FARNEY CLOSE SCHOOL
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’
NEWSLETTER
Christmas 2023
I hope that this finds you and yours well. I write to bring you up to date with changes that have occurred since my last Newsletter back in the September.
Christmas is fast approaching so please check the end of this Newsletter for more detailed information. We are really looking forward to celebrating Christmas with the children at FCS.
This term has been busy with us being provided with the go ahead to increase our numbers from a maximum of 72 to 100. This has meant we have been busy meeting potential new pupils and enjoying the opportunity to show off our school.
Work is well underway to open our new Key Stage 2 class in January to enable us to take in 8 more KS2 children. Our Inclusion unit has been up and running this term. Several children have already benefitted from the support offered by the team on this unit.
Three of our care staff have started their Forest Schools awards. As part of this we are looking to create an area within our grounds that will be dedicated to Forest School.
Swimming lessons are now taking place throughout the year to support those that require extra input other than the Primary children who all have lessons over the summer term.
The Climbing Frame that was put in place over the summer break, has been a huge success. It is really popular both at breaktimes and during the evenings. It not only provides a great opportunity for play and exercise but also helps children when they need time and space to self-regulate.
People are clearly benefitting by having a hot meal at lunchtime and tea on the Houses. We do feel that every child, whether a day pupil or residential, benefit from having a main meal at lunchtime. Having tea on the Houses provides much more flexibility and creates a more natural (less institutionalised) environment to enjoy this meal in.
At the point of writing this Newsletter we have not had our annual visit form Ofsted Social Care, but I will keep you informed when this happens.
This week we have celebrated Anti-bullying week with various activities such as odd socks day, an anti-bullying poster competition, school assemblies, a non-school uniform day etc.
Next week we have a professional photographer coming in to take some photos of the school so we can refresh our website. We will also be planting out some saplings that have just been donated. Each child and member of staff will have the opportunity to plant a tree and mark it with their name so that they can see the progress it makes over time.
We have also launched a weekly kindness award. Initially certificates will be given to the children that achieve this award but moving forward postcards will be send home via the postal service.
Should anyone be interested in supporting the school’s fundraising team, with fundraising events or applications moving forward, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are busy getting together raffle and tombola prizes to support us with our Christmas fundraising. B&Q have kindly donated a Christmas tree for our reception area and various other parents, carers and organisations have also been very generous.
Please note these dates for your diary concerning Christmas. I hope that you are able to join us for the relevant parts of our festivities:
- Wednesday 6th December – Christmas Jumper day – all children, staff and visitors are encouraged to wear
a Christmas Jumper during the school day (uniform trousers/skirt and school shoes.) A donation of £1 from their pocket money will be donated to the Ankoma Outreach. - Thursday 7th December – School Disco, buffet food and Fireworks. All FCS pupils are invited to join in with our School Disco from 4.30 until 6pm.
Day pupils are invited to join us for the evening. They would need to attend school in uniform but bring in their “disco” clothes to change into after school. Parents, carers and families are invited to join us from 5.30pm for refreshments followed by fireworks at 6pm. Your child’s linkworker will be in touch nearer the time to confirm your attendance.
Day pupils whose parents / carers are unable to make the fireworks will need collecting by them at 6.30pm. If this is not possible, they will have to miss the Disco and Fireworks and travel home as usual at the end of the school day.
Primary (KS2) pupils are not attending the Disco but going out after school for an activity and dinner to return in time for the Fireworks.
- Tuesday 12th December – Our school Christmas lunch. All pupils are encouraged to bring in smart social clothes to change into for our whole school meal. Day pupils will need to come in uniform and bring their change of clothes with them. Day pupils will need collecting, via their normal mode of transport, at their usual time.
- Wednesday 13th December – Parents, carers, friends and family are invited to join us from 10am for our Christmas show. Mince pies, tea, coffee etc will be served from 10am and fundraising events will take place (please bring cash 😊). The show will start at 11am after which we ask that you take your child home with you, for the Christmas break.
Those children who have no one attending the show will get their usual transport home after the show (midday).
Further dates for 2024:
- Tuesday 2nd January – No school – inset day for staff only.
- Wednesday 3rd January – Children return for the start of the Spring term.
- Friday 9th February – Last day of the half term.
- Monday 19th February – No school – inset day for staff only.
- Tuesday 20th February – Children return for the second half of the Spring term.
- Thursday 28th March – Last day of term.
- Monday and Tuesday 15th & 16th April are inset days.
- Wednesday 17th April – Children return for the first day of the Summer term.
- Friday 24th May – Last day of half term.
- Monday 3rd June – Inset day.
- Tuesday 4th June – Children return to school.
- Friday 19th July – Last day of term for the children.
- Monday and Tuesday 22nd and 23rd July are inset days for staff.
- Monday and Tuesday 2nd and 3rd September – Inset days.
- Wednesday 4th September – Children return for the start of the new academic year.
Thank you:
I hope that you will join me in thanking all the staff that work at Farney Close for their commitment and hard work. Without every member of our team we could not provide the service that we do.
Thank you for the support you have offered the school and for the dedication that you show your child that makes our job that much easier.
Kindest of Regards and a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours,
Sara
You can read also this newsletter in pdf version by clicking here.
