the nation’s favourite sports day...•cycling on fixed cycles for a stage of the ‘bike to...

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• Hosting our very own ‘Great BritishBake Off’ (application letters forcontestants will be available soon!)

• Presenting our version of ‘AQuestion of Sport’ Quiz

• Cycling on fixed cycles for a stage ofthe ‘Bike to Brazil’ Challenge

• Dressing as our sporting heroes fora donation of 50p-£1

More details will follow in aseparate letter.

The nation’s favourite sports daywill be kicking off in schools andnurseries on Friday 21st Marchbut because of our INSET thatday, we will be running our mainevents on Thursday 20th March.Polegate has decided to get involvedand help raise money for thisincredible cause.

To do our bit and raise moneyPolegate School will be;

• Running a mile for Sports Relief –each class will do this as a wholefor sponsorship

Playground Developments 2

PFA News 2

Chinese New Year 3

Choir at the O2 3

Staff 4

Uniform 4

Writing 5

Breakfast Club 6

Diary Dates 6

Attendance Figures 7

In This Issue

Well done!A huge well done to all thechildren for their fantastic hardwork last term, they certainlyearned their week off!

The office has never been busierwith visits from children wanting toshare their achievements. This isalso reflected in their progress beingmade across the school in all yeargroups. Keep it up!

Winning HouseAs always our weekly announcementabout the winning house causes agreat deal of excitiement!

The winning house for last term was

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The nation’sfavourite sports day

March 2014

A reminder that the ParentConsultation evenings areon Wednesday 5th& Thursday 6th March.

If you haven’t already booked yourappointment please do so via the linkon the school website or speak toKerry in the office.

Club Cancellations due toParent Evenings• Football Club on Wednesday 5thMarch has been cancelled

• Dance Club, Numbers Club, MathsMaster Class, Arts & Crafts Club andWriting Master Class on Thursday6th March have been cancelled

Parent Consultation Evenings

Orion

2 www.polegateschool.co.ukFollow us on Twitter @polegateschool

Hockey KitMr Moore has become our‘Hockey Hero’ he was soenthusiastic about the beforeschool hockey club that he hasshown incredibly generosity andbought the team a new kit!

To recognise this we would like toestablish ‘the Moore’ Trophy forsporting achievement and Mr Moorewill help decide the criteria forwinning it. Our tag rugby team werethe first to wear the new kit.

Tag RugbyDespite all the recent badweather, the tag rugbytournament organised by theEastbourne Schools PE Associationtook place this week at a verymuddy Hampden Park.

Although we only managed to drawone game and win a friendly at the endof the tournament, we did see somefine team play and some individualgenius throughout the afternoon. Welldone to all involved and to Mr Holter fordriving the minibus and Mr Moore forhis support during the matches.

ChristmasPostWe raised £142 fromthe sale of ChristmasStamps. This is goingto be put with theproceeds of £174from 2012. TheSchool Council wouldlike to put the moneytowards a tabletennis table.

World Book DayThis year, World Book Day is on 6thMarch and we are encouragingall children to take part. We havea challenge for the children. Weare once again inviting them totake part in ‘extreme reading’.

1st Find your book

2ndRead in an unusual place

3rd Ask a parent/carer/sibling orfriend to take a photo of youreading - we need to see the book

4th Bring in the photo byWednesday 5th March

SPORTS DESK

Please remember to be safe at all times while reading your book. Prizeswill be awarded in each year group for the most extreme/creative photo.

E-SafetyE-Safety is vitally important toensure children stay safe online.To learn more about the risksfacing our children when theyuse computers, please log on towww.thinkuknow.co.uk

Another useful website youmight like to visit iswww.childnet.com/resources

Taken at the beginning of the afternoon, the photo shows an enthusiastic PolegateTeam sporting their new sports kit, very kindly sponsored by Mr Gary Moore.

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A longer School Day

The Playscheme is up and running again thanks to thedetermination shown by Jemma Orange. More details willfollow but it will be during the week beginning 28th July. I knowthey would appreciate any offers of help no matter how small.

It seems that not a daygoes by without anothereducation announcementfrom Mr Gove. Onestatement was proposing a9 or 10 hour day.

It may not be happening in all stateschools but it is at Polegate. We alreadyhave children arriving at school at7.45am. Through tracking every child’sprogress we target pupils for additionalintervention to ensure they either meetor exceed age related expectations in arange of subjects.

We also have year 6 pupils staying atschool until 5.30pm to work on keyaspects of their learning.

A range of homework clubs areprovided during lunchtimes and afterschool for year 2 to year 6. We even haveselected reception children benefittingfrom a reading club until 4.30pm. So, forus a 10 hour day is normal! It is also veryworthwhile. Children taking part in thesemake accelerated progress oftenmaking as much as a years progress injust 10 weeks!

Thank you for supporting theseadditional opportunities.


Parents & Friends AssociationMother’s DayPresent RoomThe PFA are holding a Mother’sDay Present Room on Weds 26thMarch and Thurs 27th March.

A range of presents, wrapped onpurchase, will be available for yourchild to choose from for £2.00 each.Cards are also available for 50p each

If you would like your child to be part ofthis please ensure they come withadequate money in a named envelopeto avoid any disappointment.

Easter Egg HuntSaturday 5th April 2014 startingat 12.00-3.00pm.

This year our Easter Egg Hunt is takingplace along the Cuckoo Trail. We willbe setting off from the Schoolplayground at 12.15pm and allparticipants will need to bring alongtheir bikes or scooters, which need tobe in good working order and childrenmust be wearing helmets.

Parents are more than welcome tojoin their children along the CuckooTrail and make it a real family fun day.However, if you are more of aspectator there will be plenty of otheractivities to enjoy, so please comealong and soak up the atmosphere ofthe day with us.

Thank you for your support

Upcoming Events 26th & 27th MarchMother’s day present room

5th AprilEaster Egg Hunt - see details

15th MayBike It Breakfast: early morning8.15–8.45am. Limited numbersso first come, first served.

11th & 12th JuneFather’s day present room

21st JuneSummer Fayre

26th JuneBike It Breakfast: early Morning 8.15–8.45am. Limited numbers so firstcome, first served.

28th Jul – 1 AugPlayscheme week

Date of next meeting:Tues 1st April at 7.15pm

Be the first tohear the news.Follow us on

twitter. We nowhave 284followers!

twit ter

PolegatePrimarySchoolPFAThe PFA have also set up afacebook page to keep youup to date on events soplease join this groupto find out more.

Facebook

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Astronaut Training DayYear 5 had an ‘Out of this World Day’ when theyexperienced the challenges of being an Astronaut.

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The pupils have loved the introduction ofhouses. We are asking pupils/parents to use achorus of a well-known song and create newlyrics to match each of our school houses:

• Orion• Pegasus• Hercules• Phoenix

This should be a celebratory song that can besung immediately after the winning house isannounced. We want a different song foreach house. The name of the house shouldbe mentioned.

An example might be:Queen – We are the Champions

Singer Song WritersA huge amount of excitement is generated each week when thewinning house is announced.

SwimmingGala 2014We will be holding our annualSwimming Gala on Thursday 26thJune at The Eastbourne SovereignCentre starting at 6.30pm.

Full details to follow.

New StaffWe welcome two studentteachers – Hannah Shennanand Abigail Lee this termfrom the University ofBrighton. They will be workingin Year 1. They will sending outa letter to introducethemselves to you if your childis in a class they are teaching.

ParentGovernorVacancyWe have a vacancy for aparent governor. If you areinterested please speak toMrs O’Donoghue

Figures published lastmonth showed that atleast four in ten teachersfail to last longer than fiveyears in the job!

I think we should feel quite proudthat our teachers not only lastlonger than the five years butalso are so committed toPolegate School that they remainwith us (despite a few maternitiesalong the way!)

STAFF

Date for your diary

It hovers above earth glimpsing at the everlasting surroundings. A galaxynot so far away glimmers in the darkness. Stars are like a thousand lightbulbs lit at once. It was beautiful. Black holes emerge light years awayyet they seem so close. Mars and Venus can be seen not far away.Water is scattered all around earth. Suddenly, a noise is heard.

The ship started rumbling as if there was about to be an explosion.Jumping out of the ship seemed risky. So what will happen? Gradually,the noise got louder and more deafening. Sirens are set off and thephenomenal view is changing into a sickening swirl as the ship growls.The clear blue sky burns into thick black clouds. What’s happening?There are now sudden bumps HELP!

Crash! Silence is surrounding the ship. The sparkling galaxy is backwhere it was still and silent. Gleaming brightly the ships ruins arepulled away from this planet. It feels like monsters are lurkingall around here. All of a sudden there are footsteps…

By Lauren Hunt

On Tuesday 25th February several of our Year 6 pupils hadthe opportunity to meet Christopher William Hill, the authorof the book "Osbert the Avenger" at Hawks Farm School.

“I love sharing the amazingwork that your pupilscomplete in school and it alsoprovides the children with anopportunity to have theirwork shared with anaudience- something theylove! This work was producedby a Year 5 pupil. Feel free tosend in your thoughts on theirwork and we will share thiswith the children. “

Mrs Martin-O’DonoghueHeadteacher

WOW

OfstedParentviewThis is an online facility thatallows you to give your viewsabout our school at any timeduring the school year.

Each year we need to collect yourviews even if you have completed itfor the previous school year. Bothparents can complete this separatelyand we would love as manyresponses as possible.

STAR WRITER

The children have read his book, andfour others, that have been shortlisted for the East Sussex Book Awardthis year. The children will shortlymake their decision on who they thinkwrote the best book and shouldreceive the award.

This was a wonderful chance to meetone of the writers and put some hardthought questions to him. All agreedthat Christopher was a very engagingand interesting man. He kept a hall of200 children enthralled for over anhour with his sense of humour andanecdotes including explaining hisgreat interest in corpses and cakes.

For any who have read the book theywill be familiar with the author's loveof gothic mystery and his books arefull of children who get to have theirown back on horrible adults in verydark and deadly ways.

The children greatly enjoyed the visitand now have thedifficult decisionto make on whoshould win thenotable awardthis year. As alwaysour children werepraised for theirexcellentbehaviour.

SainsburyActive KidsVouchers

We are once again participating in theActive Kids vouchers. When you shopat Sainsbury’s until 20th May you willreceive vouchers – please donatethem to us so we can then redeemthem for sports equipment.

HELP! If anyone has some sparetime we would be grateful ofhelp to countthem (this canbe done athome if it iseasier)

Meet the Author


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Year 4 Creative Writing Year 4 extracts of writing from our Viking myth topic where childrenwrote their own myths based on those from the Vikings.


Meet our Breakfast ClubThere are still vacancies if you needchildcare before the start of school.Please pop in to the school office fordetails.

Meet the Team(From left to right) Sally Jenkins,Val Collins, Julie Bishop,Lorraine Wilkinson (Co-ordinator)

By Kyle MoodyBy Finley Cassell

It seems to be the newsletter for Year 5!Here are a few great pieces of artwork from theYear 5 sketchbooks exploring the space theme.

Gallery Corner


By Amy BatemanBy Jack Maunder

By Alicia Bell By Lauren Hunt

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Days off school add up to lost learningThere are 175 non school days a year. That’s 175 days to spend on family time, visits,holidays, shopping, household jobs and other appointments.

190School Days

a Year

190 days for yourchild's education

10days absence

180 daysof education

19days absence


29days absence= 1 Term missed


38days absence


47days absence


100% 95% 90% 85% 80% 75%Good

Best chance of success.Gets your child off to a flying start

WorryingLess chance of success.

Makes it harder to make progress

Serious ConcernNot fair on your child.

Court action!

If your child’s attendance drops below 85%.You should expect a visit from a member ofthe school’s leadership team with work foryour child to complete.

We have unfortunately needed to do this quite recently. Wehave to refer any child with attendance below 85% to theEducation Welfare Officer who will then provide support toimprove attendance. Please contact the school for supportbefore it gets to this stage.

Our average last year was around 96%

97% is our target

Attendance

Class figuresPlease compare your child’s attendance to theaverage & look at the table above.

RJ = 94%

RP = 95%

1A = 96%

1R = 95%

2B = 97%

2BW= 96%

3G = 97%

3K = 96%

4M = 96%

4EM= 96%

5T = 96%

5B = 94%

6C = 97%

6T = 95%


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Polegate SchoolOakleaf DrivePolegateEast Sussex BN26 6PTTel: 01323 482404Email: [email protected]

FeedbackWe’d love to hear your feedback andany new ideas you have. Please send

us your thoughts via the contact uspage on the school website:

www.polegateschool.co.uk

the nation’s favourite sports day...•cycling on fixed cycles for a stage of the ‘bike to...

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