Weekly Bulletin: Friday 30th September 2022
Headteacher’s message to parents/carers
Dear Parents/Carers,
Our new Reception children have settled in beautifully to the new school year and are already making strides in their learning. This week, we’re thinking about how children change and grow throughout their time in primary school. At Tunbury, we are ambitious for all children’s futures – we want every Tunbury child to excel in all aspects of their education. This will mean that they achieve well in subjects like reading, writing and Maths, but also that they develop a strong character through their primary school education.
To help grow our children’s character, we have designed and launched our very own character development program, which we would like to share with you today. We have identified four character traits that our children will need throughout their lives: leadership, resilience, independence and teamwork. Children will work through a range of opportunities to develop these traits throughout their time at Tunbury. You can find out more about this at Tunbury Primary School - Character Development, or by asking your child to explain!
Please remember that in all aspects of your child’s education, your support makes such a difference. With this in mind, why not try explaining to your child how character has helped you in your own life – for example, is there a time when you have needed to show teamwork or resilience? Could you talk to them about their future and your ambitions for them? As always, thank you for your ongoing support.
Finally, just a quick note to say that for children joining us next year in Reception, we have now set our New Entrants meeting dates for the Autumn term (see the Notices section and diary dates for details), so please come and see us for the start of even more amazing learning journeys!
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Best wishes
Ruth Austin
Headteacher
SENCo message
I wanted to take this opportunity to reach out and thank you all for making me feel so welcome in my first few weeks at Tunbury. As most of you know, I am in school on Thursdays and Fridays and have already met many of you.
Between now and the Christmas break there will be more opportunities to meet with me to discuss the support in place for your children in school. I will be taking appointments for the Parent Consultation Evening on Thursday 3rd November (more details about this to follow). If we have not had the opportunity to speak, this would be a good opportunity for us to do so.
Your children’s personalised plans are now established so if you wish to discuss the support that is in place for your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance or myself if necessary. These plans will be reviewed by the end of term 2 and there will be an opportunity for you to discuss the review of your child’s plan with either myself or your child’s class teacher.
Please join us for our next SEND forum on Thursday 6th October from 2.30pm – 3.15pm. I will be attending and would be lovely to meet some new faces. Amanda Oliver from Kent PACT (Parents and Carers Together) will also be with us for you to ask any specific questions or seek advice that you need.
If your child attends sensory circuits, please could they arrive at 8.40am so that they are able to go straight to their sensory circuit ready to start at 8.45am. This will ensure that there is minimal impact on lesson time in school.
We operate an ‘open door’ policy at Tunbury so please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries. I will be more than happy to help. I look forward to meeting many more of you over the coming weeks and months and working together to achieve the best outcomes for your children.
Stephanie Davies, SENCo
Our Learning: Year 3
What an exciting start to the new academic year. Year 3 have been experiencing Forest School, learning about the trees and plants in our forest area as well as learning to build dens and making medallions. A favourite activity is to play hide and seek amongst the trees. The children, and staff, have often been wet and muddy but the joy on the children’s faces as they explore every bush and hidden path makes it all worthwhile. Our Forest School sessions have linked with our topic; learning about Walderslade Woods. This week we have been drawing our own maps and plotting our route from the classroom to the Forest School. So far, none of the children have got lost!
Our texts in English have both been linked to trees, The Last Tree; a picture book set in a town with no trees or grass and The Owl Tree which we have started reading this week., the children have been writing predictions and will be writing alternative endings (linking our science skills) and book reviews.
In maths, the children have been building on their knowledge of place value, using base ten and place value counters. They have also been comparing and ordering numbers to one thousand. The children are using these skills to solve reasoning and problem solving questions.
In science, we are studying plants! Last week we were carrying out an investigation into what plants need to grow. The importance of ensuring our investigations change just one variable became very apparent during our cress experiment!
Notices
New Entrants to Reception for September 2023: We have now planned our New Entrants meetings for parents/carers who are looking for a school place for Reception children in September 2023. Please share the following information with anyone you know who may be interested.
New Entrants meetings: you are very welcome to attend these in-school sessions with your children or come without them, if you prefer. These sessions include a short presentation and Q&A session with the headteacher, followed by a guided tour of the school with our Year 6 children.
- Tuesday 1st November 9.15-10.15
- Monday 14th November 9.15-10.15
- Wednesday 23rd November 3.30-4.30
- Thursday 1st December 1.45-2.45
We also offer an online meeting, with presentation and Q&A session only, for parents/carers who cannot visit us in person.
- Monday 14th November 5.00-5.45
To book a place, please email office@tunbury.kent.sch.uk with your name, your child’s name, a contact number and the date of the session you wish to attend.
After School Clubs: it has been a great start to our clubs this week. We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our teachers, HLTAs and TAs who are giving their time to run an after-school club. We still have places on the following clubs: BSL Signing Choir, French club, Girls Football, Science club, Singing club, Y3/Y4 Football. Please email the school office – office@tunbury.kent.sch.uk if you would like to book your child onto an after school club.
Clubs start at 3.15 and finish at 4.15 pm.
We’re still looking for someone to lead an after-school Dance club (on Tuesdays 3.15-4.15) and we would be happy to work in conjunction with a local dance school for this– please contact the school office if you know of anyone who could help.
TSA Year Group Rep: We have received one offer from a Year 2 parent – thank you. If you are interested in being the volunteer TSA Rep for your child’s year group, please email the school office office@tunbury.kent.sch.uk.
Flu Immunisation, Thursday 10th November 2022: for Years R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Please see details in the letters and forms section. Please note the e-consent portal closes on 02/11/2022, 6 working days before our school’s immunisation session, and NHS cannot accept late consents or consents on the day of vaccination.
If any parents/carers are having issues completing the online consent form, they can call the immunisation team on 0300 123 5205 or text them on 07401320923.
Viking Day: As part of Year 5’s topic, our year 5 children will be having a Viking day on Monday 17th October. Children are invited to dress up for this day – home-made costumes are fine.
Coats: The weather is changeable and turning colder, but we still have some children arriving in school without a coat! Children do go outside for breaktime/lunchtime in light rain, so please ensure that they bring a coat to school every day.
Traffic issues outside school: We have had some progress this week, thanks to continued intervention from our local Parish and Borough Councillors. KCC Highways have agreed to an automatic traffic count, which will monitor the amount of vehicles passing and their average speeds. We hope that this information will be the first step to the identification of suitable actions to make Tunbury Avenue safer for all of our families.
Team Points: Here are the Team Points totals at the end of this week. Hawking have taken the lead – well done blue team!
|
Rowling |
Attenborough |
Holmes |
Hawking |
|
2618 |
2638 |
2615 |
2645 |
School Lunch payments: Parentmail, the online payment system used to pay for school lunches, is now up and running. School lunches can be paid via Parentmail or in cash in a named, labelled envelope via the school office. The cost of a school lunch is £2.30 per meal. Please remember that all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to have a free school meal every day.
Dates for your Diary
Term dates for 2022/23: https://www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Term-Dates-22-23/
Thursday 6th October – Pact SEND Parent forum, 2.20 pm
Monday 17th October – Open Afternoon for Year 5/Year 6 – 2-3pm
Monday 17th October - Y5's Viking day, Costumes optional NEW
Tuesday 18th October - Open Afternoon for Year 3/Year 4 – 2-3pm
Wednesday 19th October - Open Afternoon for Year 1/Year 2 – 2-3pm
Thursday 20th October - Open Afternoon for Year R – 2-3pm
Thursday 20th October - Ancient Greek workshop Year 6
Friday 21st October – Last day of term 1 for pupils
Monday 31st October – Start of term 2 for pupils
Tuesday 1st – Tuesday 8th November – Bikeability training for Year 6
Tuesday 1st November – New Entrants Meeting 9.15-10.15 am NEW
Wednesday 2nd November – Year 2 visit to Kent Life NEW
Thursday 3rd November – Parent consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Sunday 6th November – TSA Fireworks
Tuesday 8th November - Parent consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Wednesday 9th – Friday 11th November – Year 6 residential visit to PGL Marchants Hill
Thursday 10th November – Flu Immunisation for Years R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Monday 14th – Friday 18th November – Anti-bullying week
Monday 14th November – New Entrants meeting 9.15-10.15 am NEW
Monday 14th November – New Entrants meeting – Online via TEAMS 5-5.45 pm NEW
Wednesday 16th November – Flu Vaccinations – Year 6
Monday 21st – Wednesday 23rd November – Bikeability training for Year 6
Tuesday 22nd/Wednesday 23rd November – Individual/family photos: Tempest Photographers
Wednesday 23rd November – New Entrants meeting 3.30-4.30 pm NEW
Thursday 1st December - New Entrants meeting 1.45-2.45 pm NEW
Saturday 3rd December – TSA Christmas Market (hold the date – event tbc)
Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th December – TSA Christmas Present Room
Wednesday 7th December – Christmas Performance Year R, 2.30pm
Friday 9th December – Christmas Jumper Day and Christmas Lunch
Tuesday 13th December - Christmas Performance Year 1, 2.30pm
Thursday 15th December – Christmas Performance Year 2, 2.00pm
Thursday 15th December – Carols on the Playground Y3/4, 2.55pm
Friday 16th December – Carols on the Playground Y5/6, 2.55pm
Friday 16th December – Last day of term 2 for pupils
Tuesday 3rd January – INSET Day – School Closed for pupils
Wednesday 4th January – First day of term 3 for pupils
Tuesday 7th February – Safer Internet Day
Friday 10th February – Last day of term 3 for pupils
Monday 20th February - INSET Day – School Closed for pupils
Tuesday 21st February – Start of term 4 for pupils
Thursday 23rd February - Parent consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Tuesday 28th February - Parent consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Friday 31st March – Last day of term 4 for pupils
Monday 17th April – First day of term 5 for pupils
Monday 1st May - Bank Holiday – School Closed
May – Year 2 (KS1) SATs
Monday 8th – Thursday 11th May – Year 6 (KS2) SATs
Friday 26th May – Last day of term 5 for pupils
Monday 5th June - INSET Day – School Closed for pupils
Tuesday 6th June – First day of term 6 for pupils
w/c Tuesday 6th June – Year 4 Multiplication Times Tables check
w/c Monday 12th June – Year 1 Phonics check
Friday 30th June – Sports Day
Friday 7th July – Reserve Sports Day
Friday 21st 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 11th November Indigo Class Assembly
Friday 18th November Lilac Class Assembly
Friday 25th November Emerald Class Assembly
Friday 2nd December Azure Class Assembly
Friday 9th December Magenta Class Assembly
Friday 13th January Blue Class Assembly
Friday 20th January Violet Class Assembly
Friday 27th January Orange Class Assembly
Friday 3rd February Scarlet Class Assembly
Friday 10th February Amber Class Assembly
Friday 3rd March Lavender Class Assembly
Friday 10th March Yellow Class Assembly
Friday 17th March Crimson Class Assembly
Friday 24th March Turquoise Class Assembly
Friday 31st March Ruby Class Assembly
Friday 28th April Sapphire Class Assembly
Friday 5th May Pink Class Assembly
Friday 12th May Red Class Assembly
Friday 19th May Bears Assembly
Friday 26th May Owls Assembly
Friday 16th June Hedgehogs Assembly
