Thursday 5th September 2019
Dear Parents,
Welcome Back!
We have had a great start to the new school year and the children have all come back enthusiastic  to learn and looking extremely smart in their school uniform.  Most importantly – well done to our new Reception children! They have had a fantastic first few days– they have settled brilliantly and I know that everyone is really proud of them. I have been really impressed as well, on how responsible the older children have been, Year 1 included, in looking after our youngest pupils and how polite and courteous they are being. Thank you, children!
I am sure that 2019-20 will be an exciting year and will enable us to continue to embed some of the excellent practices we have been working on over the last year, in order to continue to raise pupil outcomes. We are all looking forward to the year ahead.
Weekly Letters
Our staff team will continue to endeavour to keep you as well informed as possible via our weekly class letters. These are extremely important as they detail information about events which will be happening in your child’s class in the weeks ahead. We also publish a weekly School Newsletter to help keep everyone informed about what is happening in school.  All of these letters are also displayed on the noticeboard on the playground outside Mrs Hunt’s Classroom and are also easily accessible on our School Website, www.cropthorneschool.org  Please do check regularly, and if you find you are not receiving these weekly updates, please contact Mrs Evans so we can explore why this might be.
School Photographs
Individual and sibling photographs will be taking place next week on Thursday 12th September, the school hall will be open for pre-school siblings from 8.40am. Please ensure children come to school wearing their school jumper or cardigan on that day. 
Medicines
Can we please remind parents that if your child suffers with asthma, then they need to have their inhalers in school at all times. Many thanks. We can administer medication but please remember that staff do this on a voluntary basis. This can only be done on completion of a consent form available in the school office. All medicine should be provided directly to the school office along with the completed consent form, please do not take or send in medicines to classrooms.
Absence
If your child is absent from school due to illness, could you please telephone school first thing in the morning to inform us. If your child is off poorly for more than one day, please indicate how long you expect them to be off for and keep the school office updated if it is any longer.  In cases of diarrhoea or vomiting children should remain off school for a minimum of 48 hours after the last episode to prevent the spread of infection. In case of planned absence for exceptional circumstances please complete a Leave of Absence Request Form which is available from the school office detailing the request. Please read the form carefully before completion. 
Playground before and after school
Please remember children should not use the play equipment or enter the Forest School Area (the area past the saplings at the top of the field.) The children are always supervised by trained staff when they use these facilities during the school day to make sure they use them safely. Children should therefore not use them before or after school for safety reasons. It is great to see children riding their bicycles and scooters to school but we do ask they continue to push them once they have entered the school grounds for everyone’s safety. Thank you. 
Upcoming Events
This year’s Harvest Festival is due to take place on Wednesday 2nd October at 9.30am when the whole school will be going to St Michael’s church in Cropthorne for what is always a lovely, lively celebration and a real highlight of the school year. You are always very generous in sending in harvest gifts. This year we will again be supporting the work of the Foodbank and will let parents know as soon as possible which items the Foodbank would find the most helpful for us to send along. 
We will host our Open Morning for current and prospective parents on Tuesday 22nd October between 10am and 12pm, please do come along for a taste of life at our school. Our first Parent Consultations will take place immediately after the half term break on Wednesday 6th & Thursday 7th November, although of course, should you wish to discuss anything  with your child’s class teacher before then, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment.

Extra-curricular clubs
We are very proud of the range of extra-curricular after school clubs that we offer during the course of the year, given the relatively small size of our school. A separate letter will be issued in due course detailing the clubs on offer this term which will run from the week commencing Monday 23rd September until the week ending Friday 22nd November. Please note there will be no clubs running during the week commencing 4th November, which immediately follows the half term break. Wrap around care will run as normal, if you wish to use this facility.
Achievements Assembly
Most of all, we of course look forward to celebrating the children’s many successes over the course of the term. Our popular Achievements Assembly will continue on Friday mornings, where we also really enjoy hearing all about the wonderful achievements from home which take place outside of school.  As in previous years, Reception children will not attend Achievements Assembly initially; however Miss Hughes will of course update you before they begin to do so. Year 1 children in Cats class will continue to attend along with the rest of the school. Parents as always are most welcome to join us each Friday morning at 9.00am to celebrate with us. The first Achievement Assembly of this year will take on Friday 13th September. We look forward to seeing many of you there. 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Rob Bothma
Headteacher