Weekly Bulletin:Friday 3rd November 2023
Headteacher’s message to parents/carers
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome back to the start of Term 2. Always a busy term, with children’s learning accelerating as they move through the academic year and Christmas as the festive finale!
Thank you to all those parents/carers who joined us for Parents’ Evening yesterday. (Unlike last year, the power stayed on all evening!) It was lovely to see and hear so many positive conversations, with parents/carers feeling very proud of how well children have settled into their new classes.
At Parents’ Evening, you are able to look at your child’s school books. You should see good progress in their work, week-by-week or term-by-term. You should also see beautiful handwriting and presentation, as this was our whole-school focus in Term 1. All Tunbury children were asked to take extra care with handwriting, with children in Year 5 and 6 also being asked to add extra effort to make sure their handwriting is always neat and joined. At the end of Term 1, our Golden Team Points were awarded for handwriting and presentation too. Congratulations to all winners of the Golden Team Points last term. One winner from each class was chosen to have their work displayed on the Golden Board in the hall:
Looking ahead, we have a couple of TSA events in November. For this year, Tunbury Laser Fest is replacing Tunbury Fireworks. Tunbury Laser Fest is next weekend, on Saturday 11th November, from 4.00-6.30, with the main Laser Show at 6.00pm. There will be circus performers, refreshment stalls, bungee trampolines and more, so please join us! Tickets must be pre-booked online at The Tunbury School Association (TSA) (pta-events.co.uk) Later in November, we also have our Christmas Fair on Saturday 25th November – more details to follow nearer the time.
Also, just a reminder that this year’s Friday afternoon class assemblies start next week, with Scarlet class leading the way with the first assembly on Friday 10th November. Please check the date of your child’s class assembly using the list at the end of this bulletin, as they are already planned for the whole year.
Good news – our flood-damaged hall floor was removed on the October INSET day and then after a period of drying, a new hall floor was laid at the end of the half term break. Regarding works to prevent any future flooding, we have received site surveys and an update from KCC on potential remedial work, but no work has yet taken place. KCC state that they are “aware of the ongoing risk and will be working at pace to put into place a satisfactory solution”. I will keep you posted.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Best wishes,
Ruth Austin
Headteacher
Our Learning Year 4
This week, we started our Roman topic by learning about the city of Pompeii, this also links to the text we are reading in English, ‘Escape from Pompeii’. Next week, the children are going to become news reporters, reporting on the events of AD79. The children have been able to link this to our Rocks and Soils topic in Year 3, when they learned about volcanic rocks.
In maths we have started to learn about area, investigating the area of different shapes and applying this to word problems before moving on to multiplication. Our focus will be on multiples of 3, 6 and 9 and in our arithmetic lessons, we are learning our 9 times table with a little help from Ed Sheeran. Our TT Rockstars tournament will continue this term. The children are really competitive and very excited to find out which class has won our TT Rockstars Trophy during our Thursday assemblies. Scarlet Class had the most wins last term; it will be interesting to see if Ruby or Lilac can beat them this term.
In Science, we are learning about the digestive system, starting with the teeth. We thought about the different types of teeth – incisors, canines, premolars and molars. Ask us to see if we remember which are which! We thought about the different functions of the different teeth, then we made our own mouth using plasticine!
Pupil Leadership
We had an overwhelming response to our librarian’s job description and we have now appointed the most librarians we have ever had! We are hoping our new appointments will support the rest of the school in using the library regularly and will share their love of reading with the rest of their class.
Our new librarians are:
Azure: Isla H, Ella, Grace
Amber: Harvey, Fate, Eila
Lilac: Florence, Tom
Ruby: Lilah, Jack, Kai
Scarlet: Lily, Robin
Magenta: Erin, Bridget, Nathan, Layla, Alexandra,
Indigo: Kree
Turquoise: Jessica C
Violet: Jack H
Notices
Odd Sock Day: To celebrate Anti-Bullying week on Monday 13th – 17th November we will be having an ‘odd sock’ day on Monday 13th November. Children must come into school wearing normal school uniform but can wear odd socks – the crazier the better!
Topic newsletters: To find out information about what your child will be learning this term, as well as home learning and other relevant notices from their class teachers, please read our Term 2 Topic Newsletters. These will be emailed home today and will also be available on our website at Tunbury Primary School - Year groups
Parents’ Evenings: The first session was on Thursday this week and the next session will be on Tuesday next week, 7th November. If you have not already done so, please book a meeting with your child’s class teacher using the details in the letter which was emailed to parents prior to the October break. Appointments with our SENCO are also available. If you did not receive or cannot find your Parents’ Evening letter, please email us at office@tunbury.kent.sch.uk so that we can help you.
After school clubs: Reminder – due to parents evening, there will be no teacher led clubs for the first 2 weeks of this term. Wednesdays Year 1 / 2 Football, Thursdays Cheerleading, Year 3 /4 Football and Fridays Dodgeball clubs will continue as usual. Week starting 13th November 2023, all clubs will run as usual.
Individual/Sibling group Photos: On Wednesday 22nd / Thursday 23rd November, Tempest photographers will be visiting school to take individual/sibling group photos (in-school children). All children will have an individual photo taken, unless you tell us otherwise. Tempest will also be able to take photos of sibling groups of in-school children. However, if you do not require a sibling group photo, please send an email to the school office.
Data Collection Sheets: This document was handed out via class teachers at parents’ evening (printed on cream coloured paper). It is vital that we have correct phone numbers and e-mail addresses to communicate with you effectively. When you are satisfied that the information on the Data Collection sheet is correct, please sign and date the form and return to your child’s class teacher or to the school office. Please sign and return the form even if there are no alterations to be made. Please return by Friday 17th November 2023. Thank you for your help with this matter.
Admissions for children starting school in September 2024: Tunbury welcomes children from both Kent and Medway addresses. All applications for school places should be made via your ‘home’ local authority. Online applications open today, Friday 3rd November for Kent residents and are already open for Medway residents.
Kent residents apply at www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places
Medway residents apply at www.medway.gov.uk/admissions
We held our first school tours this morning. Please join us for our New Entrants events – to book, please email us on our dedicated email address for admissions into Reception, which is newentrants@tunbury.kent.sch.uk . Please feel free to share these details with any friends or neighbours who are looking for a Reception school place for September 2024. Thank you.
Flu Immunisation: Tuesday 21st November 2023 for Years R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Please see the letter which was emailed last week and published in the Parents – Letters and Forms section of our website. Please note the e-consent portal closes on 15/11/23, 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, please call the immunisation team using one of the methods below:
Text chat: 07401320923
Live chat via website: family.kentcht.nhs.uk/imms
Email: kchft.cyp-immunisationteam@nhs.net
Telephone: 0300 123 5205
Weekly Class Attendance: This is a weekly feature on our bulletin to highlight and celebrate good levels of attendance. Well done to Owls Class who take over top spot for KS1. Followed by Scarlet Class again for KS2, well done!
|
Class |
Weekly Attendance Percentage |
|
Owls |
98.99% |
|
Scarlet |
98.15% |
|
Pink |
97.44% |
|
Red |
97.35% |
|
Sapphire |
97.04% |
|
Yellow |
96.89% |
|
Crimson |
96.67% |
|
Bears |
96.62% |
|
Blue |
94.91% |
|
Violet |
94.44% |
|
Azure |
93.33% |
|
Hedgehogs |
93.06% |
|
Orange |
92.89% |
|
Magenta |
92.46% |
|
Lavender |
91.88% |
|
Emerald |
91.11% |
|
Indigo |
90.80% |
|
Lilac |
88.89% |
|
Turquoise |
86.97% |
|
Ruby |
86.67% |
|
Amber |
85.44% |
Team Points: The first Team Points totals for Term 2 will be in next week’s bulletin.
Dates for your Diary
Term dates for 2023/24: www.tunbury.kent.sch.uk/Parents/Term-Dates-23-24/
Term 2
Monday 30th – 10th November – Bikeability Year 6
Tuesday 7th November – Parent consultation evening 3.30-6.30pm
Wednesday 8th November at 9.30am – New Entrants meeting
Saturday 11th November - Tunbury Laserfest – 4-6.30 pm
Monday 13th November – Odd Socks Day – New
Monday 13th-Friday 17th – Anti-Bullying week
Tuesday 14th November 2023, 9.00, 9.45 and 10.30 – New Entrants School Tour
Wednesday 15th-17th November – Year 6 PGL Marchants Hill
Wednesday 15th November at 6.00pm – New Entrants meeting
Tuesday 21st November – Flu immunisations (Years R-6)
Wednesday 22nd-23rd November – Tempest Photography (Individual/sibling photos)
Saturday 25th November – TSA Christmas Fair and Grotto
Tuesday 28th/ Thursday 30th November - National Child Measurement Programme Year R/Year 6
Wednesday 29th November 2023, 9.00, 9.45 and 10.30 – New Entrants School Tour
Monday 4th December – Astro Dome Year 5
Tuesday 5th – Thursday 7th December – TSA Christmas Present Room
Wednesday 6th December – Year R Nativity – 2.30pm
Friday 8th December – Christmas Jumper Day and Lunch
Monday 11th December 2023, 9.00, 9.45 and 10.30 – New Entrants School Tour
Tuesday 12th December – Year 2 Nativity – 2.30pm
Wednesday 13th December Year 1 Nativity – 2.30pm
Thursday 14th December – Year 3&4 Carols on the playground – 2.50pm
Friday 15th December – Year 5&6 Carols on the playground – 2.50pm
Friday 15th December – Last day of term for pupils
Term 3
Tuesday 2nd January – School Closed – INSET DAY
Wednesday 3rd January – Start of Term 3 for pupils
Thursday 18th January – Young Voices at the O2 (KS2 Singing Club)
Friday 2nd February – NSPCC Number Day
Tuesday 6th February – Safer Internet Day
Friday 9th February – Last day of term for pupils
Term 4
Monday 19th February – School Closed – INSET DAY
Tuesday 20th February – Start of Term 4 for pupils
Thursday 22nd February – Parent Consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Tuesday 27th February – Parent Consultation evening – 3.30-6.30pm
Monday 11th-15th March – British Science Week
Thursday 28th March – Last day of term for pupils
Term 5
Monday 15th April – Start of Term 5 for pupils
Monday 6th May – BANK HOLIDAY – School Closed
Monday 13th-Thursday 16th May – KS2 SATS Week Year 6
Friday 17th May – Outdoor Learning Day
Friday 24th May – Last day of term for pupils
Term 6
Monday 3rd June – School Closed – INSET DAY
Tuesday 4th June – Start of Term 6 for pupils
Tuesday 4th-7th June – STEAM Week
Monday 3rd June-14th June – Multiplication Times Tables Check Year 4
Monday 10th June-Friday 14th June – Phonics Screening – Year 1
Friday 28th June – Sports Day (KS2 am, family picnic at lunchtime, FS/KS1 pm)
Friday 5th July – Reserve Sports Day
Tuesday 23rd July – Last day of term
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 2.45pm. The assembly will begin at 2.50pm 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 10th November – Scarlet Class Assembly
Friday 17th November – Indigo Class Assembly
Friday 24th November – Sapphire Class Assembly
Friday 1st December – Amber Class Assembly
Friday 8th December – Emerald Class Assembly
Friday 12th January – Blue Class Assembly
Friday 19th January – Turquoise Class Assembly
Friday 26th January – Crimson Class Assembly
Friday 2nd February – Violet Class Assembly
Friday 9th February – Azure Class Assembly
Friday 1st March – Orange Class Assembly
Friday 8th March – Ruby Class Assembly
Friday 15th March – Lavender Class Assembly
Friday 22nd March – Pink Class Assembly
Friday 26th April – Magenta Class Assembly
Friday 3rd May – Lilac Class Assembly
Friday 10th May – Yellow Class Assembly
Friday 24th May – Red Class Assembly
Friday 7th June – Bears Class Assembly
Friday 14th June – Hedgehogs Class Assembly
Friday 21st June – Owls Class Assembly
