Filtering by Category: Oak

Strike Action - School Closed Wednesday 15th March

Added on by School Administrator.

As I’m sure you’ll be aware, the NEU (National Education Union) is planning to take industrial action on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March 2023. This is a dispute between NEU members and the government, it is not a dispute with the school.

The decision to close the school is never taken lightly, but in this instance, where staff have elected to take lawful industrial action, I will have no choice but to take appropriate steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all pupils.

The school will therefore be closed for all pupils on Wednesday 15th March 2023.

In the unlikely event that the NEU decides, at the last minute, to call off the strike, I will notify you all by text and the school will be open to all pupils.

School will be open for all pupils on Thursday 16th March 2023.

Thank you for your patience and understanding 

With warmest wishes

Pam Evans

Head Teacher

Strike Action - School Closed Thursday 2nd March

Added on by School Administrator.

As I’m sure you’ll be aware, the NEU (National Education Union) is planning to take industrial action on Thursday 2nd March 2023. This is a dispute between NEU members and the government, it is not a dispute with the school.

The decision to close the school is never taken lightly, but in this instance, where staff have elected to take lawful industrial action, I will have no choice but to take appropriate steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all pupils.

The school will therefore be closed for all pupils on Thursday 2nd March 2023.

In the unlikely event that the NEU decides, at the last minute, to call off the strike, I will notify you all by text and the school will be open to all pupils.

Thank you for your patience and understanding 

With warmest wishes

Pam Evans

Head Teacher

Neston's Children's Leadership Team - Queen Elizabeth II Tree Planting Ceremony

Added on by School Administrator.

On Monday 6 February, Neston's Children's Leadership Team joined various local dignitaries, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Rose Troughton and Cllr Steve Abbott, at the Neston Rec to plant an oak tree in memory of Her Majesty The Queen.

The day marked 71 years exactly since King George VI died and HM Queen Elizabeth II became queen, aged just 25.

Strike Action - School Closed Wednesday 1st February

Added on by School Administrator.

As I’m sure you’ll be aware, the NEU (National Education Union) is planning to take industrial action on Wednesday 1st February 2023. This is a dispute between NEU members and the government, it is not a dispute with the school.

The decision to close the school is never taken lightly, but in this instance, where staff have elected to take lawful industrial action, I will have no choice but to take appropriate steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all pupils.

The school will therefore be closed for all pupils on Wednesday 1st February 2023.

In the unlikely event that the NEU decides, at the last minute, to call off the strike, I will notify you all by text and the school will be open to all pupils.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Mrs Pam Evans

Head Teacher

Lost Learning due to Absence

Added on by School Administrator.

Dear Parents / Carers

Lost Learning Due to Absence

Attendance percentages can be misleading. For some parents, 90% attendance may seem like an acceptable level of attendance but the reality is that 90% attendance means that your child will miss half a day of school each week or 19 full days in a year.

When children miss school, they often return to find that friendship groups have changed, new shared memories have been formed and the learning has moved on making it difficult for them to catch up and keep up and feel part of the Neston Team. Redeployment of teaching staff to ensure that children who have been absent on holiday are able to catch up, is simply not an option. Our TAs are deployed to support specific children at specific times on specific academic and social targets.

This is a snapshot of one day in our Reception class and the learning children will miss if they do not attend:-

  • Fine motor skills practise

  • Maths – subitising

  • Number recognition and counting

  • Assessments in groups and intervention group to support “keep up activities”

  • Phonics –the letter sound being taught that day. (A new sound is introduced most days.) They will miss learning to recognise, say, write and read that sound.  This will impact on their fluency and in turn a love of reading.

  • Science – use of globes and learning about animals, people and landscapes

  • Letter formation and use of Numicon

  • Social interactions, building resilience, learning from mistakes and developing a sense of belonging and a love of learning.

In year 5, a child will miss the following, if they are absent for just one day:-

  • Continuation of the class novel “The Buried Crown” by Ally Sherrick plus book analysis and a love of reading.

  • Fractions. To divide whole numbers to create fractions; to create mixed numbers and improper fractions when dividing whole numbers.

  • Earth and Space – key concepts, ideas and vocabulary e.g. describing the movement of the Earth, relative to the Sun in the solar system and report and present findings, draw conclusions, explain and evaluate their methods and findings.

  • Hinduism – How can Brahman be everywhere and in everything?

  • Social interactions, building resilience, learning from mistakes and developing a sense of belonging and a love of learning.

Learning builds on learning and our curriculum is designed so that children build knowledge over time. The curriculum moves at a fast pace and children need to know more and remember more over time.  Any lost learning significantly impacts on this.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Mrs Pam Evans

Head Teacher

Online Safety

Added on by School Administrator.

At Neston school we are committed to keeping our young people safe online. We teach online safety as part of our computing curriculum and support our children to learn how to stay safe from different risks online and where they can go to get help and advice. 

This week we have attached a parent guide to Whatsapp produced by National Online Safety. WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with around two billion users exchanging texts, photos, videos and documents, as well as making voice and video calls. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as scams, strangers and location sharing.

Click here to view the WhatsApp Parent Guide

We want all the children at Neston school to feel confident that they can stay safe online. If you need any further support with issues relating to online safety then please speak to a member of staff. You can also check out our online safety page on the school website http://nestonprimary.co.uk/e-safety which contains up to date information and links to further online safety resources.

SCHOOL CLOSED - FRIDAY 18TH FEBRUARY - SEVERE WEATHER

Added on by School Administrator.

Dear Parents

In line with updated weather situation and latest guidance from Wiltshire Local Authority, I am sad to announce that Neston Primary School will be CLOSED tomorrow.

The weather warning remains at AMBER meaning that there is a significant risk of disruption and damage to buildings from gusts of wind up to 90mph. The worst of the conditions are expected to be between 0700-1200 which is when staff and pupils will be travelling to school.

We have considered all of the following factors as detailed by the Local Authority:

  • There will be major disruption across the transport network. School transport providers cannot guarantee services at this moment. Public transport will be affected and staff may have difficulty in travelling to work.

  • Difficulty for parents and pupils to get to the school site safely

  • Difficulty for staff to get to the school site safely

  • Mobile accommodation must not be used

  • The pressure upon remaining accommodation including COVID mitigation

  • The potential for falling masonry or roof tiles

  • Proximity and size of trees that may fall or drop boughs

  • Damage to overhead power cables and other utilities

  • Scaffolding or other temporary structures on-site or on adjacent properties

  • Potential for flying debris from the school grounds or neighbouring properties

  • Alternative food provision if school meals delivery is affected

  • The need for contingency plans in case of changing circumstances throughout the day

With all this in mind and our primary focus to keep the children safe, we feel this is a difficult decision but an unavoidable one.

Our fantastic teachers will be posting some online learning for the children to sample. These will be via our online learning platforms Tapestry and Seesaw. Children in Oak Class (where the teachers are poorly) can access some learning via Oak Academy website https://classroom.thenational.academy/schedule-by-year 

Please stay safe and have a wonderful half term break.

Warmest wishes

Pam Evans

Headteacher

Daily fitness at five o'clock from the Youth Sport Trust!

Added on by Kate Sims.

Every weekday at 5pm, starting on Thurdsay 12.11.20 until the end of term (18 December), the Youth Sport Trust will be running a 30-minute online After School Sport Club for all children and young people to do some sport, develop skills and, most importantly, have fun!

Many of our children are missing out on their usual sport clubs. The Youth Sport Trust’s After School Sport Club is here to help all young people feel part of a club that helps them develop skills and learn something new. It is about much more than physical fitness. It will help children develop physical literacy and confidence to try lots of new sports, helping all children find a sport for them.

The After School Sport Club will be led by Athlete Mentors from different backgrounds, abilities and sports. The first session will take place on Thursday 12 November at 5pm, with the world’s number one female inline skater and ten times British Champion, Jenna Downing.

Join in with the live broadcast for free on the YST YouTube channel -(https://www.youtube.com/user/YouthSportTrust).

The different daily themes are below:

  • Adventure Monday – This might involve getting children to do floor, wall climbing and map reading all within their living room

  • Tuesday Play – Imaginative play utilising resources in the house to create games and activities to get active

  • Wild Wednesday – Some high tempo competitive activities involving personal challenges

  • Thinking Thursday – Introducing cognitive challenges for children through movement. Active noughts and crosses and introducing an element of competition – whether that be against themselves, the clock, their siblings or remotely with friends

  • Fun Friday – A chance for children to let loose and have some fun. Dancing and doing what makes them feel good.

I’m looking forward to hearing from those who get involved!

Ms Sims

The Great Neston fRUNdraiser!

Added on by School Administrator.
The Great Neston Frundraiser poster.png

Hello from the FoNS Team.  

Today sees the start of our Great Neston fRUNdraiser, our family running event.  We hope as many of you as possible will get behind this event, pop your trainers/wellies on and join in running/walking as far as you can, to represent your child's house. 

What is it all about?

The event will take place from today (Monday 19th) throughout half term, until Sunday 1 November.  Get your whole family on board - walk, run, hop, skip - however you would like to cover the distance (on foot!). Then simply add your family or individual distance to the shared spreadsheet (details below) and wait to see which house will triumph!  Aquilla (Yellow), Ursa (Green) , Phoenix (Red) or Delphinus (Blue)?!     

Each participant will receive a star pin-badge and some wonderful prizes have been donated by local company, Tinc stationery.  Prizes will be awarded for:

  1. Best running selfie (share your photos on the FoNS FB this page or email to your class rep)

  2. Run/walk in the most unusual location (share your photos on FoNS FB page or email to your class rep)

  3. Best fancy dress- can you show which house you are representing? (share your photos on FoNS FB page or email your class rep)

  4. Most distance covered but a student of Neston school - sorry parents!!! You are encouraged to contribute to the house totals but this prize is for children only!!

Suggested Entry Fee - £10 per household, £3 for an individual.

Sponsorship/Donations from friends and family are also very much welcomed, but not necessary to enter. 

How to Enter

  1. Enter your details on the shared spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19iE3Y26GL7e2GERgoox3nMj0Hfb0n8T5wvkF179iDQE/edit?usp=sharing

This is also where you will then enter your distances.  You can either do this each time you walk/run, daily or in one lump sum at the end.

  1. Pay your entry fee here:  https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fonsfrundraiser?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socpledgedesktop&utm_content=fonsfrundraiser&utm_campaign=post-pledge-desktop&utm_term=p2yj5D42G

We welcome any sponsorship, please can all potential sponsors be directed to the justgiving site, as used above for entry fees.

How to record your distance

We want the event to be inclusive and therefore do not require strava evidence - although you are welcome to use strava if you like!  You can either run/walk one of the suggested routes that start from school (these will be published on the FoNS Facebook page) or you can use this free website to plot your own routes and it will tell you your distance. Simple! ????

https://onthegomap.com/#/create

Scores

So that everyone can keep an eye on which house is leading and encourage some healthy inter-house competition, total distances will be updated daily on the FoNS noticeboard in the school carpark, throughout half term.  Maybe you can try and incorporate a walk/run past the school to check out the leaderboard!   They will also be published daily on the FoNS facebook page.  Final house distances will be announced on the first Monday back at school after half-term and a cup will be awarded to the winning house!????

Any queries at all please get in touch with your FoNS class rep.  Happy walking/running.  ????????????

The FoNS Team.