Recent letters shared with parents and carers.
5 March 2019
Dear Parents/Carers
Dacorum Dance Competition 2019
Your son/daughter has been selected to perform in the Dacorum School Sports Network Dance Competition, taking place on 29 March 2019 from 6.30 – 7:30pm at Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre, Park Road, HP11JS.
Your son/daughter will need to be at Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre by 5:30pm. They will be met by a member of staff from school.
Tickets for the event are available to reserve should you wish to watch the competition. Performers do not need tickets.
Each performance has been allocated a set number of tickets in order to maximize the number of parents that can watch their children. This has been capped at 3 per performer. We appreciate that some families may wish to purchase additional tickets. Please put any requests for more than 3 tickets into your original request, and these will be put into a reserve list.
Please apply via email or telephone to Clare McCawley at Longdean School (c.mccawley@longdean.herts.sch.uk /07921660933). Tickets are priced at £3.00 per person.
When applying, please ensure that you tell us your name/child’s name to reserve the ticket under, email address/contact telephone number and the school that your child attends.
A confirmation email or text will be sent to you once your reservation has been confirmed.
The tickets can be collected and paid for (cash only) on the evening from the entrance to the sportshall by providing your name and school. No person will be allowed entry to the event unless their name is on the list.
Tickets normally sell out – so unless pre booked you will not be able to enter the event on the night. Please do not turn up to the event expecting to get tickets as we want to avoid any disappoint for both yourself and your child.
Parking – Please park on the roads surrounding the Sports Centre – Please do not park in the main car park as these spaces are reserved for customers using the sporting facilities. If you do manage to park in any of the other car parks – please remember to enter your car registration number when entering the sports centre. Where possible please car share to avoid traffic congestion in and around the area.
Costumes – Please provide your child’s costume in a labelled bag by Tuesday 19th March for our dress rehearsal.
Year 2Pearl – Girls – Plain white round neck short sleeved t-shirts – black leggings – hair in high pigtails –curls if possible
Boys - Plain white round neck short sleeved t-shirts – Grey School trousers – hair slicked back
Year 2Diamond – Traditional toys – Dolls, GI Joe/Jane, Teddies, Robots – hair too be styled according to costume.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on 07961 659145.
Thank you in advance for your support and I look forward to seeing you on the evening of the 29 March.
Yours sincerely
Ms E Carder – Sports Coach
Dear Parents and Carers
As you know the week of 11th March was healthy eating week. All classes in school learnt about foods we can eat to keep us healthy. Children discussed healthy snacks they could eat at break time.
As a school we are focusing this year on how we can develop the children’s wellbeing. This has included learning about emotions, talking about how they feel, learning how to relax, introducing mindfulness and developing physical activities like the daily mile.
We want to continue focusing on every child’s wellbeing and ensure that all children have the most appropriate fuel inside their bodies to help them learn each day. We want to make sure the food children eat at break time will be a healthy snack.
As we stated in a previous newsletter we discussed at a parent forum what would be a healthy snack. A long discussion was held with a wide group of parents, about what foods to categorise as a healthy snack.
When the children start at Galley Hill School in nursery or reception they eat healthy snacks that are fruit or vegetables. The Government scheme to provide all Early Years and Key Stage One children with a piece of fruit or veg until the end of year 2 means that children do eat a healthy snack. We want to continue this healthy eating. EY’s and KS1 pupils will continue to be provided with fruit or veg each snack time. They can also bring in their own fruit or veg to eat at snack time if they wish.
Our focus on healthy eating will mean that children can bring to school fruit, vegetables or bread sticks for their morning snack. If your child does have a diagnosed medical condition that effects their eating, then please talk to their class teacher.
This snack must be kept in their bag. The snack must not be kept in their lunch box. Unfortunately, when children go into their lunch box to find their snack they are often tempted to find an unhealthy alternative!
Children will be told about “Team Galley Hill love healthy snacks” focus this week. We will be reminding children over the next two weeks about snacks. When we return to school on Tuesday 23rd April all children will be expected to bring in for their snack a piece of fruit or cut up fruit, vegetables or breadsticks. If children do have a different snack it will be kept safe for them and returned to them at the end of the school day to take home. We would also like to remind you that children should have water in their water bottles in the classroom. If they would like some flavour in their bottle, then flavoured water could be used. Please do not put juices or squash in the bottles.
4 February 2019
Dear Parents/Carers
Phonics Workshop
The KS1 team would like to invite you to a Phonics Workshop. This is an opportunity to see how we teach phonics, we will be sharing resources that will support your child with their learning, and we will be talking about the Year 1 phonics screening check which takes place in the Summer term.
Please can you sign below to let us know if you will be able to attend.
Yours sincerely
Mrs A Reynolds
Phonics Workshop
Parents/Carers Name___________________________ Class________________
Signature ........................................................................................................... (Parent/Carer)
19 March 2019
Dear Parents/Carers
On Tuesday 7 May 2019 we have arranged to take Year 1 Jade and Crystal Class on a trip to Museum of London.
We will be developing our knowledge of the Great Fire of London. We will have the opportunity to explore the gallery as well as take part in a hands-on session; handling original objects from 1666 and joining in with an enactment of the Great Fire.
All children should be dressed in school uniform. Due to the timing of the Workshop, the coach will need to leave the school at 8.45am so we ask for all children to arrive at school for registration at 8.30am to be ready to depart by 8.45am. The coach aims to return at approx. 3.00pm.
The children will need a packed lunch from home or we can supply a school lunch providing this has been ordered in advance. NO glass bottles, cans, fizzy drinks, chocolate or sweets please.
The cost of this trip will be £8.50 per child, which covers the transport and a workshop.
Please log into your child’s school gateway account to give parent consent and make payment by Monday 29 April 2019. If you would like to order a school packed lunch, please ensure to order this in the comments section. School packed lunch MUST be ordered in advance, cannot be ordered on the day.
We will require parent volunteers to help out on this school trip, if you are available on this day and would like to help, please advise us in the comments section or speak to the class teacher. We will confirm with you nearer the time is your help is required.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Reynolds Mrs Birtchnell Mrs Yates
15 March 2019
Dear Parents/Carers,
I would like to sincerely apologise for not giving you any notice of the meeting this morning. This is a complete oversight on our part and I appreciate that it would have caused you to be frustrated about the lack of communication in this instance.
Unfortunately, the meeting was unable to go ahead as the outside visitor we had coming to deliver the talk was unable to attend. The meeting is now organised for the 15 May at 9.15am. Please drop your children off as usual and go around to the office. The meeting will take place in the school hall.
We will be inviting both Reception and Nursery parents to come to this talk. As a school, we feel good attendance from the outset of a child’s time at school is essential to get the best start in their education. The meeting will be led by our Attendance Improvement Officer and will cover the importance of being at school, attendance expectations and the impact that poor attendance can have on early education and attainment.
Again, I would like to apologise for the lack of communication.
We hope to see you at the meeting in May.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs D Spooner
Friday 15 March 2019
Dear Parents/Carers,
As a school, we feel good attendance from the outset of a child’s time at school is essential to get the best start in their education. We would like to invite you to a parent meeting led by our Attendance Improvement Officer. This meeting will cover the importance of being at school, attendance expectations and the impact that poor attendance can have on early education and attainment.
This will take place on the 15 May at 9.15am. Please drop your children off as usual and go around to the office. The meeting will take place in the school hall.
We hope to see you at the meeting in May.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs D Spooner