SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - 10th September 1999
Dear Parents and Friends,
New Members of the School
We welcome many new members of the school: the 43 new reception age children and the 13 older children who have joined
us, two new Learning Support Assistants - Mrs. Francoise Drewitt and Miss. Joanne Pugh, the latter covering the period of
Miss. Wolfe=s maternity leave and also Mrs. Penny Younger, who is a member of the East Sussex Service for children with
Sensory Needs who has joined us for half of each week.
We wish them all a happy and successful time with us.
Inspection of Collective Worship
Following our very successful Ofsted Inspection in March I am pleased to report that the very recent Diocesan Inspection of
the school - which focussed on our collective worship and the ethos of the school, including the spiritual, moral, social and
cultural development of the pupils - has also praised us for our work. The inspector has produced a summary of her findings
for parents and I enclose it with this newsletter. As with the Ofsted inspection the staff and governors now have forty days to
consider an action plan.
The Governing Body
The Government has required changes for this September to all schools= governing bodies and the way they operate. At the
moment our governing body is not complete but as soon as it is you will be informed - it may be that this will not be until the
Governors= Annual Report is produced and this will then be open for discussion at the Annual Meeting of Governors with
Parents which is scheduled for 8.00p.m. on Tuesday, 19th October.
P.T.F.A. News
The Annual General Meeting of the Parent, Teacher and Friends Association will take place at 7.30p.m. on Wednesday 22nd
September. More information will follow on this in due course - we hope to see you there.
The agenda and the minutes of the last meeting will be displayed on the parents= noticeboard. On this board we also hang
multiple copies of forms/information you may need such as holiday request forms so that you don=t have to ask for them.
Whilst writing about holidays I must mention that the Ofsted inspectors commented unfavourably on the overall percentage of
absences due to family holidays in term time and require me to point out the undesirable effect this has on the children=s
education. Please avoid taking your children out of school if it is at all possible.
COLLECT!
At the beginning of the year it might be helpful to give an update on what the school collects to raise funds:
Empty toner and Inkjet cartridges: Please collect from work and home - but check with Mr Ford before bringing large
quantities as some are worth more than others. In 12 months we have got half-way to our target, a £300 Laser printer for our
network.
Paper: Newspaper, magazines, and copier paper, but not plastic, brown paper or phone directories. Raises a useful sum of
money (but less than before, so bring more please) and helps to educate children in responsible behaviour.
Aluminium cans (non-magnetic) and Aluminium foil food containers. Worth a few pounds per sack. Washed, crushed and
bagged please!
Nestlé box tops: cut from cereal boxes and exchangeable by schools for cash. Offer ends Spring 2000.
Times Newspapers and Time Computers coupons: exchangeable for software. Tokens in every issue of their paper. 30th Sept
to 31st January 2000. (Also tokens to collect yourselves, and swap for software to use at home, although school could use
these too!) When you register at www.softwareforschools.co.uk we earn 100 points, enough for a quality CD ROM.
Sunday/Daily Mail and Safeways coupons: exchange for National Trust books, coach hire, admission tickets, etc. 6th Sept. to
31st. January 2000.
And from last year: We collected enough Tesco vouchers to exchange for a multimedia computer and some software, and
enough from Sainsburys to buy £200 of computer equipment.
Thank you all for your generous support - and please pass our thanks to friends, neighbours and colleagues whose arms you
have twisted on our behalf.
Jewellery
For the safety of your children I need to re-emphasise our rules on jewellery. Our prospectus states:-
Loose jewellery too easily gets caught in passing clothing and is damaged or causes personal injury. All items worn are, of
course, used at your risk and the school/County Authority take no responsibilities for losses or injury. Earrings should never be
worn at school. If you insist that it is important for your child to wear earrings, please limit such items to round studs and note
that children will be asked to remove them for P.E./Swimming lessons for safety reasons.
Lost Property
Lost property from last year, including lunch boxes will be disposed of on Friday 17th September if not claimed by then.
Please help us to help you by naming everything. The lost property bin is kept in the corridor but watches and purses are kept
in the office.
School Website Moves Soon:
New address:- www.pevensey-westham.e-sussex.sch.uk
Yours sincerely,
Patrick Fleming
Headteacher