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 - 01/03/21

  Thu 25 Feb 2021
  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  Please see below for some notices about school life:

   

  Reopening of Schools - Monday 8 March 2021

   

  All children must return to school from Monday 8 March 2021, 8:35-9:00am.  You may click here to remind yourself of the changes in place in response to the pandemic and you may click here to remind yourself of the school's expectations regarding attendance.  

   

  Please be aware that we are a school who completes the paperwork that allows the local authority to issue fixed penalty notices.  We do this because we strongly believe the best place for children to be is in school where they may play and learn with children their age.  

   

  Our Safeguarding Coordinator, Mrs Lloyd, and our Family Support Worker, Mrs Bye, will be visiting families next week.  They will visit families where a child's attendance concerns us or a family who we know may be anxious about the return to school so questions may be asked and answered to offer reassurance.  

   

  In the meantime, if you do have any questions about the reopening of school, you should e-mail these to admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk and a staff member will either telephone or e-mail you a response.   

   

  After-school Clubs

   

  From Monday 8 March 2021, you will be able to book your child onto one of our after-school clubs via the SchoolGateway app.  After-school clubs will start in the week commencing 15/03/21.  Because we can only accommodate a small number of children in each club, if your child misses a session, we will delete them from the register and give their space to a child on the waiting list.    

   

  School Milk

   

  In the first week after the Easter Holidays, we will send out letters about ordering milk to all parents/carers of children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.

   

  If you already made a payment for milk for the spring term, we can either keep this as a credit towards a summer term order or refund it to you.  Those of you who have made a payment will be telephoned during March so we may find out what you would like us to do with your payment.    

   

  World Book Day - Wednesday 10 March 2021

   

  We are postponing our celebration of World Book Day to Wednesday 10 March 2021 because the children will be back in school and may celebrate together with the teachers organising activities that promote a love of reading.  

   

  In the meantime, please click here to find information about reading at home, and please click here to find links to websites that include famous people reading storybooks.  

   

  The dress-up theme is 'Bedtime Stories' - your child may wear a onesie or pyjamas but if you have already prepared a costume related to a favourite book character, your child is welcome to wear that instead.  

   

  School Meals

   

  Please ensure you book your child's school meals on SchoolGrid.  Remember, you may do this a week, a month or even a half term in advance.

   

  Yours sincerely

  The Administration Team

  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk

  01992 624099

• Newsletter - w/c - 22/02/21

  Thu 11 Feb 2021
  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  Please see below for some notices about school life:

   

  A Thank You and a Prize Draw

   

  A big thank you to those parents/carers who have worked hard with their child/ren over the past six weeks, supporting their learning at home or supporting their learning by bringing them to school.  A big thank you also to the teachers and support staff who work hard to make sure our school runs smoothly during challenging circumstances.  Of course, a big thank you as well to the children who have shown self-control, by listening to adults' instructions straight away, and perseverance, by trying to work independently and learning from any mistakes they made with their work in school or at home.  

   

  As a reminder, there will be a prize draw when school reopens to reward those parents/carers who teachers have identified (through their weekly telephone calls and from the work handed in on-line or via the paper packs) as having worked hard to support their child's learning - this also includes those parents/carers who have brought their child to school every day and on time.  The first-place prize is a £150 supermarket voucher, the second-place prize is a £75 supermarket voucher, and the third-place prize is a £50 supermarket voucher.    

   

  When schools reopen fully, we will also be rewarding the children in school and at home who have worked hard throughout this period of school closure.  Mrs Geggus (Assistant Headteacher for KS2) met with the School Council remotely and they have listed ideas for a reward, including, a mobile ice rink, an inflatable assault course, an arts and crafts workshop and many more.  To access this reward, a child needs to have worked hard, following our school values, throughout this period of school closure either at home or in school.    

   

  Remote Education (including Google Classroom, Home Learning Packs and Reading Books)

   

  Due to the ever-increasing number of children returning to school, we require all our teachers in school after February half term.  As such, we will be closing Google Classroom from 22/02/21 and our remote education will be provided via the home learning packs.  This means all families with children working remotely will need to visit school on 22/02/21 to collect home learning packs which contain two weeks' worth of schoolwork.   

   

  On Monday 22 February 2021, one parent/carer with or without their child/ren, may visit school to return any completed home packs and to return any borrowed reading books.  We will then be able to supply new home learning packs and/or new reading books.  Please note, you must return any reading books borrowed - we cannot afford to keep replacing books that have not been returned to school.

   

  If you have more than one child, please visit at the time allocated to your eldest child's year group.  You should enter the premises by the large pedestrian gate, and you must wear a face covering to enter the building.  

   

  09:15-09:35 - Reception

  09:35-09:55 - Year 1

  09:55-10:15 - Year 2

   

  13:00-13:20 - Year 3

  13:20-13:40 - Year 4

  13:40-14:00 - Year 5

  14:00-14:20 - Year 6

   

  Contact Details

   

  It is very important that we have up-to-date contact details for you.  If you have recently changed your telephone number, or if you just want to make sure we have the correct contact details for your child, please e-mail admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk to share the names, relationship (e.g. parent, family friend) and telephone numbers for three emergency contacts.

   

  Vacancies

   

  We are currently advertising two vacancies: a teaching assistant and a learning support assistant.  If you or someone you know has the qualifications and experience, and is interested in applying, please click the links to read the adverts and to find out how to complete an application.    

   

  Parent and Carer Consultation Evening - 11/03/21

   

  We will be holding our Parent and Carer Consultation Evening remotely on Thursday 11 March 2021, 3:30-9:00pm.  

   

  On Monday 22 February 2021, you will receive an e-mail invitation to book a 10-minute appointment with your child's class teacher.  

   

  In the week commencing 22/02/21, when your child's teacher or a teaching assistant telephone you, they will ask if you would like the appointment on 11/03/21 via telephone or via video conferencing using Google Meet.  

   

  If you have a child in Reception, we will be adopting a new model for our parent and carer meetings so you will not receive an e-mail invitation, but we will be in touch in the coming weeks to share the details of when you will be meeting your child's class teacher.   

   

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

   

  Yours sincerely,

   

  The Administration Team

   

  Hurst Drive Primary School

   

  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk

   

  01992 624099

• Newsletter-w/c- 08/02/21

  Thu 04 Feb 2021
  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  We thank you for your continued support, including helping your children with their learning and the kindness and patience you are demonstrating with school staff. 

   

  At this time, we still do not have a date for when school will reopen to all.  As soon as we know, we will e-mail parents/carers.  

   

  Please see below for some notices about school life:

   

  February Half Term - School Closed

   

  The last day of this half term is Friday 12 February 2021, 3:00-3:30pm.  School will be closed for a week thereafter and will reopen on Monday 22 February 2021 when reading books and home learning packs may be returned and collected - we will put a reminder in next week's newsletter about this.  

   

  Supermarket Vouchers for Families with Children Eligible for Free School Meals

   

  If you have a child or children entitled to free school meals, you will be forwarded an e-mail next week containing a Sainsbury's supermarket voucher.  The value of the voucher is £15.  You will be sent one voucher for each eligible child in your family.  These vouchers are to be used to buy food for your child for during the February half term.  This scheme is organised by Hertfordshire County Council and differs from the national voucher scheme run by Edenred.

   

  After the February half term, eligible families will receive another e-mail from Edenred with a code to exchange for a supermarket voucher of their choosing.  

   

  Help for Families with a Prepayment Meter for Gas or Electricity

   

  If you are on a prepayment meter (i.e. pay as you go) for your gas or electricity, and if you are experiencing financial difficulty, we may be able to help.  Please telephone or e-mail the school for the attention of Mrs Bye (Family Support Worker).  Thank you to the parent who shared this information with us.  

   

  Times Tables Rockstars

   

  Mrs Ryan-Roberts (Subject Leader for Mathematics) has made a guide (which has been e-mailed to parents/carers) to let parents/carers know how to help their child access Times Tables Rockstars.  Times Tables Rockstars is an educational website where children may play games that teach them their times tables.

   

  If you need your child's login details, please ask your child's teacher or teaching assistant during the weekly telephone call.  Alternatively, you may e-mail the school via admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk, giving your child's full name and class alongside writing that you are requesting your child's Times Tables Rockstars login details.    

   

  Also, please click here to see the learning links section of our school website that includes links to lots of educational websites designed for children.    

   

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

   

  Yours sincerely,

   

  The Administration Team

   

  Hurst Drive Primary School

   

  admin@hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk

   

  01992 624099