Newsletter Issue 14
Ferncumbe Friday
friday 29th April 2022
welcome back!
How wonderful to have had such a sunny start to the Summer term! It has been lovely to see the enthusiastic manner in which children have come back to school after the Easter break, and hear all about their holiday adventures. The last and first weeks of term are always very busy - within the newsletter are just a few examples of the recent learning taking place.
attendance
As school settles back into its normal routines following the Pandemic, we would like to remind everyone about the importance of regular and punctual attendance. Pupils need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them by law.
Those children who are persistently late or absent from school frequently develop large gaps in their learning which will impact on their progress and their ability to meet age related learning expectations. A child whose attendance drops to 90% each year will have missed two whole terms of learning over their time at primary school.
The school expects attendance of at least 95%. Its aspirational target is 97%. If there is a barrier at home or school that is affecting your child’s attendance please get in touch and let us help. Your class teacher will be able to work with you to overcome any issues or be able to direct you to targeted support.
Children of school age must attend school when it is in session unless there is a valid reason for absence. Absence due to a valid reason is said to be authorised. If there is no reason given or, if in the opinion of the Headteacher the reason given is not valid, then the absence is unauthorised. Attendance is closely monitored and returns have to be sent both to Warwickshire County Council and the Department for Education (DfE).
If your child is away from school we would be grateful if you could let us know immediately. The school office is manned from 8.30 am. For security reasons, we phone home to find out where any absent child is, if we have had no notification. Please help us in keeping the records accurate by ringing every day of absence to let us know why. If a child is going to miss time because of a medical or dental appointment (please try and make them in the holiday or outside of school time) then please let us know in advance. Please provide a copy of the appointment card/letter to the School Office if possible.
Clarice Cliff…or is it?
During the last few days of term, Wroxall Class were able to bring their own Clarice Cliff plate designs to life. They had worked on these designs in previous weeks, along with learning all about her life and work. The pupils needed to work so carefully, with some very fine detail in places and they did brilliantly! Some even completed a second design. Well done Wroxall Class!
RSC Associate Schools project film
In February, Year 4 were filmed performing scenes from our Shakespeare play this year, Much Ado About Nothing. Our scenes were carefully knitted together with those from other local schools participating in the project and we have finally been sent the finished result. The children very much enjoyed the opportunity of being professionally filmed and have equally enjoyed watching the finished product in class this week!
The film is available to view at the link below:
Much Ado About Nothing RSC Cluster Performance.mp4 (Ferncumbe performed scenes 5, 12, 19 and 26.)
Great work everyone!
Miss Reid
Haseley Class
Year 1 have been revisiting their shape learning this week. We have learnt the names of some 2D and 3D shapes and have been becoming experts. We have taken our learning outside to practise what we know and have been having lots of fun. Miss Forbes set us the challenge to print using 3D shapes to find the hidden 2D shapes. Some of us built models out of 3D shapes and some of us drew our favourite 2D shapes in the sand. A few of us even made up our own game. One person hid a shape behind our partner's back and they had to guess what it was just by feeling it.
HONILEY class
This week Year 2 have been learning how to tell the time! As the weather was so beautiful on Tuesday, we did our learning in the sunshine. We know that we tell the time in 5 minute intervals and that we can use our five times table to help us.
HATTON CLASS
In Reecption this half term we are learning all about plants and how they grow. If you have any spare seeds, compost, plant pots or small garden tools that you would be able to donate we would be very appreciative. We are working hard to improve our Outdoor Area and are keen to upcycle wooden pallets, drainpipes and old tyres. If you can donate any of these things, please contact Mrs Stephenson via email. Thank you.
lowsonford class
Super Science with Mrs Grier in Lowsonford…
At the end of term, Year 6 explored density with Mrs Grier. We looked at the different densities of solids, liquids and gases and learnt about how density can also vary within the same state of matter - liquids! We added washing up liquid, sunflower oil, baby oil, coloured water and honey to a test tube to see whether they would mix or settle out into their different densities. The class made excellent predictions, based on their already brilliant understanding, but there were plenty of surprises in store too. Well done Lowsonford!
Rowington Class
This week, in Rowington Class we have started our new topic, Ancient Greece. As part of literacy we have read the myth Persephone and The Pomegranate. We wrote letters to Zeus as if we were Persephone trying to persuade him to set us free from The Underworld.
parents’ evening
Please do sign up for a Parents’ Evening slot next week if you haven’t already: Tuesday 3rd May (in-person) or Thursday 5th May (virtual).
A reminder that Progress Folders will be coming home today.
sports day and family picnic - date for the diary!
Our Sports Day will take place on Friday 8th July 2022. This year Key Stage 2 events will take place in the morning and Key Stage 1 and Reception in the afternoon. Everyone is invited to bring a picnic and join us at midday on the school field for our traditional family picnic. There will be an opportunity during the day for children to share their books with parents in the classroom.
Further details and more specific timings will be sent out nearer the event.
inset days 2022 - 2023
Monday 5th September 2022
Monday 10th October 2022
Tuesday 3rd January 2023
Friday 17th February 2023
Monday 5th June 2023
friends of ferncumbe fundraising day
Our School Council worked with the Friends of Ferncumbe to come up with a ‘Break the Rules Day’ in May!
parenting project - may 2022 newsletter
Please follow the link to the latest edition…
https://mailchi.mp/5017d54f8793/parentingprojectmay-2022-newsletter-11479051
With very best wishes for the extended weekend break - let’s hope the sun shines!
Tracey Webb, Head of School