Friendship Issues
If your child is having friendship issues, please let our teachers know. I know some parents believe that children should be able to sort out their own problems, but young children can rarely do this efficiently and constructively alone. Just like they do in Maths and reading, our children need guidance and support to navigate social issues and friendships. Our teachers are here to help, and our children are much happier when they do, while the children also learn strategies and tools to maintain positive relationships too.
Please do not approach other parents to try to sort out problems between families. This is often unhelpful and can even make things worse. Our teachers are objective and have a full picture, so we are in a better position to help.

ID Cards
After half term, we will tighten our gate security. Anyone without a card will be unable to enter the school site except through the front entrance, where they will need to sign in.
Our security guards have been instructed to send any parents without a card to the front entrance. You will not be permitted entry through the carpark entrance so please ensure you bring your card to school with you every time and notify us as soon as possible if it is not working. Children will always be allowed to enter the school site even without a card, but will be reminded to bring it next time.
If you forget your card and are not allowed to enter, please do not get frustrated with our security guards. They are following instructions form the senior team and do not make the rules. They are there to make our school safer and more secure.
Please wear and display the card if you need to enter the building to show you are a parent in our school. Visitors wear a visitor’s badge. If you do not display your card, you may be questioned by members of staff. This is part of our safeguarding policy to ensure that only our school community and authorised visitors have access to our school site and children.
Remember, after half term the rule will be: No card = no entry without signing in. Signing in can only happen at the front entrance.

Playground Development
I have been meeting with our site manager about the development of the jungle gym area, and unfortunately it is not ready to be installed over half term. The unique shape of the areas with their curved walls have posed a challenge for the preparations. Each piece of equipment needs to have a minimum perimeter around it for safety reasons, and the positioning and measurements needed to be precise so we can safely get the biggest and best equipment into the space that we have. The plans are still with the company who will install it, and they also have additional ideas to enhance the area...watch this space!
We hope to get the playground installed soon and I will keep you informed about the developments!

Name on Everything
I know I keep saying it to parents and children, but please write your name on all of your belongings. The Lost and Found boxes continues to fill up with jumpers, snack boxes and water bottles. The vast majority of those that stay there have no name on them. Your child will be quickly reunited with their belongings if their name is written on them!

Swimming Exemption
Swimming is an important part of our school curriculum. It is a vital skill to learn for safety, and the lesson contributes to our children's health, fitness and well-being. We also have a fantastically renovated resource in our aquatics area. The curriculum has been developed to include snorkelling, lifesaving, synchronised swimming and water polo for our older students.
We have invested in new hair dryers, which are more powerful and can dry hair more quickly.
Swimming, being wet and having wet hair do not cause illness. Illnesses are caused by viruses that can be passed on through coughs, sneezes and poor hand hygiene.
If a child is unwell, it is not wise to swim, but if they are too sick to swim, they are usually too sick to be in school either and should stay home to rest and recover from their virus.
Children in school are expected to take part in all areas of the curriculum, including PE and Swimming, unless they have an illness or injury certified by a doctor’s note advising against these activities.

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