Dear Parents and Carers,

Kind regards

Mrs D Hudson

Headteacher

Towards the end of term we will be holding a number of Easter Events including our traditional Easter Assemblies. To comply with Fire Regulations entrance will be by ticket only.

• Thursday 30^th March 2.00pm – Key Stage 2 Easter Assembly.
• Friday 31^st March 9.00am – Reception and Key Stage 1 Easter Bonnet Parade – we look forward to seeing your creations!

For both events, one ticket per child will be issued in the first instance. Please return any unwanted tickets to school. If you require an additional ticket, for the Key Stage 2 assembly please contact the school office to see if any tickets have been returned.

In addition Key Stage 2 children can enter our competition to decorate a hard boiled egg.  Please bring the eggs to the school on Wednesday 29^th March and take them to the classroom. The eggs will then be taken to the Bungalow where they will be on display after school for children, parents and carers to see.

The RFA have created a fabulous Easter chocolate raffle for the school, and there are lots of yummy prizes available!

Tickets are £1 each, please send money into school in an envelope with your child's name/class on.  The draw will take place on Friday 31st March. 

Good luck!

Staffing Update

We are pleased to tell you that we have made an appointment to the post of Kindergarten Teacher which was left vacant after Mrs Burley left at Christmas. We are extremely grateful to Mrs Collett and Mrs Reynolds who have stepped into the role during the Spring term and done such a wonderful job, alongside Mrs Banks and Mrs Ishaque.

We have appointed Mrs Michelle Gledhill to the role. Mrs Gledhill is an experienced Early Years teacher, having worked in a variety of schools and also as the manager of a private Kindergarten. We are delighted that she will be joining us after Easter. Mrs Gledhill has a particular interest in Forest Schools and we are really excited to see how learning outdoors develops under her leadership.

Also joining the staff team is Mrs Charlotte Dakin, who has been appointed to the role of Kindergarten Teaching Assistant to replace Mrs Spink.  She too brings lots of experience from both school and private settings, including forest school. She will be joining us a couple of weeks into the new term after working a period of notice in her current job.

I am sure that the whole school community will join me in welcoming Mrs Gledhill and Mrs Dakin. We are looking forward to working with them both and trust that they will both settle in quickly.  After Easter, Mrs Collett will return to teaching in Key Stage 1.

Outdoor Area Development

We are grateful for the work that our Site Manager, Mr Rowley, has undertaken to renovate the gross motor skills area of the Kindergarten outdoor area. Further work is anticipated over Easter, and once this has been completed and the play bark delivered, we will be able to reinstate this area for the children to enjoy. Special thanks also go to Mr Owen, one of our parents who has secured some significant support for the development of the outdoor area through his employer, Kee Safety Group. We really appreciate the time, effort and support he has given to help with this project.

This Weeks attendance 

Whole School - 96.25%

Reception - 95.00%

Year 1 – 96.00%

Year 2 – 95.00%

Year 3 – 98.57%

Year 4 – 95.67%

Year 5 – 98.67%

Year 6 – 95.00%

Well done Year 5!

As the weather gets warmer, thoughts turn to holidays. Please can we take the opportunity to remind you of our Attendance Policy and in particular that we do not expect parents to take children on holiday in school time.

Taking holidays in term time will affect a child’s schooling as much as any other absence and term time holidays will not be authorised by the school unless there are exceptional circumstances.  Exceptional circumstances are those which are “rare, significant, unavoidable and short”.

All applications for a leave of absence must be made on a Leave of Absence request form provided by the school.  Any request should be submitted as soon as it is anticipated and no less than 10 school days before the absence.

Thank you for your support.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Mrs Hudson is the Designated Safeguarding Lead and any concerns should be shared with her or the Deputy Safeguarding Leads – Mrs Hadley and Miss Beddoes.  Where child protection concerns are raised, the school has a statutory duty to refer these concerns to children’s social care.

Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby. In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe. The system is being tested on the evening of 23^rd April.

If anyone has a secret mobile phone hidden from an abusive partner, remember to switch off or put in airplane mode etc. as described below, or the phone will be activated with the loud alert on the evening of 23/04.
Please share this to help keep others safe.

The alert will say:

“This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”

Mobile phone masts in the surrounding area will broadcast an alert. Every compatible mobile phone or tablet in range of a mast will receive the alert. Your mobile phone or tablet does not have to be connected to mobile data or wifi to get alerts.

You can opt out of emergency alerts, but the government advises you should keep them switched on for your own safety.

To opt out:

- Search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’.
- Turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’.
- If you still get alerts, contact your device manufacturer for help.

More info can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/alerts 

Opt out instructions can be found out:   https://www.gov.uk/alerts/how-alerts-work

Reminder - School closes at 2.00pm on the final day of term – Friday 31^st March

Summer Term Uniform

After Easter, the children have the option of wearing summer uniform

• Yellow gingham or striped dress
• The Ridge Primary School Sweatshirt/Cardigan
• The Ridge Primary School Yellow Polo Shirt (non logoed polo shirts can also be worn)
• White or grey socks or tights
• Sandals may be worn, with socks, but must be suitable for school (no trainers, beach/jelly shoes)

Please can we also take the opportunity to remind you of the uniform on days when children come dressed for PE.

• The Ridge Primary School Sweatshirt/Cardigan
• Plain white tee or polo shirt
• Blue shorts or P.E. skirt
• In colder weather, blue joggers or a track suit may be worn. These should be none branded or with an unobtrusive logo.
• Trainers for outdoor P.E. and Games lessons (Key Stage 2 pupils)

A fun day is planned at the Mary Stevens Park activity centre Saturday 25^th March 2023

Activities include:

Meet the Guide Dogs

Pony rides / grooming / feeding

Face painting

Coffee and bake sale

Craft workshops

Tombola (by Barclays Bank)

Fitness challenges + prizes

And more....

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