Latest News

For latest news, please check our Newsletter page. We also share regular updates through our main Facebook page and class Facebook pages. Please follow us on Facebook and request to join the private Facebook Page for your class to stay up to date.

On this page you will find our archived newsletters from previous years.

• Newsletter - w/c 29/06/20

  Thu 25 Jun 2020
  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  We hope you and your family are well and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.  Please see below for key notices regarding school life:

   

  School Opening to Children from Years 2-5

   

  If you have informed a member of staff that you wish for your child in Year 3 or 4 to return to school from Monday 29 June 2020, you will receive an e-mail later today with the details.  

   

  For Years 2 and 5, next week, the member of staff who telephones to check in with you and your child will ask if you will be willing to send your child to school from the week commencing Monday 6 July 2020.  

   

  Please keep in mind that the guidance from the Department for Education is clear that if a parent/carer is offered a school place for their child and declines it, only to then change their mind later on, the school is not obliged to make a space available for the child.

   

  The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has made it clear that the government's aim is to have all children back in school from September; however, as yet, school leaders have not been sent guidance about this.  We will be sure to keep you informed of our plans and these plans will be shared with you before the Summer Holidays commence so you may make arrangements accordingly with work and home.  

   

  Water Bottles and Sunscreen

   

  For those of you with a child in school, please make sure your child brings a water bottle to school every day as our water fountains are still out of use, and, given the bright sunshine, please use sunscreen on your child each morning before they come to school to keep their skin protected from the sun's harmful rays.  

   

  Children's Belongings

   

  We have a number of coats, schoolbags and PE kit bags in school from where school closed suddenly and children did not take them home.  We will move these belongings into your child's cloakroom in their new classroom for September so they may collect them then.  

   

  As always, please ensure your child's belongings are all clearly labelled, and, please check to see if your child accidentally brings home another child's belongings so you may return them to school.  

   

  We do give your children verbal reminders about looking after their personal property so if parents/carers could repeat this message too that would be helpful.  

   

  Hurst Drive's Got Talent 2020

   

  If your child wishes to showcase their creativity, they should video their talent and post it on Facebook, tagging their class page so the teachers may see it.

   

  This talent could be anything from dancing and singing to showing the tricks they can get their pet dog to do.  

   

  There can be one winner from each year group, and winners will be announced on 6 July 2020. 

   

  This competition is open to those children in school as well as to those children currently learning at home.  

   

   

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   

   

  Yours sincerely,

   

   

  The School Office Team

   

  Hurst Drive Primary School

   

  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk    

   

  01992 624099

   

• Newsletter - w/c 22/06/20

  Thu 18 Jun 2020

  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  We continue to wish you and your family well, and hope you know we miss those of you who can't be in school and we look forward to welcoming you all back soon.  Please see below for some important notices about school life:

   

  Years 3 & 4 - Possible Return to School before the Summer Holidays

   

  This week, Mrs Bye (Family Support Worker) has been telephoning children and their families in Years 3 & 4 both to check in and also to find out who would be willing to send their child back to school from the week commencing 29/06/2020.  

   

  Please note this excerpt from the guidance given to School Leaders from the Department for Education:

   

  Schools should ascertain if those parents want to take up the offer, making it clear that if they indicate that they do not, or do not respond, schools may offer this capacity to another pupil in which case they won’t subsequently be able to take up a place this term.

   

  This means parents/carers cannot change their mind and request their child begin attending school if you initially told us you wish to keep them at home.  You would need to continue with home learning until schools open fully to all children.  

   

  For parents/carers of children in Years 2 and 5, we will look to also have your children return in July.  We will be in touch in the coming weeks about this.  

   

  Home Learning - Workbooks

   

  If your child completes the workbook you have collected from school, please telephone or e-mail to make us aware and we will prepare a different workbook for collection.  Otherwise, if you arrive at school unannounced, you may be given the same workbook again!

   

  Hurst Drive's Got Talent

   

  To celebrate our children's creativity, Mr Flanagan is organising a virtual talent show so that both the children in school and those at home may compete.  Your child is invited to take part by videoing themselves performing a talent and uploading it to Facebook, tagging their class page in the post.

   

  There will be one winner from each year group and the winner will be chosen by a panel of staff from school.  Entries close on Friday 3 July 2020 at 3:00pm and the winners will be announced on Monday 6 July 2020. 

   

  We look forward to seeing our children's many talents!  

   

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   

  Yours sincerely,

   

  The School Office Team

   

  Hurst Drive Primary School

   

  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk    

   

  01992 624099

• Newsletter w/c- 15/06/20

  Thu 11 Jun 2020
  Dear Parent/Carer

  
  We continue to miss all of your wonderful children, and hope you and your family are safe and well.  Please see below for some important notices about school life:

  
  Announcement from the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson

  
  By clicking here, you may read a BBC news article that refers to a speech made by the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, in the House of Commons this week where he stated the government's plan to have all primary school children back in school before the summer holidays has been dropped.  However, he did state that if schools had the capacity to accept children from Years 2-5, they should try.   

  
  We would like as many children back in school as is safely possible, knowing it's in their best interests given the extended time away from school many of them have had due to the pandemic.   

   
  We are waiting on more guidance from the local authority, and, once it's received, and we have had time to review it, we will let parents/carers know our plans.

  
  Thank you for your ongoing patience and support in this regard.  
  
  Bedtime & Morning Routine

  
  Through the weekly telephone call we are making to children and families, it has come to our attention that sadly many children are waking at 10:00am or later.  This suggests they are going to bed very late.  If your child is awake very late at night, they could be accessing unsuitable material on the television, laptop, tablet or smartphone, and also, if your child is in the routine of going to bed late and waking late, they will find it very hard to wake earlier when school reopens to all, causing problems with their learning and their behaviour.  

  
  The NHS recommend that a child in Reception needs 11 hours sleep, a child in Key Stage 1 needs around 10 hours 30 minutes sleep, and a child in Key Stage 2 needs around 10 hours sleep.  

  
  All children should be in bed and asleep by 9:00pm at the very latest as then they will be ready to rise at 7:00-8:00am.  

  
  If your child has a smartphone, you should consider taking it away from them at bedtime to avoid them using it when they should be sleeping.  Also, the blue light omitted from a smartphone screen affects humans' ability to sleep so it's best you ensure your child is not using their mobile phone in bed.

  
  We realise it is difficult, particularly for families with more than one child, to manage having all the children at home.  However, we need you to keep a good bedtime and morning routine so that when your child does return to school, they will be well rested and able to learn well to make up for all the lost learning time caused by school closure.

  
  We thank our families who have maintained a good bedtime and morning routine and we hope others will take on board our advice, recognising that we only say it because we want to make sure the children are ready and able to learn when they return to school.    

  
  Home Learning

   

  
  If your child does have access to the internet and the use of a laptop or tablet, please use the Oak National Academy which is an on-line school set up by the Department for Education and led by qualified teachers.  Click 'Classroom' and then 'Find Lessons' and select your child's year group and a subject to find a suitable lesson. 

   
  If you would like a workbook, we still have some available in school.  Please visit between 10:00am and 2:00pm to collect.  Parents/carers are welcome to send a different adult to school to collect the workbook, they just need to know the child/ren's year group/s

  
  Reception 2020/21

  
  
  Parents/carers of a child starting Reception (all being well) in September 2020 will receive some post from us this week: a letter from the Headteacher, a guide for parents/carers about our school, a social story about our school for the children, and a leaflet regarding packed lunches.  
  
  Yours sincerely,
  
  The School Office Team

  
  Hurst Drive Primary School
  
  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk    
  
  01992 624099

• Newsletter - w/c 08/06/20

  Thu 04 Jun 2020

  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  It has been wonderful having many of the Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children back to school this week.  We have really missed them and continue to miss those children who cannot attend school at this time.  We trust you are all keeping well and we look forward to the day when we may all be back together again as a whole school community.

   

  Please see below for a few key notices about school life:

   

  Home Learning - Workbooks

   

  From our telephone calls to children and families, we know some families are struggling with on-line learning, either because they do not own a laptop or because of issues with the internet.  We have some workbooks in school that we are happy to donate to families who need them.

   

  If you would like a workbook for your child, please visit the school between 10:00am - 2:00pm on a weekday to collect.  

   

  Water Bottles

   

  As a reminder, those children attending school must have a water bottle, preferably a large, reusable water bottle, as our water fountains are currently not in use.  

   

  Drop off/Collection Times

   

  For those families now bringing their child/ren to school, please avoid arriving early as the point of a staggered start is to reduce the number of adults and children on site at any one time.  

   

  Waiting List for School Places

   

  If you told us you planned to keep your Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 child at home, but your circumstances change and you want them in school, your child's name will be placed on a waiting list.  This is because we are being very strict about keeping our 'bubbles' (i.e. groups of children and staff) the same to avoid the possible spread of infection.  Please be aware that your child may be on the waiting list for some time while we wait for there to be enough children in that year group to warrant arranging for a supply teacher to teach them.  

   

  Supermarket Vouchers

   

  If your child is eligible for free school meals, and they are not in school, you will receive an e-mail from Edenred on Monday 8 June 2020 with a new code for you to exchange for a supermarket voucher.  Please note, this allocation will be for a week and you will receive another e-mail on Monday 15 June 2020.

   

  Please remember to check your junk and clutter to find the e-mail before contacting the school.  Please also be aware that we can see when a voucher has been redeemed.  If you redeem your code for a supermarket voucher but the e-mail does not arrive with the voucher, you have to e-mail freeschoolmealsparentscarers@edenred.com to let them know, giving your name and the e-code you used which will be in the e-mail you received from Edenred.  They will then e-mail you a replacement voucher.    

   

   

  Yours sincerely,
  
  The School Office Team Hurst Drive Primary School
  
  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk    
  
  01992 624099