Important Updates for Parents/Carers

Dear Parents and Carers,

I sincerely hope that you and your children have been able to enjoy a really wonderful summer break and quality time together.

I would like to remind you that tomorrow (3rd September) is a training day for staff, meaning that school will reopen to pupils on Tuesday 4th September.

I am really looking forward to welcoming you all back and catching up with the children about everything they got up to and all their adventures over the summer break.

My colleagues and I will also be on hand if you need to speak to any of us; if you have any questions; or you require any sort of assistance. Please do not hesitate to ask!

Over the summer we have been busy making a number of significant alterations to further improve our school building. The hall has been completely redecorated; has a brand new electricity supply with more points; new brighter and more efficient/environmentally-friendly lighting; and a simple but fantastic new stage lighting system. We have saved enough money from the build costs to have the entire floor in the School Hall stripped right back,treated and varnished over the next (October) holiday so that it will look brand new. This expensive procedure is long overdue and will complete the renovation of the School Hall.

The entrance to the Y5/6 cloakroom has also been redecorated and refloored and also has new efficient and energy-saving lighting set within a new suspended ceiling. We are awaiting new space-saving lockers, so that each child will have his/her own locker, and these will be installed as soon as they arrive.

The Y6 classroom is also being completely refurbished and refurnished. Unfortunately it will not be ready as planned, as works revealed inadequate foundations below the classroom that do not meet modern standards. This means that the classroom - which is the last of the original wooden structures - has required underpinning with tons of concrete, which has taken up valuable time.

As we have improved the old building over the past six years we have encountered a number of challenges; some of which have been significant and unforeseen. It has been my priority each time to rectify all issues properly, systematically and to the highest of standards.

Inevitably the issue with the Y6 classroom this summer has delayed the schedule, but I can assure you that every effort is being made to get the classroom ready for our wonderful new Y6 pupils as soon as possible.

A contingency has been worked on for the first few days which will see our Y6 pupils using 'The Ark', 'The Fisher Room', the School Hall and the unoccupied FS2 classroom for different activities.

Outside you will see that the original foundation stone for the school has been saved, repositioned and set so that it is now on display outside the Y6 classroom for everybody to see. You will also note that there are new railings around the ramp to the library and Y5/Y6 classrooms with new wooden planters along the front to add interest and improve the general look of this side of school.

Obviously there is still building equipment on the playground, though it is fenced off. Until it is removed, it will be supervised by staff at the beginning and end of the school day, as well as break times, but we would be grateful if parents/carers could help us by also watching their children at the beginning and end of the school day. Thank you.

On Tuesday - the first day - we will only have the children in Years 1 to 6 in school as the new starters in FS2 do not start until next week.

The day will start, as usual, with a Get Set, GO! session at 8.40am. Staff will also be on the playground at 8.45, as it is the first day, to meet you, the children and to escort them to their new classrooms.

The timetable will start properly at the beginning of the second week, so there will be no formal PE on Tuesday and Wednesday for children in Years 1-4. They should therefore come to school wearing full school uniform in the first week. A reminder that SJF gingham-checked summer dresses can also be worn during Term 1.

We would like the children in Years 5 and 6 to wear PE kit on Thursday however.Thank you

Our uniform standards are high and we would like to remind everybody that children should have proper black school shoes rather than trainers, even if they are all-black trainers. Trainers can be worn at break times e.g. for football, to save school shoes from being damaged, but pupils must have proper school shoes with them to change back in to at the end of break times and before lessons start.

A 'welcome' letter will be sent home on the first day detailing some of the forthcoming events, and I urge you to read it and also take note of the SJF Calendar that was emailed home at the end of the last academic year, so that you are fully aware of what is going on. There are also spare paper copies of the calendar available in the foyer of the school entrance, so please do take one if this would help you.There will be a newsletter on Friday and you can refer to the SJF website, which is a good and frequently-updated source of information.

Please remember that there will be important Review and Target-Setting meetings on the first two days which provide those parents/carers who booked a meeting with an excellent opportunity to meet teachers and find out how their children did over the whole year and what their new targets will be at the beginning of the 2018/19 academic year - so that everyone is clear and we can 'hit the ground running'.

Enjoy the final Sunday of the holiday, and this glorious weather!

Kind regards,

Mr F Barratt - Headteacher