WEEKLY BULLETIN: FRIDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2023

Headteacher’s message to parents/carers

Dear Parents/Carers,

This week, we’ve started to make appointments to our Pupil Leadership teams for 2023/24.  Our first roles are for our School Council, so congratulations to our new School Councillors!  Children received their School Council badges today and certainly felt very proud of themselves.  As with last year, we have a wide range of Pupil Leadership opportunities which help us to make sure that children’s voices and opinions are heard and acted upon in our school.

Thank you to the parents/carers who contributed to the consultation on our new Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policies.  After taking on board comments from children, parents/carers, staff and governors, the new policies are now finalised.  They are now published on our school website, where you’ll be able to refer to them throughout the year: www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Policies

We’re making some progress with remedial work following the flood, although sometimes our insurance claim handlers don’t seem to understand just how important it is to get children back into their normal classes, asap!!  We’re doing all that we can to make things move as fast as possible.  This week, we’ve also been using the hall for assemblies, with children sitting on mats and benches, rather than the floor, which they all quite enjoyed.  It’s been great to be able to gather children together in this way. 

Finally, take a look at our magnificent new mosaic, which has now been installed at the front of our school, on the front wall of Ruby class, next to the flagpole.  The mosaic was created by last year’s Year R and 1 children, who worked on the design with our artist and each placed a tile into the finished artwork.  If you would like your child to show it to you, please walk around to take a look with them, after collection any day at home time.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Best wishes,

Ruth Austin

Headteacher

Mrs Covey Introduction

Thank you to both staff, children and parents for making my first week at Tunbury Primary School an enjoyable one. I am an experienced Deputy Headteacher with experience of working in schools and a large Trust from both Kent and Medway. I am passionate about inclusion and wellbeing and set high standards of myself and those that I work with and I am really looking forward to getting to know our pupils and their families, across this academic year. I have already visited many of the classes already this term and I have led assemblies with each phase, launching our new pupil leadership groups for this academic year. The children have been so enthusiastic and excited about applying for various roles and I am looking forward to sharing with you more pupil leadership vacancies that come up this term.

My biggest highlight of my TEAM Tunbury experience so far are the many wonderful children that have visited my office showing off their excellent mathematic skills or super handwriting and reading. Celebrating each child’s success is the best part of my job!

School Council Members

A big congratulations to the following children for being appointed their class’ school council member for 2023/24.

Subject Ambassadors

This week we have launched our Subject Ambassador vacancies! We are looking for children that can work alongside our staff subject leaders to strengthen and improve each area. Subject Ambassador job descriptions and application forms are available via class teachers and must be handed in by Friday 22^nd September. Children may come have come with them already but if your child hasn’t and would like one, please just speak to their teacher.  New school council members, SLT and subject leaders will then carry out shortlisting and invite those successful to interview.

We need Subject Ambassadors for the following:

Art, Computing, DT, Maths, Science, English, French, Music, Geography, History, PE, PSHE, RE

Notices

Parent Governor: We have received one parent governor nomination so far – thank you.  We still need at least one more to fill our two vacancies for Parent Governors.  The closing date for nominations is 3.30 on Wednesday 20^th September.

Extra-curricular clubs: Our clubs are starting next week, so please sign your child up using the details on the clubs letter sent home yesterday.

Supporting attendance through working with SEASS: This year we are pleased to be working with South Eastern Attendance Advisory Service (SEAAS). They will provide focused support to improve school attendance and punctuality.  In partnership with SEAAS, we will continue monitor and review attendance. SEAAS will work on behalf of the school to address all attendance concerns. If we have concerns about a pupil’s attendance level or believe that a pupil’s attendance is having a negative impact on their attainment, we will refer the matter to SEAAS who will work with you to support improved attendance. For more information please read the letter attached.

Weekly Class Attendance: This is a weekly feature on our bulletin to highlight and celebrate good levels of attendance. Well done to our little Hedgehogs for taking top spot for KS1 with 100% attendance, with Lilac and Emerald in joint top for KS2 with almost perfect attendance this week. Well done!     

Team Points: In our first Team Points totals of the new academic year, we have Hawking in the lead! Well done all, keep up the good work.

Dates for your Diary

We will share a full list of diary dates for the academic year in next week’s bulletin.  This will include Parent Consultation Evenings, Open Afternoons, Sports Day and Class Assemblies.

Term dates for 2023/24: www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Parents/Term-Dates-23-24/

Wednesday 20^th September – TSA AGM, 8 pm – school hall

Friday 20^th October – INSET Day – School closed for pupils

Monday 23^rd October – Friday 27^th October – Autumn Break

Wednesday 15^th – Friday 17^th November – Year 6 PGL Residential visit