OAK BITES 29^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

• Year 6 parents/guardians – If your child hasn’t been attending school since we started the phased return of Year 6, but you now wish for them to come in, we would be grateful if you would let us know by phoning or emailing the school office. This will assist in our planning and pupil/teacher ratios going forward. Thank you for your assistance with this.

• For those Year 6 children attending as Keyworker children in the weeks that are not their ‘bubble’ week, due to the increasing numbers of children attending, it may not always be possible for them to be added to their usual class bubble. In this instance, it is possible they will be in a mixed Keyworker bubble for that week, or indeed a different year 6 bubble. Thank you for your understanding.

• Food parcel collections – If your child is attending school and you have collected a food pack for them, we would expect that you provide them with a packed lunch for that week. Alternatively you can let the office know if your child will be in school and you don’t require the food pack on a Monday. The children will then be provided with a school lunch.

OAK BITES 24^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Hampshire Music Service Information:

This week’s Keep Calm and Make Music instalments are:

Weekly Wonders:

• Keep Calm and Make Music - Weekly Wonder - Underwater - YR and KS1

• Keep Calm and Make Music - Weekly Wonder - Underwater - KS2

Each of our resources are in power point format so you simply need to "load, click and go". We hope you enjoy sharing these with your children.

Advisory note to parents and teachers: we wanted to make you aware that these powerpoints have links to carefully chosen resources on youtube however we are not able to control the adverts that may sometimes appear at the start of a clip or comments written underneath.   

Don't forget you can access all the resources to date . Follow the link to http://hantsmusic.org.uk/makemusic/ and use the password musicfun Please do make the link and password available to all your pupils' families

Please also visit our Tuning In online music festival freely availabale for all Hampshire residents at this address

https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/hampshiremusic/news/22may20-tuning-in-summer-festival2020

or it can be found by visiting the HMS website and following the links to Tuning In

Here is the link to the HMS youtube channel where you can find our singing assemblies and much more besides

https://www.youtube.com/user/HantsMusServ

Other resources you may like to look at are

BBC Ten Pieces At Home - Activities & Interactive Workshops - Week 10

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/ten-pieces-at-home/zjy3382

Out of the ark Music@Home

https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/ootam-at-home/

Look out for their New NEW Songs for EVERY Lockdown Leavers’ Assembly Coming Soon! Here is a very long link to their homepage

https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=OOTA%20%20HOME%20week%2012&utm_content=OOTA%20%20HOME%20week%2012+CID_1c8db5c9dee5703d0592fbef2efbbfce&utm_source=Email%20newsletter&utm_term=Homepage

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.  Keep smiling and Keep calm and continue to make music!

MEADOWSWEET WAY PLAY AREA PUBLIC VOTE

The Parish Council is replacing the existing play area at Meadowsweet Way with a new facility.

We would like residents to vote on what equipment should go on site. Please visit www.fairoak-pc.gov.uk to find details on the design options and how to cast your vote.

The design with the highest number of votes will win! We aim to get the new equipment installed by October 2020.

Thank you for taking part

MENU FOR W/C 29/06/2020

OAK BITES 22^nd June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Monday. A few weeks ago the government announced that they would not be expecting all children to return. However, we have a plan….

Since the announcement, we have been busy looking at options to be able to give children a Keep in touch day or two. Why? By September, the majority of our children would have not entered school for nearly 25 weeks and I am really concerned about how they will feel when it is time to return. Why have we not communicated this to parents sooner? Simply, because our Key worker numbers have risen considerably (some weeks this has been a rise of 46%), and I needed enough data to put the plan into action without getting hopes up.

The plan at the moment is for all children to have at least one day in school in a bubble of up to 15 of their classmates. This day will be with your child’s class teacher, unless they are isolating due to being medically vulnerable.

• Year 3: 1 or 2 days week beginning 29^th June (next week)
• Year 5: 1 or 2 days week beginning 6^th July
• Year 4: 1 or 2 days week beginning 13^th July
• Year 6 parents – We are planning on holding a celebratory day for our year 6 children on Wednesday 22^nd July. To prepare for this, school will be closed to year 6 children on Monday 20^th and Tuesday 21^st July. School will remain open for Key Worker/Vulnerable children.

As you can imagine, there are a number of variables with getting the children back:

1. Key worker numbers may rise significantly, resulting in the plan to change or not happen at all
2. Some classes have 34 children in them, so we can’t simply divide the class in 2
3. Classes will be split into bubbles – which will be organised by the register (this is not going to be based on friendship choices etc.)
4. Teachers may get poorly
5. Timings for the day will look different for you and your child, e.g. staggered starts and end to the school day

In order to finalise the plan, I need you to complete a survey monkey. Unfortunately, exact days for the weeks cannot be given, as these will depend on the data from the survey monkey. For you as parents, I realise that it will be tricky to sign up to 1 or 2 days in a week when you don’t know which days you are signing up for. I completely appreciate this, particularly for the year 3 children next week. However I need the survey monkey data in order to make this decision, as there is a significant amount of planning behind the scenes for this to succeed.

Please also note, that if your child is a Key Worker/Vulnerable child, you will need to decide whether your child comes into school for the week as a Key Worker or for the 1 or 2 days with his/her class bubble. Children will not be crossing bubbles. This can be indicated on the survey monkey.

What do I need from you?

• To complete the survey monkey by 10am on Wednesday 24^th June. If it has not been completed by this time, your child will not be able to attend. I do not require a survey for year 6 children.
• If you select that you do not want your child to attend, we will not be able to change the register – so no means no
• Key Worker parents – you will need to decide whether your child will be joining their class bubble for 1 or 2 days or the key worker bubble. Children will not cross bubbles. The Key Worker/Vulnerable register will come out tomorrow as normal. If your child will be coming to school as part of his/her class bubble, please do not complete the Key Worker register, as s/he cannot be in multiple bubbles.
• Please read the information below about what school will look like.

I will be writing to you all again with further details about the day/days once all the data is in. This will include information on timings/lunch arrangement etc.

What will school look like?

Since ‘lockdown’ we have managed to keep all children and staff safe at school. If you are planning to send your child into school, you may be wondering what school will look like, or how we will keep your child as safe as possible – here is a (not exhaustive) list of things that we are doing in school:

• Children will be in bubbles/groups – there will be a maximum of 15 children in each of these
• Staggering the start and end of the day for Year 6 children – see table below
• All children will have a thermal check as they enter school – If a child’s temperature is 37.8 degrees or above, they will be isolated for a thermometer check
• Children will need to wash their hands when they arrive into the building and at various points throughout the day
• Hand sanitiser stations have been placed throughout the building and hand sanitiser is available in each classroom. Please note that this is 70% alcohol. Please instruct your child not to use it, if they have specific medical conditions
• Fewer children are in each class and classrooms have been set out to provide maximum social distancing – see picture example
• Children’s tables have been marked with a cross (denoting where not to sit)
• All soft furnishings have been removed from the classrooms and book corners have been turned around, so that children cannot access them. On that note, the library is out of action
• The Relationships Policy (behaviour Policy) has been changed to address behaviour management with COVID19. Posters have been created for each classroom.
• The Marking and Feedback Policy has been changed to address potential cross contamination. Posters have been created for each classroom.
• Government-recommended Posters have also been printed for each classroom
• Fire arrangements have been updated. Clear guidance for evacuation routes will be in each classroom
• New bins have been purchased for each classroom – after each use, please wash hands or use hand sanitiser
• Children will have allocated drop off and collection points – see table below
• Children will have allocated playing spaces for lunchtime and playtime
• Whilst new gym equipment has been installed, this will need to be cleaned before and after each use.
• Children will be encouraged to eat their lunches inside their classrooms, or outside in their designated playing space.
• The intention is to clean classrooms when the children are out at lunchtime.
• The Physio room has been designated as the space to use if anyone displays symptoms of COVID19.

Key Worker/Vulnerable Pupils

• As our numbers have grown considerably, we will endeavour to get the children into their zones as quickly as possible. This mean that from Tuesdays the register will be completed in their bubble zones.
• Here are the new arrangements:
• Mondays – register and lunch choices taken at the main green gate
• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays - register and lunch choices taken by the bubble adult. If your child is unsure where to go, they will simply need to ask the adult responsible at the green gate
• Thermal pictures will still be taken of every child
• Please ensure that you complete the registers – as I cannot guarantee that your child will be granted access if this is not done, due to the level of planning needed.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mr De Silva

OAK BITES 18^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Thursday! Another busy week draws to a close and the children have adapted well to the new every day routines and arrangements in school as we knew they would.

Reminder…. INSET DAY THIS FRIDAY 19^th JUNE……

Please note: The school office will also be closed on this day.

As mentioned in yesterday’s Oak Bites, please find below our PSHE letter, earlier than planned:

FAIR OAK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Botley Road, Fair Oak, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 7AN

T: 023 80 693195

E: adminoffice@fairoak-jun.hants.sch.uk

www.fairoakjunior.co.uk

Head Teacher: Andrew De Silva

Dear Parents/Guardians,

You will be aware that, as a part of your child’s educational experience at Fair Oak Junior School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.  This year, with the return to schools from the coronavirus lockdown, wellbeing and emotional support will be at the forefront of our whole school recovery plan.

From September 2020 the Department for Education is making Relationships and Health Education compulsory in all primary schools.

The new guidance focuses on healthy relationships and keeping children safe in the modern world. It also covers a wide range of topics relating to physical and mental health, wellbeing, safeguarding and healthy relationships.

Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, it will give children and young people the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships and will help them take responsibility for their own well-being.

All PSHE sessions will be age-appropriate and meet the needs of all pupils in the class.  It will be the responsibility of the class teacher to adapt the lessons to suit the needs of the children in their class whilst covering the statutory requirements.

Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the sex education delivered as part of the statutory RSE following discussions with the head teacher.

There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education or any content from the statutory science curriculum. This means that pupils cannot be withdrawn from lessons on the Changing Adolescent Body.

This guidance will form part of our school’s PSHE education programme which is taught throughout the school in every year group and is monitored and reviewed regularly.

We will be using the thematic scheme of work recommended by the PSHE Association which ensures progression in knowledge, attitudes and values, and skills – including the key skills of social and emotional learning, known to improve outcomes for children. The attached table shows a brief overview of topics covered in each year group.  Other schools in the Wyvern cluster will also be using the PSHE Association recommendations which means a consistent approach to covering all objectives by the end of Year 11.

All teaching in PSHE will take place in a safe learning environment and be underpinned by our school ethos and values. A variety of opportunities will be provided for pupils to ask questions to further their understanding and to find out more about what affects them personally.  You will be informed via our year group newsletters which PSHE topics will be covered in your child’s lessons.  Details will follow from class teachers nearer the time.

It is important that there is open conversation between parents and school to ensure that the children are given the best PSHE provision as we are our children’s top two preferred sources of information about sex, relationships and other aspects of PSHE learning.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs K Layley                                                                         Mrs E Downer

Deputy Headteacher                                                       PSHE Lead

Hampshire Music Service: Please find below, the free Keep Calm and Make Music resources for the next week (Su 2 week 3) from Hampshire Music Service.

We will continue to send you new music resources each week of the lockdown period. This week we are sending you two more Weekly Wonders.

• Weekly Wonder – a themed learning resource designed to be used over several sessions based around a topic or the development of key musical understanding and skills

We hope that you and your children enjoy using these to develop their musical understanding and skills. We encourage you to send these to your children isolating at home as none of these resources are dependent on the children having prior musical knowledge or access to musical resources

This week’s Keep Calm and Make Music instalments are:
Weekly Wonders:

• Keep Calm and Make Music - Weekly Wonder - Colours of the Rainbow - YR and KS1

• Keep Calm and Make Music - Weekly Wonder - Colours of the Rainbow - KS2

Each of our resources are in power point format so you simply need to "load, click and go". We hope you enjoy sharing these with your children.

Advisory note to parents and teachers: we wanted to make you aware that these powerpoints have links to carefully chosen resources on YouTube however we are not able to control the adverts that may sometimes appear at the start of a clip or comments written underneath.   

Don't forget you can access all the resources to date . Follow the link to http://hantsmusic.org.uk/makemusic/ and use the password musicfun Please do make the link and password available to all your pupils' families

Please also visit our Tuning In online music festival freely available for all Hampshire residents at this address

https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/hampshiremusic/news/22may20-tuning-in-summer-festival2020

or it can be found by visiting the HMS website and following the links to Tuning In

Here is the link to the HMS youtube channel where you can find our singing assemblies and much more besides

https://www.youtube.com/user/HantsMusServ

Other resources you may like to look at are

BBC Ten Pieces At Home - Activities & Interactive Workshops - Week 9

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/ten-pieces-at-home/zjy3382

Out of the ark Music@Home HMS Primary Resources for all schools

https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/ootam-at-home/

Look out for their New NEW Songs for EVERY Lockdown Leavers’ Assembly Coming Soon! Here is a very long link to their homepage

https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=OOTA%20%20HOME%20week%2012&utm_content=OOTA%20%20HOME%20week%2012+CID_1c8db5c9dee5703d0592fbef2efbbfce&utm_source=Email%20newsletter&utm_term=Homepage

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.  Keep smiling and Keep calm and continue to make music!

OAK BITES 17^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Wednesday! The children are settling in to the ‘new normal’ of our school routine and looking around there are lots of happy smiling faces which says it all I think. Firstly, we would like to thank of all of those parents/guardians who managed to complete the questionnaire indicating friendship choices for the children (in readiness for the new school year). We had an amazing response which is really helpful.

PSHE

This Friday we will be sending out some important information about how our PHSE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) programme of education will be delivered going forward in school. Please take the time to have a look if you are able to.

Have a super end to the week.

Mr De Silva

LUNCH MENU Week 22nd June 2020

Following the trial this week, we are delighted to continue the hot food option. Please sign up!

OAK BITES 15^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Monday!

There has been quite an increase in our Keyworker children numbers and it is so lovely to see the children back enjoying each other’s company (socially distanced of course!)

Just a reminder that if you are coming to school to collect food parcels or work packs, this ideally needs to take place between 11am – 11.30 am each Monday when the gates have been unlocked for this purpose. If you are unable to come at this time please contact the school office to arrange an alternative time slot. We will do our best to accommodate you. Thank you.

Wyvern now have Year 10 students back in school and to maintain social distancing, the Wyvern footpaths have been designated for their use only. Fair Oak Junior School pupils will need to enter the school by the pedestrian gate next to  the main vehicle entrance into the Campus. This will all become clear when you come on to the campus.

The Admin Team

.

OAK BITES 10^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Wednesday!

STEAM WEEK

This week is our Fair Oak whole school STEAM WEEK. 

S.T.E.A.M stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. 

We were looking forward to the amazing Exxon Eddie's visit and other brilliant visitors to support our special event as last year, but this year needed a re-think. My favourite week couldn't go forgotten so I have created 5 videos of STEAM inspired activities which you can do at home (or in the garden), one for each day, which I hope you will join in with. The first 3 videos have been uploaded onto our YouTube channel and can be watched and joined in with by anyone in the school, any day and at any time. My main aim is for everyone to enjoy the tasks and apply your STEAM skills. Lots of children have been uploading their work on the Purple Mash Blog if you need some inspiration. 

The Activities

Monday started the week with a bang as it was inspired by the awe-inspiring Space X mission. Did you see it? If you missed it, you can catch-up on the YouTube NASA channel.  You will need a small bottle, fruit shoot works well, water and Alka-Seltzer or Berocca. Some people have found that the bottles are sealing incredibly well and you may find closing the sports cap (but not completely) will result in a fantastic take off. 

Tuesday -you will need a toilet roll tube and imagination/ creativity! 

I was incredibly impressed by the creativity of the children who have taken part already. Issac M, Asha G, Ben S, Anna F and Tom S deserve a huge round of applause for the most impressive ideas so far. 

Wednesday - (today) you will need lollysticks, elastic bands and a bottle top lid.

Thursday -you will need an empty plastic milk bottle and imagination/ creativity!

Friday - you will need milk, salt, lots of ice, a small and a larger zip-lock bag and lots of energy. A spoonful of sugar and flavourings such as vanilla too. It will be delicious and worth the effort.

Please post your photos, videos and comments on the Purple Mash science (STEAM WEEK) blog.  I hope you have enjoyed the tasks so far and enjoy the rest of the week. Don't forget, there are lots of Science Time videos for the whole school to join in with too on our YouTube channel. 

Mrs Tuxford

Year 6 Leavers Hoodies are here!!

If you ordered a leavers hoodie for your Year 6 child, they will be coming home with the children over the next couple of weeks depending on when they are in school with their Bubble group.

If your child is not currently attending school in either bubble week, please come into school to collect them w/c 22^nd June. Ideally, on the Monday between 11-11.30 am, when the gates are unlocked for the collection of work packs/food parcels etc. Thank you.

School menu…

Next week, we are trialling hot meals from the school 

kitchen. These are:

LUNCH MENU Week 15th June 2020

OAK BITES 8TH June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Monday!

It is so lovely to have the other half of our Year sixes back with us this week! We have missed them.

Last week we sent out a little reminder to Year 6 children continue with the You Tube videos, when not in school. We would like to add to this a reminder about English if we may. Whilst these are no longer available through the You Tube forum, the tailored PowerPoints which are available on our school website, are important, so if you are able to do so, please encourage your children to have a look!

As you may have heard, a new story by J.K Rowling is available online, free of charge! Please use this link if you would like to take a look:

 https://twitter.com/TheIckabog/status/1265281662079905792?s=20

OAK BITES 5^th June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Friday!

The message below was shared on Wednesday’s Oak Bites but we wanted to ensure that everyone has had an opportunity to read this message regarding next year’s classes.

Classes for next year

Each year the children are put into new classes. Although the children haven’t completed a whole year with their current class due to the COVID19 situation, we will be splitting the children for September 2020 – which is in line with our colleagues at the infant school, who will be splitting their year two children for transition to us.

Why? Classes are split by three main factors:

1. A mix of academic ability, so that children of all prior attainment levels can succeed
2. Relationships and learning and/or social behaviours – these change yearly. Sometimes children’s learning/social behaviours change considerably in a school year for a number of reasons
3. Friendships – as much as possible, we try to give your child the scope to choose a friend.

We split the classes each year because we have a holistic picture of what is happening in each class and indeed throughout the year group. As a parent you, rightly, will have your child’s best interest at heart which may be governed by friendship issues and/or perceived concerns with behaviour (learning and/or social). Whilst we clearly take this all on board, we have to look at every individual child, relating to the factors above, as well as the needs of the teachers – in that teachers may need to change year groups etc.

So why change then? Changes to classes are needed to redress the balance according to the three factors above. As parents, you may not know the full picture of the class or the year group, whereas we, as the educational professionals – who see the children daily in an educational context, do. That being said, you as parents may have communicated concerns about your child’s class placement throughout the year. Class splits, therefore, allow us to continue to redress the balance as best as possible.

I understand the logic over the class splits, but I’m really worried about how my child will cope with not knowing who his/her class teacher is, and who else will be in his/her class. Once classes have been split, your child’s new teacher will communicate with him/her via a new Purple Mash Blog. Whilst we are unable to share the names of children in each class group with your child due to data protection, s/he will be able to communicate with the new class group on Purple Mash.

So, will my child be able to decide who is in his/her class? The short answer is no, but your child will be able to select 5 friends. We will absolutely try our best to get at least 1 of their 5 friends into his/her new class.

How will my child be able to choose these friends?

Please speak to your child about the process – that they will be able to choose 5 friends from across the year group and that the school will do its best to get at least 1 of their choices in their class for next year. Once done, please complete the short survey monkey questionnaire (click here) by Midday on Monday 15^th June. If this isn’t completed, we will not have choices from your child. Teachers will be creating the classes during the inset day on Friday 19^th June. Once the choices have been made by the staff, they will not change.

As always, thank you for your support with this.

Year 6 children

Free School Meal food hampers will not be prepared for a child that is due to be in school as part of their Bubble - unless we have already been notified that the child will not be in. The children that are in school will be fed here, as usual. If you also have a younger child at our school, a hamper will still be prepared for them.

Transition to Wyvern

Wyvern have asked us to provide them with questions from the children regarding transition to Wyvern.

We have spoken to those in school this week to get their questions, and this will also be done for those year 6 children in school next week. However, if your child was not in school this week and will not be coming next week, please do email adminoffice@fairoak-jun.hants.sch.uk if your child has any questions that s/he would like Wyvern to answer. Please email your questions by 3pm on Tuesday FAO Mrs Gowers.

For those children who are not in school with their bubble, we would be grateful if they could keep up with our YouTube learning videos at home. This means that when they are back in school for their week, they will be up to date and the learning can continue! Thank you, we know that many demands are being made of you all at this time and we really appreciate your support with this.

For the next few weeks, there will be no set to dos on Purple Mash due to the increased demand of the planned work. However, please feel free to upload your child’s learning and comment on the blog.

Have a good weekend.

Mr De Silva

Please find attached the free Keep Calm and Make Music resources for the next week (Su 2 week 2) from Hampshire Music Service.

 This week we are sending you two Weekly Wonders.

• Weekly Wonder – a themed learning resource designed to be used over several sessions based around a topic or the development of key musical understanding and skills

We hope that you and your children enjoy using these to develop their musical understanding and skills. We encourage you to send these to your children isolating at home as none of these resources are dependent on the children having prior musical knowledge or access to musical resources

 This week’s Keep Calm and Make Music instalments are:

Weekly Wonders:

• Keep Calm and Make Music - weekly wonder - Read Write and Remeber Music - Notation - KS2

For the webpage where you can access all the resources sent out to date follow the link to http://hantsmusic.org.uk/makemusic/ and use the password musicfun.

 Each of our resources are in power point format so you simply need to "load, click and go". We hope you enjoy sharing these with your children.

 Advisory note to parents and teachers: we wanted to make you aware that these powerpoints have links to carefully chosen resources on youtube however we are not able to control the adverts that may sometimes appear at the start of a clip or comments written underneath.   

 Please also visit our Tuning In online music festival freely availabale for all Hampshire residents at this address

https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/hampshiremusic/news/22may20-tuning-in-summer-festival2020

or it can be found by visiting the HMS website and following the links to Tuning In

 In particular have a look at our 30 day Tuning in Challenge (see image below) with a short musical activity for everyday of June

 Here is the link to the HMS youtube channel where you can find our singing assemblies and much more besides

https://www.youtube.com/user/HantsMusServ

 Other resources you may like to look at are

BBC Ten Pieces At Home - Activities & Interactive Workshops

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/ten-pieces-at-home/zjy3382

 Out of the ark Music@Home

https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/ootam-at-home/

 Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.  Keep smiling and Keep calm and continue to make music!

OAK BITES 3^rd June 2020

Please follow us on Twitter @FairOakJS

Follow our YouTube channel

Dear Fair Oak Family,

Happy Wednesday!

I hope that the week is going well. It is great to have some of our Year 6 children back in school and we are looking forward to seeing the second half next week. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback about how your child has settled back into school.

The work on the school field has begun and we are really looking forward to our all-weather artificial turf. This space will be incredibly helpful for break times and lunchtimes, especially when we lose the playground closest to the infant school.

Classes for next year

Each year the children are put into new classes. Although the children haven’t completed a whole year with their current class due to the COVID19 situation, we will be splitting the children for September 2020 – which is in line with our colleagues at the infant school, who will be splitting their year two children for transition to us.

Why? Classes are split by three main factors:

1. A mix of academic ability, so that children of all prior attainment levels can succeed
2. Relationships and learning and/or social behaviours – these change yearly. Sometimes children’s learning/social behaviours change considerably in a school year for a number of reasons
3. Friendships – as much as possible, we try to give your child the scope to choose a friend.

We split the classes each year because we have a holistic picture of what is happening in each class and indeed throughout the year group. As a parent you, rightly, will have your child’s best interest at heart which may be governed by friendship issues and/or perceived concerns with behaviour (learning and/or social). Whilst we clearly take this all on board, we have to look at every individual child, relating to the factors above, as well as the needs of the teachers – in that teachers may need to change year groups etc.

So why change then? Changes to classes are needed to redress the balance according to the three factors above. As parents, you may not know the full picture of the class or the year group, whereas we, as the educational professionals – who see the children daily in an educational context, do. That being said, you as parents may have communicated concerns about your child’s class placement throughout the year. Class splits, therefore, allow us to continue to redress the balance as best as possible.

I understand the logic over the class splits, but I’m really worried about how my child will cope with not knowing who his/her class teacher is, and who else will be in his/her class. Once classes have been split, your child’s new teacher will communicate with him/her via a new Purple Mash Blog. Whilst we are unable to share the names of children in each class group with your child due to data protection, s/he will be able to communicate with the new class group on Purple Mash.

So, will my child be able to decide who is in his/her class? The short answer is no, but your child will be able to select 5 friends. We will absolutely try our best to get at least 1 of their 5 friends into his/her new class.

How will my child be able to choose these friends?

Please speak to your child about the process – that they will be able to choose 5 friends from across the year group and that the school will do its best to get at least 1 of their choices in their class for next year. Once done, please complete the short survey monkey questionnaire (click here) by Midday on Monday 15^th June. If this isn’t completed, we will not have choices from your child. Teachers will be creating the classes during the inset day on Friday 19^th June. Once the choices have been made by the staff, they will not change.

As always, thank you for your support with this.

A few points for those in school

• Wyvern vending machine – children should not be using this at the beginning and end of the day
• Please do not bring in large school bags into school.
• Please speak to your child about adhering to social distancing when they are walking to and from school.
• Named water bottles need to be sent in - some children aren’t bringing water bottles.
• Sun cream – please send your child into school with sun cream (which they can apply). You may also want to send them in with a sun hat.
• Hand cream – Children are washing their hands at least 6 times a day, so you may want to send your child into school with some hand cream. Please also encourage your child to dry their hands thoroughly.
• Attached: Back to school travel guide

Year 6 children

For those children who are not in school with their bubble, we would be grateful if they could keep up with our YouTube learning videos at home. This means that when they are back in school for their week, they will be up to date and the learning can continue! Thank you, we know that many demands are being made of you all at this time and we really appreciate your support with this.

For the next few weeks, there will be no set to dos on Purple Mash due to the increased demand of the planned work. However, please feel free to upload your child’s learning and comment on the blog.

Have a good few days.

Mr De Silva