28 September 2018

Dear Parents

On Wednesday we welcomed back our Year 6 children from Alton Castle. Again all the staff were highly complimentary of the children's reverance, manners, behaviour and enthusiasm. Well done Year 6! They had enjoyed a wonderful few days which I am sure you will enjoy seeing at the end of the newsletter. As Miss Hill says 'Year 6 had a wonderful time during our retreat at Alton Castle. All the children were extremely polite, well behaved and enthusiastic. They enjoyed all of the activities and made lots of new friends with children from Our Lady of Fatima. This was an important first step on their journey to Confirmation as the mediations, prayers and hymns deepened the children's faith. It was fantastic to see the children grow in confidence and in their faith during our time at Alton Castle'. Here are a few words from some of the children:"Alton was by far one of the best trips ever. It definitely brought me closer to God." (Lucy Y6) "At Alton Castle, it wasn't just for fun but to develop our faith with Jesus and God. When I did rock climbing, I felt God's trust in me while I persevered to the top."(Will Y6). Thank you Year 6.

A reminder that at 6.30pm this Thursday October 4 we will be holding a Year 6 Information evening at school. At this meeting Miss Hill will explain the aims and expectations for our Year 6 children, SATs assessment, preparation for High school, attendance etc and how through school and family we can support our children as they move onto the next stage of their lives. I am delighted to say Mrs S Horan, Principal of Hagley Catholic High School will join us for this meeting. Mrs Horan will give a short presentation on Hagley Catholic High School and answer any questions you may have. I would encourage all Year 6 parents to attend as previous years feedback informs us that parents find the meeting extremely useful and informative.

It has been lovely to see how and happily and quickly our new Reception children have settled into school life. They are full of energy and enthusiasm and are already grasping their phonics and show such an eagerness to learn. It is opportune now for Mrs Edwards to offer more guidance of how you,as parents, can support with your children's learning. There will be a Reception Class Information Evening this coming week on Wednesday 3 October, at 6.30pm in the school hall where Mrs Edwards will explain for example,the phonics programme we use, reading system and number support. It is important that at least one parent attends this meeting. We look forward to seeing you then.

Next Friday 5 October we will be holding our annual Harvest Mass in school at 9.15am - please join us if you can. As usual our harvest gifts will be sold and the proceeds donated to the Father Sunny Trust - a charity supported by both school and parish. We would be very grateful for any food items that can be donated for this on the Friday morning. Thank you.

On Wednesday 10 October the PTA will be holding their Annual General Meeting in the school hall 6.30pm. The PTA had a very successful year last year and worked very hard, but are very keen to listen to all new ideas and welcome all new parents whether they are new to the school or have just not been to Friends' meetings before. For those parents who are new to the school the Friends' meetings are a good way to get to know other parents and to socialise whilst supporting the school. There is no pressure to take a leading role so please do come along - the more people who get involved the better!

Parents Evening will be held on Wednesday 7 November 4.00-7.00pm and Thursday 8 November 5.00 - 7.00pm. Please sign up for an appointment via the school life app

We will be holding our 'Open Morning' on Saturday 20 October and all current parents and prospective parents are invited to visit, chat to staff and look around the school. There will be tea and coffee in the hall providing an opportunity for prospective parents to chat more informally with myself and other staff. Please feel free to come along and take advantage of this opportunity and encourage any friends or neighbours with school age children to come along too. As I have said before there can be a misconception that only Catholic children can apply to our school. We welcome applications from all families of all or no faith. If you know of any families who are presently applying for a school place please encourage them to attend the Open morning or contact me to arrange a visit and tour of the school. Applications for Reception Class 2018 must be completed online by 15 January 2018.

Hagley Catholic High School will be holding their annual Open Day on Saturday 13 October from 9.00am to 12.00pm. If you have a child in Key Stage 2, it is never too early to start thinking about High Schools. The vast majority of our children transfer to Hagley at the end of Year 6, so do take this opportunity to take a look at the school. Our Year 6 children have now received their High School transfer forms. If you have any queries regarding transfer please do not hesitate to speak to us.

On Monday 22 October our school photographer will be in school to take individual photographs of every child. We will ensure photographs with siblings are also taken. We would ask that the children wear winter uniform of white shirt /blouse and tie .If you would like a photograph of your child with their baby or pre school siblings please come into the school hall at 8.30am for a group photograph.

Last week an amount of money was found on the outside path into the office. If you think this may belong to you please speak to Mrs Purcell

We are still awaiting the return of several data collection sheets. If you have still not checked and returned yours could you please do so by Monday. This information is vital both from medical information but also so we can contact you in the case of an emergency. If you have mislaid yours please contact the office and Mrs Purcell will provide a new copy. Thank you.

If you have any queries or concerns regarding your child's academic, social or emotional needs please do not hesitate to contact me or their class teacher. Many thanks for your continued support and we hope you enjoy your weekend.

KE Savage