20th January 2012
Dear Parents,
Next week we begin our full lunchtime activity programme, with after school activities starting the following week. Pupils have been encouraged to sign up to activities at lunch time with an interesting programme on offer. There are also a whole range of clinics on offer. Below you can see the activities programme for this term- there is certainly a lot on offer and I hope the children take advantage of these opportunities.
OPENING OF ART GALLERY
On Thursday 26th January the school opens an Art Gallery. This will showcase exhibitions, mainly of local artists on a six to eight weekly basis. The opening exhibition will be of paintings by Sñr José María Cardelo, aka Eppo Cardelo, who has his own studio at the La Manga Club. This will run until Friday 16th March. During that time visitors are welcome to come and visit our gallery on week days between 9.30am and 5.30pm. When arriving, please visit the reception where you will be given a pass and a chance to browse the gallery at your leisure. The second exhibition will be by Stanislav Majorosi beginning on Thursday 22nd March. On 26th January and 22nd March there will be openings with drinks and tapas for any visitors, from 6.30pm.
PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS FOR YEARS 3 TO 5
A separate letter has gone out about the Parent/Teacher Meetings for Years 3, 4 and 5. I hope you can attend and find the meetings productive.
LAURA SEGOVIA
As some of you are aware, due to her recent injury, Sra. Segovia has been unable to teach her lessons so far this term. As a result, we have employed Srta. Marisa on a temporary basis until her return. Many thanks for your understanding in this matter and I am sure you will join me in wishing Srta. Segovia a speedy recovery.
FIGHTING CHILD OBESITY- A PROJECT WITH MURCIA UNIVERSITY AND TORRE PACHECO AYUNTAMIENTO
As you may be aware, our school is taking part in a school health project on obesity carried out jointly by the University of Murcia and the Town Hall of Torre Pacheco. After receiving the questionnaires from our Primary and Secondary children, we would like to inform you that they will receive the comprehensive medical checks on 26th and 27th January. If you would prefer your children not to go through the checks, please send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it stating your objection by 23rd January. If we do not receive an objection, we will assume that all of our primary and secondary children are fully participating.
QUESTIONNAIRES
I was disappointed with the number of parents returning the questionnaires we sent out at the end of last term. There were respondents for 79 children out of 306- just over 25%. Next year I will make the return of these mandatory as they are an important vehicle for the improvement of the school.
The results I am pleased to say were very positive and suggested a high level of satisfaction amongst the vast majority of parents on most issues. There are areas we will be working on though, with a particular focus on updating progress to parents more often. I did write, last year, that we would try and use ClaSS and ClaSSic more. For various reasons this has taken time, but from next academic year there will be half-termly progress grades on ClaSSic for all Year 1 and above. The Early Years teachers will continue to use the Contact Books for more timely progress reporting. In addition, we are looking at ways to make parental contact more convenient for you as parents because not all parents can attend a calendared meeting. From now on, in addition to the Class Presentations in September, the Parent/Teacher meetings in January and February and the Drop in day at the end of June we will have a two week period in October and November within which will be encouraged to arrange a personal appointment with a class or subject teacher between 4.30pm and 5.30pm. This will allow you to get a reliable impression of how your child is settling in and progressing in their first couple of months in the year group and/or school.
The results of the questionnaires are as follows:| ACADEMIC | ||||||
|
Strongly agree
|
Agree
|
Disagree
|
Strongly disagree
|
No view
|
||
| 1 | I am pleased with the progress that my child makes at school |
28%
|
63%
|
7%
|
1%
|
1%
|
| 2 | My child is offered an appropriate range of subjects/areas of experience. |
34%
|
59%
|
3%
|
4%
|
|
| 3 | I am satisfied with the information I am given about my child’s progress. |
15%
|
54%
|
21%
|
7%
|
3%
|
| 4 | The school has provided worthwhile help regarding special educational needs (for example, specific learning difficulties or gifted/talented etc). |
12%
|
35%
|
8%
|
3%
|
47%
|
| 5 | I am content with the work my child has to do at home (if applicable). |
28%
|
42%
|
18%
|
1%
|
11%
|
| 6 | (Only applicable if English is not your child’s first language) I am pleased with my child’s progress in learning English |
40%
|
46%
|
3%
|
1%
|
10%
|
| PASTORAL | ||||||
| 7 | I am happy with the pastoral help/guidance given |
13%
|
59%
|
5%
|
4%
|
19%
|
| 8 | The school achieves high standards of behaviour. |
27%
|
10%%
|
9%
|
4%
|
|
| 9 | The school promotes worthwhile attitudes and views. |
43%
|
48%
|
3%
|
1%
|
5%
|
| 10 | The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities (for example, music, drama, sport, ICT, art). |
33%
|
49%
|
8%
|
3%
|
7%
|
| GENERAL | ||||||
| 11 | The school encourages me to be involved in its life/work. |
27%
|
47%
|
14%
|
3%
|
9%
|
| 12 | Information about the school and its policies is readily available. |
35%
|
57%
|
5%
|
3%
|
|
| 13 | The school has handled well any concerns I have had. |
32%
|
59%
|
3%
|
1%
|
5%
|
| 14 | I am satisfied with the governance of the school. |
35%
|
54%
|
5%
|
1%
|
5%
|
| 15 | The school is well managed. |
36%
|
46%
|
8%
|
10%
|
|
| 16 | I can communicate easily with the school. |
44%
|
50%
|
4%
|
1%
|
1%
|
| 17 | I receive timely responses to my questions. |
27%
|
63%
|
4%
|
6%
|
|
WINTER TERM LUNCH TIME ACTIVTIES
| DAY | SECTION | LUNCH TIME ONE 13.35-14.15 | LUNCH TIME TWO 14.15-14.55 |
| MONDAY | KEY STAGE 1 | KS1 CHOIR- SF (MUSIC ROOM) | |
| KEY STAGE 2 | PRIMARY RUGBY (MAIN FIELD)- NG | SCHOOL CHOIR SF (MUSIC ROOM) ART AND CRAFTS JSh (PRIMARY ART ROOM) |
|
| SECONDARY | SECONDARY BADMINTON- GW (SPORTS HALL) GERMAN- EW, IN FRENCH CLASSROOM ZUMBA DANCE (DANCE STUDIO), LYNN |
SCHOOL CHOIR- SF (MUSIC ROOM) |
|
| TUESDAY | KEY STAGE 1 | NEEDLE WORK AND KNITTING- TE (YEAR 1 CLASSROOM) RECORDER CLUB FOR YEAR 2- SF |
|
| KEY STAGE 2 | ECO CLUB- PT ASTRONOMY- SR (PHYSICS LAB) CHESS AND SCRABBLE CLUB- SW |
||
| SECONDARY | SECONDARY RUGBY- RWS (MAIN FIELD) |
ECO CLUB- PT ASTRONOMY- SR (PHYSICS LAB) SCHOOL PLAY REHEARSAL- IF/RW |
|
| WEDNESDAY | KEY STAGE 1 | GYMNASTICS (SPORTS HALL)- BS ZUMBA DANCE (DANCE STUDIO)- LYNN |
|
| KEY STAGE 2 | PRIMARY BADMINTON- GW (SPORTS HALL) SCHOOL CHOIR SF (MUSIC ROOM) ART AND CRAFTS JSh (PRIMARY ART ROOM) |
||
| SECONDARY | HOCKEY- RWS (TENNIS COURTS) SCIENCE CLINIC |
SCHOOL CHOIR- SF (MUSIC ROOM) |
|
| THURSDAY | KEY STAGE 1 | MUSIC CLUB- SWC (MUSIC ROOM) | |
| KEY STAGE 2 | PRIMARY NETBALL/- LR (TENNIS COURTS) ZUMBA DANCE (DANCE STUDIO), LYNN |
CRICKET NETS (SPORTS HALL), SR | |
| SECONDARY | BADMINTON- GW (SPORTS HALL) ZUMBA DANCE (DANCE STUDIO), LYNN |
DUKE OF EDINBURGH´S- RH SCHOOL PLAY REHEARSAL- IF/RW SCIENCE CLINIC CRICKET NETS (SPORTS HALL), SR |
|
| FRIDAY | KEY STAGE 1 | SCHOOL COUNCIL/ECO COUNCIL | WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY |
| KEY STAGE 2 | SCHOOL COUNCIL/ECO COUNCIL | ASSEMBLY/ | |
| KEY STAGE 3 | SCHOOL COUNCIL/ECO COUNCIL | ASSEMBLY/ PSHE- ALTERNATE WEEKS |
In addition to these activities we have clinics for Spanish, English and Mathematics and the ICT and Library are open for use at lunchtime. Please encourage your children to take advantage of these clinics, as well as the activities.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS
In our beginning of term assembly I encouraged all children to practice the instrument they are learning between lessons. Children only have a 30 minute lesson per week and unless children are practising between lessons they will not get anything like the full benefit from the lesson. It is best if you can provide some form of practice at home, even if it is on a keyboard. Failing that, practice can be done at either break or lunch time within school by a simple liaison with Mrs Fellows- we have three pianos and a number of keyboards and also a guitar if children need to use them. However, this must be driven by parental initiative.
I hope you enjoy a weekend of good weather once again, after a wet start to the week.
Best wishes
Robin Silk
