Issue 26

Friday 3rd July 2020

Wednesday 8th July

@9.30am– 12pmYear 2

LPG/ picnic

Friday 10th July

@9.30am– 12pm Year

3 LPG/picnic

Wednesday 15th July

@9.30am– 12pm Year

4 LPG/picnic

Friday 17th July @

1.30pm ONLINE YEAR

6 LEAVERS

ASSEMBLY Details to

follow.

Pictured above: Peruvian wool art by Year 1 children.

Church Lane, Sproughton, Ipswich IP8 3BB Tel:01473 742182 E-mail:admin@sproughton.suffolk.sch.uk

Headteacher: Mrs Jane Stalham BA (Hons) Education, QTS, ILMP, NPQH.

Primary News The Tuesday of this week was day 100 of lockdown due

to the Coronavirus. Understandably many people have

started to relax and a new ‘normal’ has evolved. Others

remain on high alert and anxious due to being vulnerable

themselves or living with someone who is clinically

vulnerable.

The school has worked hard to put in protective

measures to keep our community safe and open full time

for those eligible children and year groups. We have staff

who are vulnerable themselves however are still working

in school to make this possible.

With only two weeks before the summer holidays, please

continue to stay alert and respect the safety measures

that have been put in place to reassure and protect our

families and staff—including following the one way

system, socially distancing with staff and parents and

walking with your children at all times on school

property.

Full Capacity

Please be aware that we are almost at full capacity in school.

Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, or children of

keyworkers, who are not already in school are not guaranteed

that a space will be available over the next couple of weeks.

Monday’s Collective Worship Assembly

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://zoom.us/j/99518109420?

pwd=R0RYTUw4MDlld0IvY1FvOHp6VUpFQT09

Meeting ID: 995 1810 9420 Password: 596653

Care Home Competition Winners!

Congratulations to the children listed below! Prizes will be awarded in school week beginning 13th July and competition winners will be invited to burry a time capsule for the care home opening ceremony in September.

1. Rainbow Suite – Evie Robinson (Aged 10) (£25 voucher) 2. Aspen Suite - Isla Barker (Aged 10) (£25.00 voucher) 3. Acorn Suite - Kaitlin Secker (Aged 8) (£25.00 voucher) 4. Magnolia Suite – James Brunning (Aged 10), Seb Maddams (Aged 10) (£20.00 voucher each) 5. Cherry Suite – Paige Hyam (Aged 5), Megan Brunning (Aged 8), Maya Austin (Aged 9), Esme-Grace Box (Aged 11) (£20.00 voucher each)

Re-opening of Climbing Equipment

In line with the latest guidance, we are re-opening the climbing frame in the playground and EYFS area. Children will be required to wash their hands before and after use. The climbing frame in the playground will be on a rota for every other day to ensure that any germs are killed off in the sunlight/rain before the

next kingdom are allowed access.

Children’s University

If you are lucky enough to have a Childrens University passport at home, there are lots of ways to earn stamps during COVID. Check

out their website on https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/

**IMPORTANT**

Last 3 Days – Reception, Year 1, Year 6 and Childcare Provision

Whilst attempting to maintain as much normality as possible, these last few months have been far from normal. As a result, the teachers have been unable to come together, plan collaboratively, prepare the school and orchestrate the usual handover that is necessary for a September start.

We are going to be facilitating learning up until Friday 17th July and conduct all end of term celebrations on that last Friday. On the last 3 days of term, Monday 20th July– Wednesday 22nd July, school will be open should you require it with the Learning Support Assistants leading the classes so that the teachers can come out of class. We are aiming for significantly reduced numbers of chil-

dren to make this manageable and appreciate your support.

Reassurance Meeting

I have just finished a call with a parent who phoned for a ‘reassurance meeting’. I always appreciate these calls and the efforts of these parents to work collaboratively with the school and seek to understand the schools position before jumping to conclusions. She is fully aware that I am addressing our conversation in the newsletter.

The parent wondered why the school has not been opened to those year groups still learning from home when other schools, featured on the news, have done so. It has prompted me to share with you all just how hard we have tried, how proactive we have been and why it is not possible for us to do so.

Sproughton CofE Primary School has provided full time childcare for two schools, including during the Easter break, since lockdown. This was staffed by teachers and Learning Support Assistants and made possible by our cleaner Fiona Fielding and Rachael Chapman in the office.

When schools were instructed to re-open we planned for and risk assessed a part time model of opening that would mean we could open the doors to those initial groups of children and then all children at a later date. This model was approved by the Governors. However, the Department for Education guidance regarding re-opening was issued a couple of days before half term (weeks after the announcement). It clearly set out the expectation of a full time model for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 making our existing plans obsolete.

The staff worked over half term to risk assess, resource and prepare the site so that we could open the school immediately, choosing not to postpone or delay re-opening. Using our existing staff and existing space, we have been able to provide full time education to the eligible year groups, continue a full time child care provision, facilitate home learning and support the children still at home; all to a consistently high standard.

Recently, schools were told to open their schools more widely, if they can do this safely and inline with the guidance and without compromising the full time existing provision. We have explored all avenues: outside classrooms with marquees, porta loos and supply teachers with zero funding available and all at the schools expense. With only 50% of our teaching staff available and reduced Learning Support Assistants we have increased the hours of our Music teacher

and enrolled our Student teacher to make the existing provision happen. Extending it further is not possible and the existing provision is already incredibly fragile ie. should a member of staff be instructed to self– isolate for 14 days, we do not have the resources to cover them and the kingdom will close.

Almost full cohorts are in attendance here at Sproughton, significantly above the county and national average, which is a testimony to the trust our parents have in the school and the work the staff have put in to make it so. When all is said and done, I am fully secure that Sproughton has done its absolute best by our pupils; been proactive; worked hard and ultimately done things ‘right’ with the parameters we have been given and the limitations that are individual to our school. We are lucky to have the Diocesan Multi Academy Trust holding us to account to ensure that we are doing things properly which other schools do not benefit from.

If your child remains at home please know that we have done everything in our power in an attempt to invite them back to school this term. We think of them everyday and discuss their well-being and home learning individually in our weekly online staff meeting. We are here for your child albeit remotely. Please continue to stay connected with the school and if you are having a wobble, there’s always the option of a reassurance meeting…

Benches *Free* & perfect for upcycling

The wonderful Sproughton School Association are purchasing new picnic tables for the playground. Therefore the existing wooden picnic tables, perfect for an upcycling project, are available in exchange for a *small donation to the school.

Please email the office if you are interested

The Wildlife Area

Mrs Howard is beginning her Level 3 Forest Schools Leader training this week and will be fully qualified one year from now. Her extensive training has been funded by the Sproughton School Association. This means that our curriculum will be developed further still to incorporate a Forest Schools approach which we are calling it ‘Fresh Air Thinking’. It also means that we will be able to host a Forest School after school club at different intervals throughout the year.

In the meantime, Mrs Howard and Mrs Shelley have been hard at work clearing the wildlife area ready for children’s science lessons, geography, art and design to name but a few. In her role as Forest Schools leader here at Sproughton, Mrs Howard is currently planning for and resourcing our unique Fresh Air Thinking

approach to learning. Exciting times!

GRAFFITI ON SCHOOL PROPERTY

‘DA$H’ and ‘ELLA’ have ‘tagged’ their names on the sign at the entrance to the carpark. If you know who they are, can you tell their parents who can ask them to come and remove the graffiti over the weekend so that a member of staff does not have to.

Any defacing or damage to school property is taken seriously and reported to the police.

Year 5 Transition Morning

It was so lovely to welcome year 5 back into school this morning, and see them

so happy and excited to be back together with their classmates. They thoroughly

enjoyed their games morning, particular favourites being ‘Kick Rounders’ and

‘Splat’. The children also had the chance to meet Mrs Sampson, their class

teacher for September.

Mrs Sibson

Senior Lead Teacher