6 November 2020 

I hope that you were able to have a restful break over half term. In school we have been busy with new topics this week and the children have settled quickly to their learning.

We have updated our COVID risk assessment twice in the last 10 days - once as a result of the new Government Guidance that came out the day before half term and once as a result of the National Lockdown that came into force yesterday.

The changes, of course, include how we have adapted the drop off  and pick up arrangements for the Reception classes so that they both arrive and leave site at the same time in line with the other year groups. The changes seem to be working well and I would like to thank you all for doing your bit to ensure we remain safe and minimise the chance of transmission.

The changes to Reception drop off and pick up do mean that we have many more adults on the school site at 8.45am and 3.15pm than before the half term break. I would encourage you all to continue to use the white spots on the floor to distance yourself from other families,  these are all at least 2 metres apart. From Monday, and for the period of the Lockdown, I am also asking all parents/carers to wear face coverings when they are bringing their children to school and picking them up. 

On a different note, the Year 2 children have worked hard to learn the words of the 'In Flanders Fields' poem and it certainly paid off. They were recorded on Wednesday reciting it for the Marlow Town Remembrance Service  and they will also be reciting it during our own Remembrance Service next week. It was so moving and respectful!

Mrs Reynolds

Parliament Week

Parliament Week is an annual event that aims to engage people from across the UK with their Parliament, explore what it means to them and empower them to get involved.

We started the week on Monday with a special assembly about voting; what it is and what it means. Year 2 took part in an online debate during the week and we held debates and votes in class on all sorts of issues including whether parents should limit children's time on devices and should animals be kept in zoos.

The school council proposed two options for changes they would like to make to our school and put them up for everyone to vote on.

The two ideas were:

1. Friendship Stops and Bench: To install new Friendship Stops on the field and the playground near to Dragonfly class and to install benches for the children who use the Friendship Stops to sit on.

2. Playground paints and apparatus: To have new designs painted on the playground near to Dragonfly class and new apparatus for the big playground.

Every child in school was issued a ballot, they cast their vote and placed their ballot in a ballot box. 

Our vote counting was considerably quicker than those for the US elections and already we have a result: Option 1- 29%; Option 2- 71%. So the School Council will be choosing some new playground paints and apparatus as this was the option with the majority.

Report from School Council

The School Council met this week and discussed Parliament Week and Charitable donations. 

For Parliament Week the school council discussed what areas of school they would like to make changes to and have come up with two items which they have invited the whole school to vote on. You can read more about this in the article below about Parliament Week. 

The councillors would also like to run a competition for how the new Reflection Area  (built over the holidays) could be decorated. We will give details of this over the coming weeks.

They also discussed how we can support charities this term. They have decided they would like to support the One Can Trust, BBC Children in Need and The Children's Society.

Details of the One Can Trust Hamper appeal and BBC Children in Need are given below and we will be communicating how we will support the Children's Society through Christingle later in the term.

The One Can Trust Festive Community Hampers

The One Can Trust have launched an appeal for items which they will use to create hampers of festive items for the families that use their service. Shown below is their suggested list of donations (please note that NO alcohol is to be donated). We will have collection boxes out at the front of school from Monday 23rd to Wednesday 25th November to drop these items off. We know that our Sandygate families always give very generously and thank you in advance for your support at this time.

Next Week's 'Learning at a Glance'

Remembrance Day

We will be marking Remembrance Day in school on Wednesday 11th November with a special school worship.

Year 2 were filmed this week and their contribution will form part of the Marlow Town Council service of Remembrance which is being streamed on at 10.50 on Sunday morning by All Saints Church. To stream this please see their website https://4u-team.org/digitalchurch/

We do still have paper poppies in school but there are no more reflectors, zip-pulls or wristbands. We will continue selling paper poppies until Wednesday 11th. 

World Children's Day - 20th November

On the 20th November we will be celebrating UNICEF UK's World Children's Day to mark and celebrate how wonderful our children are.

Given our current situation, as a school, we felt that it would be appropriate to focus on 'happiness' and we are asking the children to come to school dressed in clothes that make them feel happy!  We would ask that their choice of clothes is suitable as the children will be completing a normal school day and Reception will have their PE lessons as planned.  

Please do also check the weather forecast nearer the time and ensure that children will be warm enough in their chosen outfits.

Many thanks for your support

Home Learning

New Home Learning for all year groups will go live this afternoon on Google Classroom or Tapestry. We would remind parents that, according to our Home Learning policy, the activities posted are suggestions for parents in how to support their child at home, they are not compulsory and, as such, will not be marked by staff. 

For KS1 new Home Learning ideas are posted each Friday relating to the work done in class that week. Year 2 spellings are posted on a Friday and the spellings test on those is the following Friday. For Reception children the activities are quite open ended and will only be posted once each half term. 

Parent Governor

You should have all recieved the email yesterday about our Parent Governor vacancy. The email also included a nomination form. Should you wish for further details, please see the school website.