NewsletterFirbeck Times

Across the school we have been impressed with how amazing all of our children have returned to school after the Christmas break. Their attitude to learning and behaviour choices demonstrate the growing sense of responsibility our children are developing. 

This fits in really well with the great news that we have been awarded bronze level for being a Rights Respecting School. The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) is based on principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation. The RRSA seeks to put the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s ethos and culture to improve well-being and develop every child’s talents and abilities to their full potential.

We fully intend ot achieve silver level within the next year. 

To find out more visit their website: UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools

As a school we have a very busy term, as outlined in all the information below. 

Below are just a few pictures of all the wonderful things we got up to last term:

 

Christmas 2024:

 

General Classroom Activities:

 

As a school we are mindful that there are some staff you may not have seen around school since before Christmas and you could be wondering where they are.

Mrs Daine, our Early Years TA is currently absent due to illness. And we wish her a speedy recovery. This does mean that Mrs Welbourne, our Early Years teacher, will be supported in our foundation Unit with a supply TA. Where possible we are keeping this supply cover consistent.

Mrs Dhiri, our teaching Assistant who supports in Year 3 has been recovering from a minor operation. We are pleased to say she will be returning to work on Monday 20th January.

Mrs Cooper, our HLTA who covers teacher’s release time has made the decision to pursue another exciting adventure. And we wish her the best of luck for the future.

We will be recruiting a replacement for Mrs Cooper. However, until this has taken place her role in school will be covered by a supply teacher. Where possible we are keeping this person as consistent as possible.

If you have any questions with regards to the above please do not hesitate to contact school.

We know that working in partnership with Parents and Carers is central to building positive relationships with the children and families in our classroom. It is important to us that parents feel they can talk openly to us as it helps brings peace of mind. After all, nearly all the information about what’s happened during your child’s day will come directly from their class teacher. And for many parents, feeling informed and still involved helps ease the emotions that can be associated with being away from your child for any length of time. Parents may also seek reassurance and support about their child’s well-being and development at such a crucial stage in your child’s life.

We have various methods of communication between home and school including:

• MCAS Messaging
• Class Dojo
• Email
• Telephone

With regards to messaging via either Class Dojo or MCAS we would just like to clarify how to use them:

DO

• Do message your child’s teacher if you want to share something positive from home or congratulate your child on something they have done in school.
• Do message your child’s teacher if you have a small query or would like to find out something simple
• You can use Class Dojo for any general day to day communication.
• Do message your child’s teacher on Class Dojo if your child has any minor worries, for example:  Sarah thinks she has lost her reading diary in school, could you help her find it please?

DON’T 

• Please do not message your child’s teacher to notify them of absences or illnesses – this should be done via the school office.
• Please do not use Class Dojo to message about any urgent or serious issues; please use the school office and normal school procedures for this.

Staff will always endeavor to reply as quickly as possible. However, please bear in mind that school life can be incredibly busy and whilst every effort will be made to reply or acknowledge messages as soon as possible this can not be guaranteed as teachers are unable to actively monitor messages while they are teaching.

Additionally, please refrain from sending messages outside of working hours.  For their own health and well-being staff are not expected to monitor or respond to messages or emails outside of 8.30am - 4.00pm (Monday-Friday, during term time) or at weekends or during school holidays.  Whilst the school email is monitored periodically during school closures if you do send a message outside of working hours we can not guarantee that this will be read or actioned.

Our Forest School sessions are designed to further embed our curriculum and will give children practical outdoors experience.

On the days your child has Forest School they will need to bring the following named items:

• A pair of long jogging bottoms or leggings (no shorts).
• A hoodie or jumper with long sleeves to change into.
• Wellingtons boots, old boots or an old pair of sturdy trainers (may get muddy).
• A pair of socks to cover your child’s ankles.
• Sun hat, sun screen if desired.
• Insect repellent could be applied at home on the day of your child’s Forest School session.

Forest School/Outdoor Learning will take place on the Firbeck school grounds during the normal school day.

We will provide your child with a pair of waterproof trousers and a waterproof jacket to wear each week during these sessions, dependent on weather or to ensure they have long garments on. As we will be doing Forest School in all weathers, however if the weather is extremely wet or hot we will shorten the outdoor time and continue with an indoor activity.

Your child will change into their Forest School clothing during the school day but will leave school at the end of the day in their outdoor clothing (jogging bottoms, hoodie and school shoes.) They will bring their usual school clothes and wellingtons home in their bag.

Every forest school session allows each child to access the mud kitchen, swings and hammock as free choice as well as take part in structures activities that link to curriculum topics.

 

Spring Term Forest School Sessions:

Monday (pm) - Year 3

Tuesday (pm) - Year 2

Friday (pm) - Year 3 and Year 4 Intervention Groups

 

OpenView Education Online Safety Workshops

As part of our workshop booking with OpenView Education we have been given access to an online safety training portal for our Parents and Carers.

This package of training includes the following:

• Parent / Carer Training - Internet Safety Now
• Roblox - What Parents Need to Know - Video Guide
• What Parents Need to Know About Influencers Video Guide
• 5 x Social Media Guides

You can login with the username and password below, which will allow you to access the training at a time that works for you. 

• Username: Firbeck.Parents
• Password: TractModuleGlowworm21

You can login at: OpenView Education Login

Access to this online training package will expire on Monday 19th May 2025.

 

Online Radicalisation Project with Empowering Minds

FREE Online Workshops for Parents

Please see below the links for booking via Eventbrite for the FREE online workshops for parents being delivered by Empowering Minds.  These sessions aim to provide parents with a comprehensive understanding of the online trends their children may encounter, the popular apps they use, the associated risks, and effective strategies to safeguard them. The workshop will cover several key topics to help parents address the challenges of online safety.

• Monday 27th January: 6:30pm - 8:00pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1117717395819
• Wednesday 29th Jan: 6:30pm - 8:00pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1118792591759
• Thursday 30th Jan: 10.30am – 12:00pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1118802691969
• Tuesday 4th February: 6.30pm - 8:00pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1118807616699
• Friday 7th February: 1:00pm - 2:30pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/111882104686

Thank you for working with us to continuously improve school attendance.

Please be aware that home visits will be carried out for any child not in school by 9.00am, particularly if their current attendance is below 93% and we have had no contact from Parents.

It is a legal requirement that children attend school and as parents/carers it is your responsibility to ensure your child attends school every day.

Daily attendance is crucial for your child’s academic success and overall well-being and pupils who arrive on time and attend every day achieve better outcomes at all key stages.

Absence during term time WILL NOT be authorised under any circumstances unless there are significant exceptional circumstances supported by documentation and evidence.

We will be working closely with all stakeholders to identify and address barriers to attendance in the following ways:

• Each day a child is absent telephone calls will be made by the school office to establish reasons for absence and what support could help.
• If a child is absent for 2 consecutive days and no contact is made with parents by 9.30am on the second day, home visits will be made and support from outside services may be sought if appropriate.
• If a child has less than 93% attendance and has not arrived in school by 9.00am a home visit will be carried out.
• Parents will receive regular messages detailing the number of sessions absent their child/children has had.
• Class Teachers will engage in supportive conversations and meetings with families where attendance is an early concern.
• Any child presenting as at Risk of Persistent Absence (10 days absent from school over the academic year) will be placed on formalised attendance support and parents will be invited in for a meeting with a member of the School Attendance Team.
• At the end of each half term parents will receive a copy of their child’s current attendance report and details of any further actions the school may be considering.
• The school will adopt the new National Framework for Penalty Notices in regards to attendance to ensure consistency.
• Penalty Notices will be issued to both parents when a child has had 10 sessions (5 school days) of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period.

Unauthorised absence is any absence from school which has not been agreed in advance or can not be explained and evidenced by a parent.  In the event of a Fixed Penalty Notice being issued this will be sent to both parents.

Late arrivals after the register closes (at 9.30am) are considered an unauthorised absence and count as 1 session towards a penalty notice.

The school day ends at 3.20pm, if your child is not booked into an after school enrichment club they must be collected at the correct time.  We appreciate sometimes circumstances can be out of a parents control which can result in a child being collected late.  However cases of persistent late collections will be referred to the Attendance and Safeguarding team.

 

The Education Welfare Service Week of Action

20th - 24th January 2025

Members of the EWS team will be in community hubs during the above dates. Parents will be able to drop in and speak to the team in regards to any Education queries during the below sessions.

• Monday 20th Jan: Broxtowe Family Hub 09:30 – 11:30am
• Tuesday 21st Jan: Bulwell Riverside 13:00 – 15:00pm
• Tuesday 21st Jan: Southglade Access Centre 10:00am
• Wednesday 22nd Jan: Mary Potter 09:30 – 11:30 am
• Thursday 22nd Jan: Clifton Cornerstone 10:00 – 12:00noon

Starting from Wednesday 22nd January and finishing on Wednesday 5th February every child that achieves ‘perfect attendance’ (attends school every day and on time), during these two weeks will be given a free ticket to our end of term disco and a voucher for a drink and a treat.

As a primary school we recognise that it is only through the support of our parents that our whole attendance will continue to improve. Therefore, as part of this attendance challenge we will be doing a prize draw for parents and their family. For every child that achieves perfect attendance their primary contact will be entered into a raffle for one of the following two prizes; a £30 Cinema Voucher and a £30 Just Eat Voucher.

Let’s all remember that education should be valued by all and every day counts.

Don’t forget you have got to be in it, to win it.

Monday 20th January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Art, Blindfolded Football, Cooking and Sewing)

Tuesday 21st January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Board Games, Dance and Music)

Wednesday 22nd January - Spring Attendance Challenge Begins

Wednesday 22nd January (pm) - Year 5 Swimming at Harvey Haddon

Thursday 23rd January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Lego)

Friday 24th January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Sports)

 

Monday 27th January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Art, Blindfolded Football, Cooking and Sewing)

Tuesday 28th January - Year 3 and Year 4 Theater Visit to see 'Coming to England'

Tuesday 28th January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Board Games, Dance and Music)

Wednesday 29th January - Chinese New Year

Wednesday 29th January - 9.00 - 9.45am -  Coffee Morning - all parents welcome

Wednesday 29th January (pm) - Year 5 Swimming at Harvey Haddon

Wednesday 29th January - 3.20 - 5.00pm - St Leonard's Energise Club

Thursday 30th January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Lego)

Friday 31st January (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Sports)

 

Monday 3rd February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Art, Blindfolded Football, Cooking and Sewing)

Tuesday 4th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Board Games, Dance and Music)

Wednesday 5th February (pm) - Year 5 Swimming at Harvey Haddon

Thursday 6th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Lego)

Friday 7th February - NSPCC Number Day

Friday 7th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Sports)

 

Monday 10th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Art, Blindfolded Football, Cooking and Sewing)

Tuesday 11th February - Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 11th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Board Games, Dance and Music)

Wednesday 12th February - 9.00 - 9.45am - Coffee Morning - all parents welcome

Wednesday 12th February (am) - Year 4 Visit to the Cathedral Church of St Barnabas

Wednesday 12th February (pm) - Year 5 Swimming at Harvey Haddon

Thursday 13th February - Openview Education Internet Safety Workshops

Thursday 13th February (pm) - End of Term Disco (see flyer for details)

Friday 14th February - Year 3 Visit to Creswell Craggs

Friday 14th February (pm) - After School Enrichment Clubs (Sports)

Friday 14th February - Last Day of Term

 

Monday 24th February - First Day of New Term