Newsletter - w/c 09/09/2019
Dear parent/carer,
Please find below the weekly newsletter containing important information.
Please do visit our school website www.hurstdrive.herts.sch.uk regularly to stay up to date with school life and if you haven't done so already, please like and follow us on Facebook. If you do use Facebook, you should also search for your child's class page - for example, search, Beech Class. You can send your child's teacher a friend request and follow what your child's learning in class that way as well!
School Behaviour Policy
Please click here to read our new School Behaviour Policy. If there are any educational words or phrases you do not understand, please do ask Mr Short (Headteacher) or Miss Bracken (Deputy Headteacher) when you see them on the gate. Similarly, if you have any suggestions about how it could be improved, please feel free to tell us in person or write to us by letter or e-mail.
We hope parents and carers feel confident that we support the children well with behaving in a pro-social way; however, we will also listen if you have concerns about your child or other children's behaviour because it is our aim to create a school where excellent behaviour is a minimum expectation for everyone.
Primary Geography Quality Mark
A thank you and congratulations to Mrs McFadyen (Pear Class Teacher) who achieved the Primary Geography Quality Mark for leading the development of geography at our school!
Parents and carers should know all of our teachers lead a subject in an effort to make sure our school curriculum is the best it can be and to get our children ready for their secondary school education. We are really proud of how we value every school subject and how we know our teachers plan for exciting lessons and school trips.
If you want to know more about our school curriculum, please click here.
School Uniform
Starting this term, like the children in Reception and KS1, all children in KS2 will wear a white polo shirt with their jumper or cardigan instead of a shirt and tie.
Moving forwards, we would like as many children as possible wearing full school uniform, including the school-branded jumper or cardigan and smart black shoes that are not trainers. As your child grows and you need to buy them a new jumper or cardigan, please aim to purchase a school-branded one, ensuring you write your child's name in permanent market on all labels on the item of clothing and give your child a firm talking to about keeping their personal property safe!
If you have any school-branded jumpers or cardigans at home that your child has outgrown, please bring them to the office as we can then offer them up to other families.
Dinner Money
Just a quick reminder that dinner money needs to be paid in advance on a Monday. Our preferred method of payment is on School Gateway. If you are unable to pay on the School Gateway, please come into the office with the correct money in an envelope. The weekly cost of school dinners is £13.00 for five meals.
If you receive a dinner debt letter please make sure this is cleared straight away to avoid your child having to bring in a packed lunch until the debt is cleared. Unpaid dinner debts could result in the cost of the school dinner charge being increased in the future which would be unfair for those parents/carers who always pay on time.
End of day collection times
Please note the school day finishes at 3:15 pm. Can we please remind you that your children need to be collected at this time. Can we also please remind you to contact the office during the school day if you have a friend or family member collecting your child who is not on your contact list.
Late Collection
If you have recently collected your child late from school, you will receive a letter about this. Please be aware that if it appears that a parent/carer may be being neglectful in ensuring their child is collected on time, we will make a referral to Children's Services.
As always, thank you to those parents and carers who always collect their children on time. It allows those children to feel safe and secure and it allows school staff to complete the many other tasks they need to get done which cannot be completed during school hours.
After-school Clubs
The after-school clubs on offer this term are:
Monday
Years 3-6 Dance Club with Mrs Bye - 3:15 to 4:15pm (Free)
Years 3 & 4 Times Tables Rockstars Club with Mrs Page - 3:15 to 4:15pm (Free)
Wednesday
Years 3-6 Steel Pans with Wade Austin - 3:15 to 4:30pm (£5.00 per session)
Thursday
Years 1-2 Arts & Crafts Club with Mrs Holliday - 3:15 to 4:15pm (Free)
Years 1-2 Scootability with Miss O' Keeffe - 3:15 to 4:15pm (Free)
Friday
Years 3-6 Art & Crafts Club with Mrs Chanter - 3:15 to 4:15pm (Free)
To book your child's place, you must use the School Gateway app. You can book from Monday 9th September 2019 at 6:00pm. All clubs will start the week commencing 16th September 2019.
If your child does not get a place this term, you will be able to try again in the spring term.
If you need help using the School Gateway app, please speak to a member of staff in the School Office.
Breakfast Club & After-school Wraparound Care
Our Breakfast Club remains free. However, we need to know which children are attending so parents/carers wishing to use this service must also book their child's place using the School Gateway app which will be open from Saturday 7th September 2019 at 9.00am. From Monday 9th September 2019, only children with places booked at Breakfast Club may attend. There are 40 places available.
For Wraparound Care, parents/carers must also book and pay for their child's session/s using the School Gateway app which will be open from Saturday 7th September 2019 at 9.00am. Each day, there are 20 places available. Please note, you will no longer be able to pay by cash; all payments must be made using the School Gateway app. This is to ensure the school receives the funds so it may continue to run Wraparound Care for working parents and carers. From Monday 9th September 2019, only children with places booked at Wraparound Care may attend.
If you need help using the School Gateway app, please speak to a member of staff in the School Office.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
The School Office Team
Hurst Drive Primary School
01992 624099
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