Weekly Bulletin: Friday 19th May 2023

Headteacher’s message to parents/carers

Dear Parents/Carers,

Thank you to the family members who joined us for the first of our curriculum-themed Open Afternoon events for the summer term: making Moon Buggies for Year 1’s Design Technology.  When I popped into the school hall to visit this event, there was a lovely positive atmosphere, with everyone (adults and children alike) totally focussed on the learning taking place.  Good job everyone – your support and involvement in your children’s education is so precious, to us and most importantly, to them.

Yesterday, we were proud to host the first of our new inter-school sports tournaments, welcoming netball teams from St Peter’s Aylesford, Burham and Wouldham to play here at Tunbury.  The teams consisted of boys and girls from Year 5 and 6.  Each team played three matches and we were so excited to cheer Team Tunbury on to three victories (9-3 v Wouldham, 11-1 v Burham and 4-2 v St Peters), meaning that Tunbury were the winners!  Huge congratulations to our team: Donnie, Amelie, Ellarose, Gracie, Harry, Willow, Ewan, Phoebe and Molly.  Our children were so proud of themselves and were delighted to receive the trophy and medals.  Children from all the schools had a fabulous afternoon and played in the spirit that the tournament was intended.  Our colleagues at Wouldham reported that their children also returned to school with huge smiles on their faces and were super proud of themselves.  A huge thank you to our sports coach Mr Kent and PE leader Mrs Stallard for the excellent organisation of this event.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete a response to our annual parent/carer survey.  We are currently reviewing all the responses from this, as well as our staff survey and pupil survey – plenty to be proud of, along with some food for thought – and we’ll share a summary of this as soon as we can. 

Finally, I’m writing today’s bulletin having just come inside from the first of our fabulous Friday whole school breaktimes, with everyone (except Year 5, who are on their trip to Maidstone Museum) playing together on the field.  This is such a lovely occasion, with our Year 6 children looking after their Year R buddies, and all of our wonderful children having the chance to be together and play together.  For a school of our size, this doesn’t happen very often, but we know it’s something our children really look forward to in the summer term.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Best wishes

Ruth Austin

Headteacher 

Our Learning: Year 6

In Term 5, Year 6 have been working exceptionally hard towards their SATs and we would like to extend our gratitude to pupils and parents alike for helping to make SATs week a success. Following dedicated revision lessons in maths and reading, we are now embracing the opportunity to enjoy plenty of active sessions incorporating role-play and cross-curricular concepts. For example, in maths we have studied the work of Escher to create artistic patterns using tessellation!

Our topic, Relationships and Changes, has been explored through the text “There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom”. The text has prompted fantastic discussions around what it means to be a good friend or indeed a “good person” and pupils have been writing enthusiastically to bring characters and scenarios from the book to life. Particular highlights have included a Mental Health Leaflet written to inform and advise parents on how they can best support their children in challenging times as well as a formal complaint letter submitted on behalf of the fictional Concerned Parents Organisation! Pupils have really honed their ability to write in a formal tone and to argue their case in an articulate, considered manner.

In Science this term, we have looked at “Animals Including Humans”. It has been marvellous to see our students so fascinated by biological processes including respiration, digestion and the detailed workings of the human heart. A range of investigations and experiments have taken place and pupils were especially excited to make their replica models of blood (containing plasma, red and white blood cells and platelets).

In PE, we have enjoyed some whole year group sessions out on the field in which pupils have been testing their mettle in Athletics. We have already been introducing a number of track and field events, from the 100m sprint to the triple jump! Crimson, Emerald and Violet class looking forward to showing off their skills in Sports Day next term.

Finally, we are excited to announce that we have now begun preparations for our Year 6 Production. Our children are excited to audition for roles in “I’m an 11 Year Old Get Me Out of Here” next week; we are confident that this will be a hilarious and memorable production. Please save the date (2pm and 6:30pm on Wednesday 19^th July), you won’t want to miss it!

Notices 

Staffing news: Today is the last day at work for our Office Receptionist Mrs Foreman, before she leaves for maternity leave and the birth of her first child.  We know that parents/carers will join us in wishing Mrs Foreman all the very best for the exciting weeks and months ahead! 

Also this week, we said goodbye and thank you to Miss Gordon after eight years as a Tunbury teacher.  Miss Gordon has taught in most year groups during this time and we’re very sorry to see her leave for pastures new.  This year, she has been covering maternity leave in Orange class.  We have now welcomed Miss Morgan back to work following this maternity leave and, after a period of transition in which both Miss Gordon and Miss Morgan were working together, Miss Morgan will now work alongside Mrs Dean in Orange class.  

Free School Meals Vouchers: We are pleased to inform you that the Government has made the Household Support Grant available to Local Authorities for the whole of the financial year 2023-24. KCC have decided that a significant proportion of this grant will be used to support families whose children receive income related free school meals. As a result they will continue to fund supermarket vouchers in holiday periods and there will be further support for energy costs, most likely in the autumn. Families eligible for income based free school meals will receive £10 supermarket vouches for the May holiday. 

Are you eligible for Free School Meals? If so, we can ensure that you receive all the support you are entitled to: including KCC vouchers (for energy and food), free places on our school trips and of course, free school meals every day (although children can still have packed lunches if you prefer). Please check by visiting:

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals#tab-1. 

To apply please visit https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/kent/.

Summer term Open Afternoons: Just a reminder of the remaining summer term events for each year group.  We look forward to sharing children’s learning with you! 

TSA Non-Uniform Day & Father’s Day Present Room: This is a reminder that next Friday 26^th May, on the last day of term, children are invited to wear their own clothes to school. Green boxes will be at the gates to collect the £1 donations. Preparations are also being made for the TSA Father’s Day Present Room taking place on Wednesday 7^th and Thursday 8^th June. Presents are £2.50 each, please send in any money on the day in a named and labelled envelope. 

Weekly Class Attendance: This is a weekly feature on our bulletin to highlight and celebrate good levels of attendance. Blue Class takes the top spot again this week for KS1 and Lilac for KS2 with almost perfect attendance this week. Well done!      

Team Points: In this week’s totals, Holmes have re-taken their lead.  With our final totals of the term next week, who will emerge victorious? 

Dates for your Diary 

Term dates for 2022/23: https://www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Term-Dates-22-23/

Monday 22^nd– Friday 26^th May – Outdoor learning week

Friday 26^th May – TSA Non-uniform Day NEW

Friday 26^th May – Last day of term 5 for pupils

Monday 5^th June - INSET Day – School Closed for pupils

Tuesday 6^th June – First day of term 6 for pupils

Tuesday 6^th- Friday 9^th June – STEAM week

w/c Tuesday 6^th June – Year 4 Multiplication Times Tables check

Wednesday 7^th & Thursday 8^th June – TSA Father’s Day Present Room NEW

w/c Monday 12^th June – Year 1 Phonics check

Thursday 15^th June - Cricket tournament at Wouldham for collaboration schools (Tunbury, Wouldham, Burham and St Peters) NEW

Friday 16^th June – TSA Disco for Year R and Year 1 children

Tuesday 20^th June - New Entrants meetings in-school 3.30-4.30pm, or online 5.00-5.30pm

Wednesday 21^st June – Year 2 Open Afternoon, Making Fruit Kebabs – classrooms 2pm

Thursday 29^th June – Year 3 Open Afternoon, Science investigations – Main hall or field 2pm

Friday 30^th June – Sports Day

Friday 7^th July – Reserve Sports Day

Monday 10^th July – Year 5 Open Afternoon, Art in the style of Henri Rousseau – classrooms 2pm

Wednesday 12^th July – Year R Open Afternoon, Cooks and Books – Main hall 2pm

Wednesday 12^th July – Year 4 Open Afternoon, Survival Shelters – Classrooms 2pm

Thursday 13^th July – Year 6 Open Afternoon, Afternoon Tea – Main hall 2 pm

Wednesday 19^th July – Year 6 Production 2pm and 6:30pm

Friday 21^st July – Last day of term/academic year for pupils 

Class assemblies 

Class assemblies will be held in the school hall on Friday afternoons.  Parents/carers and family members from each class are warmly invited to join us in school for these events, as our children love to share their learning with you.  Please come to the front of the school and wait outside the hall entrance doors.  You will be invited in at approximately 2.45 pm.  The assembly will begin at 2.50 pm and last for about 10 minutes, finishing in time for you to collect your children at the end of the school day, as normal.

Friday 19th May               Bears Assembly

Friday 26th May               Owls Assembly

Friday 16th June               Hedgehogs Assembly