiday camps

Move More are our local activity network and charity who we register with for our external competitions/festivals, specialist coaching and staff training. They are delivering their popular Holiday Camp at John Moore Primary School this February Half Term in addition to their many camps in Cheltenham. Their non-profit holiday camps provide children with lots of opportunities to be active, have fun, make friends and try lots of new and different activities. They are running a discounted rate of £23.50 per day during February half term at their John Moore Camp in Tewkesbury! Parents/carers and families can find out more and book online at https://www.move-more.org/camps/.

snacks and water bottles

Please can I remind you all that our policy is for children to drink water only as part of our healthy schools status.

Can we also remind you that we encourage the following foods as suitable snack choices at break time:

Fruit, vegetables, cheese, cereal bar, fruit bar.

We do remind children not to eat crisps and chocolate at break times where possible.

Thank you so much.

communications with school

Please click on these links to view our guides to contacting school. We have also linked relevant policies for reference.

communications with school

guide to contacting school

communications policy

parent code of conduct

Before and After School Care

Fees for our before and after school care facility are £3.50 for a morning session and £7 for an afternoon session.

Balances should be cleared by the end of each month at the latest. Many thanks. If you use government vouchers please email Mrs Tingle at bursar@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk to advise when you have made a payment, each time you do this.

How do I register my child?

To register for Before or After School Club, please complete and send in the booking form which can be downloaded from our website or ask Mrs Bowen for a printed copy. These forms should be returned to Mrs Bowen at admin@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk .

sickness information

There are a lot of coughs and cold about at this time of year, as is often the case, but unless your child is really unwell (see below) we encourage you to still send them in to school. We are able to administer Calpol and antibiotics in school - forms are available from Mrs Bowen in the Office so please call in with any medication and complete one if necessary.

Please click the link below to see NHS guidelines regarding illnesses.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Please remember to report sickness/illness daily to us via School Spider or email to Mrs Bowen on admin@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk. It is important that illness is reported to school first thing in the morning, otherwise your child's absence could be recorded as an 'unauthorised absence'. If your child is frequently absent due to illness we may ask for a doctors note as per our attendance policy.

WELLBEING & MENTAL HEALTH

Please see below some useful links to a few excellent wellbeing and mental health resources and an amazing digital therapy app for children:

luminova.app/gloucestershire

www.onyourmindglos.nhs.uk/

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/mujkq12k/gcc_3002-cyp-mental-health-handout_aw-crop-large.pdf

hubofhope.co.uk/concerns?concerns=86&latitude=52.0286023&longitude=-2.1466844

Some useful links:

Safeguarding and E Safety: www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/curations/anti-bullying-week

Gaming and social media : www.askaboutgames.com/pegi-age-ratings#:~:text=Essentially,%20the%20PEGI%20rating%20on,deemed%20suitable%20for%20adults%20only.

If you believe your family to be eligible for Free School Meals, please click on this link: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-transport-and-free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/

Health and sickness information "Is my child too ill for school?" https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Please click this link to view our School Attendance Policy, Absence Request forms, and other attendance documentation. www.twyningschool.co.uk/page/attendance/101727

A collection of links to find and get help in all sorts of situations from Anxiety, Health related, young persons help, depression and much more:

hubofhope.co.uk/concerns?concerns=86&latitude=52.0286023&longitude=-2.1466844

Contact

Please feel free to make contact with me via email head@twyning.gloucs.sch.uk should you need to speak to me. During evenings and weekends, I may not be able to respond to you straight away but I will make contact with you during normal working hours as soon as I can. Many thanks for all of your support.

Kindest regards

Miss L Gladstone

Headteacher

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