Stay informed about important news (and events) at Tudor as we move into October...
Newsletter 3
Wednesday 4th October 2023
Dear Parents/ Carers,
As we enter October we must feel proud of how the school year has started for the Tudor school community. The children remain settled in school and they continue to produce super work which evidences the progress that we all want to see. The teaching team look forward to meeting all parents during our consultation evenings next week. Whilst a clear majority of parents have organised meetings at school, there is still a significant number of parents who still need to book a time slot. EVERY child should know that they are represented in these important meetings. Use the following link: SchoolCloud - Tudor Primary School
Our first assessment week of the year has taken place and we are now planning those extra interventions and approaches that children will need to help them move forward- academically and socially. Do remember that the consultation should be a two-way conversation about how to support children as teachers can only ever supplement what will always be the biggest factor on the development of children which is the role and duty of parents. In respect of our school assessment activities,
Tudor uses the outcomes and information to help adapt and refine the curriculum that the children are provided with- activities (and content) are adjusted to focus on the areas of biggest need- for groups as well as individuals. In school, the teaching team really do go above and beyond for the Tudorites!
Keeping children engaged at lunchtimes. This helps maintain those high standards of behaviour!
As headteacher I support other schools as part of my wider role on the Dacorum behaviour and well-being board and I continue to be on the governing board at DESC which supports some of the children with the highest needs in our community. I remain very proud of the behaviour at Tudor and a continued area of success here is how we manage the children when they are on the playground. As well as high levels of staff capacity, lots of opportunity for activity is key- just yesterday the children could enjoy: football, basketball, the ‘Tudor Towers’, skipping, sunshine club (craft), target frisbee and more! The children really do have the BEST time!
E- Safety- Keeping your children safe when they are online
We are seeing an increased number of children using social media apps that are not age appropriate. The main concerns are WhatsApp (for age16+) and TikTok (age 13+). Inappropriate behaviours on these platforms at home are impacting on the well-being of others at home and in school. At Tudor, we explicitly teach the children how to keep themselves safe online, as well as expected online etiquette, but we are urging all parents/carers to monitor their child's online behaviours at home. Richard Maskrey, a renowned specialist on e-safety for children, will be hosting a parent information session at Tudor to support you with this - further details to follow. In the meantime, please do visit the Internet Safety section of our website where there is a wealth of information to support you. We obviously also encourage parents to use our recommended lines of communication for school rather than WhatsApp. Let’s all set the right example in how we interact with each other.
Inclusion at Tudor Primary- a message from Miss Reading- our Leader for Inclusion:
'Delivering Special Provision Locally' are funding 30 minute individual sessions for parents of children with ADHD and/or Autism (diagnosed or suspected). This session will be with a trained ADD-vance coach to address one issue in your family life you would like advice or support on. 'Dacorum Family Services' are also offering 30 minute sessions with one of their Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND) Family Support Workers to answer questions, offer support and signposting for parents/carers of children with additional needs. For more information about these sessions and to book use the following link: https://dacorumdspl.org.uk/courses-for-parents-carers-and-professionals/ If your child is on Tudor's SEND register, you will soon be receiving a letter, inviting you to attend a support plan meeting, with your child's class teacher. It is vital you attend this meeting, as it is an opportunity to review your child's progress and to discuss and agree upon new individual targets. If the appointment date or time is not convenient, please inform your child's class teacher so the meeting can be rearranged.
Smile for the camera- and don’t forget our uniform expectations
On Monday 9th October, the children will be able to have their individual (and sibling) photos. This is a good opportunity to ensure that their school uniforms are correct and appropriate. If longer hair needs to be ‘managed’ then a simple hairband or bow is fine. Some rather imaginative (and sizeable!) hairstyle additions are starting to creep back in (or ‘air-gallop’ in the case of unicorn hairbands!). Here is a link to guidance on uniform at Tudor- https://www.tudor.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Uniform&pid=28&action=saved
Please also check that your children’s uniforms (and coats!) have clear labelling. Simply put, if your child’s clothing has a name on it, it is FAR MORE likely to find its way back to the correct owner!
Fun Food Day- Thursday 5th October- help our school receive the right levels of funding
Tomorrow, the 5th October, is Pupil Census day. Statistics and numbers relating to the children on this day impact our funding levels for the whole school year. One of the things that helps us source extra money is the number of school dinners that are taken on this day. To help this, we are having a Fun Food Day tomorrow to try and boost the numbers. Please see below for the attached menu changes for Thursday 5th Oct and Friday 6th Oct. Tudor Primary is really fortunate to work alongside our kitchen team. Lissa and her staff are highly committed to ensuring the children have super food choices each day and we hope as many children as possible are able to benefit from the school meals service. It has been great to see the number of reception children who are enjoying school meals this year. It is fair to say that making a healthy packed lunch is very difficult and the range of options on offer at Tudor is impressive!
Are you eligible for extra funding? It can be used in lots of ways!
A number of families in schools miss out on additional funding. This is often because parents do not feel they have to register for the relevant funding because ALL children get universal free school meals when they start school. Even if you are unsure, DO apply because you (and the school) may be missing out on funding. If you want help with this, please come and see the office team.
Tudor Primary remains delighted with the range of additional experiences that the children receive each year. Whilst funding remains a concern for all schools we are determined for the children to benefit from a fun and fulfilling time at school. One of our most popular school events is the Tudor Fireworks Spectacular and it is not long until the skies above Tudor Primary are lit up again. Make sure you buy your tickets from FoT on the playground!