December 2006 Newsletter

Basic Skills Quality Mark

We were delighted this week to be awarded the Basic Skills Quality Mark at Unsworth. The Primary Quality Mark is a nationally recognised symbol of good practice in the teaching of basic skills in reading, writing, spelling and maths.

To achieve the mark primary schools apply through their Local authority (Bury L.A.) who carry out the assessment process. The school is then visited and assessed against ten elements.

Details of the assessment including the ten elements can be viewed on the Quality Mark website.

We were delighted with the positive feedback we received following the assessment especially comments about the children’s attitude to learning and the acknowledgement of the important role parents and carers at Unsworth play in supporting the children’s learning at home.

We will receive the award in a special presentation after Christmas and it is valid for three years. The award is renewed after three years if the school is judged to have made even further progress in basic skills.

We can all be very proud of our school.

Mrs. Reynolds

Reminders

We finish for the Christmas holidays on Thursday 21st December at 2pm. Please note the early finish.
There will be no After School Club on that day.
On the last day the children can bring in toys or games to play with from home. Please discourage your child from bringing in expensive toys.

School reopens after Christmas on Monday 8th January 2007.

Please note there will be no after school clubs in the final week of this term due to the Christmas Plays. This includes Fame Academy.

Term Time holidays

A total of 19 children have been taken out of school this term for holidays. This learning time cannot be made up easily, particularly if the holiday is for two weeks.
Some children are very unsettled when returning after a holiday and we would urge that you give very careful consideration to this. All holidays should be authorised by the Headteacher.

Class Assemblies

Class assemblies will take place on the following dates next half term:

• Y4 17th Jan
• Y1 31st Jan
• Y3 28th Feb
• YR 14th Mar
• Y5 28th Mar

All assemblies start at 9.10am and refreshments will be served afterwards.

Leadership Award

18 pupils from our Y6 class have been awarded a special certificate this week to acknowledge their leadership skills.

These children volunteered earlier this term to join our Playground Squad. The Playground Squad is a group of Y6 volunteers who give up some of their playtimes and dinnertimes to help and play with our younger children.

This year the playground squad has attended an 8 hour course during and after school to develop their teamwork and leadership skills. They have worked with John Murphy from Prodec who is a qualified FA coach. John has helped the children to understand and develop the skills and qualities needed to work with younger children.

The Y6 pupils worked really hard and have devised a number of games which they will be using at playtimes. They enjoyed the training and their new skills will be beneficial both to themselves and the wider school community.

Well done to all who achieved the award. A special presentation was attended by the parents of the children this week. We were all very proud of their achievements.

Christmas Parties

The Christmas parties will take place on the following dates:

• Infants Monday 18th Dec (pm)
• Y3/Y4 Tuesday 19th Dec (pm)
• Y5/Y6 Wednesday 20thDec (pm)

The cost of the infant party is £1.50 per child. There is no cost for the junior party as your child will be asked to bring some party food on the day. Your class teacher will make the arrangements for what they should bring.

The children should come to school in their party clothes on the day of their party.

Other Events

The PTA will be filming both plays for the Christmas CD and will sell the CD at the performances. If you have any objection to your child taking part please inform Mrs Reynolds.

Y5 and Y6 will be visiting Bury Met on Friday 15th December for the panto Treasure Island. A voluntary contribution of £2.50 will cover the costs of admittance and the transport.

Christmas Plays

The infant play will take place on:-

• Wed 6th Dec at 7pm
• Thu 7th Dec at 7pm

The junior play will take place on:-

• Tue 12th Dec at 7.30pm
• Wed 13th Dec at 7.30pm

Only two tickets per family are issued for the plays. This is because we have limits on the number of people we can have in our hall due to health and safety. The children need to attend both performances.

The PTA will be selling refreshments at all plays.

Infant children should be brought back to school for their play at 6.30pm. Junior children should be brought back at 7.10pm.

Please do not bring your children before these times as it is difficult to supervise children when staff are not on the premises or are making preparations for the plays.

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