26 May 2005 - newsletter May
Wrist bands and scoobiesI'm sure you are all well aware of the emergence of a whole host of wrist bands that are now available supporting a range of good causes. In fact a number of the school staff are wearing them on their arms too. However, they are unfortunately starting to cause us a few problems. They are being broken, lost, used inappropriately, swapped and some children are coming to school with up to 5 or 6 on their wrist. I?m not proposing to ban them. However, we will treat them as we treat watches. They will need to come off for any P.E. activities. We will also take them away from children playing with them or using them in a dangerous way. In addition we will not take responsibility for any loss or damage to them.
My advice is to leave them at home.
The current craze for scoobies is also causing us problems. Although there are clear educational benefits in weaving them together they are basically a toy. As with any toy brought into school, teachers are spending too much time dealing with them being lost, swapped or played with when the children should be doing their school work. Please leave them at home and let the children play with them after school.
S. Spry - Headteacher
Staffing news
We have appointed Mr. Robin Cooper to the teaching staff here at Prince Rock as a replacement for Mr. Clooke who is leaving us in July. Mr. Cooper currently teaches at Hyde Park Infants and we will be joining us in September.
After half term we will let you know which teachers will be taking which classes from September.
Following the resignation of Mrs Clare Bowden Plymouth City Council's catering department have appointed Mrs Ruth Rickard to be our new school cook. Mrs Rickard has been working in the canteen at Southway Primary school and we hope you will join us in welcoming her to Prince Rock. We have enclosed some information on school dinner menus on the flyer enclosed in this newsletter.
Parent Governor vacancy
We still have a vacancy for a parent governor to join the team of people that run the school. If you would like further details on what's involved then please see Mr. Spry or one of our 2 current parent governors, Paula Luscombe or Julie Richardson.
Can you help with reading at school?
Following last terms successful parents afternoon about how we teach reading here at school, a number of you have very kindly offered to come into school and listen to children read, or even read to groups or classes!
Thank you! If you would like to help, please jot down your name,
child's class, the week day and approximate time you could
help. Please pass this on to Mr Wallace via the school office
if you wish. Thank you for your continued help and support.
Fruit snacks at break time
The numbers of children choosing to eat our free fruit at
break time continues to rise. We now have 62% making a regular healthy
snack choice which is up from 51%, 3 months ago. Let?s see if we can get the figure up to 75% by the end of the year. You know it makes sense!!!
Term dates and holidays
Next years term dates are listed on the enclosed flyer. Please try to book any holidays within the official school holiday period.
Parent Survey
The results of the parent survey you kindly completed before Easter are listed below. We had our biggest ever return with 110 responses form our 140 families. This means that over ¾ (76%) of you returned your forms, which is up from 57% last year. Thank you. Last years figures are in brackets. We have already taken note of one of your concerns about after school clubs being mainly for the oldest children so this term football is being run for years 3 and 4, rather than years 5 and 6. We really do listen to what you say!
PARENT SURVEY 2005
Strongly agree
Agree
Tend to disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know
My child likes school
55%(49%)
41% (42%)
3%(7%)
0%(0%)
1%(2%)
My child is making good progress in school
55%(39%)
45%(54%)
0%(4%)
0%(0%)
0%(4%)
Behaviour in the school is good
48%(28%)
45%(53%)
8%(7%)
0%(0%)
0%(11%)
My child gets the right amount of homework
31%(23%)
64%(54%)
3%
(12%)
1%(5%)
1%(5%)
The teaching is good
56%(37%)
43%(54%)
0%(2%)
0%(0%)
1%(7%)
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on
46%(21%)
46%(47%)
8%
(28%)
0%(4%)
0%(0%)
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem
56%(42%)
39%(53%)
5%(5%)
0%(2%)
0%(0%)
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best
62%(46%)
37%(46%)
1%(2%)
0%(0%)
0%(5%)
The school works closely with parents
43%(18%)
51%(60%)
6%
(19%)
0%(0%)
0%(4%)
The school is well led and managed 50%(19%) 46%(68%) 1%(4%) 0%(0%) 3%(9%)
The school is helping my child to become mature and responsible
50%(25%)
48%(65%)
0%(7%)
0%(0%)
2%(4%)
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons 41%(16%) 44%(42%) 11%
(23)% 0%
(2%)
4%(18%)
STAFF VACANCY
We have a vacancy from mid June for an evening cleaner. Please see Mrs Smith in the school office or Mr Horne the Caretaker for details.
Annual Reports
Your child?s annual report is due to be distributed to you on the 24th June. As ever, there will be opportunities for you and your child to comment on the report.
Please return the special reports folder, that your child?s last report was sent home in, to the school office as soon as you are able so that we can update the details.
If your child is new to the school, a new report folder will be provided.
DATE TIME EVENTLOCATION
Friday 27th May 3.30 Finish for Half term
Monday 26th June 8.50 School Re-opens
Tuesday 7th June pm Year 6 Cricket Plympton
Wednesday 8th June am Sports Day Tothill
Friday 10th June AllDay Years R, 1, 2 Trip to Wembury
Monday 13th June am Reserve Sports Day Tothill
Tuesday 14th June pm Years 5/6 Girls Cricket Plympton
Wednesday 15th June All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be confirmed
Friday 17th June 9.15 Year 3 Class Assembly School Hall
Friday 24th June 9.15 Year 4Class Assembly School Hall
Friday 24th June Annual reports sent home to parents
Monday 27th June 1.00- 5.00pm Athletics Brickfields
Wednesday 29th June All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be Confirmed
Wednesday 29th June 1.00-5.00pm Athletics Brickfields
Friday 1st July 9.15 Year 2 Class Assembly School Hall
Wednesday 13th July AllDay Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be
confirmed
Friday 15th July AllDay Whole School Picnic Saltram
Wednesday 20th July pm Year 6 leavers assembly And party To be
Confirmed
Thursday 21st July All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be
Confirmed
Friday 22nd July 3.30 School closes For the summer break
PLEASE NOTE ALL DATES ABOVE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
We still have a vacancy for a parent governor to join the team of people that run the school. If you would like further details on what's involved then please see Mr. Spry or one of our 2 current parent governors, Paula Luscombe or Julie Richardson.
Can you help with reading at school?
Following last terms successful parents afternoon about how we teach reading here at school, a number of you have very kindly offered to come into school and listen to children read, or even read to groups or classes!
Thank you! If you would like to help, please jot down your name,
child's class, the week day and approximate time you could
help. Please pass this on to Mr Wallace via the school office
if you wish. Thank you for your continued help and support.
Fruit snacks at break time
The numbers of children choosing to eat our free fruit at
break time continues to rise. We now have 62% making a regular healthy
snack choice which is up from 51%, 3 months ago. Let?s see if we can get the figure up to 75% by the end of the year. You know it makes sense!!!
Term dates and holidays
Next years term dates are listed on the enclosed flyer. Please try to book any holidays within the official school holiday period.
Parent Survey
The results of the parent survey you kindly completed before Easter are listed below. We had our biggest ever return with 110 responses form our 140 families. This means that over ¾ (76%) of you returned your forms, which is up from 57% last year. Thank you. Last years figures are in brackets. We have already taken note of one of your concerns about after school clubs being mainly for the oldest children so this term football is being run for years 3 and 4, rather than years 5 and 6. We really do listen to what you say!
PARENT SURVEY 2005
Strongly agree
Agree
Tend to disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know
My child likes school
55%(49%)
41% (42%)
3%(7%)
0%(0%)
1%(2%)
My child is making good progress in school
55%(39%)
45%(54%)
0%(4%)
0%(0%)
0%(4%)
Behaviour in the school is good
48%(28%)
45%(53%)
8%(7%)
0%(0%)
0%(11%)
My child gets the right amount of homework
31%(23%)
64%(54%)
3%
(12%)
1%(5%)
1%(5%)
The teaching is good
56%(37%)
43%(54%)
0%(2%)
0%(0%)
1%(7%)
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on
46%(21%)
46%(47%)
8%
(28%)
0%(4%)
0%(0%)
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem
56%(42%)
39%(53%)
5%(5%)
0%(2%)
0%(0%)
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best
62%(46%)
37%(46%)
1%(2%)
0%(0%)
0%(5%)
The school works closely with parents
43%(18%)
51%(60%)
6%
(19%)
0%(0%)
0%(4%)
The school is well led and managed 50%(19%) 46%(68%) 1%(4%) 0%(0%) 3%(9%)
The school is helping my child to become mature and responsible
50%(25%)
48%(65%)
0%(7%)
0%(0%)
2%(4%)
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons 41%(16%) 44%(42%) 11%
(23)% 0%
(2%)
4%(18%)
STAFF VACANCY
We have a vacancy from mid June for an evening cleaner. Please see Mrs Smith in the school office or Mr Horne the Caretaker for details.
Annual Reports
Your child?s annual report is due to be distributed to you on the 24th June. As ever, there will be opportunities for you and your child to comment on the report.
Please return the special reports folder, that your child?s last report was sent home in, to the school office as soon as you are able so that we can update the details.
If your child is new to the school, a new report folder will be provided.
DATE TIME EVENTLOCATION
Friday 27th May 3.30 Finish for Half term
Monday 26th June 8.50 School Re-opens
Tuesday 7th June pm Year 6 Cricket Plympton
Wednesday 8th June am Sports Day Tothill
Friday 10th June AllDay Years R, 1, 2 Trip to Wembury
Monday 13th June am Reserve Sports Day Tothill
Tuesday 14th June pm Years 5/6 Girls Cricket Plympton
Wednesday 15th June All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be confirmed
Friday 17th June 9.15 Year 3 Class Assembly School Hall
Friday 24th June 9.15 Year 4Class Assembly School Hall
Friday 24th June Annual reports sent home to parents
Monday 27th June 1.00- 5.00pm Athletics Brickfields
Wednesday 29th June All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be Confirmed
Wednesday 29th June 1.00-5.00pm Athletics Brickfields
Friday 1st July 9.15 Year 2 Class Assembly School Hall
Wednesday 13th July AllDay Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be
confirmed
Friday 15th July AllDay Whole School Picnic Saltram
Wednesday 20th July pm Year 6 leavers assembly And party To be
Confirmed
Thursday 21st July All Day Year 6 out Plymouth Youth Afloat To be
Confirmed
Friday 22nd July 3.30 School closes For the summer break
PLEASE NOTE ALL DATES ABOVE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE