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September , 2003

1. Staff Changes
2. Building Work
3. Road Safety
4. Pupil Security
5. School Attendance
6. Prompt Arrival
7. Parent Governor Vacancy
8. Test Results
9. School Events
10. Message from Chair of Governors
11. Holiday Dates
12. Change of Details

I hope you’ve had a good summer break!
We have nearly seventy pupils joining us this term and whilst many are younger brothers or sisters of children currently with us, we extend a special welcome to those families for whom this is their first link with Hawkes Farm.

1 STAFF CHANGES
We welcome Miss Marriott who will be covering Mrs Cutt's maternity leave. We also welcome back Mrs Jackson, better known to most of you as Miss Robertson. Full details of class organisation are as follows:

Mrs Van Dijkhuizen, Mrs Sweatman and Mrs Round will continue as support teachers at KS1, KS2 and Year 6 respectively. Miss Porter will continue as our music specialist.

2 BUILDING WORK
We are literally surrounded by workmen - some replacing parts of the roof, others extending the Key Stage 1 library, not to mention those involved with roadworks in the near vicinity. We expect the building work to be completed within the next two weeks. As for the roadworks, I'm less sure. All I would ask is that everyone exercises even greater care and consideration in driving and parking close to the school.

3 WHILST ON THE SUBJECT OF ROAD SAFETY...
… two special initiatives take place this term, with which you may be able to help. The first is pedestrian training aimed at pupils in Year 1, and whilst training is led by a Road Safety Officer, a significant number of helpers are needed. Regardless of whether your child is in Year 1, if you can help, please come along to a brief meeting at 9.00 am on Wednesday, 17th September.

The second initiative is to explore the possibility of setting up a "Walking Bus" which quite simply provides an alternative way of getting safely to and from school on foot, rather than by car. Whether you drive or walk already - this really is an interesting concept already adopted in several towns up and down the country. If you'd like to find out more, then come along to hear what it's all about on Wednesday, 1st October at 2.30 pm.

A big thank you to those parents who assisted with cycle training enabling the children to gain 100% pass rate.

4 COMING INTO SCHOOL : PUPIL SECURITY
You are always welcome to come into school, none more so than if you are able to help out in the classroom. If you'd like to assist in any way at any time, please let your child's teacher know.

Whenever you come into school, for whatever reason, please remember to sign in at the office first. There is the temptation to assume that just because your child attends school, everyone in the building knows you. Unfortunately this is not the case and it is essential that all visitors check in first at the office.

Older pupils who meet with their parent / carer at the gate are given specific instructions to return to school if the person they're expecting is not there to meet them. The onus is then on the adult to come into school to collect them. You are of course welcome to wait on the playground and it is helpful to children and parents alike if you remain on the playground rather than coming right up to the doors. This allows both you and the children to get a clear sighting of one another.

5 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
If your child is unable to attend school, please let us know at the earliest opportunity, and by 8.45 am at the latest. Messages can be left outside school hours on our answerphone 440434. Where a child is absent without notification we will phone you to ascertain his / her whereabouts. If after two calls no contact has been made a letter seeking appropriate information will be sent to you. Please remember that if a pupil doesn't arrive at school and we have received no notification, we have no way of knowing whether non-arrival is due to the child not being sent or to an accident on the way to school. That uncertainty can lead to great anxiety and could place a child's safety in jeopardy. We are very fortunate in that so many of you follow these guidelines automatically.

6 PROMPT ARRIVAL
Prompt arrival for school in the mornings is essential. Late arrival on the odd occasion may be unavoidable, but lateness is a bad habit for any child to fall into and can consequently have a very profound effect upon their attitude and progress. Late arrival also inevitably means disruption to the rest of the class. All children should arrive in good time for an 8.55 am start. Any late arrivals should report to the school office.

7 PARENT GOVERNOR VACANCY
Govenors play a vital role in supporting and guiding all aspects of school development, from what is taught in the curriculum to the building and the full range of resources needed. Of the seventeen people currently making up the governing body at Hawkes Farm, five are elected parent representatives - each of whom is elected to serve a four year term of office. Two vacancies now exist and if you wish to stand for election please send in your nomination, supported and signed by a proposer and seconder both of whom must be parents of pupils at the school. Nominations should contain a short personal statement (50 words max) and be sent to the school office marked for "The Clerk to the Governors" no later than 26th September.

8 TEST RESULTS
Whilst newspapers recently reported an apparent stand-still in National primary school results in some subjects and even a slight falling off in others it’s perhaps worthwhile reflecting on the very opposite at Hawkes Farm as illustrated below.

LEVEL	W	1	2	3	School Level 2 or above	National Average Level 2 or above	National Average Level 3
Reading	0	5	60	35	95	84	28
Writing	2	3	80	13	93	81	16
Maths	0	3	35	60	95	90	29
Science	0	3	78	18	96	NA	NA

W = Working towards Level 1                                                                                                             Figs shown as %

Level 2 = expected level for 7 yr old                                                                      Level 3 = expected level for 9 yr old

Key Stage 2 (11 year olds)

Level 4 = expected level for 11 yr old                                                                     Level 5 = expected level for 13 yr old

9 SCHOOL EVENTS THIS TERM
A list of important dates is given below. A special reminder regarding the meeting for parents with the Registered Inspector at 7.00 pm on Wednesday, 10th September.

10.9.03 OfSTED meeting for parents: 7.00 pm
17.9.03 Coffee Morning to launch Road Safety for Yr 1: 9.00 am
22.9.03 Inspection beings
30.9.03 FOHF AGM: 8.00 pm
1.10.03 Meeting re: Walking Bus: 2.30 pm
16.10.03 Parent Evening: 4.00 - 6.00 pm
22.10 03 Harvest Festival
23.10.03 Parent Evening: 6.00 - 8.30 pm
24.10.03 School Closes for half-term
3.11.03 Inset Day: Writing - School Closed
9.12.03 Reception / Yr 1 Concert
10.12.03 " " " " " "
12.12.03 Yr 2 Concert
16.12.03 Carol Service
19.12.03 School Closes
5.1.04 School Re-opens

10 MESSAGE FROM CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
As Chair of Governors it is my duty to inform you that our Headteacher, Mr John Wilson, has announced that he is to retire next Easter after 20 years in the post. Mr Wilson has led the school through major changes in the education system making Hawkes Farm a very popular and successful school and has been instrumental in providing a caring and safe environment in which our children can learn.

I am sure you will want to join the Staff and the Governing Body in wishing Mr Wilson a long and happy retirement. The Governors will be marking Mr Wilson's fine achievements and retirement nearer to the end of the Spring Term and undertake to keep you informed of developments as we seek a successor.

11 HOLIDAY DATES (Other In Service Days to be added)
Autumn Term 3rd September, 2003 In Service Day
4th September, 2003 In Service Day
5th September, 2003 In Service Day
8th September, 2003 19th December, 2003
Half-term holiday 27th October, 2003 31st October, 2003
3rd November, 2003 In Service Day

Spring Term 5th January, 2004 2nd April, 2004
Half-term holiday 16th February, 2004 20th February, 2004

Summer Term 19th April, 2004 21st July, 2004
May Day holiday 3rd May, 2004
Half-term holiday 31st May, 2004 4th June, 2004