Welcome back!

A happy new year to everyone, and a warm welcome to our new pupils and their families, Leah-Mae Duncan in 1HA, Edward Davidson in 5G and Archie Davidson in RBGL.

As we start a new year, we would like to take this opportunity to provide some information for the term and to remind you of a few routines to help the school to continue to run smoothly.

Learning Posters

A year group specific learning poster is attached to give you a feel about curriculum content this term. I hope you find the information useful. Please note: included on the posters are opportunities for additional, optional, engaging homework activities. Nursery and Reception also produce a newsletter which you will also find attached.

Shared classroom sessions

Last term we hope you enjoyed our programme of “shared classroom activities.” Each term you will be invited by your child’s class or year group to pop into school and share what your child’s class has been learning. This will be complemented by termly viewing of work sessions.

Parking at and around school

Due to the large numbers of pedestrians on the school site and very limited space, the governors have taken the decision that cars can no longer access the top playground to park during or after school events, or use the staff car park. Please make alternative parking arrangements when you collect children from or are attending an after school event.

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you that if you drive to school we would be grateful if you parked in a safe and legal place and showed courtesy to our many neighbours. Thank you.

Reminders

  • Please do not use the staff car park and staff entrance to enter school during normal pick up and drop off times.
  • Please remember to abide by school uniform guidance which is available on the school website at the following link – https://hadleighcp.school/parents/school-uniform/
  • Please remind children to refrain from playing chase and running games in the playground before school.
  • Please remind children to walk with their bicycles and scooters when on the school playgrounds, this includes no tricks or spinning their scooters as they go. Please remind your child that they must be careful when riding scooters down the hills that surround school as we have had some near misses recently.
  • Please remember to inform the office if your child is not attending an after school club or activity. Also please ensure that your child is picked up promptly once the club has finished.
  • If you arrive late for school please take your child to the office to be signed in.

Thank you

Many thanks for your kind generosity during advent. The HSA Christmas fair raised approximately £1000 and the collection at the carol service raised £289.12. I would like to add a personal note of thanks to the HSA members who braved the weather to sell raffle tickets for the hamper raffle. Thank you!

Severe Weather – Emergency Closure Information

If the temperature should plummet over the next few weeks, it is important we remind you of the procedure if the school has to shut because of snow. However, our bottom line is that the school will always stay open if we can and it is safe to do so. When bad weather compromises the safety and security of the site, supervision of students or affects transport to and from the site, the school will close.

If the school has to shut, then this information can be found in a number of ways:

  • On the Suffolk County Council, School closures website https://schoolclosures.suffolk.gov.uk/
  • Broadcast by BBC Radio Suffolk 103.9FM
  • Broadcast by Heart Radio 97.1 and 96.4 FM
  • If able to or if the school was to close early, we would send out a text or email via school gateway. To do this we must have your current email address and mobile telephone number. If we don’t, then please contact the office with this information.

Change to May Day Bank Holiday

This year’s early May bank holiday will be moved back by four days for the whole of the UK to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day. May Day is traditionally held on a Monday but will be put back to Friday 8th May 2020.

VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marks the day towards the end of World War Two when fighting against Nazi Germany came to an end in Europe. The holiday will form part of a three-day weekend of commemorative events.

They will include more than 20,000 pubs encouraging people to toast the heroes of the war, while churches will take part in a Ringing Out For Peace.

Announcing the change, Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “It will ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to remember and honour our heroes of the Second World War and reflect on the sacrifices of a generation.”

Sir Andrew Gregory, chief executive of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said the government’s decision was “fitting”.

“It is our duty to keep the events of the past alive in collective memory, including future generations – this is how we ensure that such a conflict never happens again,” he said.

“It is our hope that the nation takes a moment to reflect on the significance of this date, as a milestone that changed the course of history for the whole world,” he added.

The May Day bank holiday has been moved only once before. It was changed from 1 May to 8 May in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of VE Day.