Temple Learning News! Your monthly window on life at TLA.

November 2016

Time Travelers!

Pupils in Year 1 have been inspired by the building of the new school this term.

Their topic of ‘Time Travelers’ has had them looking at schools in the past, present

and our school of the future. They’ve interviewed Mr. Browne about his school life

in Ireland and spoken, via Skype, to schools in Spain and Denmark!

Our new school building which is on schedule to be completed on time.

At home parents have supported with models of their dream school and pupils

interviewed family members about their school experiences e.g. Macy spoke to her

dad about school in Ireland, Weronika to her grandma in Poland and Grace with

her family in Australia!

Next half term, there will be more exciting topics which will be revealed in your

curriculum newsletter when we get back. We are sure Christmas will feature

heavily!

If you feel you can support with the curriculum, teachers would be happy to hear

your ideas.

Temple Learning Academy Principal’s Newsletter

School Attendance The Local Authority are now monitoring attendance in every

school across Leeds and have set a target of 97%. Our whole

school attendance is currently at 95%. Leeds are also targeting

families where attendance falls below 90%, deemed

‘persistence absence’, and issuing fines for holidays in term time.

We don’t want any of you to fall into either of these categories

and will work with you to ensure good school attendance for

your child.

We cannot stress the importance of good attendance in

developing every aspect of your child’s wellbeing.

Being surrounded by new pupils they will get minor coughs and

colds but these do not necessarily mean they need time off

school. Exposure to these bugs is normal and helps to build up

resilience. Our staff with Paediatric First Aid training are more

than capable of keeping an eye on them.

Your child will also be tired having come back to long days at

school. A bedtime routine of 7pm will help them be prepared for

the day ahead.

Miss Mc Gloughlin, our Learning Mentor,

will monitor attendance with Mr Browne.

If you are having problems or need

support please get in touch.

If your child is off school you must let

the school office know before 8.30 a.m.

by telephoning 01132 645456. Doctor

and dentist appointments should be

made, where possible, outside school

hours.

The TNLP Trust wide Attendance Policy is available on our

website Thank you for your support with this matter.

November 2016

Follow us

We try to get information

to you as soon as we

can.

Please make sure the

school office has your

current mobile number

and email address.

Check pupil drawers and

book bags for notes, or

the school website

www.templelearningaca

demy.org.uk, Twitter feed

@TempleLearning or

Facebook

/TempleLearning for

updates.

Milk

All children are entitled

to free milk until they

turn 5 OR the family are

in receipt of benefits.

If you think you may be

entitled to this please

see Miss Thickett.

If you do not meet this

criteria and wish to

start paying for milk

contact Cool Milk

through their website.

Temple Learning Academy Principal’s Newsletter

Mr. Browne has been invited to speak at Elland Road

later this month in front of the Regional Schools

Commissioner about the great start TLA have had as a

brand new school opening up. Most of the talk will be

about the support parents and carers have shown

and how the school tries all it can to communicate

with parents and carers in the best interests of their

child. This is a great well done to us all. Well done!

November 2016

Important Diary Dates

Upcoming Training Day dates are:

Friday 16th Dec &

Tuesday 3rd Jan

Tuesday 1st Nov – New Reception (2017) open day @ 1.30pm

& 6pm

Friday 4th Nov – Last day for PTFA Christmas Card orders

Friday 11th Nov – School Nurse to see Year 1 – Nasal Flu

Vaccinations (info to follow)

Tuesday 15th Nov – DfE visit to school.

Monday 21st Nov – Year 1 Multi Skills Event at Temple Moor

Monday 28th Nov – Reception Multi Skills Event at Temple

Moor

Thursday 1st Dec – Non-Uniform Day

Monday 5th Dec – Full Governing Body Meeting

Wednesday 7th Dec – Christmas Performance @ 1.45 pm

Thursday 8th Dec – Christmas Performance @ 1.45 pm & 5.30

pm

Friday 9th Dec – Christmas Fair

Wednesday 14th Dec – Christmas Party Day & Carol Service

Friday 16th Dec – Training Day – School Closed

Sat 17th Dec – Mon 2nd Jan – Christmas Holidays.

Tuesday 3rd Jan – Training Day – School Closed

Wednesday 4th Jan – Back to School – Spring Term Starts

Add these dates to your calendar at home. If there

are any changes we will let you know in advance.

Thank you.

Temple Learning Academy Principal’s Newsletter

School Clubs

Clubs have started for Y1

and will do so too for Rec in

Jan. Check book bags,

Twitter, Facebook and the

website for the most recent

updates.

Monday: Dance

Colouring

Number

Board Games

Tuesday: Art

Multi Sports

Wednesday: Music

Thursday: Book Making

Lego

Craft

Friday: Film (Film to

be chosen by

the pupils)

Parent Q&A

When you have signed up to

a club it is important that

your child attends. Staff have

given up their time and other

children have missed out on

a place so that your child

can attend. Poor

attendance could mean

their place is offered to

another child.

We will make every effort to

accommodate all children in

all clubs.

Parent Clubs include:

Zumba – every Wednesday

from 5pm – 6pm, term time

only. £3 per session or free if in

receipt of benefits.

Read Write Inc. Curriculum Night

Thank you to the parents and carers who braved a phonics lesson

with Mrs. Walmsley this term. Feedback was very positive and

parents left feeling better informed about how to support their child

with their reading at home.

More information on reading and our approach using the Read,

Write Inc. method can be found on the academy website in the

Phase 1 section.

Child Protection

If you have any worries about the

welfare, safety and wellbeing of your

child or another please feel free to

speak to the designated officer with

responsibility for Child Protection.

This is:

Mr Matthew Browne

(Primary Principal)

November 2016

Temple Learning Academy Principal’s Newsletter

Harvest

A huge thank you for your donations for the Harvest Festival this term. 50

parents and carers joined Year 1 who led a short service designed by them.

Your generous food donations have gone to Streetwise – a local charity that

provides meals and shelter to the homeless in the city.

An extra thank you goes to Mrs Songhurst and her husband who also

harvested their own garden and provided beetroot for the children to make

soup and baked the special harvest bread we shared.

Reception pupils are looking forward to inviting their parents in for their

Christmas celebrations in December.

Pyjama Day

Our Pyjama Day raised £70 for the TNLP Trust. This

was presented by our pupils to Rachel at our

celebration assembly. This money will go back

into running activities for children and young

people in our trust. See www.tnlp.org for details.

Book Bags

TLA Book Bags are now on

sale in the front office from

Miss Thickett. These cost £5.

EVERY CHILD MUST HAVE A

BOOK BAG (it does not have

to be blue or branded but

must be a flat bag that fits in

their drawer). We will be

training all pupils to pack

letters to take home and

moving away from the rolling

trolleys.

Please make sure names are

on everything your child

brings to school.

Drop off & Car parking

Many thanks for helping us each

morning by moving away from

around the gate area promptly

when the bell rings. We are now

able to bring children into school

in a safer, calmer way.

We almost shut the car park to

parents and carers however we

have held back on this decision

but would still like you to support

us by leaving children as quickly

as possible, not calling to them

when walking in (as a few have

tried to run back to parents) and

letting them settle with teachers.

Also, the front of school is a

working office. Please come to

school for 8.30 am or 3.30 pm. We

cannot accommodate 100

parents waiting in the front of

school each day. Please leave

messages etc… with Miss Thickett

but this is not a waiting area.

Thank you.

We are also on Facebook.

Find us at …

PTFA Temple Learning

Academy

Meet Mr. Hadfield

Starting in January you will see a new

member of staff at school. Mr. Hadfield will

join us as the new Co-Principal who will

work alongside Mr. Browne to ensure the

school is ready for its first Year 7 cohort.

Mr. Hadfield comes from Nottingham

University Samworth Academy and is an

English specialist. He’s already been joining

us for Governors meetings and Year 7

events. Although he has met children in

school he has yet to meet most parents.

He’s asked us to pass on his best wishes

and excitement at joining us on our

journey.

Trust School Council

Pupils recently voted in two new

members to represent us on the TNLP

Trust School Council this year. Each half

term they work alongside students from

other schools in the area to plan

activities and share their views.

We are very proud of our young

councilors and know they will do a

great job throughout the year.

Make sure we have your latest

contact details – address, telephone

and parental contacts.

We are now emailing information to

parents and carers. Please supply

your email address to Miss Thickett to

be added to the list.

Child Protection

If you ever have any concerns about the

safety and wellbeing of a child please

speak to one of the designated child

protection officers.

At Temple Learning Academy these are

Mr. Browne and Miss McGloughlin.

In and around school be mindful of

language, road safety and the wellbeing

of all children.

This

includes the

car park and

gates.

Parent Survey – Completed in October 2016

Many thanks for completing the ‘Back to School Survey’ during your parent consultations this

half term. We had 70 completed responses representing 70% of the school community. The

responses were largely positive and there were lots of ideas on how we could make things

even better. We are pleased to see that you are all happy with your start to the new

academic year.

What you told us:

With 98% of parents happy their child attends Temple Learning Academy we feel that we

have made a very positive start to the 2016 – 2017 academic year.

The 94% who say they would recommend TLA to other parents please do. We are currently

recruiting for Reception and Year 7 pupils for 2017. 45% of our responses they chose us

because of reputation and word of mouth – this shows how powerful your voices are in the

community.

A full analysis of the outcomes of this survey can be found on our website (in the news

section) or on our Facebook page.

Meet your Governors

Where we had the biggest area to improve was ‘knowing who our Governors

are’. Our website has a section where you can see all Governors and read

about who they are and what they do. A ‘rogue’s gallery’ is included below.

Tim Kitching – Chair Martin Cosgrove Nigel Wood James Firth- Gieben

Drew Rowlands – Vice

Chair

Lauren Schofield Helen Stout Olwyn Moss

Nneka Ikeogu Andrea Smith

Martin Cosgrove and Lauren Schofield are parent governors who can often be

seen at drop-off or home time each day. Don’t be afraid to say hello and ask

them about their role.