Newsletter Issue 1
Ferncumbe Friday
Friday 13th September 2024
welcome back!
As we embark on this new academic year, I'm filled with joy and excitement to see our school buzzing with life once again. One of the greatest pleasures of returning to the role of head is spending more time with the children and hearing all about their summer adventures.
It's been particularly delightful to see how smoothly our pupils are settling into their new classes. The transition can sometimes be a bit daunting, but I'm impressed by the resilience and adaptability our children have shown. They've embraced their new surroundings, teachers, and classmates with open arms, ready to take on new challenges and create lasting memories.
This year, we're thrilled to welcome many new faces to our Ferncumbe Family. Our Hatton Class, in particular, has made an impressive start. These young learners have taken to school life like ducks to water, already embodying the spirit of our school community. It's a joy to see them forming friendships, engaging in learning activities, and becoming an integral part of our school.
We're also delighted to extend a warm welcome to new pupils and their families who have joined us in other year groups. Your decision to become part of our school community means a great deal to us, and we're committed to ensuring that you feel at home here at Ferncumbe.
To all our new families, please know that you are now part of something special. The Ferncumbe Family is more than just a school; it's a community where every child is valued, nurtured, and encouraged to achieve.. We believe in the power of working together - pupils, parents, and staff - to create an environment where learning thrives and every child can shine.
As we step into this new academic year, I'm filled with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead. Together, we'll create a year filled with enjoyment, achievement, and unforgettable moments. Here's to a fantastic year ahead!
Sally Morris
Headteacher
nEW fACES!
Our school community is not just growing in terms of pupils, but also in terms of staff. I'm excited to introduce some wonderful new additions to our team. Please join me in extending a very warm welcome to Mrs Moore, Mr Byrom, Miss Clee, Ms Brierley, and Mrs George. Each brings their unique talents and experiences to enrich our school. I encourage you all to pop over to our staff page on the school website to find out more about where you can find these lovely new faces around the school.
School has been transformed!
As we embark on another exciting academic year, I'm thrilled to share some wonderful news that has set a positive tone for our return to school. Over the summer holidays, something truly remarkable happened at The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School, and I can't wait to tell you all about it!
A dedicated team of volunteers from JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) rolled up their sleeves and spent two full days transforming our school grounds. Their enthusiasm and hard work were nothing short of inspiring, and the results are simply marvellous!
With paintbrushes in hand, they meticulously refreshed the playground equipment, making it look almost brand new. But they didn't stop there! Our forest school sheds and doors received the same loving treatment, now standing proud with their fresh coats of paint.
The JLR team then turned their attention to our school garden. They tackled the overgrowth with gusto, tidying and pruning until it looked absolutely splendid. Their efforts extended to the front of the school as well, ensuring that our entire campus now presents a neat and welcoming appearance.
I'm sure you'll agree that starting a new school year in such a refreshed environment is a real boost for all of us – pupils and staff alike. It's amazing how a tidy, well-maintained space can lift our spirits and create a more positive atmosphere for learning and growth.
We are immensely grateful for their time and energy into supporting education. Their generosity has not only improved our school's appearance but has also reinforced the strong bonds between our school and the wider community.
‘MEET THE TEACHER’ PARENTS’ EVENING for years 1 - 6
A big ‘Thank you’ to parents who attended our ‘Meet The Teacher’ sessions on Monday. It was lovely to see so many of you and welcome you back after the Summer Holidays. We hope you found the information sharing useful and had the opportunity to ask questions of your child’s new teacher.
our school vision
As always at the beginning of the academic year, classes spent time during the first week back in school revisiting and thinking about our School Vision and what it looks like in action.
Lowsonford Class
Lowsonford class have made a great start to our new academic year! They have impressed me with so many things: resilience, hard work, listening, presentation…the list goes on! However, I am really impressed with how well they are using our new maths resources in school. This summer, we updated our resources so each class will have practical maths equipment on every table, in every lesson. During our first week, we have used a lot of blank numberlines, place value counters and write on place value grids! The resources are supporting us all to consolidate our understanding. Great start Lowsonford.
Maths trays in action.
A Big thank you!
Year 4 pupils with a selection of our lovely new titles for the library
Due to the generous support of the book fair we hosted in June, we have been able to purchase boxes full to the brim with wonderful new books for our library and classrooms. We have taken delivery of a variety of books including a selection of fiction, non-fiction and poetry books from established as well as brand new authors. Our library squad members in KS2 will very much enjoy stamping, displaying and recommending our lovely new books to other children in school! We really appreciate your support in our efforts to provide all pupils with access to the best children’s books available.
The recommended reading lists for each year group have been updated and you will find the links to these at the bottom of the class pages on the school website. If you would like to purchase a book instead of sweets for a treat to celebrate your child’s birthday, please do visit our Amazon Gift List.
Many thanks again for your support!
Miss Reid
Reading volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to read with children in classes across the school. If you or someone you know would be able to come in to school for an hour or two on a regular basis to help, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the school office if you are able to help.
Maths Homework - MyMaths
Please see the letter (which came as an email on Wednesday) explaining the new maths homework your child will be receiving. This will be using MyMaths. Your child has been sent home with a letter explaining their log in details. We encourage you to watch the video that is referred to in the letter. Once they have completed their homework, support your child to have a go at the maths games.
Diary dates
Parents Evenings will be Wednesday 23rd October 2024 and Thursday 24th October 2024.
A reminder that Friday 25th October 2024 is designated as a school INSET Day.
A Special Church Service
THIS TERM’S LEARNING
Please do refer to class pages on the school website (under the ‘Curriculum’ tab) for a detailed update on what your child/ren will be learning this term.
With very best wishes for a lovely weekend,
Sally Morris, Head Teacher