Headteacher’s NewsletterSeptember 2015Dear parents,

Welcome BackA very warm welcome back to the new school year. It has been a happy start to the term with the children excited to be back and enthusiastic about the year ahead.

Changes to school over the summer Over the summer the team have been working very hard to refresh the school, ready for the children’s return. The nursery and reception classrooms have been completely refurbished and will be ready for the new children when they begin next week.

New TopicsThe children are already immersed in their new topics and getting used to their new routines. Year 1 are exploring the world through their senses, Year 2 are researching their family histories whilst Year 3 are exploring how communities come together through the topic ‘Living Together’. In the upstairs classrooms, Year 4 are finding out whether the Tudors really were terrible, Year 5 are investigating childhood in the Victorian era, whilst Year 6 are taking Heroes and Superheroes as their inspiration. I look forward to sharing news of events, trips and special visitors over the course of the year.

Battle of Bosworth

Year 4 have enjoyed a vibrant start to their new topic, ‘Terrible Tudors’. Last Tuesday they spent the morning making swords and shields - and in the afternoon they re-enacted the Battle of Bosworth on the fields of Highgate Woods. And what a battle it proved to be with Henry VII’s magnificent army defeating Richard III’s in a brave and dramatic battle. ‘My horse, my horse, my kingdom for a horse!’

VictoriansYear 5 started their topic ‘A Victorian education’ discovering just how unfair life could be in the 19th Century. Whilst the rich children were given a morning of playing games and fine dining, the poor were placed in the workhouse, worked tirelessly and punished for any slackness. Dan reports that all the children achieved the learning objective!

A Gathering of Grim Stories

Huge congratulations to Iris in Year 6, who published her book ‘A Gathering of Grim Stories’ this summer. The book has a very complimentary forward by author and illustrator Tom Percival, who wrote that the inventiveness, atmosphere and drama in Iris’ work is staggering. Many thanks go to Dan for his editing and brilliant support. We are

very proud to have a published author in our school. What an inspiration.

LunchesThe school continues to provide a healthy and varied lunch menu, catering for the requirements and tastes of all children. If your child is in Year 3, 4, 5 or 6 and is taking a school meal, lunch money must be paid in advance, at the start of each week. As we now run a cashless office, payment must be made online. Please see the office if you do not already have a code for the payment system. This term’s lunch prices are as follows:

Weekly @ £2.40 per day £12.00First half of term £84.00Second half of term £81.60Full Term £165.60

AllotmentThe lovely English weather has kept the allotment well watered and blooming this summer and the children are looking forward

to harvesting the fresh and tasty fruit and veg. Please look out for our farmers markets which will be taking place in the playground after school - and put the Harvest Assembly celebrations on the 21st October in the diary.

Cycle TrainingLast Thursday, 20 children from Year 3 and 4 were chosen to take part in the first cycle training session of the year. The Haringey Cycle Team spent the day working on bike safety and repair. Everyone who took part thoroughly enjoyed themselves and there was a buzz of excitement throughout the playground.

Authorisation of holidayThe school made a significant improvement in overall levels of attendance last year which is of course something we would like to maintain and improve on. National guidelines make it clear that Headteachers are unable to grant leave of absence during term time, unless there are ‘exceptional

circumstances’. If a planned absence is unavoidable, parents must complete an Absence Request Form, available from the school office, which requires authorisation from the Headteacher.

Pupil MedicationReminder - If your child requires medication to be administered at school, such as an asthma pump or an Epipen, please ensure that the school has been informed and that you bring updated, labelled medication to our Welfare Assistant, Mrs Cook, who is available in the medical room at the start of the school day.

Family Centre

It is lovely to see so many parents from the school attending the Family Centre sessions. If you are a parent new to the school, with a child under 5, please do come and visit us. We are situated in the top playground next to the Dining Centre. If you are interested in Paediatric Baby and Toddler First Aid, the next course will take place in the Family Centre on Tuesday 29th September from 1pm to 3pm. The course costs £30 which includes a certificate. Please call 020 3213 0004 or drop-in to the centre to book a place. For the full list of Family Centre activities, the current timetable can be found on the Highgate Primary School website, on the Family Centre page. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Lost property‘Lost Property’ is still kept outside in the upper playground, opposite the dining centre. Please feel free to look for any missing items at the start or end of the day. Please do try to label your children’s clothes and bags clearly.

Term DatesImportant dates for your diary for the Autumn Term:

Nursery & Reception children start school

Monday 21st September

4BJD Assembly Friday 25th September 9.30

amYear 5 trip to the Ragged Museum

Friday 25th September

Year 3 Cake Sale Friday 25th September

PSA coffee morning for new parents

Thursday 1st October 9.00 amFamily Centre

4JS Assembly Friday 2nd Ocober9.30 am

Year 4 trip to Hampton Court Palace

Wednesday 7th October

Year 3 trip to Kenwood House

Thursday 8th October

5DN Assembly Friday 9th October

5AC Assembly Friday 16th October 9.30 am

Fireworks Night Saturday 17th October 5.30 pm

Year 2 Cake Sale Friday 23rd October

Harvest Assembly Wednesday 21st October 10.00 am

Half Term w/c Monday 25th October

It certainly promises to be a productive and eventful term.

With best wishes

WilliamWilliam DeanHeadteacher