Headteacher Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Quite a lot to fit in to this week’s newsletter! Please make sure you see the information about classes for next year, and those of you with children in EYFS, Years 2 and 4 will be receiving separate letters shortly confirming which class they will be in.
Please also make sure you pop and see the children’s art for the Belle Vue Arts Festival which is on display next week in the Barnabas Gallery! It was so lovely to see all the children working hard over the last few weeks creating some beautiful art. Well done to everyone involved!
Finally, a big thank you to all the Year 6 staff that made the residential to Pioneer such a success for the children! They had a great time and have come back with some wonderful memories.
Have a lovely weekend!
Tom Larkham
Headteacher
What’s on next week?
Monday 10th June– Shropshire Sings Event for Mrs Porrett’s Club
Monday 10th June– Priory & Meole Teachers visit Yr 6
Monday 10th June -EYFS Search & Rescue Visit
Tuesday 11th June-Priory Teachers visit Yr 6 & Elephants Swimming in afternoon
Thursday 13th June– Yr 6 Purple Leaf Exploitation Session
Thursday & Friday– Barnabas Belle Vue Arts Festival Gallery Exhibition visits
Friday 14th June – Year 6 Trip to Crucial Crew Safety Day
Year 6 Parents -the cost of Crucial Crew is £5 please if you can make payment prior to the trip.
Friday 14th June – Yr 3 Egyptian Day
Classes for 2024-25
Dear Parents and Carers,
Following my letter last half-term about changes to staffing, I’m delighted to be able to inform you all of the classes and teachers for September.
Miss Turner and I will continue lead the school, along with our Senior Leadership Team, details of which are contained in the table below:
| Headteacher |
Mr Larkham |
| Deputy Headteacher |
Miss Turner |
| SENDCO |
Miss Jones |
| Business Manager |
Miss Othen |
| EYFS Leader |
Miss Harris |
| Years 1 & 2 Leader (KS1) |
Mrs Young |
| Year 3 & 4 Leader (LKS2) |
Miss Heap |
| Years 5 & 6 Leaders (UKS2) |
Mrs Stennett |
As you will also be aware, it is our normal practice to mix the children who are currently in Reception, Year 2 and Year 4. Today, the children in those year groups have been informed of their mixes for next year: if your child is in one of these year groups, you will receive a separate letter later today detailing which class they will be in and who their teacher is for next year. All the children across school (apart from one class) have met their new teachers briefly today.
Below is a summary of staffing for the next academic year (September 2024 to July 2025)
- EYFS Badgers and Foxes mix move up to either Year 1 Hedgehogs (Mrs Young) or Squirrels (Mrs Rank)
- Year 1 Hedgehogs move up to Year 2 Rabbits (Miss Cox and Miss Turner)
- Year 1 Squirrels move up to Year 2 Owls (Mrs Field)
- Year 2 Rabbits and Owls mix move up to either Year 3 Starfish (Miss Heap) or Turtles (Mrs Mukhopadyhay and Mrs Harrison)
- Year 3 Starfish move up to Year 4 Whales (Miss Armstrong)
- Year 3 Turtles move up to Year 4 Dolphins (Miss Lewis)
- Year 4 Whales and Dolphins mix move up to either Year 5 Leopards (Mrs Stennett) or Lions (Mrs Allan)
- Year 5 Lions move up to Year 6 Giraffes (Mrs Morgan)
- Year 5 Leopards move up to Year 6 Elephants (Miss Featherston)
Our HLTAs, Mrs Butler and Mrs Ward will continue to work across different classes to support PPA cover for teachers and providing any other required cover, led by Mrs Storey. Mr Halford will continue to deliver PE to all classes each week and Madame Jones will continue to teach French in Key Stage 2. Mrs Porrett will also be in school 2 days a week to lead and teach music to all classes across the school.
To help prepare the children for next year, we have organised some transition sessions over the coming weeks. On Monday 1st July, the children will spend the afternoon getting to know their new teachers in their new classrooms and on Wednesday 10th July, they will be spending a whole day with their new teachers. These invaluable opportunities will help alleviate any worries your children may have about moving up into the next class. On both of these days, drop off and pick arrangements will be the same as you have done all year. There may be more opportunities between now and the end of term for transition activities, and the mixed classes will do more work in their new mixes. We will encourage the children to speak to their new teachers when they have the opportunity, and we will also be able to arrange any extra transition if necessary.
Before the end of term, we will send out details of next September’s collection and drop off points (and times) for each year group and remind you again before the end of the summer holidays.
We hope that sending this information out early and running the various different transition sessions will help the children feel well-prepared for the new academic year ahead. Of course, if you do have any worries or concerns, please do contact your child’s current class teacher who will be happy to help.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Larkham
Headteacher
Parent Online Exploitation Training from West Mercia Police
Please see details of our new online Exploitation and Vulnerability awareness training courses for parents (1 hr online training)
This is ideal for parents of older children with mobiles and gaming consoles.
Exploitation and vulnerability training | West Mercia Police
Samantha Brace
Exploitation and Vulnerability Trainer | Prevention Hub | West Mercia Police
PE KIT PROPOSAL RESULTS
Dear Parents/Carers,
PE KIT PROPOSAL RESULTS
Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey re: the proposal for a change to Coleham’s PE kit. We’re always keen to make the right choices and we very much value your input to help us do that.
In total, 57 people responded to the survey and the results were as follows:
| In favour of the change |
Don’t mind either way |
Against the proposal |
| 56% (32/57) |
19% (11/57) |
25% (14/57) |
The clear majority are either for the proposal or neutral, however the 14 responses against made very valid points and we are keen to make sure those voices are heard. Reading through your comments, there is reference to cost, sustainability, a desire to move away from some of the colours (particularly yellow) and also removal of the varied options for PE kit. We believe that we can accommodate everyone’s wishes. Those that have responded positively are keen to make the PE kit guidance more clear, and the children surveyed are very excited to have a smarter, more sporty PE top that represents their house identity better. We believe we are able to satisfy most points of view.
We will be making changes to the PE kit as follows:
- The proposed House-crested tops will be available for those that want one. These cost £10.99 from the School Shop Direct (see example picture above) The Coleham design will include the Darwin, Greyfriars, Quarry or Severn House crest on the front and COLEHAM across the back which is useful if we are out on trips or community events.
- Those who choose not to purchase one can wear a plain navy t-shirt. This can have small brand logos. This allows people to purchase cheaper options or specific garments that are more sustainable if they wish
- Shorts or joggers will be navy blue
- For colder weather, a plain navy jumper/hoodie/zip up or their school jumper. Again, small brand logos are OK if you are using something you may already own at home.
- Socks of any colour
These options make our uniform more standardised, reducing the variety of options which can be confusing. It also allows parents to have the freedom to choose between the house-crested tops, or cheaper/more ethical options. It also removes the need for Darwin families to purchase sometimes hard-to-find yellow tops which attract insects in the summer and get grubby quickly in the winter. Below are some links to cheap and/or ethical plain navy items you may wish to explore.
We will let you all know when the stock of PE shirts arrives at the School Uniform Shop.
Yours sincerely
Tom Larkham
Headteacher
School Disco Tickets!
Tickets are available on Arbor! Priced £3 to include crisps and squash and there are reduced price tickets for our children eligible for Free School Meals.
We would love some parent helpers on the night at our refreshment tables. If you can help out at the KS1 or KS2 Disco’s please let Mrs Hilbert (outside each morning) or Mrs Moore know who will be taking a list of names. Email: maria.moore@col.318education.co.uk
Coming Up! Summer Events for parents
Enjoy alfresco drinks at our Garden Bar. Darren from the Old Market Hall Gindifferent and Tom from Paso-Primero wines will be with us to provide the drinks. A special event in our conservation area. Tickets are selling so please get your soon! Family members , friends and relatives from the community are also welcome.
Our popular Quiz Night is back for the whole community. Email Mrs Moore to book in your Quiz Team.
Email: maria.moore@col.318education.co.uk
SATURDAY
You may fancy hanging out or popping by this chilled event on Saturday. The Belle Vue Arts Festival has started!
Yr 3 Liverpool Trip
Year 3 had a brilliant day in Liverpool visiting The World Museum first and then on to The Walker Art Gallery. The children looked around the Egyptian exhibition and other areas including space, dinosaurs and sea life and took part in an exciting mummification workshop. In the Art Gallery the children chose their favourite works of art to sketch. This year we have had a trips focus on galleries as we want all of our pupils throughout school to experience visiting an Art Gallery so its great to see Year 3 venturing further afield to visit a gallery in the city.
Using Tools in Reception
This week the children in Reception are reading the story Mr Gumpy’s Outing. The children have received a message from Mr Gumpy asking them to help him to make a new boat. Today the children have begun learning how to use hammers and nails to help them with this project.
Yr 2 Parent Lunch
Thank you to lots of parents and grandparents for joining us for lunch today. It was lovely to have you and the children really enjoyed it!
Yr 4 Trip to a Hindu Mandir
Year 4 had a lovely visit to the Shree Krishna Mandir in West Bromwich as part of their learning on Hinduism. They took off their shoes and entered the marbled-floored temple, flanked by two elephant ‘guard’ statues and decorated with a beautiful lotus flower mural and made from sandstone carved in India! We listened to a talk about the building, how and why people pray, special features of the mandir and the many Hindu festivals. Finally, we took a tour around the temple to see the different shrines and deities.
The Big Sing
Some Year 5 pupils were invited to The North Shropshire Big Sing at Moreton Hall School . They enjoyed a fabulous choral workshop with Johns’ Boys, the Welsh Men’s choir who appeared on Britains Got Talent last year. What a great singing experience for the children.
Year 6 Residential
What a great 3 days 🦒🐘 have had at the PGL Pioneer Centre. It was a whirlwind of activities, meals and finally sleep. The children tried new things, embraced opportunities, trusted their teammates and made lasting Coleham memories. A big thank you goes to Mrs Morgan, Mr Edwards, Mrs Lord, Miss Dovey, Mrs Jeff and Mr Halford!
Poetry Window
Well done to Autumn aged 7 whose Treasure inspired poem is displayed on the window of Hair Forum Ltd. This has been decorated by @mikemarriott_art ready for The Belle Vue Arts Festival fortnight.
Online Safety Newsletter June 24
Please see our Online Safety Newsletter for June 2024 with information about chatting online and Kik Social Network.
Online Safety Newsletter Primary June 2024_PDF_Coleham
