After almost 20 years, Mrs Patterson will be leaving Almond Hill at the end of this term. Mrs Patterson started off as a Teaching Assistant working in the classroom before moving into the office where she has organised lots of wonderful trips, events, sporting activities, writing days, interesting visitors to school and the very much loved Grafham trip. She has played a key role in helping to create fantastic memories for the children and I am sure you will all join me in wishing her the very best of luck for the future.  

On Tuesday, we are inviting parents in to take part in a fun, interactive maths lesson with their children. The plan is to meet with Miss Simmons in the hall at drop off (8:45am) for a very quick chat about maths at Almond Hill. The hall can be accessed via the quadrant. This will be followed by a maths lesson (short, fun activities which use a range of maths skills) from 9.00 -10.00am in your child's classroom. It will be an opportunity for children to experience learning with you and maybe even for you to brush off those maths skills and support your children in the classroom. These types of events have always been very successful and children love having you in the classroom sharing their learning experiences. We look forward to seeing you then! As ever, you will be able to move between classes if you have children across the school.  

As with previous events, we will be using a QR code to sign parents in and out. Please ensure you have done this (there will be a paper sign in for those who are unable to scan in). QR codes will be available in the hall, the main office and outside by the drop off zone.  Parents can leave their cars in the drop off zone as this will remain open but the pedestrian gates will be locked at the normal time to ensure the school is secure. All parents will need to leave via the office and sign out using the QR code. If you parked in the drop off zone, turn right out of the reception gates and enter the drop off via the vehicle gate.  

Some parents have asked if younger siblings can attend the maths morning. You are very welcome to bring them but they remain the full responsibility of the adult they are with. Buggies can be accommodated in the building but will need to be left outside of classrooms most likely as there won't be room for the class, parents and buggies too. 

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday. 

Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey. It does seem there may be some families that would benefit from this provision so we will set this up after Easter. Please keep a look out for more information.  

Government research has found that each day a child is absent from school results in a loss of £750 in future earnings. Currently, 150,000 pupils are classified as "persistently absent," meaning they miss at least one day every fortnight, a significant rise from under 800,000 before the pandemic. The report from the Department for Education said that children in Year 11 who have missed ten days of school each year were half as likely to achieve a grade 5 in their English and maths GCSEs, and that persistently absent pupils in secondary school will earn £10,000 less at age 28 than pupils with almost perfect attendance. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has described the current situation as an "epidemic of school absence". New data released today is expected to show an increase in "severely absent" children, with around 150,000 missing school more than half the time. Phillipson said: "The case for tackling the epidemic of school absence could not be clearer: improved grades, higher wages, better life chances... the evidence clearly shows a link between not attending school and future earnings." 
The Times   London Evening Standard 

I thought this was an interesting and thought-provoking article which is why I wanted to share it with parents. Generally, whole school attendance has been a bit better this year. We had really good attendance on Wednesday last week (97.5%) although this may be because we had a school trip! Two classes in the upper school have had 100% attendance in the last two weeks which is fantastic and improved attendance in Year 6 will really help children to prepare and be ready for their SATs in May.  It is the job of school leaders to analyse trends in attendance data. In our school, children with SEND have improved their attendance rates over the last couple of years but the group that has the lowest average attendance is those entitled to free school meals. If your child has been absent, parents will know that I am quite quick to get in touch even when the absence may not seem to be a big issue however there is a body of data that suggests that even a small amount of absence can be a barrier to attainment and if attainment is negatively affected in junior school, very often this hinders progress at secondary school and their future prospects.  

Sometimes, it is necessary for me to write to families regarding their child’s absence. These letters are bespoke and take some time to write and I wanted to assure parents that the offer of support in these letters is genuine. I want all children in school and for them to be successful and happy both now and in the future. 

Please be reminded that from 1st April the new price for meals will be £3.45.