Newsletter Week 19: w/e 9th Feb 2024

the best you can

Newsletter

w/e 9th February 2024

Message from the Head

Our PTA have done such a wonderful job fund-raising over the last few years and we are now looking at how we can spend this to benefit our school. We are going to focus on developing our outside areas further with new picnic benches, new playground markings and we are exploring the purchase and installation of a gazebo which could be used as an outdoor learning space in most weathers. We are so very thankful for our PTA and the time they give and enthusiasm they have.

I cannot believe we are now half-way through our school year! I wish you all a wonderful half term break. Due to Monday 19th February being an Inset day for staff training, the children return to school on Tuesday 20th February.

With my very best wishes

Mrs Stevens

Dear Parents and Carers,

In our assemblies this week, we have focused on the theme of being safe online. On Monday, we launched this by the children hearing the story ‘Chicken Clicking’ and we discussed ways in which we can use the internet and play games online safely. That evening, the Breck Foundation led a parent information session, which showed just how vitally important it is that we keep our own knowledge up-to-date and have a clear understanding of what our children are doing and accessing when they are using any device with access to the internet. If you were unable to attend the meeting, it was recorded and Mr Cruse has posted the link for this on DoJo so that you can all access this at a time convenient to yourselves. Then, on Tuesday which was Internet Safety Day, we welcomed the Breck Foundation to our school, who led assemblies/workshops with children from Years 1 through to Year 6. These sessions were adapted to each year group and, from speaking to some of the children about them, I know that they have found the information interesting and useful.

Also, this week, we have welcomed two of our governors into school. During their visit they focused on Behaviour for Learning and Safeguarding. We visited each class and saw a wide range of learning – from 5 minute Fitness in Early Years to Maths to English to using iPads for mental arithmetic in Year 6. Every classroom we visited, children were on task throughout and engaged in their learning. As a school, we are introducing an Oracy approach within lessons and it is great to see the children standing to share their viewpoints and speak with such confidence to their peers. As part of this visit, our governors also met with our school council who impressed with their knowledge and ability to articulate our school behaviour policy, British Values and they could even talk about their learning on Protected Characteristics!

On Wednesday, we had a PTA meeting where we finalised plans for our Easter Bunny Drive which will take place straight after school on Wednesday 27th March. Entry cost is £1:00 per person and staff will also be attending this and are already feeling very competitive! We look forward to seeing many of you there. After half term, we will share more information about this via our usual communication channels and will have posters displayed in every classroom.

Attendance Stats

Kittiwakes	95%
Sandpipers	99%
Curlews	96%
Cormorants	95%
Puffins	93%
Herons	99%
Guillemots	93%

Thank you for your support in ensuring your child has good attendance. Please be reminded that the government expects all children not to miss school due to family holidays. Any child who takes 6 days or more of unauthorised absence will need to be referred to the Local Authority.

Notices

School Uniform

SenCo Update

Just a polite reminder about our expectations for school uniform. Nails should be of natural colour and kept short, jewellery (except for stud ear-rings and watches) should not be worn at school and long hair needs to be tied back. All of these things are in place due to safety so please support us in maintaining high standards.

Shoes should also be black and trainers kept for PE lessons only.

If you need any support with school uniform, please let us know as we have a good stock of second-hand available which we are happy for you to have.

We will be reviewing our school uniform policy in the next term ready for Septeber 2024. If you have any views about uniform I will be sending out some information to gather views after the half-term break.

Today is Mrs Rayment’s last day with us for a while as she is off on her maternity leave. As soon as we have baby news, we will share this with you.

After half term, Mrs Edwards (who is a SenCo within our Kernow Learning Trust) will be working at Mabe 2 days a week. This will predominantly be on a Thursday and Friday, although there will be some flexibility in this as required. We very much look forward to welcoming her to our staff team here, and she will make herself known and available to many of you once she is in post.

Term Dates 24/25

These will have come out to you this week – we provide these early so that you have the dates for the following academic year to help you plan for any holidays to be built around term-times.

Personal Development News

At Mabe our personal development programme is threaded throughout our curriculum. Our vision for Personal Development is in line with the CCEA’s definition:

'Encouraging each child to become personally, emotionally, socially and physically effective, to lead , safe and fulfilled lives; To become confident, independent and responsible citizens, making informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives’

This week as part of our Personal Development programme:

We spent time on Internet Safety Day and through the week teaching children about how to keep themselves safe while using the internet. Our year 5 and 6’s shared this experience with Wendron primary, who are within our family of Trust schools.
Year 5 and 6 went to Penryn College for a Samba Drumming Workshop.
Penryn College also support with our delivery of the PE curriculum and Kittiwakes and Cormorant classes have enjoyed their PE sessions with Penryn College staff greatly through this half term.
Peripatetic music lessons continue in school – I love a Monday afternoon where I am entertained by the pianists in school who have their lessons close to my office. I am always wowed by their musical skills. (We have enquired about adding guitar lessons into school and are waiting to her back from

the Music Service about this).

Curriculum News

After half term we will be on the lookout for signs of Spring, and getting ready to do some planting outside.

In Spring 2 our History topic will be all about The Great Fire of London.

After half-term, we begin our Spring 2 topic ‘Plant Hunters.’ As part of our learning, we will be visiting Trebah Gardens on the 22nd February.

After half term, Puffins will be diving into the world of Ancient Maya, immersing themselves in history, information and folklore from Ancient Central America.