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Beatrix Potter  Primary School www.beatrixpotterschool.com

Email info@beatrixpotter.wandsworth.sch.uk

 

March Newsletter 2008

 

 

Text Box: Beatrix Potter  Primary School www.beatrixpotterschool.com Email info@beatrixpotter.wandsworth.sch.uk   March Newsletter 2008    

 

 

 

                                                                       

Text Box: Dear Parents. We have not had a newsletter since Christmas, but the school has been particularly busy.  The building I cover in a separate section.  At the moment we are working on the new budget.  It’s reasonably okay but the loss of some children at year 3 has meant a reduction in income and this has unfortunately removed the expected gains from a very positive budget settlement. We have high mobility at the middle of the school and I am aware that some private schools are touting for business at year 4 and 5, enchanting parents with the promise of a better chance at 11 for the private school. Not an accurate picture, but understandably attractive in this pressurised period.  The good news for us is that our success rate for both selective and private school choice is a record 90-95%.  Where parents  move out of the borough filling the space further up the school is never easy.  If out of area and with younger siblings the chances of a place lower down is problematic.  What the solution is might be to remove the sibling out of area policy and have siblings wherever as the first priority.  Your thoughts are welcome on this. Governors are looking at various areas on communication and had a very positive session brainstorming ideas.  News on this will appear in the near future on our web site on the governors page. Text Box: ReCycling. BP has a very good record on recycling.  Plastic Bottle tops are the latest addition, but to re-cycle them they have to be sent to Portsmouth.  Can you halt collection for the time being as we are overflowing in the office at this time.  We have had Wastewatch in and they have helped us with Wandsworth to incorporate some old ideas into a new recycling scheme.  With this newsletter comes a mobile phone envelope, please hang onto it until you replace your phone and use it to donate money to the school. The newsletters and many other paper communications from school use tons of paper each year.  Whilst some are on re-cycled paper we are still cutting down vast tracts of trees.  I would like to go over to a web based newsletter with a dedicated access in school for people without web access to view.  Some paper copies would be available from the reception area.  Watch this space for the next developments. (See further on form more www info)

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: The New Building. As you will have all seen the building is taking shape.  The site manager Pascal has been working with the school and the rapport we have is excellent.  Disruption has not occurred and the construction has been noise free.  Dust or debris from the site is zero and the impact on the school has been minimal.  When the first real bricks are laid the school will be helping to mark the occasion.  Apollo the building company came in and gave all the children an excellent safety talk and are running a simple competition on site safety.  A sheet will arrive home with this letter and the children will know what to do.  As you can see we will gain a substantial new area of grass once the site huts have gone and this will add to the new landscaping areas around the site.  The PTA is gathering its resources to help us develop the new areas around the school and in the existing building, including we hope an art room, equipped with materials etc.  We are also hoping to create an outdoor play area with various themes for the foundation and reception areas.  The play space at the front of the building has concerned some reception parents, part of the plan is to put a simple barrier of plastic chain along the edge of the tarmac, it will mean the children no longer using the garden area for play but the barrier will keep the children away from the fence to allay some parents concerns.  Our new play area will have the original pergola installed for shade and at long last flood lighting is to be installed to open up the area for longer usage.  Overall some very positive developments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box:   Text Box: Ms Palmer runs the London Marathon in April for the development charity VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas.)  This excellent organisation sends volunteers to work in developing countries  to achieve long lasting change.  It is probably one of the most successful organisations and is highly valued by the UK and the countries in which it works.  Ms Palmer spent two years in Nepal as part of her VSO work.  The school is sponsoring Ms Palmer from its own International funds and we hope you will be able to support her to.  You can sign a sponsorship form outside the school office or with Ms palmer or donate online to  www.justgiving.com/sallypalmer1   Our BP Web site: www.beatrixpotterschool.com has all the latest news and information in its info now pages, PTA pages and Governor pages.  We update them as soon as we can.  Our podcast page is easily accessible by a link on our opening page.  It does look a little old but it works and unlike many sites is updated by us easily and quickly.  We are looking at updating when we can.    Text Box: Bike It has proved very popular and we do encourage you to let your child bike to school.  BUT and there are always buts we require you to sign a permission slip which has a few simple rules attached.  Forms are in the plastic containers outside the office. On Bike It days can I ask you to remind your children about taking care riding down to school.  I had an irate parent from another school complaining about the children on their bikes.  I believe she was just a little over the top and our children were excited and unsure of the road, just remind them to watch out for others.   Congratulations to the PTA on the events over last and this term, a range of new and old.  The Summer fair is looming large in their minds and they will be seeking help and support in the next months.  Look out for news on the PTA board, newsletters and on the BP Web site.  The voluntary funds parents support is going towards a range of class trips to cover coaches, a whole school outing to a superb rural centre and a foundation stage visit to Brocketts Farm all secured by your generous donations and support, thank you.   The Year 5 and 6 school journey is preparing to go at the end of March.  It’s the last week of term and I will be away during that week.  So if you need to see me for any reason catch me before I go.  When we are there the Arran Coastguard pay us a visit and we are donating a cash sum to support the work they do. (Last time we bought them a laptop)   Year R Mrs Pert is recovering well, we will arrange a time early in the term for an open evening/day so you can catch up on your child's progress. Text Box: BP featured in several media slots this term.  The Borough news ran an article on our popularity followed by a full page spread on the school in colour, both very positive pictures of the school.  We also featured as the 10th most popular school in London beating all the church schools for applications per place.  I was asked to comment on why we were popular and my comments can be seen in the front entrance.  Then the radio 4 Today programme sent the radio car to BP for comment on the secondary school application results.    BP Podcasting and more. BP has a link on the main page of the website to our new podcast page.  Do visit and see what we are experimenting with.  We hope to have our children in Arran on the school journey blogging back to school and being seen live and recorded in the USA by a link school and by the children’s parents at home.  This arises from our hand held and mac project which is now moving into other year groups.

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