Welcome to 2024-2025 – Reminders and information for our community

Hello to the Northstead Community! With just a few days to the start of the new academic year, I thought I would take a bit of time to update our community on some changes you may see or hear about in school for this coming year and some reminders for parents/carers.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Northstead and also wish to say a big hello and welcome to our new children and parents/carers who are starting with us this year.

INSET Days

A reminder that we have two professional days to begin the year. Children return to school on Wednesday 4th September at 8:30am. (New children start in their allocated day)

Prospectus

If you need any reminders on uniform, PE, or other aspects of school, please remember to visit our prospectus here… https://www.northsteadprimary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Information-and-Expectations-Document-2024-2025.pdf

PE Days

A reminder that children should wear their PE uniform on PE days to school. PE uniform – not a football kit and not a hoody! Uniform expectations, including PE uniform can be found in the prospectus (link above)

Earrings

If your child has had their ears pierced over the holidays, a reminder that our preferred option is to have them removed on PE days. If this is not possible, you must tape your child’s ears before school. We do not want children missing out on our fabulous physical education programme because of earrings. Thanks for your co-operation with this.

Class dojo points and awards

Bronze award – 100 dojos – Postcard and choice from the bronze prize box

Silver award – 200 dojos – Postcard and choice from the silver prize box

Gold award – 300 dojos – Postcard and special gold badge to wear on their school tie

Superstar award – 500 dojos – Postcard, special end of year trip and name on the superstar board

Children now have the opportunity to earn more dojos, and these will be earned by the children demonstrating our core values in school.

With thanks to Wykeham Mature Trees…

With thanks to Wykeham Mature Trees and the hardwork of Mr Houston and Mr Turner, we will have some new large planters and trees in place in both the KS1 and KS2 playgrounds. The trees will provide some much needed natural shade for the children at playtimes and lunchtimes during sunnier times! In the future, these planters will be joined by further seating for parents and children.

Leadership staff availability

During this coming year, you may notice that some staff will not be as readily available as in previous years.

Mrs Helm, Mrs Viney, Mrs Valancius, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Linsdell will resume some teaching commitment this year. This means that their dedicated time for their leadership responsibilities will be less and therefore they will not always have appointments available for parents/carers. Should you wish to speak to any of these staff, please call the school office on 01723 362249 or in the case of SEND (Mrs Helm), please email SENDadmin@northstead.n-yorks.sch.uk

As has been the case for the past two years, there will be a number of leaders and other staff on the gates every morning and evening for parents and carers to share any information and to approach about anything.

Attendance Matters

You may or may not have seen the new guidance from the Department for Education which came into force in August. A parent’s guide from the Children’s Commissioner is available here. https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2024/07/aaa-guide-for-parents-on-school-attendance-19th-Aug-version.pdf

The full guidance from the DFE is here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance

You must call school on the first morning of absence to report your child’s absence. This can be done by calling 01723362249 before 8:30am. There is also the opportunity to leave a voicemail for this.

Attendance in school is of the utmost importance for children. Regularly missing school means your child will miss vital aspects of learning within the sequences we have carefully planned. They will also miss the amazing time they get to spend with their friends in school!

Our attendance target for this year is 95%. We need all parents and carers to assist with this. Term-time holidays must be avoided where possible. Holidays will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Reminders for parents/carers and children.

Gates – Gates will be opened at 8:30am and will close promptly at 8:38am. After this time, you will need to make your way to the dining room entrance and register with Miss Knipe-Bates. Children are expected to be in the classroom at 8:40am to begin learning.

On an afternoon, gates will be opened between 3:00-3:05 and will close at 3:20pm.

We kindly ask for parents and carers to not allow their children to play on the outdoor gym, or with the equipment outside at the beginning or the end of the day.

Mobile Phones – Children in years 5 and 6 are welcome to bring a mobile phone to school if they are not brought to school or collected by a parent/carer. If you will be bringing/collecting your child, please leave their phone at home. The suitcase for phones will be at the entrance to KS2 every morning. Please place a sticker with your child’s name on their phone.

Bikes/Scooters – Children (And adults) must not ride their bikes or scooters on the school grounds to ensure no person in our community is injured. This also includes the spaces at the front of school. Please look after our community.

Parking! The issue of parking in the surrounding area around school continues to be difficult. 

All I can do as Headteacher is plead with you to park in a safe manner on Maple Drive and the surrounding areas. You must not park or stop on the Zig Zags at any time. You must also not park in front of a person’s drive or on a dropped kerb. Where possible, please walk/cycle/scoot to school with your children or park a little way from school and walk the remainder.

Everyone has a responsibility for ensuring our children can cross the road safely. There have been too many occasions in the past two years where children have narrowly avoided being hurt by cars on Maple Drive. We all have a responsibility for the safety of all of our children.

Conduct of all adults – As I am sure you will appreciate, we do not accept any bad language, aggressive behaviour or violence towards any member of our staff or towards any member of our community. Any person acting in this manner will be asked to leave the premises and may be banned from site.

Our children, our staff and our community deserve a safe space to learn, to work and to collect our children.

Smoking/Vaping – Please do not smoke or vape on school grounds at any time. We also kindly ask you to refrain from doing so when waiting outside for the gates to open.

Animals – No animals are allowed on the school site and we ask that where possible dogs can be left at home and taken for a walk at another time. If they are brought to school, please tie them onto the railings inside the school perimeter attached to the front wall at the front of school but away from the walkways.

We look forward to another year of working together as a community to improve our school. A year where expectations will remain high and a year where we will make further developments in our school – for our community.

Together – we can make an enormous difference and allow all children to be the best they can be and achieve excellence.

I look forward to seeing all of our community come together again when our gates open on Wednesday at 8:30am.

Please look out for the first week’s newsletter which will contain details of dates for the coming term.

With thanks and kind regards,

Mr Shaun Hopper

Headteacher