Dear Parent and Carers

Next week we will be issuing your child's summer term report, which gives you a summary of their learning this year and information about your child's personal qualities and attitudes to learning.

You will appreciate things are a little different this year, as we have adapted the curriculum to take account of the move to remote learning during the spring term. As a result, we have temporarily changed our report format and we will not be reporting on your child's attendance or on their attainment compared to the national expectations for their year group. If your child was due to take statutory assessments (e.g. SATs) these were cancelled so obviously there is no information relating to them.

For many parents/carers, because of remote learning and your close involvement in your child's progress, you will already have a greater understanding of their attainment and progress than in a more 'normal' year. Since the children's return to school, staff have prioritised gaps in learning and have been working though our 'covid catch up' plan. This aims to accelerate progress and get the children back on track to achieve the pre-covid expectations for their year group as quickly as possible. For some children, this has meant additional intervention programmes but for others, their next steps are just to carry on working through the adapted curriculum as planned by their teacher. The report indicates what level of additional support (if any) is being given to your child. We have included in the 'Class Teacher's Comments' any significant strengths or areas for development in Science and the foundation subjects.

We will not be holding a face to face Open Evening, however, if you wish to discuss the content of your child's report with their teacher, please contact them through Class Dojo to arrange a mutually convenient time for a telephone consultation.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you who your child's teacher will be next year.  

Reception       Mrs Lara Melia
Year 1             Miss Sophie Carrington
Year 2             Mrs Natalie Masters and Miss Rebecca Beddoes
Year 3             Miss Hannah Wesson
Year 4             Miss Emily Howarth
Year 5             Miss Ellie Coggan
Year 6             Mrs Kristina Rouse

We will shortly be welcoming Miss Beddoes back from her maternity leave and she will be teaching in Year 2, along with Mrs Natalie Masters. Natalie is a very experienced teacher who joins us from a school in Birmingham.

We will also be saying some "goodbyes" to staff who are moving on to new adventures or taking a well-earned rest.

Mrs Karen Mangan, who has worked at The Ridge for 17 years will be leaving at the end of term. She has been a big influence on all our children during their Reception year. We wish her well as she takes a step back to enjoy more time with her family and making the most of her holiday home in Wales.

We will also be saying "good bye" to Mrs Lianne Ryder. Lianne joined us first as a student teacher and then as a newly qualified teacher. She has been instrumental developing PE at The Ridge alongside Mrs Adams - a particular highlight being the success of the Netball Team she ran with Miss Beddoes. We wish Lianne well in the future.

Finally, we shall be saying "goodbye" to Mrs Smith, our TA in Year 1, who has decided that it is time to finish work and focus on her family. Hilary has been at The Ridge for 5 years, working in both Key Stage 1 and 2.  We shall really miss her and the special support that she offered to all the children in the classes with whom she worked.

We wish all of the staff who are leaving The Ridge family, all the very best for the future.

In light of these changes, we are still finalising which classes our teaching assistants will be working with in September. I can however tell you that we have appointed Mrs Deborah Hyde to the Reception Class TA post and she will be working alongside Mrs Melia.

The teachers will have formal opportunities to meet the children in their new classes at our transition day on Friday 16^th July. (Our new Year 2 will be with Mrs Masters in the afternoon and with Miss Beddoes for a transition session on either Monday 19^th or Tuesday 20^th July) In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child's current teacher or myself.

Yours sincerely

Mrs D A Hudson
Headteacher