Chalfont St. Giles Junior School

September 2007

Welcome back after what I hope was a great holiday for you and the children. The weather may not have been all that brilliant but I'm sure the children still found plenty to occupy themselves over the last 6 weeks and that they have arrived back in school safe and ready for the opportunities and challenges of a new school year.

The staff certainly seem to have enjoyed their break and are all back fighting fit and raring to go for what promises to be an even better year than last with new events and activities planned to run alongside many of the favourites that have become a feature of the school over the last few years. It hardly seems possible that this year's Year 6 pupils were starting the school, along with me, just 3 years ago and I'm sure they, along with all the staff and pupils, will help the new Year 3 pupils to feel welcome and happy in their new school. Welcome also to all our new pupils and parents across the school, we hope you make a great start to the new term and settle in quickly.

Welcome also to our new teachers Miss Smith (Year 4), Miss Bicker (Year 5) and Miss Smith (Year 6) who are all going to become great assets to the school and have already, along with the existing staff, been busy over the Summer preparing for the start of the year. I hope you will also help us to make them feel welcome as they join a strong and enthusiastic team that will continue to take the school onwards and upwards, building upon our many strengths and discovering and developing new ones.

NEWSLETTERS
Some of you will have already notice a change to the newsletter format. In response to the questionnaires sent out by the governors last term we have looked at how the newsletters have been meeting the needs of the parents and instigated a few changes. Firstly newsletters will now be coming out every fortnight, with a mixture of news, forthcoming events and a more extensive diary section to try and keep parents better informed of what lies ahead. We will also be offering the opportunity to receive newsletters via email for the first time and a letter will be coming out on Friday with details of how to get yourself on the mailing list. For many of you this will replace the desperate scrabble in the bottom of the bag you may have endured in the past and once on the list you will receive most if not all of your letters electronically. This should help keep you better informed and help the school to reduce its paper usage as part of a number of initiatives to support the environment.

PARENTS MEETING
Next week sees our annual year group welcome meetings. If you are able to attend you will have the chance to hear all about life in your child's new year group and to ask questions to the teachers who work within it. If you aren't then a summary of the key points will be sent home by the end of the week.

The meetings are:
Year 3 Tuesday 11th September 7.00 p.m.
Year 4 Tuesday 11th September 7.30 p.m.
Year 5Thursday 13th September 7.00 p.m.
Year 6 Thursday 13th September 7.30 p.m.

ABSENCE
Please inform the school by telephone if your child is going to be absent for any reason. If no-one is able to take the call a message can be left on the answer-phone. Parents of unaccounted for children will be telephoned by the school office in order to check that they are safe.

OPEN FORUM
A n opportunity for parents to meet with me, and bring your thoughts about the school, will take place on Friday 28th September from 9.15 - 10.30. This will take place in the Dining Room and will be followed by annual fundraising Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer Relief. Refreshments will be provided and all donations will go to the Macmillan Cancer Relief Appeal. A letter regarding both events on the morning of the 28th will be coming out next week. Once again we aim to run a creche on the morning but will need volunteers who are able to man it during the morning. Please contact the office if you are able and willing to do so.

APPEARANCE
It was tremendous to see all the children arriving at school today looking so smart. With so many items of new uniform being worn it is essential that everything that can possibly be labelled with your child's name (not just initials) is so, including shoes, P.E. kit and classroom equipment. A huge amount of unnamed clothing was thrown away last year, an issue we aim to address with both children and parents this year.

The beginning of a school year is a good time to reinforce the school's position on jewellery. Watches are the only acceptable forms of jewellery.
No earrings should be worn in school. If children have recently had ears pierced during the holidays their earrings must be covered with tape until the recommended six week period has elapsed, and then removed during school hours. Can we also remind you that all long hear (for both boys and girls) should be tied back at all times.

PARENTS CONSULTATIONS
An opportunity to meet with your child's class teacher to discuss their progress and how they have settled into the new term will arise at our parent consultations. Individual appointments with teachers will be available on one of the following dates:

MONDAY 29th October 4 - 6 p.m.
THURSDAY 1st November 6 - 8 p.m.

Letters allowing you to request an appointment will be sent home nearer the time the consultations take place. In the meantime if you have any concerns or issues to discuss with the class teacher please make an appointment to see them after school at a mutually convenient time. Please do not arrive unannounced in a classroom having not made a prior appointment. Direct all enquiries through the school office.

CLUBS
As ever there will be a vast range of lunchtime and after school activities available to the children at the school. Once again the staff are prepared to give generously of their own time to run clubs, teams and activities during this term. Details of which clubs will be on offer, and when they are on, will be coming out in a separate letter next week. Clubs will start the week beginning 24th September.

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER
The school photographer will be visiting the school on TUESDAY 25th SEPTEMBER. For those of you with more than one child in the school, they will be photographed together as well as individually UNLESS YOU INDICATE OTHERWISE IN WRITING prior to the 26th. All children will be photographed unless again, we are notified in writing that you do not wish them to have their pictures taken.

PA BBQ
I'm sure everyone who attended the BBQ and children's triathlon at the end of term had a great time and I'd like to pass on my thanks to all the PA and staff who helped the event to run so successfully, in particular Deborah and Andrew for the hours of work that went into putting on the triathlon. The event raised around £1100 towards the PA's funds which will be put to good use in the school in the near future. Look out for a PA newsletter in the near future as I'm sure they will be seeking new recruits very soon and informing you of the forthcoming fundraising and social events this term.

VILLAGE SHOW
Finally, congratulations to the children who represented the school on our float last Saturday at the village show. They were awarded 2nd prize by the judges for their efforts in dressing up as Roald Dahl characters and my thanks go out to Mrs Thompson, Mrs Hill and Mrs Brown who helped to organise and prepare the school float. Well done to all involved!

I hope the next few weeks, and indeed the rest of the school year, are a busy and happy time for both the children and staff and that as parents you feel the school is communicating with you effectively and I look forward to seeing a good number of parents at the welcome meeting and Parents Open Forum meeting on September 28th.

A R Tagg Headteacher

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