Dear Parents and Carers,
There are four weeks to go until the end of term and lots going on! Thank you for your keen support of and participation in Sports Week, which was a great success and an example of the importance we place on PE as a way of promoting the positive benefits of teamwork.
These benefits are also seen through sharing assemblies; Years 3 and 4 had theirs in the last fortnight and Year 2’s is next week on 26 and 27 June at 11.15am, during which the children will present a summary of all their learning this year as they move from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2. If you are a parent or carer of a child in Year 2 I urge to come along to see it, as it is hard to believe the children are only 6 and 7 years old.
Another valuable opportunity to bring the school community together is at Brunswick’s annual Carnival on 5 July, at which all parents and carers are very welcome. This year’s theme is …. Please provide a plain white T-shirt as soon as possible for your child to decorate for the parade; as they are close to leaving, Year 6 pupils can use old school uniform polo shirts. You will get your child’s End of Year Report on the same day as the Carnival, sent home with your child. This report summarises your child’s progress, attainment, behaviour and attitudes for the year, and includes a comment written by your child about school and
learning. If you would like to discuss the report with your child’s teacher and see his/her work from the year, please make an appointment at Parents’ Evenings on 15 and 16 July. Appointments are made via ParentMail; if you need assistance please contact the School Office Staff.
As the end of the academic year approaches, a reminder about taking holidays in term time: a Head Teacher cannot authorise holiday in term time by law. We all know that holiday companies take advantage of fixed school holiday times and raise their prices. Despite this, affordability cannot be used as a reason to authorise absence from school in term time. No absence from school can be authorised unless evidence is provided of the need to be absent at that time. If it is not, parents and carers risk a fine issued by the Local Authority of £60 per parent/carer. So, for example, if a two-parent family has two children who are absent from school unauthorised, the Local Authority can issue a £240 fine. Please be mindful of this if you are making holiday plans for the Summer.
Finally, in June we reinforce the value of Individual Liberty, which is the freedom to do what is right. I have been working with the children on how we know what is the right thing to do, and we have come to the conclusion that it is our understanding of our other values that helps us to know; respect, tolerance, kindness, courtesy, democracy and peace being particularly important. Everyone in the school community is a role model of these values for the benefit of our children. It is school policy that parents and carers approach school staff if there is an issue they would like to discuss, and in no circumstances should they discuss it directly with a child or a child’s parent/carer as this can be construed as confrontational. School staff will then do their best to help, maintaining
respectful and courteous relationships with everyone.Thank you for ensuring that everyone in school is treated appropriately so children feel happy and safe.
With best wishes for a peaceful and enjoyable weekend.
Susannah Bellingham, Head Teacher