Dear Parents/Carers,

As you know, these newsletters are now published on the new school website: www.ctk.education .

Historical newsletters can also be found on our newsletter blog (which is linked to our website under ‘Important Information’).

Our new website also has a link to our School Blog which features pictures of life in school each week.

Punctuality

Very few children are now arriving to school after 8.50am. A big thank you from all of the teachers.

St Bernadette Secondary School - Open Evening

The Open Evening for St Bernadette Secondary School will be held on Wednesday 21st September at 5:00pm.

Karin Smith MP Visiting

We will be proud to welcome Karin Smith MP, to our school next Friday. She will be touring the school and our Year 6 children will be asking her questions about her life in politics.

Parents’ Group

While Christ the King currently has no PTFA, a number of parents have spoken to me who are interested in arranging social events and fundraising for the school.  If you are interested in being involved, please let the school office know and we can then organise a meeting of parents over tea and coffee.

School Pond - Help Needed

Mrs. Gray has been working over the last couple of years to develop and improve the use of our school pond. Recently however, the pond has become overgrown and she would very much appreciate if any parents would be able to help. Please let the school office know if you are able to help.

Supporting Holy Cross

Recently, School of Christ the King was asked to support and work collaboratively with Holy Cross Primary School in Bedminster. Our school already has a strong relationship with Holy Cross, with our communities coming together for First Holy Communion. As part of this collaboration, I will be working at Holy Cross for one day each week. In my absence, the school will managed by Mrs Triggs and then Mr Purser when Mrs Triggs is absent.

Governing Body Vacancy

As I am sure you are aware, all schools have a Governing Body who support the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team in their endeavours to make this school an outstanding establishment where all children thrive.

We now have a vacancy on our Governing Body for a Parent Governor.  All parents are eligible to apply for this voluntary role and we would ask you to contact the school office if you would like your name to be put forward.

Currently, the vacancy will be to support the work of the Staffing and Resources sub committee which will meet termly in addition to the Full Governing Body meetings which are also termly.  Meetings will run from 3:30 to 5:30.   An interest in the school and finding out more about the way that the school is managed is the first consideration and if you have any specific skills with budgets or experience with staffing issues you would be particularly welcome.

If you would like further information please speak to Miss Roberts in the office who will either be able to help you or will put you in touch with myself and I will try to answer any specific questions.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Breakfast Club

There has been a great start to the new Breakfast Club this week, with many children attending. We hope to increase the numbers further over the coming weeks.

Breakfast Club will run everyday Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:40am. Children do not need to book - they can just drop into the club.  The cost will be £1.00 per session and they will need to pay this when they arrive at the club in the morning.  

The club will stop serving breakfast at 8:20am to allow staff to tidy up before the start of the school day.  Children are welcome to arrive at the club anytime from 8:00am to 8:40am, however, if they do arrive after 8:20am, breakfast will not be offered.

Children will be offered toast and cereal for their breakfast.

Head teacher Award - Independent Learning

Each week we will be having a special focus for our Headteacher Awards. This week, our focus is Independent Learning.

Headteacher Awards for Monday Assembly are:-

William L (Yr1), Hollie S (Yr2), Chiebuka (Yr3), Eryk (Yr4), Namussewene (Yr5) and Dawid (Yr6).

Attendance - Good news

This week’s overall attendance is a positive 96%.  

This term, as well as rewarding 99% and 100% attendance, we will also be rewarding classes who demonstrate a big improvement in attendance.

• Year 3 - 99%

This means that Year 3 will have a non-uniform day on Friday 23rd September - well done!

Behaviour Letters

Behaviour in our school is usually excellent. Occasionally, when a child is not behaving well, that child is asked to spend some time in another classroom. If this happens, we will now be writing to parents to inform you of the incident.

Parking

Please do not park on the zig-zag bays when dropping or picking your child up from school.

Please can parents / carers keep the entrance to the school clear when waiting to drop off or pick up children.

Primary School Admissions

Reception admissions for September 2017 are now open on www.bristol.gov.uk/schooladmissions.  Children born between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013 must apply for a school by midnight on 15th January 2017

Year 6 to apply for a Secondary school place

Parents/carers need to apply for a secondary school place for their child in Year 6.  The website is now open on www.bristol.gov.uk/schooladmissions.  Secondary school choices need to made by Midnight on 31st October 2016.

Key dates for Diaries

• 21st October - End of Term 1

• 31st October - Start of Term 2            
• 18th November - Feast of Christ the King Mass
• 16th December - End of Term 2

• Term 3                         - 3/1/17 - 10/2/17
• w/c 8th May 2017 -   Y6 SATs week
• 6th January 2017 - Y6 to visit Create Centre
• 9th - 12th June - Year 6 camp to Manor Adventure
• Term 4                        - 20/2/17 – 7/4/17
• Term 5                         - 24/4/17 – 26/5/17
• Term 6                         - 5/6/17 – 21/7/17

Yours sincerely,

Matt Condon

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Thank you all for a wonderful start to the new school year.

These newsletters will now published on the new school website: www.ctk.education

Historical newsletters can also be found on our newsletter blog (which is linked to on our website under ‘Important Information’).

Also our new website has a link to our School Blog which features pictures of Year 3 and 4 children at Barton Camp. The children had an amazing time.

Breakfast Club

There has been a great start to the new Breakfast Club this week, with many children attending. We hope to increase the numbers further over the coming weeks.

Breakfast Club will run everyday Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:40am. Children do not need to book they can just drop into the club.  The cost will be £1.00 per session and they will need to pay this when they arrive at the club in the morning.  

The club will stop serving breakfast at 8:20am to allow staff to tidy up before the start of the school day.  Children are welcome to arrive in the club anytime from 8:00am to 8:40am however if they do arrive after 8:20am breakfast will not be offered.

Children will be offered toast and cereal for their breakfast.

Head teacher Award - Teamwork Focus

Each week we are having a special focus for our Headteacher awards. This week our focus is Teamwork.

Headteachers awards for Monday Assembly are:-

Cody C (Yr1), Millie E (Yr1), Roxanne (Yr2), Zachary C (Y3), Christiana A (Yr4), Tyler M (Yr 4), Malachy G (Yr5), Josh C (Yr6) and Emily C (Yr6).

Attendance - Good news

This week’s overall attendance is an impressive ‘almost’ 97%.  We would like to thank you as not many children have been arriving late. This means that children are not missing valuable learning first thing in the morning.

This term, as well as rewarding 99% and 100% attendance, we will also be rewarding classes that demonstrate a big improvement in attendance.

• Year 3 - 100%
• Year 6 - 100%

This means that Year 3 and Year 6 will have a non-uniform day on Friday 16th September.

Behaviour letters

Behaviour in our school is usually excellent. Occasionally, when a child is not behaving well, that child is asked to spend some time in another classroom. If this happens, we will now be writing to parents to inform you of the incident.

Parking

Please do not park on the zig-zag bays when dropping or picking your child up from school.

Please can parents / carers keep the entrance to the school clear when waiting to drop or pick up children.

Primary school admissions

Reception Admissions for September 2017 is now open on www.bristol.gov.uk/schooladmissions.  Children born between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013 must apply for a school by midnight on 15th January 2017.

Year 6 to apply for a Secondary school place

Parents / Carers need to apply for a Secondary school place for their child in Year 6.  The website is now open on www.bristol.gov.uk/schooladmissions.  Secondary school choices need to made by Midnight on 31st October 2016.

John Cabot Academy - Secondary School Open Evening

School term dates 2016-17

• Term 1                         5/9/16 – 21/10/16
• Term 2                         31/10/16 – 16/12/16
• Term 3                         3/1/17 - 10/2/17
• Term 4                        20/2/17 – 7/4/17
• Term 5                         24/4/17 – 26/5/17
• Term 6                         5/6/17 – 21/7/17

We will inform you of the dates for the other 3 staff training days as soon as they are known.

Again, thank you for your continuing support.

Key dates for Diaries

• 14th September - School Mass in the school hall starting at 9.30am
• 18th November - Feast of Christ the King Mass
• w/c 8th May 2017 - Y6 SATs week
• 9th - 12th June - Year 6 camp to Manor Adventure

Yours sincerely,

Matt Condon

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome back. We hope you all had a really good summer break and it was great to see all the children today looking smart in their school uniform and ready for learning. We thank you all for your support.

As this is the first newsletter of the school year we would like to remind you all of some important matters:

Attendance and Punctuality

Punctuality

Although there were some noticeable improvements in punctuality last year, overall still too many children are arriving late and missing learning at the start of the school day. If a children is late on a regular basis, and so missing crucial learning (e.g reading lessons) then we will organise for additional catch-up time in break or lunch. We are doing this to ensure all children keep up with their peers, are given every opportunity to succeed and obviously to encourage children not to be late.

Poor Attendance in Term 1

Again, we had some success last year, but not enough. The number of children who are classified as ‘Persistent Absentees’ massively exceeds national levels. These are children with less than 90% attendance. At the end of last term we wrote to the parents of all children with attendance below 90%.

The vast majority of children have started today with 100% attendance which is fantastic! Today’s attendance was TBC.

However, to avoid any child’s attendance dropping below 90%, we will be monitoring attendance each day and contacting parents as soon as attendance drops below 95%. We will then request a meeting so that we can work together to ensure attendance does not deteriorate.

Holidays and Long Weekends - another reminder!

It is highly unlikely that the school is able to authorise an absence due to holiday. Absences can only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

Due to government guidance, the school is expected to take action when children have 8 or more unauthorised sessions (4 days). This would normally be in the form of a fine of £60 per child per adult.

So where children have been on holiday in the current year or the previous year, or their attendance is low, it is very likely that we will issue a fine if there are 8 unauthorised sessions.

Can I remind you that children should not be taken out of school on Mondays or Fridays for long weekends (unless there are exceptional circumstances and it has been agreed in advance).

I promise that we do not want to issue fines, but will have no choice where authorised attendance falls below the expected level.

School term dates 2016-17

• Term 1                         5/9/16 – 21/10/16
• Term 2                         31/10/16 – 16/12/16
• Term 3                         3/1/17 - 10/2/17
• Term 4                        20/2/17 – 7/4/17
• Term 5                         24/4/17 – 26/5/17
• Term 6                         5/6/17 – 21/7/17

We will inform you of the dates for the other 3 staff training days as soon as they are known.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club has now started and will run everyday Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:40am. Children will not need to book they can just drop into the club.  The cost will be £1.00 per session and they will need to pay this when they arrive at the club.  

The club will need to stop serving breakfast at 8:20am to allow staff to tidy up before the start of the school day.  Children are welcome to arrive in the club anytime from 8:00am to 8:40am however if they do arrive after 8:20am breakfast will not be offered.

Children will be offered toast and cereal for their breakfast.

This club is opening on a trial basis and will be reviewed at the end of the Autumn term.

Important Information Form

An important information form is coming home with your child tonight.  We are updating the details we hold for you and your child - please complete and return to school by Friday 9th September so that we can update our system.

Again, thank you for your continuing support.

Yours sincerely,

Matt Condon

Headteacher