THOMAS WILLINGALE SCHOOL The Broadway, Loughton, Essex IG10 3SR Tel: 020 8508 7287 Fax: 020 8502 5364 Acting Headteacher: Mrs L. Collins B.Ed. (HONs) July 2014 Dear Parents and Carers, SUMMER TERM (2) NEWSLETTER (3)  Attendance – School Target of 96% Attendance for all children should be at least 95%. Week Beginning: Best class: % attendance for best class 23/6/14 Chestnut 99.3% 30/6/14 Juniper 98.9% 7/7/14 Juniper 98.8% % attendance for whole school 95.6% 95% 92.6%  Earrings in PE – Essex Health and Safety Executive have stated that from September 2014 schools will no longer be able to tape children’s earrings for PE. All jewellery, including earrings, will have to be removed for PE lessons. It would be preferable that children do not wear earrings to school on days that they have PE. If earrings are removed in school it will be the children’s responsibility to look after them. Any child who does not remove their earrings will not be allowed to take part in PE lessons.  Late Collections – If you regularly pick your child up late from school we have the right to charge you £5.00 per child for every quarter of an hour or part of, after 3.45pm, as per our Charging Policy (which can be accessed on the school website under the ‘policies’ section). This is not something that I would like to enforce but unfortunately we have regular offenders who seem to be using the school as a babysitting service. It is upsetting to your child if they are left late after school and it means a member of staff has to supervise them, this means they cannot get on with their work. We understand that there are occasional situations (once or twice a year) which arise for which we would not charge.  PTA – Fundraising – I would like to thank the team of parents who have supported the school throughout the last year. Your hard work and commitment is always fully appreciated. If there are other parents who would like to join the PTA in September or help out in some way please get in touch via the school office. £779 was raised at the Summer Bounce and £264 was raised from the Father’s Day stall. Thank you to everyone who supported these events. We will be using this money to go towards a new shelter for the main playground.  Universal Free School Meals - Please remember, if your child is returning to school in September to Reception or KS1, they are entitled to a free school meal each day.  Uniform – Please remember for September: Your child should be wearing full school uniform and black school shoes – no boots or trainers. Please refer to the uniform policy which can be viewed on the school website. 1  Thank you – I would like to say a BIG thank you to all the staff (teaching and nonteaching) that have supported me in the last year. They have been a massive help to me and I could not have carried out this role without them. I will miss Miss Saggers as my right hand person but I know Miss Charles and Mrs Smith will support me fantastically as Assistant Head teachers; I would like to say thank you to both of them for agreeing to take on the role for the next term. I would also like to say thank you to Mr Jeffries who started off the year as a volunteer. He has fitted in so well and has been so flexible; helping out in a range of year groups and at an array of events. We are sad to see him go but wish him well at university and hope that he will come back to visit us. Another big thank you to Ms Leandre - she started off the year as the class teacher in Hawthorn Class. Once again, she has fitted in so well that we could not bear to see her go and she stayed on part-time for the whole year covering classes and carrying out interventions. We all wish her well in her new, exciting adventure as she teaches abroad. I would like to thank all of the parents that have supported the school over the last year in one way or another. Without your help with reading, trips etc we would be hard pressed to offer the range of events that we do. Finally, I would like to say ‘thank you’ to all of the children. You are what make this job worthwhile! Good Luck to our lovely Year 6 children as they take the next step on their life’s journey, just remember what you have achieved here and continue with all your good work. Have a wonderful summer, stay safe and I look forward to seeing the children return to school on Thursday 4th September. PLEASE REMEMBER, SCHOOL CLOSES TOMORROW AT 1.30PM Mrs L. Collins Acting Headteacher Summer Term Dates: 17th July – School Discos followed by Year 6 Pizza Party FRIDAY 18th JULY – LAST DAY OF TERM – SCHOOL CLOSES AT 1.30PM AFTER LUNCH. 21st/22nd July – INSET days – School CLOSED to children. Children starting/returning to Thomas Willingale School should return on THURSDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER. (If your child is starting in Reception – start dates have been confirmed in a separate letter.) 2 Academic Year 2014-2015 – Term dates with INSET Thursday 4th September – Thursday 23rd October HALF TERM Monday 3rd November – Friday 19th December 2014 CHRISTMAS BREAK Monday 5th January – Thursday 12th February 2015 HALF TERM Monday 23rd February – Friday 27th March 2015 EASTER BREAK Monday 13th April – Friday 22nd May 2015 (May Day Monday 4th May – school closed) HALF TERM Tuesday 2nd June – Tuesday 21st July SUMMER HOLIDAYS Inset days – 2014-15 Wednesday 3rd September Friday 24th October Friday 13th February Monday 1st June Wednesday 22nd July 3