HALF TERM HOLIDAY
WE LOVE LARKSPUR’ DAY
Monday 5th November, 2018
Dear Parent/Carer,
Here at Larkspur we continually listen to the views of every member of the Larkspur Community.
We strive to make your child’s learning experience as fun and memorable as possible. In response to pupil and parent feedback we have decided to hold a termly, ‘We Love Larkspur Day’ where the pupils have the opportunity to plan and experience their own day of learning.
Pupils have already been questioned to discover what their favourite sessions and activities are and what additional learning opportunities they would like if they were available. From this information we have devised a full day of activities to celebrate what we love about Larkspur. Possible activities will include: arts and crafts, digital technology, sport, drama, dance, gymnastics, enquiry projects, music, cooking and much more.
We would love to celebrate the success of our first ‘We Love larkspur’ Day by inviting parents in to work alongside their child and support the many activities we have on offer.
Coffee and teas will be available in our new community room ‘The Beacon’ should you want to pop in for half an hour or so and see what your child gets up to!
We are really looking forward to the day and thank you for your continued support in helping make Larkspur a place where your child can shine.
Please let us know if you are able to join us by returning the slip sent home with your child.
Kind regards
Reminder - After School Clubs remain the same for this half term other than Gymnastics which will resume on Wednesday 7th November.
Monday - KS2 Crusaders (Spaces)
Tuesday - KS1 Film Club (Spaces)
Tuesday KS2 Games Club (Full)
Wednesday KS1 Gymnastics (Full)
Thursday KS2 Drama (Spaces)
Thursday KS1 Sports Club (Spaces)
Friday KS2 Sports Club (Full)
If your child no longer requires their place please let us know as some clubs do have waiting lists.
If your child would like to try a different After School Club please collect a permission form from the school office.
Thank you.
Dear Parents / Carers, Year 5 Class Assembly In response to our Parents / Carers views at our School Improvement forum, it has been decided that each half term a class will perform an assembly to which parents are invited to come into school and enjoy. I would like to invite the Parents/Carers of our Year Five children to come along to our first class assembly on Thursday 15th November at 9.30am. Please return the reply slip sent home with your child to confirm your attendance. I hope you can all come along. Thank you.
Dear Parent / Carer,
Friends of Larkspur are organising a disco on Tuesday 30th October for pupils in Year One to Year 6. Fancy dress / Halloween costumes are optional.
It starts at 4pm until 5.30pm and will cost £2 payable on the door. There will be a tuck shop on the night selling various snacks such as hotdogs, pizza and cans of pop.
Thank you
Dear Parent / Carer,
School Photographs – Tuesday 30th October 2018
The School Photographer will be in school on Tuesday 30th October, to take photographs of all children. The children will also have a photograph taken with siblings who also attend our school.
If you would like your child to have an additional photograph taken with any older or younger siblings or other family members who do not attend our school; these photographs will be taken first so please bring them to school from 8.30am.
Yours sincerely
Dear Parents/Carers,
Larkspur School is delighted to announce that we have subscribed to a fantastic interactive game which will enable pupils to learn all their times tables facts as well as having lots of fun. They have their own avatar and can earn coins in order to purchase accessories in the Rock Shop. Times Table Rock Stars can be played on tablets, computers and mobile phones allowing pupils to compete against themselves to increase speed and accuracy. Pupils can also compete against their classmates or against children from all around the world.
Teachers will set the times tables that your child needs to know and they should practise for 10 minutes each night at home.
The goal is for all participating rockers to be Times Table Rock Stars after 20 weeks!
1. Type ttrockstars.com into your browser’s address bar.
2. Log in. Your child’s details are as follows:
Username: ____________________________
Password: ____________________________
Game Modes
Single Player
Garage - the questions will only come from the times tables the teacher has set for the week. As pupils start to answer questions, TT Rock Stars works out which facts they take longer on and will give them more of these questions to answer. The Garage is best for getting quicker at a few facts. Players get 10 coins per question.
Studio - the questions in the Studio can be anything from 1×1 up to 12×12.
TT Rock Stars calculates each the mean speed from their last 10 games in the Studio and translates into a Rock Status:
≤ 1 sec/qu = Rock Hero
≤ 2 secs/qu = Rock Legend
≤ 3 secs/qu = Rock Star
≤ 4 secs = Headliner
≤ 5 secs/qu = Support Act
≤ 6 secs/qu = Breakthrough Artist
≤ 7 secs/qu = Unsigned Act
≤ 8 secs/qu = Gigger
≤ 9 secs/qu = Busker
≤ 10 secs/qu = Garage Rocker
> 10 secs/qu = Wannabe
They earn 1 coin per question and the Studio is the place for them to set their best time across all the tables.
Multiplayer
Rock Arena - The Arena allows players to compete against all other members of their Band (their Bandmates would need to join the same game in order to compete together).
A new Arena game starts every 15 seconds and once the clock starts they race to answer more questions than the others. In the Arena, questions will only come from the times tables the teacher has set for the week, similar to the Garage. They earn 1 coin per correct answer.
Rock Festival - The Rock Festival games are open to players from around the world. Like the Arena, there is no limit to the number of players who can join a game; however, unlike the Arena, questions are selected at random from 1×1 to 12×12.
Pupils might choose the Rock Festival if they were playing at home (and therefore couldn't easily synchronise playing against a classmate) or wanted to compete against others not in their Band. They earn 1 coin per correct answer.
_____________________________________________________
We do hope you will encourage your child to practise so that they can be inducted into the Rock Stars’ Hall of Fame.
Get rockin’ Larkspur!
Mrs Arkless
Please return your reply slip to school as soon as possible.
Dear Parent/Carer,
We have a Parent Governor vacancy which we need to fill as soon as possible. Larkspur Primary School has always aimed for a partnership with parents, which undoubtedly brings great benefits to the children. One of the most significant ways you can help in promoting this aim is to volunteer to be a Parent governor.
The governing body's main tasks are:
to ensure that the school has a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction;
to hold the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
to oversee the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Parent governors are welcomed as valued members of the team and play a vital role in ensuring the governing body is aware of the views of parents and the local community. We feel sure that there are parents prepared to take on this important role and give their time and commitment to helping us to continue to improve the school's performance.
In looking to fill this vacancy the governors of the school have identified the following skills, experience and attributes that they feel would help strengthen the governing body:
Willing to devote time, enthusiasm and effort to the duties of and responsibilities of a governor.
Has a commitment to Larkspur Primary School and the work of the governing body; participates in the work of the governing body by preparing for meetings, attending, contributing at meetings and taking agreed actions.
Have ability to question and challenge, working as part of a team to identify viable options through collective decision making.
Have an awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses and be committed to personal development.
Training and support will be available to help you develop into the role. This will include in-house mentoring and support as well as access to external governor training from Gateshead Council.
Our governing body expects governors to:
attend three termly meetings of the full governing body per year
be a member of at least one committee and attend three termly committee meetings per year
visit the school formally for monitoring purposes at least two times a year
visit the school informally at least three times a year
commit to attend training courses, and undertake additional independent research as required to ensure you are able to function efficiently as a governor
If you feel you can help in this capacity please complete the attached nomination form which will need to be returned to the school by the closing date on Friday 5th October.
Please note that if successfully elected, the School Governance (Constitution and Federations) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 states that “Where a governor is elected or appointed on or after 1st April 2016 and does not hold an enhanced criminal record certificate, the governing body must apply for such a certificate in respect of that governor within 21 days after his or her appointment or election”. Failure to apply for a DBS check within 21 days will result in disqualification and removal from the governing body.
If there are more nominations than vacancies, we will hold a ballot which will close on Friday 19th October, and you will be sent a voting paper in due course.
Yours sincerely,
Returning Officer, Mrs S Jackson,
on behalf of the Head Teacher,
Larkspur Community Primary School
Dear Parent/Carer,
HARVEST FESTIVAL
Our annual “Harvest Festival Assembly” will be held on Friday 12th October 2018 at 9.30am.
If you would like to make a donation of food, either tinned or packet, it would be greatly appreciated. After the Harvest Festival Assembly all of the food will be donated to the Gateshead Food Bank.
Parents are invited to come along to the assembly.
FUNNY VEGETABLE COMPETITION
As part of our Harvest Festival Celebration we are also holding a Funny Vegetable Competition. Children are asked to make a model at home, using fruit and vegetables, and bring it into school on the morning of the Harvest Festival. This year there will also be a parent’s category so feel free to get creative. The winners will be announced in the assembly.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs M Liddle
Headteacher
1st October 2018
Reception and Key Stage One Cycle Training
Dear Parent / Carer
Learning to ride a two wheeled bike was one of those ‘milestones’ in life for many of us. We are offering you a “get off stabilisers” session to those struggling to ride a two wheeler and may be using stabilisers.
Richard Rothwell the Bike-it Officer for Gateshead and South Tyneside will be in school on Tuesday 2nd October 2018 from 9.00am to carry out the training with the children.
Children taking part will need a two wheeled bike without stabilisers and a helmet. Parents / Carers must stay with their child for the session.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs M Liddle
Headtecher
REPLY SLIP
Reception and Key Stage One Cycle Training
Dear Nursery Parents/Carers
I would like to invite you to a stay and play session on Monday 15th October at 9.00am until 10.00am.
This is an informal opportunity for you to play with your child in the setting, look through their Learning Journey book and chat with the staff.
We would love to see you all there and I’m sure your child would love to show you what they do each day at school.
Yours Sincerely,
Miss Graham
Early Years Teacher