Haltwhistle Academy Newsletter
Nurture, believe, inspire, achieve
A message from Mr Wood
Thank you to you all for such a warm welcome to Haltwhistle. It has been lovely getting an opportunity to speak to as many families as possible. I have been spending the last few weeks getting to know the children at breaktimes and in their classrooms. Currently, I am still supporting another school on a Monday and a Tuesday. However, I will be at Haltwhistle full-time after Easter.
It will be great to get to know more of you over the next few weeks. Please don't hesitate to come and speak with me if you need any help or support. I am very grateful to now being part of the Haltwhistle family.
Healthier Together
Healthier Together is an online website and mobile application that can enable parents and carers to make informed decisions about accessing appropriate local healthcare services for their baby or child. If parents are unsure whether their child needs to be seen by a doctor, the easy-to-follow guidance on Healthier Together will ease worry and ensure people are signposted to the best service to provide help, such as a pharmacy or GP, or to self-care at home. It also ensures those who most need to be seen urgently are advised to seek the correct help. Healthier Together also has information for older children and teenagers to find out about issues relevant to them and how to access support. It is important that this is accessed by all our communities.
Click this link to be taken to the website and download the app:
Year 2 Geography
Year 2 are busy learning about Kenya in their Geography lessons and this week we found out about National Parks and Game Reserves. We looked at all the different features and decided if they were human or physical features and we discovered that most of them were physical! Next we used those features to design our very own National Park. A lot of thought and consideration went into these plans and we were delighted with the final results. Well done Year 2.
Year 6 Science
We are Scientists! Year 6 have been investigating the affect of increasing the number of batteries in a circuit on motors and buzzers. They decided on a question, made predictions based on prior knowledge and then identified how to make it a fair test. Well done super scientists!
Haltwhistle Family Hub - courses for January
Haltwhistle Family Hub, Park Avenue, Haltwhistle, Northumberland, Haltwhistle, United Kingdom
Phone: 01434 321761
Email: HaltwhistleFamilyHub@northumberland.gov.uk
Learning Together Through Play + is a group for families with children who are showing signs of early SEND needs to access a supportive play environment. The sessions are every Wednesday and open to families with children under the age of 5. Please contact the family hub for more information
Skillsbuilder - building our skills for life
Skills builder at home
Online safety
Please could we ask all parents to be aware of the dangers of allowing your child unmonitored use of group chat. The following website provides useful guidance for families: https://www.bbc.com/ownit/take-control/understanding-age-ratings
Attendance Matters
Every second in school counts, as missing school, whether by being late or taking unnecessary days off, creates more new learning gaps which need to be addressed. The best way you can support your child to recover from the lost school time of recent years is to ensure they are in school and ready to learn every day.
We want every child's attendance to be good or better. This means 96%+
Please check your child's attendance (see our app) against the class and national data. School staff are able to offer support if your child's attendance is of concern.
Please do not take your child out of school during term time as it disrupts your child’s learning and you risk financial penalties. Any term time leave of absence must be applied for more than 2 weeks before the date of leave and can only be authorised by the Headteacher in the case of EXCEPTIONAL circumstances. Please could we urge parents to book holidays during the 13 weeks of annual school holidays which are available each year. In line with our attendance policy, we are required to refer all qualifying absences due to holidays during term time to the Education Welfare Officer at Northumberland County Council.
If leave has not been authorised and your child is out of school then you may receive a minimum fine of £60 per child, per parent. If the time out of school makes your child’s attendance drop below 90% then they are known as persistently absent under the governments attendance definitions. This means that you may face prosecution through the courts.
Please help us to help your child catch up by ensuring they are in school and ready to learn every day.
Understanding Free School Meals and Pupil Premium
Eligibility for free school meals - Means tested all year groups - nursery to Y6
If you are eligible for this type of free school meals your child will also benefit from additional funding in school to support their learning for the next 6 years. To apply for Free School Meals, please complete this application form or contact the school office.
The government has made amendments to the eligibility criteria since April 2018. This is to reflect the introduction of Universal Credit.
PLEASE NOTE: Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
Universal Credit
Provided you have an annual net income of no more than £7,400
This is assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods
Income Support
Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guarantee element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit
Provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
Working Tax Credit run on
Paid four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Universal 'Infant' free school meals
All pupils in reception, year one, and year two are entitled to a free meal, without having to apply for this option, however if you meet the requirements listed above we would urge you to claim as the school receives an additional fund each year for a minimum of six years. In addition your child will receive free milk.
Pupil Premium
Pupil premium is an additional fund that the school receives depending on criteria.
Pupils in year groups reception to year 6 recorded as free school meals (see above)
Looked-after children (LAC) defined in the Children Act 1989 as one who is in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, an English local authority
Children who have ceased to be looked after by a local authority in England and Wales because of adoption, a special guardianship order, or child arrangements order (previously known as a residence order)
Pupils in year groups reception to year 11 recorded as Ever 6 service child or in receipt of a child pension from the Ministry of Defence
Please inform the school office if your child is eligible for Pupil Premium.
Before and After School club bookings
Please click here to book a place in breakfast club. Please note that bookings must be made at least 48 hours in advance to ensure we have adequate staffing available. Please speak to a member of our office team if you need to make a short notice booking 01434 320467.
Please click here to book a place in after school care. Please note that bookings must be made at least 48 hours in advance to ensure we have adequate staffing available. Please speak to a member of our office team if you need to make a short notice booking 01434 320467.
Calendar of Events - Please scroll to see all dates
If reading this on your phone, please turn your phone sideways to be able to scroll through our planned dates. You can also add our calendar to your own phone calendar to be sure you don't miss a date.
School Games Gold
Skills Builder Silver
Reading for Pleasure Award
STEM Ambassador School
Ruth Miskin Award
Great North Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Lead School
Our school designated safeguarding leads are Susie Drake, Bethan Allsop, Vicki Ridley, Robyn Brockman, Shirley Phillips
Please speak to a member of this team if you are concerned about the safety of a child.