School Improvement - Parent Survey November 2020
The results of our parent survey are out.
See how we are improving - https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/parent-view
Stanmore Post - 20 September 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you to everyone who attended one or both of the virtual meetings held yesterday. Working in partnership with you continues to be an important part of our school value ‘belonging.’ At the first meeting, we were able to share our progress on our school improvement journey. The aims of our school: Purposeful, irresistible learning where children are inspired to thrive and everyone is the BEST that they can be is at the heart of our Curriculum Strategy. The intention of our Curriculum is that children are given the skills that they need to be successful now and in their future. If you would like to hear excerpts from the meeting, this is available at: https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/how-are-we-doing
Chris Lindsay, our Chair of Governors, shared the views of parents from the parent questionnaire. The increase in positive responses reflects the improving profile of the school. Your positive feedback and constructive comments help to shape our school improvement journey.
Parents were able to view the early plans for our new building project which will provide a modern, more accessible entrance to our school. The plans also include an upgrade to some KS2 classes. We are working with Hampshire County Council and hope that the build can begin in the Summer Holidays.
The second virtual meeting yesterday was held by the Friends of Stanmore School. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is a formal meeting to elect members. I would like to thank all members of the FOS past and present for their valuable work in supporting the school, ensuring that all of our children benefit from a variety of enrichment opportunities.
As you will be aware, due to Covid restrictions we are unable to hold Parents’ Evening in person this year. Instead we are offering telephone consultations from 3:30pm on Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th November. Please sign up for these now on ScoPay if you have not done so already. We will contact you at the time you requested on the phone number that we hold for you so please let the school office know if there has been a recent change. If you are unsure of your time, please contact the office.
The structure of the 10 minute consultation will be:
To answer any questions that you may have
To share with you how your child has settled in to their class this term
To share with you whether your child is on track to meet their end of year expectations in reading, writing and maths
To share targets for the spring term
This week we have taken part in Anti-Bullying Week 2020. This year the theme is: United Against Bullying, many children came to school in odd socks today in support of this. Work has focused on empowering children with strategies to work together to tackle bullying. Any child experiencing bullying should talk to one of their 5 trusted adults, or put a message in the worry box. Incidents of bullying are dealt with through our behaviour policy. Parents will be invited in to discuss their child’s behaviour and in the first instance sign a Code of Conduct. Support is offered to children who are showing bullying behaviour and to any child who has experienced bullying. If you have any concerns please talk to your child’s class teacher or Mrs. Taylor.
Best Wishes
Sharon Taylor
Stanmore Post - 13 November 2020
Thank you to everyone who completed the recent parent survey. Your response reflects an improving view of the school. I am particularly pleased to see that parents feel their children are safe, happy and are taught well. You may have noticed the wordall on the website which highlights the words chosen by parents to describe the school.
Working in partnership with you continues to be an important part of our school value ‘belonging.’ We recognise that this is difficult at the moment with restrictions, including wearing face coverings, in place. Your positive feedback and constructive comments help to shape our school improvement journey. Parents would like more feedback on school routines, mixed year groups and progress that children are making. We will be holding a webinar to share more information about the school improvement journey on Thursday 19th November at 6:30pm https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/calendar/2020/11/13/school-improvement-update-autumn-2020
Parents were also asking about what Parents Evening will look like this year. Parents Evening will be a telephone consultation from 3:30pm on Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th November. Please sign up for these now on ScoPay. We will contact you on the phone number that we hold for you so please let the school office know if there has been a recent change.
This week we have taken part in ‘Maths Week England,’ celebrating and sharing the positive image of mathematics. Across the school, children have been learning about important mathematicians, funny maths facts and even a bit of Maths Magic. In addition to this, there were challenges between the classes in KS2 on Times Tables Rockstars and we have been taking part in a national challenge called 'Barvember'. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/maths-week-at-stanmore-primary-school
In other curriculum news, Children in Birch and Maple were excited to hear from children’s Author Anne Wan. She is looking for inspiration for a new book that she is writing. The children made deep sea diving googles and explored beneath the sea by watching ‘The Blue Planet.’ They are now working on their book ideas to send back to Anne. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/what-is-at-the-bottom-of-the-deep-blue-sea
The ‘Incredible Italia’ topic continued in Year 3 and 4 this week with the children all making delicious pizzas to bring home in their custom made boxes. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/incredible-italia
Best Wishes
Sharon Taylor
What is at the bottom of the deep blue sea?
We used painting and collage to create deep sea diving masks that we then used when exploring the deep blue sea (through the wonder of Blue Planet 2). This was to help inspire us and learn some facts about the ocean, at the start of our "What's at the bottom of the beautiful briny sea."
Maths Week at Stanmore Primary School!
Amazing maths has taken place this week in every classroom in the school. We wanted to recognise that it is Maths week and we celebrated this by learning about important mathematicians, funny maths facts and even a bit of Maths Magic!
In addition to this, there were challenges between the classes in KS2 on Times Tables Rockstars and we have been taking part in a national challenge called 'Barvember'. Where we are learning how to represent challenges by drawing bar models to help us to visualise a range of word problems.
Don't worry, the teachers have been learning some new maths too. We had some new maths training this week to use a 'Number Link Board' which will be appearing in a maths lesson near you soon. Watch this space!
Incredible Italia
All three classes in Year 3 and 4 have taken part in our exciting Design and Technology unit to create a pizza this week.
It really showed how exciting and irresistible our curriculum is.
Our curriculum is shaped around three key words:
Appreciate - Children were taught about the historical context of how pizzas became a popular food and the language needed to access the learning (dough, utensils method).
Participate - Children researched and evaluated popular pizza toppings and the packaging needed. They thought about the information that might be needed on the packaging as well as thinking of a snappy title!
Innovate - They were able to develop their own pizza, designing it as well as the packaging. This week the children have been able to create their own invention that they have seen through from idea to the fully formed product.
These three elements of our curriculum work together to create irresistible learning.
We hope that your child might have let you try a bite - we've heard that they were delicious!
Well done to all of the budding chefs in Birch, Sycamore and Willow!
Reception - artists in the making
By exploring different media and new techniques our children get to learn through play and experimentation, expertly guided by our experienced team of educators. We investigated making art on the playground in the rain - that was fun! Our printing made some fantastic artwork.
Pumpkin fun in Reception
What can you do with a pumpkin? Well it turns out that the children in reception found lots of great learning opportunities when they explored pumpkins for the day.
We identified different types of squash vegetables, learned about their seeds and how they grow. Then we made pumpkin soup and got to taste it! Yum!
Stanmore Post - 6 November 2020
Dear Parents,
The children have settled back into school really well after the half term break and we have some fantastic learning outcomes. Today, children from KS1 toasted marshmallows over a fire pit and Year 3 and 4 began their 'Italia Topic' - they found out about the history of Pizza, then designed and made their pizza boxes ready to be pizza chefs next week. Year 5/6 have begun work on high quality acrylic paintings linked to the topic of rivers. This is based on a stimulus of both 'The Wind in the Willows', by Kenneth Grahame, and a local visiting artist, Lizzie McKellar. You can see examples of her work at: https://www.lizziemckellar.co.uk/
As you will be aware, we had a recent visit from OFSTED. This was part of a series of visits by OFSTED to a variety of schools nationally. The information will be used to gain a national picture of the affect the pandemic is having on schools. We are pleased to now be able to share with you the published letter. The letter does not contain any judgements but summarises briefly the discussions the inspectors had with our school leadership team. This is to provide parents and carers with information about what our school is doing to help children back into full-time education. The letter is published on the OFSTED website. You can also find it at: Ofsted visit to Stanmore Primary School - October 2020
Thank you for the response to my recent letter about the increased measures around school to tackle the spread of the Coronavirus. Once again we are seeing the whole school community come together and I am really grateful for the positive 'can do' attitude of all of our staff, parents and carers. We are continuing to review the risks and will respond with necessary control measures to enable us to keep the school open. I have had some questions about what happens when members of the community are told to self-isolate and so I have outlined the latest guidance below.
Yours sincerely,
Sharon
Self-isolation Guidance
Do the people I live with also need to self-isolate at home with me for 14 days?
If you are have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, but you do not have symptoms, other people living with you do not need to self-isolate and should follow the general guidance.
If you do develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19 - visit NHS.UK to arrange, or contact NHS 119 via telephone if you do not have internet access. If you live with other people, they will need to begin self-isolation at home while you wait for your test result. Follow the Stay at Home: Guidance for households with possible or confirmed COVID-19.
Self-isolating at home for the 14-day period will help protect your family, friends and the NHS. Self-isolating at home in this way can also protect the most vulnerable in society, by reducing the chance of a second wave of COVID-19 in the wider community.
What should I do if I live with someone who develops COVID-19 symptoms?
If someone you live with develops symptoms, they will need to self-isolate at home along with all the other people who live with them; this will include you.
They will need to arrange to have a test to see if they have COVID-19 - visit NHS.UK to arrange or contact NHS 119 via telephone if you do not have internet access.
They and the people who live with them should follow Stay at Home: Guidance for households with possible or confirmed COVID-19.
Words from our parent community to describe our school
What three words would you use to describe Stanmore Primary School?
Parent Survey - October 2020