Dear Glebe Families
What a quick week it has been! I can hardly believe how fast the days have flown by. This week, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming our Reception classes full time and all of our Nursery children into our fantastic new EYFS environment. The children have been busy learning their new routines, settling into school life and even sharing some fashion advice; one little one commented on my flat hair to Mrs Rose! I hesitated to tell them how long it takes to style in the mornings.
Today, we were delighted to welcome our Reception parents to lunch. It was wonderful to have you join us and be part of life at Glebe, collaborating on your children’s learning. We are excited for more opportunities like this throughout the year, so keep an eye on the dates below. Parents of other year groups, don’t worry, there will be plenty of chances for you to join us for enrichment events and lunches as well.
In Year 6, we are gearing up for some exciting elections in the coming weeks. Our Year 6 team is preparing for key roles and responsibilities, so don’t be surprised if you hear about your children working on speeches and presentations. We are thrilled to host this democratic process, where House Teams will elect their House Captains. We’ll also be selecting Prefects, Librarians and Wet Play Monitors. It’s always a pleasure to see how seriously the children take these roles and how much they contribute to school life.
Meanwhile, our new Year 5/4 class combinations have settled in beautifully. It’s been a joy to witness new friendships forming and old ones blossoming again over the past couple of weeks. Speaking of friendships, today was Positivity Friday! The children had wonderful discussions about what it means to be a good friend and how they can demonstrate leadership, kindness and resilience. They truly understand the importance of our school values and embody them every day. A big thank you to all the parents who helped contribute to this special day.
Looking ahead, next Friday we’ll be taking part in the annual “Jeans for Genes” day. Children are invited to come to school in non-uniform, with a denim item if possible and we kindly ask for a small donation of £1 to go to charity. It’s always a fun day for a great cause.
On a more serious note, next week we will be conducting a lockdown rehearsal as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing our safeguarding procedures. It is a statutory requirement to ensure that staff and pupils are familiar with what to do in the event of a lock-in. We will explain this sensitively to the children, ensuring it is age-appropriate and provide support for any child who may feel anxious. I have shared a separate letter outlining more details of the process. Please do talk with your children to reassure them and feel free to reach out to the inclusion team or catch me at the gate if you have any concerns.
Thank you again for your ongoing support. We hope you have a lovely weekend; it looks like the weather may warm up, so let’s hope for a little more summer sunshine!
Warm regards
Mr Clarke
Headteacher
Certificates
A huge well done this week to:
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1D: Harley S & Finlay S |
1M: Teddy Y & Ella B |
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2N: Harry R & Balbina C |
2VB: Sullivan D B & Ruby G |
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3P: Harry G & Demi-Leigh S |
3R: Eleanor H & Lara C |
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4A: Henry F & Ellie A |
5A: Leo Mc & Riley K-A |
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5/4L: Leo M & Heidi P |
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6HC: Charlie B & Ayo M |
6P: Daphne W & Sadie U |
Attendance: Our school target is 97%
Year to date 96%
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:
| RR: 95.3% | 3R: 93.1% |
| RS: 99.4% | 4A: 92.3% |
| 1D: 92.9% | 5A: 98.3% |
| 1M: 99.5% | 5/4L: 94.0% |
| 2N: 92.7% | 6HC: 97.1% |
| 2VB: 96.7% | 6P: 93.8% |
| 3P: 93.2% |
This week, the class with the highest attendance was 1M with 99.5%. Well done! The attendance reward will be coming your way.
Year 6
You can now apply for a secondary school place for September 2025 via www.essex.gov.uk/admissions
The statutory national closing date for applications in 31 October 2024.
Parents’ Evenings 2024/25
We are pleased to announce that this year’s parents’ evenings will be held across two days to better accommodate all families. On the Tuesday, sessions will run from 1.30pm to 4.00pm, during which time children will stay at school and participate in enrichment activities such as sports and theatre. On the Wednesday evening, appointments will be available from 4.30pm to 7.00pm. We have considered your feedback and hope these new arrangements serve our community effectively.
Open Evening
Please be advised that on 21 November, the school will close at 1.30pm to allow for preparations for our annual Open Evening to new parents. As with last year, we will have a variety of activities that will require pupil advocates. We will reach out to families soon with further details. Thank you for your understanding.
Fortnightly Focus
For our fortnightly focus, we dive into the concept of the Using our thinking brain—a powerful tool that helps us approach challenges with curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be encouraging children to engage their thinking brains across all areas of learning, from problem-solving in maths to exploring new ideas in creative writing.
By fostering an environment where children feel confident to ask questions, explore solutions and think deeply, we aim to develop resilient, independent learners who are ready to tackle any challenge that comes their way. Stay tuned for strategies, tips and classroom activities to help nurture these essential skills!
Music Moment of the Week – Be the Change
A piece of music composed as a children’s choir piece. It inspires children to want to change the world to make it a better place and encompasses this year’s Fairtrade fortnight slogan – Be the Change.
https://www.singup.org/free-resources/be-the-change
Influential Figure of the Week – Tolmeia Gregory, Artist and Climate Justice Activist
Tolmeia Gregory, also known as Tolly, is a 24-year-old artist and climate justice activist who has been using her online platforms to raise awareness about the climate crisis ever since she learnt of the true cost of the fashion industry in her teens, after growing up as an aspiring fashion designer.
The tragic aftermath of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh in 2013 led Tolly to believe that she should use her growing online platform to educate other people and be a positive force for change in whatever way she can.
Since then, she has become an organiser in direct-action groups, as well as having amassed almost nine billion views on her climate-related GIF stickers, used across social media.
17 & 18 September – Year 5 road safety training.
19 September – Year 1 Knights and Castle day. *new date*
20 September – Jeans for Genes (non-uniform day).
27 September – FOGP quiz night at Sweyne Park School.
3 October – Year 4/5 Portals to the Past.
16 October – Flu immunisations.
5 November – Parents’ Evening from 1.30pm to 4.00pm.
6 November – Parents’ Evening from 4.30pm to 7.00pm.
8 November – FOGP discos. *new date*
11 November – School photographs.
21 November – Open Evening from 5.00pm to 7.00pm. School will close at 1.30pm.
22 November – Inset day (non-pupil day).
11 December – FOGP elf emporium and grotto.
17 December – FOGP Aladdin pantomime.
18 December – Christmas dinner and jumper day.
7 & 8 January – Reception road safety training.
4 February – Young Voices (Choir O2).
25 February – Parents’ Evening from 1.30pm to 4.00pm.
26 February – Parents’ Evening from 4.30pm to 7.00pm.
19 March – Year 2 trip to Hyde Hall.
24 March – Class photographs.
w/c 12 May – Year 6 SATs week.
w/c 19 May – Year 6 bikeability (Mon-Thu) *new date*
23 May – Sports afternoon.
w/c 2 June – Year 6 bikeability (Mon-Thu) *new date*
22-25 June – Year 6 residential trip to Mersea.
Caterlink Food Choices
Please let the school office know what your child is having to eat if they will be late to school. The kitchen deadline for school dinners is 9.45am. Jacket potatoes and grab bags will be available after this time, subject to availability.
Grab Bags
Please note that cheese grab bags are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Ham grab bags are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Join Rochford Hundred Rugby Club for a fun-filled morning on 21 September from 11.00am to 12.00 noon. It’s free to come along and no need to book!
