Weekly Bulletin 29th September 2023
Headteacher’s Message
Next week we will enjoy our Harvest Service in School led by our Year 6 pupils, Worship Group and Fr. Peter. Gifts of food received will be used for the work of the Durham Foodbank to support families in need. They speak of the generosity of our school to those living in the communities the school serves and I thank you in advance for your generosity.
We are continuing to closely monitor punctuality each morning and I draw your attention to the information below. Please make every effort to ensure that your child is on time for school so that they are ready to begin learning promptly.
Each week I want to include a ‘snapshot’ of some of the things that the children are doing in school. For example, news from our ECO team, Worship group, V.I.P. (Very International People) and SNAG (School Nutrition Action Group). This week our focus is on the work of FOSS (Friends of Shincliffe School) our Parent association Group and an update is shared below.
Best wishes
Mr Rumbles
FOSS update
The AGM for the Friends of Shincliffe School (FOSS) will take place in the school hall at 7pm on Thursday 5th October. Please do come along if you can make it and are keen to be involved.
The current group of organisers for FOSS are only 5 in number and, whilst we have some volunteers who regularly help at the fairs and discos too, the organising burden is a lot for such a small group. We really need more to join the team to enable us to keep going. You don’t necessarily need to be able to attend the events themselves – help with planning is much needed. We are also looking specifically for a volunteer to look after the accounts.
It’s not just about the fun that’s had at the fairs, discos and other events that FOSS organise, here are some recent examples of what the money raised at these events funded; snacks and presents for the children’s Christmas parties; crackers for Christmas lunches; theatre visits to school; contribution to school trips to reduce the cost; hoodies for the Y6 leavers; planters to support learning in the school grounds.
Please give a little time to help if you can. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to find out a little more please email foss.shincliffe@gmail.com. We can also be contacted via our facebook page.
FOSS
Punctuality
We continue to monitor punctuality daily. We request that all parents ensure that their children arrive promptly for the beginning of the school day. This not only means that pupils are present and ready for teaching at the beginning of the morning session but also teaches pupils the importance of meeting deadlines and showing respect for others who may be impacted by poor time-keeping. In cases of persistent lateness, the services of the Education Welfare Officer will be enlisted to support families in meeting their obligation to ensure that their children attend school on time.
Harvest Festival
This harvest we are collecting food items for ‘Durham Foodbank.’ We hope that you and your child/children would like to help support our 2023 Harvest Appeal in liaison with Durham Christian Partnership.
The Foodbank provides short term emergency food to people in crisis locally. Food is given as an intervention strategy which allows professionals to put longer term measures in place. We want to support our local Foodbank in helping those less fortunate, in particular families and children.
If you wish to contribute, please send donations of non-perishable food (see list) on Monday 2nd October with your child and this will be collected from their class. Our Harvest Service will take place at School on the 6th October at 9:05am to which all are invited.
A TYPICAL FOOD PARCEL INCLUDES:
Breakfast cereals – Soup – Pasta
Rice – Pasta sauce – Tinned bean
Tinned meat – Tinned vegetables – Tinned fruit
Tea or coffee – Sugar – Biscuits
Snacks
For further information regarding Durham Foodbank you may visit: https://durham.foodbank.org.uk/
Parent Governor Vacancy
There is a vacancy for a Parent Governor. All parents other than those employed at the school for more than 500 hours per year or who are elected members of the Local Authority (LA) are eligible to stand for election. This includes any person who is not the natural parent but has parental responsibility for or who has care of a pupil registered at the school (Education Act 1996, Section 576)
If you are interested in becoming a Governor please contact school for a nomination form. The completed and duly signed nomination form should be returned to school by Monday 2nd October. Where the number of nominations is equal to, or fewer than, the places available no ballot will be necessary. Should a ballot be required each parent will be sent a link posted on the school website for the duration of the poll, and all parents will have an opportunity to vote using the website voting form.
When the process has been finalised school will inform the parent body via our weekly bulletin and website. School and Governor Support Service will write formally to all nominees confirming the outcome of the ballot.
Diary Dates
For a full list of school holiday dates please see the school website.
Thursday 5th October – National Poetry Day
Friday 6th October – Harvest Festival assembly held in school at 9:05am, Parent/carers welcome
Thursday 12th October – World mental Health day
Friday 13th October – Y4 Trip to Bethany Centre
Monday 16th October – All Year Groups – School Photographer
Monday 23rd October – Wednesday 25th October – Y1 to Y6 Parents’ Consultation Evening (further details to follow)
Monday 23rd October to Thursday 26th October – Reception Parents’ Consultation Evening (further details to follow)
Friday 27th October – School closes for Autumn half term holiday
Monday 6th November – School re-opens after half term holiday
January – Robinwood Residential Y6
Starting School – Will your child turn 5 between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025?
Applications open 5 September 2023 and close midnight 15 January 2024.
If so, you need to complete an application online to tell us which school you would like your child to attend from September 2024.
Visit www.durham.gov.uk/primaryschoolplaces where you can access a useful guide to help with your application. The easiest way to apply is online, if you are unable to apply online, paper application forms are available on request.
You still need to apply even if your child attends the nursery unit attached to the school, or already has a sibling at the school. You will also need to apply for a place in Year 3 in a junior school for an older child.
For more information please contact School Places and Admissions Team www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions
Tel: 03000 265896
YEAR 6 PARENTS – Application for a Secondary School Place – September 2024
As you will be aware, your child is due to transfer to secondary school in September next year. The application process will be open on 5 September 2023. You will need to read the School Admissions online guidance for parents which is located on the School Admissions web page. This contains essential information that will help you in making your child’s application. The guidance is available on our website www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions You must only complete one application and this must be to the Local Authority to which you pay your council tax (i.e. Home Local Authority).
If you live in County Durham, you need to complete an application to tell us which school you want your child to attend. You should list up to 3 school preferences and applying for just 1 school Does Not improve your chances of gaining a place at that school. You can apply for any school/academy in County Durham or in another Local Authority area.
Please apply on-line at www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions When you apply on-line you will receive an acknowledgement and you will be offered a school place for your child by email on 1 March 2024. Please save your log-in details as you may need these at a later date.
Please note that school places are allocated according to specific criteria which are different depending upon which school you apply for your child to attend. One criterion is “nearest school”. If you wish to know your nearest school, please contact us.
If your child’s offer of a school place is for an oversubscribed school (i.e. where there are more applications for a school than places available) we will offer your child a school place based on the child’s/parent’s address. We may request information on the child’s/parent’s address when we offer a school place and the onus will be on you to prove your address if asked.
If you do not wish to apply on-line, you can contact the School Admissions Team by email or telephone to request a form. Email: schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk or telephone
03000 265 896. Your application must be received by us at the address below by the closing date. We strongly advise you to return the application form to us by “Royal Mail Signed for™” or “Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed”. If you complete a paper application form you will receive a letter to inform you of the school place offered to your child on the 1 March 2024.
Please note for both on-line applications and paper application forms, you will be required to read the disclaimer and sign/tick the box to agree that the information you provide on the application form is complete and correct otherwise the offer of a school place will be withdrawn.
The closing date for receipt for on-line/paper application forms is 31 October 2023.
Yours sincerely DCC School Places and Admissions Team.
Christian Values
We are exploring the value of endurance this half term and worship will be led by Mr Rumbles, Fr. Peter, Mrs Matthews, Fr. Bill and our Key Stage Two pupils.
Further information on the value of endurance:
Endurance – is recognition that life is sometimes difficult and painful, and that it is important not to give up in the face of adversity.
Jesus endured rejection, abuse and the cross, and his followers are warned that they may well have to share that pain as persecution took hold. Discipleship is depicted as ‘taking up the cross daily’ and following in Jesus’ footsteps (Luke 9:23).
We would like our children to continue their reflection and experience at home.
Some things to think about:
- How do we give pupils a better appreciation of the difficult situations that many people in the world have to endure and of the courage and resilience they show in the face of them?
- How do you help pupils understand that some things are worth working for even though they do not bring immediate results? How do we develop patience?
- What encourages and inspires you to persevere through difficult times in life?
If you would like to receive a copy of the Weekly Bulletin by e-mail please e-mail the school. Shincliffece@durhamlearning.net The Weekly Bulletins from previous weeks can be found in the parents’ section of the website.
