by admin | Oct 14, 2022 | Archive
Dear Families,
(Please find attached an additional letter about the impact of school absence on outcomes for pupils. If you would like to discuss anything linked to this letter, please contact school to make an appointment.)
Firstly, as Cookery Club at Sand Hutton comes to an end, I would like to extend my thanks to Mrs Drummond for running this club, supported by Mrs Darling. I know just how much the children enjoy this and we look forward to this returning later in the school. ( BTW> I am still waiting to sample some of these cooking creations, just so the next group of chefs are aware!)
I would like to remind parents that Harvest will be taking place for both schools on Wednesday 19th October. Warthill School will be holding theirs at 9am and could all pupils meet at church on that morning rather than come to school. School staff will escort the children back to school for the remainder of the day. Sand Hutton School will be holding theirs at 2pm at church; children can be taken home once the service has finished. Both schools will be collecting for a donation to a local food bank as mentioned in my newsletter last week. We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
You may be aware that Class 2 at Sand Hutton is planning a visit after half term. Mrs Smith and Mrs Jones may need an additional parent helper. If you are available on the day of the visit and wish to offer your help, please let one of the staff know. Should we have more helpers than we need/we can take, we will put names in a hat and choose someone for this event. Thank you in advance for your support.
We are very proud of our Year 5 and 6 pupils at Warthill for attending a sporting event today at Archbishop Holgate. How lovely to be out and about again. We do hope that they all a wonderful time!
I have just been looking ahead at dates across the school year and I am aware that I didn’t share the dates of KS2 SATs week. This is a week that is set nationally and it commences on Monday 8th May.
On a different note, it has been brought to my attention that there is a game called Rainbow Friends which is described as a ‘horror experience’. Whilst there appear to be mixed reviews on the age suitability (3+) please be aware children accessing it may find its content upsetting. In line with our continued online safety messages, we encourage all parents to be vigilant.
Finally, next Friday will be the last for this half term. School will finish at the usual end of the day time (not early). School will reopen on Monday 31st October.
With every best wish,
Headteacher
Beverley Pawson
Sand Hutton and Warthill Federated Schools
by admin | Oct 7, 2022 | Archive
Dear Families,
I have great news…. Class 1 have returned to their classroom….and all is well! Thank you for your patience.
While our Harvest services are not until the week after next, I wanted to share with you, how we intend to channel your generosity this year. We have decided to break with tradition somewhat and not take donations of food. Instead, we would like to support a local food bank with a gift of money. As they support those who need to use the banks, they will know which items are most sought after and then buy according to demand. This will mean a collection of cash, hence the prior warning as not everyone carries cash anymore. We also appreciate that the cost of living crisis is affecting everyone and please feel no pressure to give.
Both schools have now set up Parentpay for visits so that you can make contributions to costs of trips over the year. You should be able to see this on your Parentpay account; this is with the exception of Class 3 at Sand Hutton as the visits Miss Heffernan would like to book are proving elusive! She has booked the first visit which she will be sending information about soon. Full costs for Class 3 trips for the year will be provided once other visits are in the calendar.
I would like to thank Mrs Madge for planning to take Years 5 and 6 from Warthill to a sport event at Archbishop Holgate School next Friday. I hope that you have a lovely morning and I am looking forward to hearing all about it!
I hope that you have a fun filled weekend.
With every best wish,
Beverley Pawson
Headteacher
Sand Hutton and Warthill Federated Schools
by admin | Sep 16, 2022 | Archive
Dear Families,
Welcome back, we hope you have had a good summer. We are all excited to be back and have enjoyed making our plans together for the term/year yesterday.
As there have been some changes both of staffing and use of rooms, we thought it would be good to invite you in for one of our Flying Start Meetings, which we haven’t been able to host for a couple of years. This will give you the opportunity to meet the team around your child, discuss expectations for year groups in the classroom, share homework ideas and answer any questions you may have. These meetings are brief, so should you have any personal matters to discuss, you are always welcome to make appointments to come in separately. These meetings will take place on Wednesday 14th September at 9am at Warthill and at Sand Hutton at 2.50, 3pm and 3.10pm respectively for classes 1, 2 and 3. We look forward to seeing you there. Please don’t worry if you are unable to attend, anything handed out at the meeting will be passed on to you.
Our priorities for this school year will continue to be supporting the well-being of pupils and families, further enrichment of a broad and balanced curriculum and a focus on a higher numbers of pupils achieving Greater Depth in Mathematics. These priorities will be addressed in a number of ways; you may notice a shift in homework approaches, more opportunities for clubs and a more extensive range of visits and visitors now that we are able to attend alternative settings more easily.
We are mindful of the additional strain, the current cost of living situation may be putting on families in different ways. With this in mind, teachers are considering the trips they might like to run for the whole year. Therefore, rather than pay for a specific trip, we will add a trip total to Parent Pay, allowing you to pay this off over a time frame. This may be especially helpful for families with more than two children to factor in. Staff hope to be able to share this amount with you at the Flying Start Meeting. Further to this and thinking about the cost of clubs and curriculum enrichment, staff are also providing a number of additional clubs throughout the year, free of charge. Some of these may take place over the lunch hour. Mrs Drysdale is also intending to run an event each Friday morning at Sand Hutton where parents will be invited to join too. More details to follow in a separate letter about clubs.
Should you have any concerns about financial matters, please speak to one of us about these. We will do whatever we can to support you and your family.
A separate list of dates we have provisionally booked will be made provided. These include sharing assemblies, Harvest and Christmas. However, these dates in church have yet to be agreed with church and may be subject to change.
It is so great to be back and see smiling faces of children eager to learn.
Sending you every best wish,
Beverley Pawson
Headteacher
Sand Hutton and Warthill Federated Schools
Dates- Autumn Term
Wednesday 7th September- Reception starters
Wednesday 14th September- Flying start meetings
Friday 16th September- Sharing Sand Hutton 9am, Swimming starts for Class 3
Tuesday 20th September- Individual photos
Friday 23rd September- Sharing Warthill 9am
Wednesday 19th October- Harvest services 9am Warthill, 2pm Sand Hutton in respective churches, TBC
Friday 21st October- Break up for half term
Monday 31st October- Return to school
Friday 4th November- Sharing Sand Hutton 9am
Friday 11th November- Sharing Warthill 9am
Monday 5th December- Riding Lights Theatre Company, pm. The whole federation at Sand Hutton
Tuesday 6th December- Flu mist
Wednesay 7th December- Nativity Warthill church 9am and 5.30 TBC
Tuesday 13th December- Sand Hutton Nativity TBC
Thursday 15th December- Christmas Party day SH
Friday 16th December- Christmas Party Day WH- Break up for Christmas holiday. SCHOOL CLOSES AT 2pm
Monday 4th January- Return to school
by admin | Sep 16, 2022 | Archive
Dear Families,
I am pleased to be able to write a Friday newsletter with happier news.
We have had our first sharing at Sand Hutton today. All of our Reception children enjoyed the experience for the first time and we have celebrated successes and shared our class news. We have also ordered some new Corinthian medals, in purple, in honour of the Queen. Hopefully they will arrive very soon.
Our schools have been happy places to be this week and I am proud to say our children (and staff) have adapted well to the biblical start to the term and the challenges the flood has left us with at Sand Hutton. We are getting there in the drying out process. The response we received from the ‘clean up’ team was fabulous.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Flying Start meetings in our schools. It was great to be ale to welcome families into school in such an informal way, allowing you to meet with the class team and find out a little about their learning for the year. Any handouts which were available in the meeting can be provided by the class teacher or school office If you don’t already have them.
We are looking forward to our first sharing assembly at Warthill next week. Friday at 9am.
Just a couple of reminders for next week. We are closed on Monday for the Funeral of Queen Elizabeth. Tuesday is school photograph day in both schools and on Thursday there is a PTA meeting for Sand Hutton parents at Sandburn Hall at 7.45pm. I can also confirm that the dates given for the Harvest and Christmas services in both schools have been confirmed by the churches in each village.
Finally, the children at Sand Hutton may come home with a theatre flier in their book bag for Oliver. One of our very talented pupils has been lucky enough to be chosen to perform. Mrs Naylor and I can’t wait!
Wishing you all a safe, long weekend,
With every best wish,
Beverley Pawson
Headteacher
Sand Hutton and Warthill Federated Schools
