Dear Glebe Families
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful break and are feeling refreshed and ready for the term ahead. I can’t believe we have been back a week already! It is with great pleasure that we welcome Mrs Law to Glebe Primary School. She will be taking over in 5HL and will be sharing the class with Miss Hembling. I am confident that they will make a fantastic team and provide our children with an exceptional learning experience.
I am delighted to report that we have had a productive first full week back at school. We were visited by a colleague from Edward Francis, on Thursday, as part of our peer working arrangements, who commented on the fantastic learning behaviours displayed by our children. They were impressed by how focused our children were in their lessons and this is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers.
This week, we have introduced a revised approach to our assemblies. Our aim is to celebrate our differences and uniqueness, promoting a ‘No Outsiders’ ethos. We will be following the Andrew Moffatt scheme and in the coming weeks, we will share more information about this exciting initiative. During our assemblies, we also took the time to celebrate our ‘Music Moment of the Week’ and paid tribute to an influential and significant figure who has shaped our contemporary world. This allows us to demonstrate and reinforce our LEARN values.
I would like to take a moment to address our attendance rate, which currently stands at 94.5% for the year. While this is a respectable figure, our target is 97%. I would like to express my gratitude to all the parents and carers who have ensured their children are in school, on time, and ready to learn. Your support is invaluable in ensuring that no learning opportunity is missed. Please continue to prioritise your child’s attendance so that we can achieve our target together. A reminder, that attendance below 90% classes as persistent absence and does fall short of the school, Government and local authority guidelines.
In the upcoming weeks, we have some exciting events planned. We will be hosting parent lunches for 3/4P on Tuesday, 3/4J on Wednesday and 3/4R on 26 January. Additionally, our basketball team will be participating in a competition in Colchester next Thursday. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to hearing about their success.
Lastly, I want to remind everyone that our choir will be performing at O2 next Friday. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and hard work, and we cannot wait to hear them sing their hearts out.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Wrap up warm for a wintry weekend and I’ll see you on Monday!
Warm regards
Mr Clarke
Headteacher
Certificates
A huge well done this week to:
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1D: Molly L and Grace P |
1M: Jorik D and Harper B |
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2N: Amy H and Elyna K |
2VC: Harley B-D and Finley P |
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3/4 J: Albie M and Lara M |
3/4 P: Betsy B and Ezra S |
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3/4 R: Eliza L and Adele R |
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5A: Jack F and Esther I |
5HL: Lacey P and Sadie U |
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6A: Bradley M and Archie R |
6L: Evie O and Rae W |
Attendance: Our school target is 97%
Year to date 94.3%
We expect pupils to be in school everyday.
We will not authorise term time absence except in exceptional circumstances and where appropriate, Essex County Council will issue fines.
Classes:
| RS: 94.5% | 3/4R: 90.7% |
| RP: 91.3% | 3/4P: 95.7% |
| 1D: 90.3% | 5A: 92.3% |
| 1M: 91.7% | 5HL: 90.7% |
| 2N: 92.4% | 6A: 94.7% |
| 2VC: 99.3% | 6L: 95.0% |
| 3/4J: 95.0% |
This week, the class with the highest attendance was 2VC with 99.3%. Well done! The attendance reward will be coming your way.
Reception Admissions for September 2024
A reminder that the statutory national closing date for applications is 15 January for parents to apply for a school place in September 2024. Please note that if you already have a sibling at the school, you still need to apply. Applications can be made online via www.essex.gov.uk/admissions.
Food Menu on Thursday 18 January & Friday 19 January
School census day is Thursday 18 January. This is an important day for all schools as funding is calculated on this day. Please encourage your child to have a school dinner on 18 January as the number of meals taken relates to the funding we receive for all children. The food menu for Thursday and Friday will be swapped. Fish and chips will be served on Thursday and spaghetti bolognaise will be served on Friday. Thank you for your support.
Lunchtime Star Players
Well done to Layla K, Blossom F, Harper B, Amelia N, Harry G, Lewis B, Gracie Mai P, Pippa F, Amal B A, and Amelia T.
Reading
Please remember that it is an expectation that children read at home each week night. Reading is a vital part of our learning and drives forward knowledge of vocabulary, imagination and understanding of text structures.
Fortnightly Focus – Respect: Respect for ourselves; Respect for each other
A reminder to our whole community that this fortnight, we are focused on self-care and compassion and respect towards others. Please help us to maintain a caring community.
Influential Figure of the Week – Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking was an immensely influential figure. He showed resilience, ambition and true leadership through his research, commitment to Science and resilience despite his illness and disability.
Music Moment of the Week
This week we have listened to Western Traditional classics up to the 1940s – Early Period – ‘O Euchari’ – Hildegard. The children have been able to enjoy a classical entry to our assemblies.
Snow Closure
With an impending spell of cold weather forecast, I thought I should make you aware of the arrangements in the unlikely event of snow falling leading to any necessary school closure. We will always make every effort to keep the school open but do have to consider the safety of both pupils and staff, many of whom travel from a distance away. Should there be a need to close, we will aim to post this on the school website by 7.45am, at the latest (remember to click the ‘refresh’ button to ensure accessing the latest information). Local radio stations no longer broadcast this information, but this will also be published on the Essex County website: http://www.essex.gov.uk or simply just search for Essex County Council Emergency School Closures.
16 January – Parent session – Bring your parent to lunch – Class 3/4P.
17 January – Parent session – Bring your parent to lunch – Class 3/4J.
19 January – Young Voices at O2 (Choir).
26 January – Parent session – Bring your parent to lunch – Class 3/4R.
30-31 January – NCMP height, weight and vision checks for Reception children.
1 February – NCMP height and weight checks for Year 6 children.
2 February – FOGP Quiz night at Sweyne Park School from 7.00pm to 10.00pm.
13 February – Parent and pupil consultation meetings. School closes at 1.30pm.
19-23 February – Half term.
5 March – Year 5 trip to Layer Marney Tower.
7 March – World Book Day.
8 March – FOGP Mother’s Day event.
21 March – Class photographs.
25-28 March – Year 6 residential trip to Danbury.
28 March – Last day of term. After school club finishes at 4.30pm.
