Dear Parents

Reception Class have had an extremely busy week! On Monday afternoon many of their parents joined them in their learning at their Inspire Workshop. Unfortunately I was off site at a meeting so was unable to attend but I am assured that the children were delighted to have their parents in school with them! Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire in your child's book bag as parental feedback is very much appreciated. Look out for photographs on the Reception class webpage.

Reception class have also participated in the RSPB's Big Schools Birdwatch this week. They had a great time identifying birds seen in the playground and recording how many of each they saw. The children have been learning about common British garden birds and how to care for them over the winter months. They have made lovely bird feeders and next week the children will be involved in the setting up of bird boxes. These will be positioned around the school grounds in readiness for nest building in the spring. Hopefully many of the children can continue to build on their learning by undertaking some similar work at home. They are very enthusiastic which is fabulous to see and hear! Thank you to Mrs Brown, our gardening and nature enthusiast.

A reminder to Year 5 parents that if you have not yet ordered your tickets for the Hagley Pyramid Concert, please contact the office as soon as possible. Details regarding travel by coach for parents have been sent out. Please return your requests slips as soon as possible so arrangements for travel can be confirmed. We are all very much looking forward to the evening which is always a wonderful reflection of the hard work the children have put into their preparation.

Thank you to the many parents who have already signed up to ParentPay and are already using it to order and pay for your children's meals. Please ensure you register on the system, following the information sent out last Friday, as all class trips as well as school meals will now be paid via ParentPay. If you are experiencing any difficulties registering please contact the school office and we will be happy to help.

Thank you to the group of parents who attended the School Life App clinic last Friday evening and have now successfully logged on. There are still some parents who have not set up their own parent account. Please note you will not be able to receive notifications from school until you are registered. A parent account must be created for each child and this must be done using a web browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome etc.) and cannot be done using the app. Once a parent account has been created, you can then use these details to log in to the app. If you are experiencing difficulties please contact the school office and we will be happy to assist you further.

Parents' evening dates have been set for Wednesday 7 March 4.00pm -7.00pm and Thursday 8 March 5.30-7.30pm. Due to the positive uptake in people using our School Life app, sign-up sheets will no longer be displayed in the school foyer and a new booking system via the School Life app will go live next week. Please look out for any messages and letters regarding this new service. Dates for this term have been updated. Please see the calendar tab on our website for further important dates this term.

Next Tuesday is 'Safer Internet Day' and every class will focus on the importance of keeping themselves safe whilst using the internet. I know many parents and carers have strict control on internet use at home but it is a timely reminder to check your child's ipad and laptop use. Technology is moving so rapidly and our children are so young without full understanding of the potential and well hidden dangers. There are many websites offering guidance for parents eg https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/ which you may find helpful. Thank you for your support in keeping your children safe.

Half term is fast approaching and Wulstan's Lodge is now taking bookings for Holiday Club. Please look for information and booking details in your child's book bag or contact Sally Bache at Nursery for further information.

If at any time you have a concern or need to speak to me or your class teacher please do not hesitate to contact us. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

K E Savage