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Whole School Newsletter January 2022
Mon 10 Jan 2022Dear Parents/Carers,
Happy New Year! I am very pleased with how the children have settled back in to the spring term.
The impact of Covid on the education system has been well documented in the news lately, with predicted staff shortages resulting in disruption to the children’s learning. As stated in the previous newsletter, the school continues to implement a comprehensive risk assessment. As part of this, the school will be notifying the relevant year groups of positive PCR cases to raise awareness and inform the wider community. We have been informed this morning that positive cases have been reported in both Year 3 and Year 5. Over the Christmas period, several staff members were isolating as a result of a positive test. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Governing Body of the school foresaw the negative impact that the spread of Covid 19 could have on staffing levels. They took the decision to allocate additional resources to ensure the continuity of education in school, even if significant numbers of staff are absent. These measures, on numerous occasions, have helped the children remain in school and for face to face education to be maintained.
I would like to thank all the staff who made the last week before the Christmas holidays very enjoyable and memorable for the children. Each class had the opportunity to cook with Mrs Hill (our cookery teacher) to produce some edible Christmas treats. Festive activities included Christmas parties, watching Mr Merlin - a visiting magician - and his dragon Okey Dokey, Christmas craft activities and the traditional Christmas dinner. On Friday 7th January M&M Productions performed the pantomime Snow White for the children.
Team Awards: We are so proud of the children's efforts in all aspects of their learning. They have been working hard individually to earn merits but have also been contributing to their Team House Points through academic success, sporting achievements and team events. In addition, children who have 100% attendance each term, earn 25 points each for their colour team. We have totalled the final point scores earned by each team in the whole of the autumn term. The results are incredibly close! You can view them on the homepage of the school website.
The winning team for the autumn term was the BLUE (Curlews Team). As a reward, the children in the Blue Team will have a team mufti day on Monday 17th January when they will be able to come to school in their team colour. This could be a blue cap, socks, item of clothing or a full blue outfit! Children in all of the other teams are expected to wear school uniform as usual.
Dates for the term can be found on the school calendar. Swimming for Year 3 recommences on Monday 24th January and will finish on Monday 4th April. The school are appreciative of those parents who have contributed towards the termly cost of swimming lessons. These payments help enable the school provide two terms of swimming for the year 3 children.
After school teacher led clubs will begin again on Monday 17th January. Please note there will be no after school clubs the week beginning Monday 14th February as parents’ evenings will be held remotely this week on Tuesday 15th and Thursday 17th February (4pm – 7pm.)
E Safety: With children spending more and more time online we continue to promote the need to keep our children safe online whilst still allowing them to have fun and enjoy all that the internet offers. Year 5 and 6 have had the great opportunity of attending an e-safety workshop led by Andrew Williams (E-safety consultant from SWGfL) He provided us with some very useful advice and guidance for Parents and Caregivers about keeping children safe online.
Two videos can be found in E-safety section of our Video Resource Centre on the website
Parents Q&A Video
On this video, Andrew Williams (SWGfL) answers some of your questions about the easiest ways to keep your children safe online; how to keep children safe in terms of content on YouTube; managing children's friends online; where to find more information about keeping children safe online; what the biggest online risks are and the best service platform APPS available to parents in order to provide the best protection online. Thank you to the parents who e-mailed in with questions for Andrew.
Andrew's Parenting Online training video
On this video, Andrew Williams (SWGfL) gives lots of advice for parents and caregivers about how to keep children safe online.
More information about E-safety and useful websites can be found on our school website in the E-safety sections.
School Trips: We are really excited that we have booked to take Year 5 for a brilliant, action-packed trip to Winchester Science Centre on Tuesday 5 July 2022. Winchester Science Centre is an interactive science and technology centre with the largest standalone planetarium in the UK. The children will have the opportunity to take part in exciting hands-on science experiences and workshops on the theme of Space, the topic we have been covering in class.
Year 4 will have the opportunity to visit the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne during the summer term. The Centre delivers an authentic, hands on experience for the children, bringing to life all the different periods the children have studied during Year 3 and 4; the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, the Romans, Anglo Saxons and Vikings. The children will be able to explore reconstructed buildings of the times and will take part in skills and crafts, such as blacksmithing, felt making and willow weaving, following processes that have remained unchanged for thousands of years.
For both trips, the Governing Body has agreed that if the total value of voluntary contributions falls below 90% of the overall cost, then the trip/activity will be cancelled.
Our Year 6 residential visit to PGL Osmington Bay outdoor education centre will be between Friday 10 June and Monday 13 June 2022. The residential includes a full programme of activities led by qualified staff and has included in the past, abseiling, climbing, raft building, rifle shooting, zip wire and giant swing. The balance of the full cost is due by Friday 1st April 2022.
Holiday dates:
Inset day – Friday 4th February
Half term - Monday 21st – Friday 25th February
Last day of spring term – Friday 8th April
Summer term begins – Monday 25th April
Inset day – Friday 17th June
Kind regards
Mr M Partridge
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Year 5 Summer Term Trip - Winchester Science Museum
Fri 07 Jan 2022Mudeford Junior School - Year 5 - Trip to Winchester Science Centre – Tuesday 5 July 2022
Dear Parent/Carers,
We are really excited that we have booked to take Year 5 for a brilliant, action-packed trip to Winchester Science Centre on Tuesday 5 July 2022. Winchester Science Centre is an interactive science and technology centre with the largest standalone planetarium in the UK. The children will have the opportunity to take part in exciting hands-on science experiences and workshops on the theme of Space, the topic we have been covering in class.
To ensure we make the most of the time there, the coach needs to leave school at 8.45am and therefore we need all children here promptly by 8.30am on that day please. The coach is due to arrive back to school by 3.15pm.
The children will need to wear school uniform and should bring the following in a rucksack:
A packed lunch (no fizzy drinks please).
A light waterproof jacket.
Any necessary medication such as asthma inhalers or travel sickness tablets etc.
In order to cover the cost of transport and entry into the Science Centre, we are seeking a voluntary contribution of £11.75 by no later than Wednesday 25th May 2022. The Governing Body has agreed that if the total value of voluntary contributions falls below 90% of the overall cost then the trip/activity will be cancelled. In order to give time to spread payment, the school is happy to accept part payments, building up to the total, in the period between details being sent to parents/guardians and the final date for receipt of voluntary contributions. Payments can be made online with ParentMail (you can select this item by going to Payments and then Shop) or by cash or cheque made payable to Mudeford Junior School. The Governors appreciate the ongoing support of the parents and guardians in continuing to provide a range of opportunities for the children.
Thank you for your support.
Mrs Donaldson Miss Armstrong Mrs Scott-Thomas
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Year 3 Whole Class Instrument Tuition: ukulele
Wed 05 Jan 2022Dear Parents/Guardians,
Year 3 Whole Class Instrument Tuition: ukulele
I am delighted to be able to inform you that in the week beginning 17th January 2022, all of the Year 3 children shall be taking part in whole class instrument tuition in their weekly music lessons. The instrument they shall be learning this year is the ukulele.
We are hoping that a ukulele tutor will be able to attend the school, following health and safety precautions, to teach the lessons in person. However, if restrictions change over the next fortnight, these lessons will be taught virtually with the school’s usual music teacher, Mrs Skorge, present in class.
Our Council music partner, Soundstorm, help to fund this opportunity, which is free to all of the children in Year 3. As part of this programme, the children shall all be given a ukulele to bring home, and the expectation is that they practise and share their newly acquired skills at home each week.
This tuition programme shall continue for 10 weeks and is called ‘First Access’; a vital and exciting part of a young person’s musical journey. The teaching and learning programme focus not only on the acquisition of skills specific to this particular instrument, but also on the development of general musicianship and creativity which can be applied in a range of situations as students pursue a life-long musical journey.
3TW shall have their lessons on Tuesday afternoons. Please ensure their ukuleles are in school on Mondays.
3BR shall have their lessons on Thursday mornings. Please ensure their ukuleles are in school on Wednesdays.
I hope that you agree that this a fantastic opportunity for the children and I am sure you will share in their excitement.
Many thanks
Mrs E. Skorge