Dear Parents,
Welcome to this month’s Newsletter. I trust you and your family enjoyed the Easter break
EASTER In the first half of this term the children will be learning about the journey from Easter to Pentecost. The focus of our term’s work in RE is the role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives. We will be exploring the topics Holidays and Holy Days, Building Bridges and Difference, the children will also spend a week learning about Islam. Please see the attached Parents’ Letter for further information.
During the month of May we shall be thinking about Mary our Mother and welcome any contributions of flowers to place around the statues of Our Lady in the school halls.
WEDNESDAY WORD - Hopefully you are all receiving your weekly copies of The Wednesday Word via your eldest child at Sacred Heart Primary every Wednesday. We hope you enjoy reading The Wednesday Word and that you will find time to share five minutes together to complete the Family Time activities. When the children have completed the activities they can return the leaflets to school with the name of the child written on the leaflet and place them in one of the boxes in each school hall. On the first Friday of every month we will draw one leaflet out of the box and have a small prize for the child who is picked out.
YEAR 2 and YEAR 6 SATs - The children and staff in Year 2 and Year 6 have been working very hard preparing for the SATs. These are the end of Key Stage tests and we thank all the staff who have helped to prepare the children since their entry to our school. The KS2 written tests are due to begin on Monday 14 May - Thursday 17 May in Year 6. The KS1 (Year 2) written tests will take place throughout this half term.
The next few weeks are extremely important so please continue all your good work at home and encourage your children with all the homework and revision activities they are set. It is also important for the children to go to bed early to ensure they perform to their best during the tests. We wish all our children well and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers at this important time.
ANTI BULLYING AMBASSADORS - On April 25th four members of our ABC Anti Bullying Committee were invited to Google Head quarters London, we were one of ten schools from across England invited to attend. It was a wonderful event attended by Schools Minister Nick Gibb and various celebrities including Joe Swash and Sally Bercow. The children were presented with individual Diana Awards in recognition of their work. We also watched a short video from each school showcasing their anti bullying work .The Sacred Heart video is available to view on You Tube. I hope you enjoy watching it; I certainly feel very proud of our children and staff.
WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK - Walk to School Week starts on Monday 21st May. In school we will be talking about road safety and there will be a Bike It Breakfast on 24th May, our Family Workers will provide further information. Hopefully you will be able to take this opportunity to walk all or part of the way to school some time during this week.
PEACE VIGIL- Monsignor Kevin McGinnell has asked us to encourage parents and children to attend a Peace Vigil on Friday 4th May 4.30pm in the grounds of St Mary’s Church in Luton. The Peace Vigil is an opportunity to stand up for peace and unity in the town prior to the EDL mach through the town. Further details are attached.
HAPPY PUZZLE DAY- The Happy Puzzle Company are running a Puzzle Challenge Day for KS2 pupils on Friday 18 May. At the end of the day parents will be able to purchase puzzles and games from the Puzzle Shop will be held in the KS2 hall. There will be games suitable for KS1 and KS2 pupils. A poster with further information is attached.
QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE- We are having a Jubilee Celebration Day on Friday 1st June as already explained on the letters previously sent home, we are asking the children to dress in red, white and blue. The school meal service is also doing a special lunch for our ‘street party’ which will be held on the school playground/field weather permitting. All children are invited to take part.
EASTER EGG RAFFLE - Once again our annual Easter Egg Raffle in school was a huge success raising £327. Tickets were drawn on Friday 30th March and the money has been donated to Cafod.
WALK/RUN A MILE - Well done to all our children who took part in this activity raising a total of £329 which has been donated to Cafod. Giving a total of £656 raised during our Lenten Fundraising for Cafod. The government has pledged to double any funding for Cafod during Lent so Cafod will receive £1312. Thank you for your continuing support.
SPONSORED EVENT Thank you for supporting our Prokick Sponsored Event, the children all had great fun taking part. Please send in any remaining sponsor money to the school offices in a labelled sealed envelope.
SUMMER FETE - The School Fete will take place on Saturday 16th June 2pm - 5pm.We would be grateful for donations for the various stalls. If you are able to help out at the fete on the day please contact the KS2 or KS1 office. Thank you.
GARDEN PLANTS - Hopefully you have all received an order form for summer plants from The Friends. Please return all order forms and money to the school. Further copies, of the order form, are available in the school offices.
ADMISSSIONS 2013 - The Governors would like to inform all parents with regard to admissions for September 2013. Children born between 01.09.08 - 31.08.09 need to be registered with the school. Please contact the school office for further details. If you are applying for a place at a Catholic school it is important that you register your child after Mass at each ‘Sign up Sunday’.
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER - The school photographer will be visiting the school to take Year 6 photographs on Wednesday 23rd May.
CONGRATULATIONS - Siobhan McSwiggan, one of our Family Workers, successfully completed the London Marathon, a fantastic achievement. Ms McSwiggan has asked me to thank all of you who sponsored her or supported her fund raising activities helping her to raise over £7000
CONTACT DETAILS - Please ensure that the school has your up to date contact details. It is particularly important that we have current phone numbers, so please remember to inform the school if you change your number.
50th ANNIVERSARY PATHWAY- We would like to build a pathway of commemorative bricks as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations. Bricks are available for a minimum donation of £25 and are inscribed in accordance with the donor’s directions. Order forms are available from the school offices.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE FOR ADULTS -Following the success of our last course, we are repeating the Personal Development Course starting Wednesday 2nd May 1.30pm. If you would like to attend or require further details please contact Siobhan McSwiggan (Family Worker).
HALF TERM DATES - The half term holiday is from Monday 4th June to Friday 8th June and the children return to school on Monday 11th June. We close for the summer holidays on Friday 20th July and the children return to school on Monday 3rd September 2012 .
DATES FOR PENTECOST TERM:
Tuesday 8th May 2012- Y4 Impact in Learning Workshops for children and parents
Friday 11th May 2012- 4AP School Link visit to Putteridge
Friday 11th May - 5SO Class Assembly
Friday 18th May - Happy Puzzle Day for KS2
Weds 23rd May - Y6 Group Photos
Thursday 24th May- School Discos
Friday 25th May - 1CH Class Assembly
Weds 30th May - Little Sing for Y2
Friday 1st June - First Friday Mass- Y3 and Y2 reading
Friday 1st June - Diamond Jubilee Celebration Day- children to wear red, white or blue
Saturday 16th June - School Fete
Sunday 17th June - Yr 6 trip to Kingswood
Friday 22nd June - 4HS Class Assembly
Saturday 23rd June - First Holy Communion
Thursday 28th June - Yr 6 Theatre Trip- The Wizard of Oz
Friday 29th June - St Peter and Paul Mass- Yr 6 and Y1 reading
Saturday 30th June - First Holy Communion
Tuesday 3rd July - Foundation Stage Sports Morning
Wednesday 4th July- KS2 Sports Day - Yr 3 and Yr 4 am- Yr 5 and Yr 6 pm
Thursday 5th July- KS1 - Sports Morning
Tuesday 10th July - Y2 Trip to Roald Dahl Museum
Tuesday 10th July - Y6 Leavers Party
Friday 13th July - 3SM Class Assembly
Monday 16th July - Yr 6 Evening Performance for Parents
Wednesday 18th July- Foundation Stage Summer Bonanza
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M.Cullen
Headteacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to our March Newsletter. I trust you and your families enjoyed the half term break and managed to find some time for rest and relaxation. This coming half term will lead us to Easter and yet again looks to be a busy time for us all!
SEASON OF LENT - We have now entered the season of Lent in preparation for Easter, the most important feast in the Church year. During Lent we are called to listen more closely to God and invited to show kindness and love towards others. Perhaps as a family we could use this opportunity during Lent to make time to pray together thanking God for his presence in our lives. It would be greatly appreciated if you could also make some time to journey through the Lenten calendar with your children at home to reinforce the preparation in school. You can find a copy of this calendar on www.missiontogether.org.uk.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION - Please remember in your prayers the children in Year 3 who will be celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time on Saturday 24th March or Saturday 31st March in the Sacred Heart Church. Thank you to the teachers and you the parents for supporting the children in their preparation.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION SALE -A sale of Holy Communion Outfits and other children's items (toys, bikes, football kits) will be held in Sacred Heart Church Hall on Saturday 10 March from 1pm to 3pm. Tables are only £1 to rent. To register for a table please contact 07984 822 564 or lutonholy1st@yahoo.co.uk .
PARENT CONSULTATION MEETING - A big thank you to all those parents who attended the recent Parent Consultation Meetings. As always, the response to these meetings was very good. Your positive comments and support during the two evenings was very much appreciated. Thank you also to those of you who completed the parent questionnaire.
BIG PEDAL - The school is participating in a three week interschool challenge from 5th to 23rd March. The school will log the number of children who cycle or scoot to school each day and will be rewarded points for each journey. There are a number of very exciting prizes including a visit from a cycle display team so please encourage your child to participate by cycling or scooting to school.
BIKE IT BREAKFAST - To celebrate the Big Pedal we are organising a Cycle and Scoot breakfast on Tuesday 20 March. This will start at 8am and we will be serving a simple breakfast of fresh fruit, toast and jam for children who cycle or scoot to school. Please respond to the information letter regarding this event if your children wish to participate.
P.E AND SWIMMING - Please ensure your children remember their kit on PE days; Physical Education is an important part of the Curriculum, government guidelines stipulate that every child should receive two hours PE a week. During PE children have to remove earrings, due to health and safety regulations, they are not permitted to cover the earrings with a plaster.
BOOK WEEK - Book Week was a huge success. The staff and children thoroughly enjoyed all the events and activities during the week, especially the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character! Thank you to Mrs Winslet for organising Book Week
KS2 SECRET SHOP FOR MOTHERS DAY - Once again this year we will be organising a secret shop for Mothers Day. Please could you send any unwanted gifts you may have at home towards this fund-raising activity as the children really enjoy choosing from the selection we receive. The shop will open to KS2 pupils from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 March only,during morning break. Gifts will be priced from £2.00 upwards. We have some lovely gifts for the children to choose from.
EASTER RAFFLE - The children are eagerly anticipating our Easter Raffle. Tickets will cost 50p each. The money raised will be used to support Cafod. The government has promised to double any money raised by Cafod so every £1 you spend on raffle tickets will result in a £2 donation to Cafod. This Lent Cafod is raising money to help provide clean water and sanitation for the world’s poorest families. Thank you to all the staff who have donated Easter eggs for the raffle.
FRIENDS GARDEN PLANT SALE - You will soon receive an order form for summer plants from The Friends, the money raised will be used to purchase resources for the children. Further copies, of the order form, will be available in the school offices. The governors and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Friends Committee for all their hard work and dedication to the school.
LANGFORD DRIVE ENTRANCE - Please use the pedestrian gate when entering or leaving the school site via Langford Drive rather than the large gate for vehicles. We have had a number of problems with the sliding entrance gate and are concerned about the damage caused by pedestrians walking through the gates causing the sensors to reopen the gate. Please also refrain from parking on or turning into the driveway.
WATER BOTTLES - As a Healthy School we encourage pupils to drink water throughout the day. Water bottles can be purchased in the KS2 office for £1; alternatively children may use their own bottles as long as they have a non spill lid. Please ensure your child writes their name in permanent ink on the bottle and that they regularly take them home to be washed.
NESTLE CEREAL, TESCO AND SAINSBURY SCHOOL VOUCHERS - The school is participating in these schemes again this year please send any coupons into the school offices. We are always grateful to receive any school coupons.
EASYFUND RAISING - Sacred Heart is registered with www.easyfundraising.org.uk/foshp. If online purchases are made through this website the school receives a percentage at no extra cost to you. A number of retailers are registered with this site including Asda, Tesco, Amazon, Boots, Bodyshop and many more. Thank you to all of you who have already ordered through this site, we have recently received £97 from EasyFund Raising, we generally receive around this amount every three months. When you first use this site you will need to register, the school is listed as Friends of Sacred Heart Primary Luton. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE - This course for parents will start after Easter further details will be sent later this term.
FUND RAISING EVENT - Mrs McSwiggan, one of our Family Workers, is running the London Marathon to raise money for a disabled children’s charity Get Kid’s Going. As part of this fund raising, Mrs McSwiggan has organised a fund raising night on 23rd March at the Holy Ghost Centre. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the KS1 and KS2 offices.
HOLIDAY DATES 2012 - The forthcoming Easter Holiday dates are Monday 2 April to Monday 16 April, the children return to school on Tuesday 17 April. All other holiday dates are available from both school offices on request. They are also available on our school website www.sacredheartluton.org.uk
DIARY DATES
Tuesday 6 March - Vauxhall Vans R Us Enterprise Workshop for 6CL
Wednesday 14 March -Fair Trade Workshop for Year 4
Monday 19 March - Living Eggs arrive chicks will hatch during this week
Tuesday 20 March -Maths Day
Saturday 24 March - 3AG First Confessions
Saturday 31 March - 3SM First Confessions
ASSEMBLY AND EASTER PRODUCTION DATES
Friday 9 March - 4AP -Class Assembly 9.15am in KS2
Friday 23 March - 3AG -Class Assembly 9.15am in KS2
Friday 30 March - Year 5 Easter Production - 2.30pm in KS2
Thank you for your continued support with your child’s learning and development.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M.Cullen
Head teacher
Dear Parents,
The New Year is well under way now; it is hard to believe it is already February. Here is an update on recent news and also some forthcoming dates for your diaries.
DIOCESAN SCHOOL BUILDING FUND - Thank you to all those families who continue to contribute to this voluntary scheme. These funds go towards building maintenance costs and building projects, such as roofing and boiler repairs.
BOOK WEEK - During Book Week the children and staff will enjoy a variety of activities including workshops and a storyteller. We are also looking forward to Book Character Dressing up Day, which is on Friday 10th February.
PARENTS CONSULTATION MEETING - Hopefully, you have all received a letter inviting you to attend a Parent’s Consultation Meeting on Tuesday 7th February (4.00 6.00 p.m.) or Thursday 9th February (6.00 8.00 p.m.). These meetings give you the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with their Class Teacher. During these consultations you will receive your child’s attendance report and our annual parental questionnaire, please take the time to complete the survey as it helps us identify areas for development. We look forward to seeing you. The Church car park and gates will be open during the Parent Consultation Meetings.
SCHOOL DINNERS - Please note dinners cost £1.70 a day, £8.50 a week in KS2 or £1.65 a day in KS1, £8.25 a week. The price for next half term is £51 for KS2 and £49.50 for KS1. If you are eligible for free school meals please register as the number of children we have registered for free school meals are taken into consideration during the allocation of school funding. Water bottles are available from school at £1.00 each.
GET KIDS GOING - Following our recent cake sale a total of £365 has been raised by the school for Get Kids Going. Thank you for supporting this appeal.
SECOND HAND HOLY COMMUNION OUTFITS SALE-This is now on Saturday 10 March 1-3pm at Sacred Heart Church Hall. The sale will include children’s clothes and toys. Proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Society. If you would like to sell an outfit please contact Elizabeth Lally on 07984822564.
PARKING - If you use Langford Drive please park with consideration and ensure you do not drive onto or block any of the neighbours’ drives or obstruct the flow of traffic. If at all possible please use the Church car park Thank you in anticipation for your co-operation.
TOYS IN SCHOOL - This term a vast amount of teacher time has been taken up sorting out issues caused by children bringing toys/cards into school. Time that should be used to support children with their learning .Moshi toys are banned and I would ask you to support the school by ensuring your children do not bring them into school, thank you to those parents who are already doing so. If children bring toys/cards into school and there are any arguments over ownership or they are playing with them during lesson times the toys/cards will be confiscated. They will be kept for a period of time by their class teacher, usually until the next school holiday. It is important that parents support us with this. If you have any concerns about children’s items being lost or confiscated it is probably best if you do not allow your children to bring toys/cards into school. Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.
SECRET SHOP FOR MOTHERS DAY - Once again this year we will be organising a secret shop for Mothers Day. Please send any unwanted gifts you may have at home towards this fund-raising activity as the children really enjoy choosing from the selection we receive. This year we will open the Secret Shop to KS2 pupils.
P.E AND SWIMMING - Please ensure your children remember their kit on PE days; Physical Education is an important part of the Curriculum, government guidelines stipulate that every child should receive two hours PE a week. During PE children have to remove earrings, due to health and safety regulations, they are not permitted to cover earrings with a plaster.
LOST PROPERTY KS2 - We have several items of clothing in lost property. If you child has lost any uniform please check the lost property in the KS2 building.
SAFER INTERNET DAY - Parents and teachers are being encouraged to help change children’s online behaviour to mark EU Safer Internet Day 2012 on February 7th. The initiative, which sees events taking place across Europe, encourages internet users of all ages to think about how they are using the internet and what they can do to stay safe. Parents can find further information on www.thinkuknow.co.uk and www.saferinternet.org .
SCHOOL UNIFORM - Please ensure your child wears sensible black shoes to school in line with the school uniform policy. Trainers and other coloured shoes are not permitted. May I also take this opportunity to remind parents that uniform does extend to sensible headwear and hair styles. The more elaborate shaved patterns are not always appropriate and I would ask you to be sensible in the choice of these for your child.
SCHOOL BAGS IN KS1 - A number of children in KS1 are using large school bags which are causing a health and safety risk as we do not have room to store them. Please use the school satchels; these are available from the KS1 office.
WINTER WEATHER - At this time of year we are all conscious of the changing weather and drop in temperature. Please encourage your children to bring a hat, scarf and gloves to wear on the playground. Please remember to name all items of clothing.
SCHOOL CLOSURE Parents will be informed via Parentmail if the school is closed. For further information about school closure the best website to check first is our school website - www.sacredheartluton.org.uk Any school closures will be broadcast on Heart and BBC Three Counties Radio and should appear on their websites also. During closures children can use the Internet and the various websites we subscribe to such as SAM Learning, Education City and our Learning Platform, details are on our school website. It is also an ideal opportunity for children to read a book or develop their writing skills by writing a story about playing in the snow or a poem about winter. If any of the children build a snowman they could take a photo of themselves standing next to it, I am sure we could find a prize for the tallest snowman! We would be delighted to see any work the children do during school closures.
CONTACT DETAILS To ensure we can inform you regarding school closures, and also contact you if your child is feeling unwell or in an emergency, please ensure that you inform the school of any changes to your contact details such as contact telephone numbers and email addresses.
HOLIDAY DATES 2012 - The forthcoming half-term dates are Monday 13 February Friday 17 February. The Easter Holidays and other holiday dates are available on our school website. They are also available from both school offices on request.
Thank you for your continued support with your child’s learning and development, I hope you all enjoy the half term holiday.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M. Cullen
Headteacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2012. May I take this opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. On behalf of all the staff I would like to thank you for all your kind Christmas greetings, cards and gifts. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
CHRISTMAS PRODUCTIONS - Thank you to all the pupils and staff who worked so hard preparing our Christmas concerts. They helped us all to remember the true meaning of Christmas and it was wonderful to watch the children performing so confidently. All the Christmas concerts, including the choir concert, are available on DVD from the KS2 office. The price is £3 per DVD.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - During this term we will be making preparations in the season of Lent for the celebration of Easter, the highlight of the Church Year. Our ‘Here I Am’ topics this term are Celebrations, Thanksgiving and Self Giving. The work we will be covering may be found in the attached Parents’ letter.
DIOCESAN SCHOOL BUILDING FUND - Thank you to all those families who continue to contribute to this voluntary scheme. These funds go towards maintenance costs and building projects, this year we will be replacing part of the school roof and the KS1 school boilers. As with all buildings projects we have to fund 10% of the costs. Thank you for your co-operation and continued generosity.
THANK YOU - £148 was raised through the sale of Christmas puddings this money has been donated to the Air Ambulance Appeal. Thank you to Mrs. Gannon and Mrs. Matthews for all their hard work.
BOOK WEEK - This year Book Week will start on Monday 6th February. Children can dress up as their favourite book character on Friday 10th February. Lots of activities have been planned for the children during the week. Thank you to Mrs. Winslet for organizing the events.
PARENT CONSULTATIONS - This term Parent Consultations will be on Tuesday 7th February 4-6pm and Thursday 9th February 6-8pm, a letter with further details will follow.
SCHOOL CLOSURE - For information about school closure the best website to check first is our school website - www.sacredheartluton.org.uk Any school closures will be broadcast on Heart and BBC Three Counties Radio and should appear on their websites also. During closures children can use the Internet and the various websites we subscribe to such as SAM Learning, Education City and our Learning Platform, details are on our school website. It is also an ideal opportunity for children to read a book or develop their writing skills by writing a story about playing in the snow or a poem about winter. If any of the children build a snowman they could take a photo of themselves standing next to it, I am sure we could find a prize for the tallest snowman! We would be delighted to see any work the children do during school closures.
SCHOOL UNIFORM - Please ensure your child wears sensible black shoes to school in line with the school uniform policy. Trainers and other coloured shoes are not permitted. May I also take this opportunity to remind parents that uniform does extend to sensible headwear and hair styles. The more elaborate fashion braids/multi-coloured beading, shaved patterns, scarves and fashion clips are not always appropriate and I would ask you to be sensible in the choice of these for your child.
PE - Please ensure your children have a PE kit in school, including trainers, so that they can participate in these lessons. PE kits and bags should be named. Children are not allowed to wear earrings during PE so if they are unable to remove their earrings themselves please remove them before coming to school. Thank you for your co-operation.
FREE SCHOOL DINNERS - Thank you to all parents who have investigated their eligibility for free school meals. Due to changes in government funding the school receives £600 extra for every child within the school who is registered for free school meals or has been registered at any point in the last six years. The attached documents regarding free school meals explain the criteria; if you are eligible please register as soon as possible. Whilst I would recommend our school dinners I am aware some children prefer sandwiches. However, the children do not have to continue taking free school meals for us to receive this funding. Other areas of our school budget have been cut so it is important that we are able to access all the money we are entitled to.
RAINBOWS - As in previous years we will shortly start the Rainbows programme in school. The aim of this programme is to support children who have experienced a loss either through death, divorce or separation. If you feel your child would benefit from such help please contact the school.
WATER BOTTLES - The children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day as research has shown that regularly drinking water aids concentration. Please ensure that your child brings their water bottle to school every day. Replacement bottles are available from the school offices for £1.
CONTACT DETAILS - Please ensure that you inform the school of any changes to your contact details such as contact telephone numbers and email addresses. It is important that we have current telephone numbers so that we are able to contact you if your child is feeling unwell or in an emergency.
FAMILY LEARNING - Year 2 parents, who are interested in participating in Numeracy Family Learning with their child, are invited to a Coffee and Information meeting on Tuesday 10th January at 2.30pm. Further information about the numeracy sessions, which commence on Tuesday 17th January, will be provided at the meeting.
WALKING GROUP The Walking Group continue to meet every Thursday morning 9am at the Langford Road school gate. All are welcome to join them for a healthy walk, good company and interesting conversation. The route is suitable for pushchairs.
CHRISTMAS RAFFLE - Thank you for supporting our KS2 Christmas Hamper Raffle. The raffles were drawn in each class on the Thursday before the Christmas holiday . We raised a total of £594 which will be used to purchase maths equipment. A special thank you to all the Friends of Sacred Heart who helped organise the raffle
CAFOD FUNDRAISING Pupils in Year 4 and 6TA, along with staff members, decided to make a donation to Cafod rather than sending Christmas cards to each other raising a total of £85.80. The children will use this money to purchase items from the Cafod World Gifts to aid children in the Third World.
EASYFUND RAISING - Sacred Heart is registered with www.easyfundraising.org.uk. If online purchases are made through this website the school receives a percentage at no extra cost to you. A number of retailers are registered with this site including Asda, Tesco, Amazon, Boots, Bodyshop and many more. As you may have read in the local papers, the school recently received a prize of £250 through this site. Thank you to Mrs. King for entering the competition.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Friday 20th January - 6CL Class Assembly
Friday 27th January - 2SM Class Assembly
Friday 3rd February- First Friday Mass @ 9.30am Year 3 and Year 1 reading
Friday 10th February - Book Character Dressing Up Day
Wednesday 22nd February - Ash Wednesday Mass @ 9.30am Year 5 and Year 2 reading
Friday 2nd March - First Friday Mass @ 9.30am Year 4 and Year 1 reading
Friday 9th March - 4AP Assembly
Friday 23rd March -3AG Assembly
Saturday 24th March - 3AG First Confessions
Saturday 31st March - 3SM First Confessions
Friday 30th March - Easter Performance - Year 5 @ 2.15pm
Thank you for your continued support with your child’s learning and development.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M.Cullen
Headteacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to this month’s newsletter. I trust you and your children enjoyed a relaxing break over the half-term week.
ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS - November is the month of remembering our dead and praying that their souls may have eternal rest. On November 11 we will particularly remember those soldiers who fought and died in the World Wars and all those who continue to die in the conflicts around the World.
FIRST CONFESSION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2012 - If your child is in Year 3 or above and you want them to make their First Confession and First Holy Communion in Sacred Heart Parish in 2012, you should have completed and returned an enrolment form to Father Chris and will need to attend the Parents Meeting on 10th November at 7.30pm. Copies of the enrolment forms are available at Sacred Heart Church.
HARVEST FESTIVAL - Thank you very much for your harvest contributions these were delivered to the Noah Centre in Luton and were very gratefully received.
ATTENDANCE - The Department of Education has changed the definition of ‘persistent absence’ to address the impact pupil absenteeism has on pupil learning and progress. Schools are now expected to take action earlier to deal with pupil absence and any child whose attendance is 85% or less will be classed as ‘persistently absent. ‘In July 2011 the government released a press notice in which they stated:
Persistent absence is a serious problem for pupils. Much of the work children miss when they are off school is never made up, leaving these children at a considerable disadvantage for the remainder of their school career. There is also clear evidence of a link between poor attendance at school and levels of achievement.
- Of pupils who miss more than 50% of school, only 3% manage to achieve five A* to Cs GCSEs including English and maths.
- Of pupils who miss between 10% and 20% of school, only 35% manage to achieve five A* to Cs GCSEs including English and maths
- Of pupils who miss less than 5% of school, 73% manage to achieve five A* to Cs GCSEs including English and maths
In accordance with this new guidance our Attendance Officer will continue to monitor pupil attendance. This regular monitoring and analysis of school registers enables patterns and trends to be identified and concerns will be addressed in line with our Attendance Policy.
- Where poor attendance or punctuality is identified the parent is advised in writing that their child’s attendance/punctuality is being monitored for the next term. Parents are able to meet the Family Worker, Attendance Officer or Headteacher to discuss this.
- Where the concern persists the Family Worker will invite the parents to a meeting to discuss the reasons for the absence or punctuality difficulties. The purpose of this meeting is to plan for improvement. The school will continue to monitor the child’s attendance each week.
- Where no improvement has been made the Educational Welfare Officer will be informed and parents will be invited to a second meeting.
The aim throughout this process is to ensure all children have the best attendance possible. The school will work in partnership with parents and take into account individual circumstances, applying the process accordingly. A visit to families at home will be arranged if necessary.
RAINBOWS - As in previous years we will shortly start the Rainbows programme in school. The aim of this programme is to support children who have experienced a loss either through death, divorce or separation. If you feel your child would benefit from such help please contact the school.
PARENTS EVENING - Thank you to everyone who attended our parents evenings before half term, we look forward to meeting with Foundation Stage parents later this month. Once again this year, the response and comments received from over the two evenings was very positive and I hope we can continue to work together to enable our children to achieve their targets and potential during the year.
BREAKFAST AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUB - Places can be booked for a full week or part weeks; you can also vary the days from week to week. However, places must be booked and paid for in advance. Due to Health and Safety regulations we have to ensure the correct adult/pupil ratio is met so it is very important that you do not bring your child to Breakfast Club or After School Club if you have not secured a place in advance.
SHOE BOX APPEAL - Thank you to all those who have already sent in boxes or items for the Shoe Box Appeal the boxes will be collected on 12 November so all boxes need to be in school for that date.
CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS - As last year parents/carers can purchase Mrs Gannon’s homemade Christmas puddings, please send your money in a sealed envelope if you wish to place an order. The puddings cost £6.50 (1lb) or £10 (2lb) and are suitable for vegetarians. All proceeds will be used to purchase resources for the Family Room.
PARKING - If you use Langford Drive please park with consideration. In the next few months we have a number of Christmas performances and events, if you are attending these or collecting your child from the Christmas disco/entertainment please ensure you do not block any of the neighbours’ drives or obstruct the flow of traffic.. Please make sure you leave enough room for the school bus to park outside the school entrance. If at all possible please use the Church car park Thank you in anticipation for your co-operation.
SAM LEARNING - The school has recently renewed its subscription to SAM Learning. One of the key features of this service is that it can be accessed from virtually any computer with Internet access. If you have a computer with Internet access at home, I hope you and your child will enjoy using this service. Of course, it is also possible that learners may use SAM Learning from computers in other places such as libraries and community centres; in Year 6 and Year 2 they will also have the opportunity to use SAM Learning in school. I realise you may have concerns about youngsters using the Internet, and may wish to establish your own family rules about where and when this is to be done. To access the service at www.samlearning.com, learners need three details:
Centre ID:LU2SH2
User ID:Date of birth followed by two initials; first name then last name.
Example- 010896DJ is the User ID for David Jones born 1st Aug 1996.
Password: same as UserrID
SCHOOL DINNERS - To mark the anniversary of the Pope’s visit our bishops have asked us to reintroduce the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays as a simple sign of our shared faith. Mrs Gannon has adjusted the menus accordingly. As we will no longer be serving meat on a Friday treat days have been moved to the first day of each half term.
Please note dinners cost £1.70 a day, £8.50 a week in KS2 or £1.65 a day in KS1, £8.25 a week. The price for this half term is £59.50 for KS2 and £57.75 for KS1. If you are eligible for free school meals please register as the number of children we have registered for free school meals are taken into consideration during the allocation of school funding.
PACKED LUNCHES - Thank you for your support in encouraging the children to eat a healthy lunch ideas for healthy packed lunches can be found on www.greatgrubclub.com/my-packed-lunch. As explained above we have moved treat days to the first day of each half term, when the children are allowed to bring in chocolate and crisps.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
ASSEMBLIES
Friday 11 November - 6TA
Friday 25 November - 5LK
Friday 2 December - First Friday Mass Year 4 and Year 1 reading
Friday 6 January - First Friday Mass Year 3 and Year 2 reading
CHRISTMAS PRODUCTONS AND EVENTS
This year the Christmas production in KS2 will be performed by Year 3. There will be two performances for Year 3 parents one on Thursday 8 December and the second on Friday 9 December at 2.30pm.
In KS1 the Christmas production will be performed by Foundation Stage and Year 1 on Friday 9th December for Year 1 parents and Tuesday 13th December for Foundation Stage parents at 10am.
Monday 5 December - 7 - 9pm - KS2 Christmas Disco
Tuesday 6 December - 3.30 pm - 5 pm KS1 Christmas entertainer
Tuesday 13 December - School Christmas Dinner
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M.Cullen
Headteacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to this month’s newsletter. Thank you for all the support and help you gave the school during our recent RE Inspection we will distribute the report as soon as it is finalised.
HARVEST FESTIVAL - Our annual Harvest celebration was led by Year 6 and Year 2 at the 9.30 morning Mass in Sacred Heart Church last Friday. Over the next week we will be collecting food to distribute to the needy it would be wonderful if every child could bring in one tin or jar of food. Noah would particularly like tins or jars of food. Please hand in all donations by Monday 17th October
THE ROSARY - October is the month of the Rosary and in school during assemblies and class collective worships we will be exploring and praying parts of the Rosary with the children. Each Monday in October a prayer group will meet in the Learning Lodge to say the Rosary at lunchtime all pupils are invited. Perhaps at home you could make some time to pray the Rosary or a Hail Mary as a family, the Hail Mary is one of the prayers we ask the children to know in school.
FIRST CONFESSION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2012 - The Parish Preparation Programme, for parents who want their child to receive First Confession and First Holy Communion next year, will start in November. If your child is in Year 3 or above and you want them to make their First Confession and First Holy Communion in Sacred Heart Parish in 2012, you need to complete and return an enrolment form prior to the Parents Meeting on 10th November at 7.30pm. Parents need to collect a letter and enrolment form from Father Chris Whitehouse, forms should be returned to Father Chris. Further details about the Parish Preparation Programme are explained in the letter.
PARENT GOVERNOR - We received one nomination for Parent Governor, therefore Mr Kotula has been automatically elected onto the Governing Body as Parent Governor. We presently have a vacancy for a Foundation Governor if you are interested please contact the school or speak to your parish priest. Applications for Foundation Governors need to be supported by your parish priest. The School Governors play a vital role, ensuring that the best possible Catholic education is provided for the pupils attending the school.
WALK TO SCHOOL MONTH - Walk to School Month started on Monday 3rd October. During the month the children will be thinking about road safety and the benefits of walking, cycling or scooting to school. Hopefully you will be able to take this opportunity to walk all or part of the way to school during this month.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS- Following changes in the allocation of government funding for schools the school receives extra funding for each pupil registered for free school meals. If your child is eligible for free school meals please contact Unity House to register, so that the school can access this funding. Free school meals and School uniform vouchers are available for school age children whose parent/guardian is in receipt of a qualifying benefit:
-Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
-Income Support
-Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
-Asylum Seekers Allowance
-Children’s Tax Credit and your income falls below £16,040.
If you have any queries about free school meals please contact our Family Workers
PARKING - If you use Langford Drive please park with consideration, we have had a number of complaints from residents about their drives being blocked. Parking is also available in the Church car park. It is important for us as a Catholic school to maintain good relationships with our neighbours.
PE LESSONS - Too many children are unable to take part in their P.E. lesson simply because they’ve forgotten their P.E kits. Please ensure they have their kit in school with them on their P.E. day which takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays. As the weather is now becoming colder the children can also wear track suits or track suit bottoms. Thank you.
HOMEWORK CLUB - If you would like support in helping your child with their homework, this is available in the homework club which is held in the Family Room every Friday at 3.30pm for parents and children. Children cannot attend without an adult.
SHOE BOX APPEAL - As it was so successful last year the school is again taking part in ‘Operation Christmas’, more commonly known as the Shoe Box Appeal. We are hoping that each class will fill two shoeboxes and would like the children to donate suitable gifts as detailed on the attached leaflet. If you would prefer to pack a box as a family and send it into school, we would be grateful if you could also enclose the £2.50 donation. Boxes should be returned to school by November 11th.
EASYFUND RAISING - Sacred Heart is registered with www.easyfundraising.org.uk. If online purchases are made through this website the school receives a percentage at no extra cost to you. A number of retailers are registered with this site including Asda, Tesco, Amazon, Boots, Bodyshop and many more.
PARENT EVENING -This year the consultation meetings are on Tuesday 18th October 4.00 to 6.00pm and Thursday 20th October 6.00 to 8.00pm.Letters regarding these have been sent out, please return your reply slip as soon as possible so that appointments can be arranged.
PACKED LUNCHES - Thank you for your support in encouraging the children to eat a healthy lunch, we are trying to follow the government guidelines on food in schools; these also apply to school dinners. We have a treat day on the last day of each half term, when the children will be allowed to bring in chocolate and crisps. Please contact Mrs Diggin, our Family Worker for further details.
SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD IN MATHS- We have MATHS WATCH DVDs for sale in school for £3.50. These contain short video clips which explain the different methods used by your child in maths lessons. The video clips are designed to help your child with their home work, developing their mathematical skills, whilst also helping parents to support their children. The MATHS WATCH DVD IS SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN IN KS2 and covers topics taught from Year 3 to Year 6. To purchase a disc please send in £3.50 in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and Maths Watch written on the envelope.
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER - The school photographer will be in school this term on Tuesday 18th October to take individual portraits of the children and family (siblings in school) groups.
WORLD’S BIGGEST COFFEE MORNING - Thank you to everyone who supported the coffee morning on 30th September, either by attending or donating cakes. A total of £364 was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support, a wonderful achievement.
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES - There are a number of activities for children in our local libraries:
-On Monday 24th October 2.30-3.15pm children age 5-9 years can enjoy stories and activities with a secret agent theme, featuring H. I .Larry’s young, gadget mad secret agent Zac Power at Stopsley Library.
-Children age 9-12years can enjoy stories and activities also with a secret agent theme, featuring Tintin in ‘The Secret of the Unicorn’ at Wigmore Library on Wednesday 26th October 2.30-3.15pm.
-Booktime, Funtime events have been arranged for children aged 4 and 5 years at Stopsley Library on Saturday 22nd October and Wigmore Library on Saturday 19th November both from 2.15 to 3pm.
-Both libraries also run fortnightly book clubs on Monday 4-5pm at Wigmore Library and on Wednesday 4-5 at Stopsley Library, these are suitable for 10 years +
-Homework Help sessions are available at Wigmore Library on Thursday after school and Saturday midday.
For further information or to book activities please contact Stopsley Library on 01582706368 or Wigmore Library on 01582 706340 or ask at the library desk.
TERM DATES 2011/2012 - The dates for September 2011 - July 2012 continue to be displayed in the main school entrance and the school website: www.sacredheartluton.org.uk Copies of the dates are available on request from the KS2 office.
Half term commences Monday 24th October the children will return to school on Monday 31st October 2011.
Thank you once again for your continued support and encouragement as we look forward to the challenge and achievements of the school year.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. J.M.Cullen
Headteacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to this the first newsletter of yet another new school year. It was lovely to see the children eager to start the new term, looking so smart in their uniforms. I trust you all enjoyed a good summer holiday.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - As we return from the summer break the children are experiencing lots of new things, different classes, teachers and new work. The focus of our term’s work in Religious Education is the connection between life around us and God’s creation of which we are all a part. We will be exploring the topics Signs and Symbols and Visitors. The children will also spend a week studying Judaism. The Religious Education Parents’ Letter includes a number of suggestions for home activities, which will support the work we are doing in school.
DISABILITY AWARENESS DAY - John McCorkell who previously worked at the Christian Education Centre in Southwark visited the school on Friday 9th September to lead our Disability Awareness Day. This was a very enjoyable and informative day during which all the children participated in a workshop led by John.
MIME MINISTRY As part of our RE curriculum Steve Murray from Mime Ministry will be leading mime workshops on Tuesday 20th September, children will be exploring the theme of New Beginnings. Steve has previously visited the school and I am sure the children will benefit greatly from the day. If you would like further information www.beholdmimeministry.org
WELCOME - A warm welcome to everyone who is beginning a new association with the school, we hope that it will be a happy and rewarding time for you and your children. We also welcome a new member of staff Miss Smith in Year 4. We hope she will be very happy at Sacred Heart Primary School. An equally warm welcome to all whose links with the school go back a little further! I wish everyone an enjoyable and rewarding time with us.
RE INSPECTION- Following our recent Ofsted inspection Northampton Diocese will inspect Sacred Heart Primary School on Tuesday 4th October, parent questionnaires will be distributed to parents the week before the inspection.
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER - The school photographer will be in school this term on Tuesday 18th October to take individual portraits of the children and siblings in school.
STOPSLEY FIRE STATION CAKE SALE- Thank you to everyone who contributed cakes for the Stopsley Fire Station Open Day it was wonderful to be able to thank the firemen for their support last July. The school raised a total of £150 for the fire station.
PARENT GOVERNOR -All parents should have received a letter regarding nominations for Parent Governor; these nominations need to be returned by 23rd September. If you have not received a nomination form please contact the KS2 School Office.
SEX/RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION- For the last two years Year 6 pupils have followed a scheme of work ‘This is my Body’ There are 12 lessons in the scheme which are taught in the summer term. This programme affirms the central role of parents. Further information on this scheme will be available at the Year 6 Information Evening for Parents on September 21st or can be found on www.thisismybody.co.uk. As in previous years, during the summer term we will arrange a Guys and Guardians evening for Year 5/6 pupils and parents. The aim of this evening is to enable parents to effectively support their children through puberty and to open the avenues of communication between parents and children.
FRENCH AND GERMAN LESSONS - This year Mrs Lawrence, a teacher from Cardinal Newman School, will continue to teach modern foreign language lessons on a Thursday at Sacred Heart Primary. In Year 6 the children will learn French for half of the year and German for the second half of the year. In Year 3, 4 and 5 pupils will be taught French by Mrs Lawrence.
TIN WHISTLE LESSONS - During their music lessons this year all of Year 3, including the class teachers, are going to be taught to play the tin whistle by Mrs Hannigan.
TABLES AND CHAIRS Following the replacement of some of our classroom furniture we have a number of surplus tables and chairs. These are stacked on the grass by the KS2 car park. If you would like to take any of these for use in your garden or at home please feel free to take them.
DINNER MONEY - Please note dinners cost £1.70 a day, £8.50 a week in KS2 or £1.65 a day in KS1, £8.25 a week. The price for this half term is £56.10 for KS2 and £54.45 for KS1. Money/cheques should be placed in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name and reason for the money. Your child will then hand the envelope to their class teacher.
PACKED LUNCHES - Thank you for your support in encouraging the children to eat a healthy lunch, we are trying to follow the government guidelines on food in schools; these also apply to school dinners. We have a treat day on the last day of each half term, when the children will be allowed to bring in chocolate and crisps. Please contact Mrs Diggin, our Family Worker for further details.
KNIT AND CHAT- Starting Monday 3rd October, these sessions will be held every Monday morning from 9.00am to 10.30 am in the Family Room for adults who would like to learn to knit, or who can already knit but would like to improve their skills. The sessions cost £2 a week, just come along if you are interested.
FAMILY LEARNING - On Tuesday 13th September at 2.30pm there is an information meeting for Year 1 parents about this term’s Numeracy Family Learning Sessions these sessions aim to help parents support their children develop their numeracy skills. Our previous Family Learning Sessions have been very successful and both the parents and children involved have enjoyed the activities, further details will available at the meeting in the Family Room.
BREAKFAST AND AFTERSCHOOL CLUB The Breakfast and After School Club continues to run very successfully. Please ensure you drop and collect your children promptly at your booked time. If you drop your child off early or collect them late you will have to pay an additional charge. Thank you for your co-operation.
WORLD’S BIGGEST COFFEE MORNING - On September 30th the Family Room will be open from 9.00 -10.30 am and in the afternoon from 2.00-3.30pm serving refreshments to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. There will also be a cake sale for the children in the afternoon. We hope that you will support this worthy cause by donating cakes or raffle prizes and joining us in the Family Room.
PARKING - If you use Langford Drive please park with consideration, ensuring the road and residents’ drives are not blocked. Parking is also available in the Church car park. I thank you in anticipation for your help with this matter
DATES FOR THIS HALF TERM
21st September- Year 6 Information Evening for Parents -7pm
7th October - First Friday Mass Year 6 and Year 2 reading - Harvest Festival
18th October - Individual School Photographs
18th October - Parent Consultations 4 -6pm
19th October Scholastic Book Fair
20th October - Parent Consultations 6- 8pm
TERM DATES 2011/2012 - In order to help you to plan and book your holidays for this year here are the term dates for September 2011 - July 2012.
Yours sincerely
Mrs J M Cullen