Newsletter 11

Friday 1st March

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Spring-ing into the second half of the school year…

I trust that you all had an enjoyable half term break- the warm weather has certainly been an added bonus hasn’t it! It’s always busy in school and it has been monitoring and evaluation at Tudor this week. From the standards in the children’s books, to the inspiring learning environments that the children work in, the evidence that the teachers are supporting the children really well is really clear to see. We have had a number of additional school visitors recently and they all comment on the quality of the provision that the children receive. They are consistently impressed with the energy and atmosphere that is found each day. Our Tudor thematic curriculum is a big selling point of our school and I have placed a number of photos on our twitter page (https://twitter.com/TudorPrimaryHH) to show how the teachers expertly celebrate the learning outcomes. Learning environments with spaceships and planets are sure to help teleport their minds to new galaxies…

Plans that are truly ‘Tud-a-mazing’!

The school is close to being able to select a company for the Tudor activity play centre that the children will soon be able to enjoy. Below are some images of the options on the table. As you can see, we are determined to do this properly and ensure that the children can benefit from the highest quality equipment when outside:

Such plans, though, do not come cheap- especially when completed. Whilst the school and Friends of Tudor have set aside funds to pay for the vast majority of the plans, we are still seeking some additional sponsorship/ funding. If anyone in our community is aware of companies that would be interested in sponsoring such a Tudor project, do get in contact with the school. Names of companies/ sponsors could be advertised in a prominent position for many years to come. Be part of something ‘Tud-a-mazing’!

I trust this page of the newsletter highlights how we are determined to ensure Tudor Primary continues to be a school of high quality. We must meet the needs of the children that are here at the moment but we must look to evolve and grow with an eye on the future.

Wearing the right clothes (and getting them back at the end of the day)

The children were so excited to have access to the field once again this week. This is always a positive time because the children have more space to play and explore. What with more running around, the children often decide to remove coats and jumpers. If they are clearly named it is usually very simple to reunite the right clothes with the right children. Please be assured that we do remind the children to look after their uniform but, as the pile of lost property shows, it does not always work.

I must say, though, that compared to many other schools that I have worked in, the children at Tudor are respectful of their uniform and the lost property pile is rather small compared to those other settings. I am also impressed how the vast majority of children treat their school items with respect- an example is our merit badges in key stage 2- the children wear them with pride. Additional enamel badges are being introduced too- your child may have already earned one of Mrs English’s homework awards…

Attendance- well it wouldn’t be a newsletter without a comment on attendance ;)

If we are able to maintain the improvements that we are making in regard to ensuring children can benefit from a full education then this will be one of our biggest successes. Rates of attendance are now much better and we have far fewer children/ families who would be regarded as persistent absentees. Central to our approach is offering any form of support we can to families to ensure that they are able to benefit from regular schooling (97%+). Let’s all really commit to helping the children of Tudor benefit from a full education. Such commitment is of vital importance in increasing the opportunities for your children in school and beyond. Well done to 6Z for having the highest class attendance rate last term- we are proud of you!

Important dates…

• The FOT DISCOS will take place on Friday 8^th March. Money for tickets needs to be in by Wednesday 6^th March. F/S, Year 1 and Year 2 Disco is from 5.00-6.15pm and the Years 3,4,5,6 disco is from 6.30-8.00pm.  
• Talking of music, the ROCK STEADY assembly is on Thursday 28^th March at 9.15am
• COMIC RELIEF is on 15^th March. Red noses are currently on sale in the school office for £1.25 (office unable to give change). On the 15^th March, for a donation, children can wear something red if they wish!
• NURSERY APPLICATIONS also close at 10.00am on Friday 15^th March. Make sure you complete any applications that are required.

A final (but important) point

To conclude, I would encourage everyone in the Tudor community to respond to any online/ internet issues in the right way. Without giving it the credence it craves, there are some news reports currently in regard to troublesome activity/ issues on social media. To quote one report, ‘Experts and charities say that the current concern is a moral panic spread by adults’. We are very proud of how we continue to support the children with internet safety and I am pleased that nearly all parents recognise that the advice we share is in the interests of the children. We all have a duty to consider the potential impact of allowing children to access/ use any form of social media- especially those that have clear age guidelines of 13/16+...

Mr Rob Weightman/ Headteacher