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We’re also on Twitter (X), very informally: https://twitter.com/parkdalecarlton
A number of our year groups and staff members also have Twitter accounts – just search using ‘parkdale’ or look for a feed on the year group’s web page. Remember, each year has its own page on the website for news specific to them.
Welcome to the first bulletin of the new school year!
It has been a busy Summer at school, with lots of physical and organsational changes to share with you: https://parkdale-primary.co.uk/changes-over-the-summer/
We have two new members of staff to welcome aboard: Ms Hutsby (Charlotte) class teacher in Reception (R Holly); and Ms Harris (Eleanor), class teacher 1 Chestnut. We also welcome back from maternity leave Miss Powell (Rebecca), who is now Mrs Hayes and is teaching 6 Beech.
Outgoing – temporarily – Miss Ward (Ruth), Reception teacher, who is on mat leave having brought a healthy son, Rex, into the world over the Summer.
Following a major review of the effectiveness of our swimming provision by our PE team, we are putting together a rather radical (and hopefully rather brilliant!) improvement plan. This will involve a swimming pool coming to us, complete with qualified coach. The children will have much more intensive teaching. Year 4 would traditionally have been starting their swimming next week, but will not this year. However, Year 4 will be the first focus group for the new arrangements. Parents/carers of Year 4, you will be notified of the new arrangements as and when they are finalised.
Look out for your child coming home with an apple they have picked in our orchard today (Friday 8th):https://parkdale-primary.co.uk/apple-day/
In case you missed it over the Summer, there was a Parkdale take-over on BBC Radio Nottingham – an hour long special on our children’s fantastic efforts to support our local foodbank. If you’ve not listened yet, it’s highly recommended – very heart-warming and it’ll make you proud to be part of our school community: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g360m8
Changes to Homework Policy – We’ve listened to your feedback and have made some changes. You should have already received a letter personalised for your child’s year group. If not, there should be a copy available on the relevant year group page on this site. This will include an invitation to an event to explain and provide support.
Anti-Bullying: We’ll save it for a week or two as we’re aware we’re throwing a lot at you right now, but look out for a re-launch and review of our Anti-Bullying Charter. This is a Parkdale feature of which we are particularly proud and the recent Ofsted inspection identified it as a strength. It is something we developed a few years back and have since been asked frequently to share it with other schools as a model of good practice. It has occurred to us that some people are unaware of its existence, which is a shame is it has proven a highly effective tool for dealing with concerns and nipping potential problems, rare as they are here, in the bud, so to speak. We’re also aware that some staff have, for whatever reason, not always applied it consistently; this is something we have already addressed on our Admin Day this week.
News here, from Mrs Troop, of a trial of digital reading logs (reading diaries). The trial is runing in Reception, Y2 and Y5, but hopefully it will be a success and rll-out to all year groups shortly.: https://parkdale-primary.co.uk/digital-reading-logs/
Eco Schools Award – we are delighted to be able to announce that our work on sustainability has won us prestigious Eco-Schools accreditation and the right to fly the ‘green flag’: https://parkdale-primary.co.uk/eco-schools-award/
Curriculum Changes – Through School Council and the end of year survey, the children expressed some views that their interest in our curriculum was waning. We’re talking here really about our approach to History and Geography. They found some bits repetitive and less relevant that they might have been when we introduced them a few years ago – everything has a shelf life!
During inspection, Ofsted suggested we ought to clarify some of the content in Geography and History and be a bit more specific about the knowledge we teach, formally listing the facts we expect children to learn each year. This was something we’d not done as we kept it flexible, tailoring themes to children’s interests and also focussed more on skills and attitudes, believing knowledge to be ‘cheap’ as long as you are encouraged to be interested, are taught where to find it and how to evaluate it critically. Nonetheless, Ofsted insist differently, so we’ll need to comply.
Put these two together and it seemed a good time to review what we do in the Humanities. We’d aimed to implement some changes next school year, but a tidal wave of energy and enthusiasm has seen us hurtle along and come up with new plans that we can start to put into place right away. Rather than share all of this with you now, first week when you’re receiving lots and lots of information, we’ll do a feature and share documents in a week or two.
Reminders for next week…
It’s adventure time for Years 3 and 4 as they’re off to their camps in Colwick Park:
Monday 4 Poplar
Tuesday 4 Ash
Wednesday 3 Elm
Thursday 3 Rowan
Let’s hope for decent weather!
Y5/6 football clubs start next week, either Tuesday or Thursday. Those who have applied will receive a text confirming which day before the end of today (Friday 8th).