MILL VALE SCHOOL
Dear Parents, Welcome back to a new school year and a special welcome to all our new pupils. The Year 5 pupils have certainly settled in very quickly and happily. All our pupils have returned to school looking extremely smart and you and I can be very proud of the image that they present to the community. I would also like to welcome some new members of staff (marked *) on the attached staff list. I am sure they will be both happy and successful at Mill Vale. This is a very important term for us all and we are determined to get off to a good start. From day 1 we will be focusing on the teaching and learning and we ask that all parents and carers do everything they can to support us in our drive to higher standards. Please help us by ensuring you sign your child’s diary on a weekly basis and by contacting us as soon as there is a problem. Ensuring your child arrives at school on time, well fed, well rested and well equipped will also help him/her achieve his/her best. Thank you very much for your continued support. Mr. P. McCreadie, Headteacher.
SEPTEMBER 2008
No. 1
STAFF VACANCY
Name: ……………….. Form: ………………... CYCLING SCHOOL
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Required as soon as possible – Teaching Assistants – Level 2 Various posts, up to 24 hours per week, term time only plus 5 training days. NJC Scale 2A, points 1013 £13,014-£14,523 pa pro rata (pay award pending). Following the recent restructuring of our Learning Support provision, we are looking for enthusiastic and committed Teaching Assistants to further enhance our highly effective team as soon as possible. The successful candidates will be able to relate positively to a range of pupils, be expected to show a degree of initiative and to work as part of a team. Please note these posts are fixed term due to external SEN statementing funding. For further details and an application pack please send an SAE with 78p postage or call into the school office. Closing Date: 29th Sept. 2008 Interview Date: 1st October 2008
We are very pleased with the number of pupils who are taking advantage of the bike shed facility. However, we remain concerned that a few pupils insist on riding to school without a safety helmet. Pupil safety is always our first priority, and while I accept that the safety of pupils riding to school is essentially a parental responsibility, I am increasingly reluctant to allow pupils to ride to school without a helmet. Consequently, as from now any pupil who receives a third written warning for failing to wear a helmet, will not be allowed to cycle to school until the situation is resolved. Thank you very much for your continued support.
BREAKFAST CLUB
Breakfast Club will be starting on Monday, 8th September for pupils from 8.00 a.m. – 8.30 a.m. Monday to Fridays. Serving hot
drinks, juice and toast etc. Just pop along!
FAMILY EVENING
PHOTO
This will take place on Thursday, 16th October between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. A letter will be sent home in due course regarding this; please could you indicate how many actual photos you would like taken of your group when returning the form.
SCHOOL MEALS
School meals are priced at £1.75 per day; weekly amount £8.75. Please make cheques payable to: ABM Catering Ltd. Total cost for the next half term, i.e. 2nd September – 24th October will be £68.25. N.B. Payment for meals must be sent into school in a sealed, named envelope on Monday mornings only.
SCHOOL UNIFORM Due to a high volume of uniform orders placed at the beginning of the new school year, combined with a heavy administrative workload and a stock take, could parents please note that all uniform orders will be distributed as soon as possible. We are presently awaiting delivery of certain sizes of various items of
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uniform. As soon as these are received your child will be notified.
MISSING COAT Could parents please check in their children’s coats to make sure they have not picked up the wrong coat at the end of last term belonging to Matthew Hymus who was in 8SPC last year. (Umbro Football Trainer Coat, 2 shades of blue with stripes down the arms). Please return to the school office.
PUPIL ABSENCE LINE - 523009 Could you please inform the school by telephone as soon as possible of an absence followed by a note on return to school. Any absences not reported to the school will be marked as unauthorised.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Friday, 12th September – Year 8’s Sponsored Walk to Dunstable Downs – weather permitting. (Postponed from last term). Thursday, 16th October – Family Group Photos Evening (Tempest) Thursday, 13th November (7 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.) - New Intake Evening Monday, 17th November – Mock SAT’s Week Thursday, 4th December – Theatre Visit ‘Riddle of Ruin’ for Years 5 & 6. End of Term: Friday, 19th December
COMPUTER FRIENDLY NEWSLETTER PRIZE DRAW
To win this month’s Computer Friendly Prize Draw voucher, please give this newsletter to your parent/guardian and ask him/her to acknowledge receipt by signing the reply slip attached and returning to your form tutor.
MOBILE PHONES
If your child needs to bring their mobile phone to school, he/she must hand it in to the school office at the beginning of the day and ensure that it is switched off. Please deter your child from bringing any other electrical items to school such as MP3 players. NB Mobile phones and other personal goods are brought to school at the owner’s risk. We cannot accept responsibility for any items that go missing in school. CHILDMINDER Vacancies: Term time and school holidays. Ofsted, NCMA Registered & Insured. For more details please phone Sharon (Hadrian Ave.) 01582 661815/07843 308230.
LOST PROPERTY
We have a large amount of items (some named) left from last term. We will be displaying them in the Hall on Wednesday, 10th September for the children to claim their property. Parents/Guardians are welcome to come in to look for property from 3.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.
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