Newsletter - Friday 29th November 2024
- lfoster51
- Nov 29, 2024
- 8 min read
Issue 6 - Autumn 2024
Proud to be ELSTON! Empowered, Listeners, Successful, Together, Open-Minded, Nurturing
Dear families,
I hope that you are all well. I can't believe its December next week - November seems to have flown!
We've enjoyed many exciting school events over the past two weeks as well as lots of fantastic learning in classrooms.
This term we've had a big focus on handwriting and presentation and we can see the impact in pupil books! Pens are being distributed to pupils who demonstrate excellent handwriting consistently across the curriculum. I have seen some fantastic work over the past couple of weeks with several children each day visiting to share their books - well done children!
This week we welcomed Severn Trent to school and they delivered three assemblies to Years 5 and 6, Years 3 and 4 and finally Years 1 and 2. We also had a visit from Rocksteady today who delivered assemblies this afternoon. Please see 'Recent News' on our website for more information! Recent News | Elston Hall
Thank you to families who attended our parent behaviour meeting on Tuesday - your support is very much appreciated. The slides can be found on our website here if you weren't able to make it. Behaviour | Elston Hall
Thank you very much for your support for Children in Need - we raised £705!
Staff are busy planning Christmas activities for children. We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming Christmas performances! Tickets will be distributed soon - one ticket per performance for each family.
On the final week, we will have a whole school theme based on The Snowman! Children will complete work across the week based on the story/film. On Friday 20th December, children are invited to come into school in their favourite pyjamas and we will watch the film with hot chocolate and biscuits. We'll also be taking part in a singalong led by the Music School Hub.
We are very sad to share the news that Miss Bateman, one of our Year 5 Teaching Assistants, is leaving Elston Hall at the end of next week. She is moving onto a new challenge and we wish her every success! She will be missed.
I hope you have an enjoyable weekend. I imagine some Christmas trees may be going up and there may possibly be some naughty elves visiting homes?!
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Miss E Foster
Headteacher
Attendance
We track attendance weekly and monitor any pupils falling below 96%. School attendance decreased slightly to 95.4%. This is in line with the most recent national average published. We'd love to see our attendance increase above 96%. Well done to Year 4 who have the highest attendance so far! Years 5 attendance improved again - well done!
Please could we remind families to inform school of any absences before 9am. Please call 01902 558866. If you are calling before 8am, please leave a voicemail and this will be picked up and reasons for absence recorded on Arbor. Families can now also email attendance@elston.org.uk to report any absences. Families may now also report absences on the Arbor app!
If your child has a medical appointment, please bring them to school before and after wherever possible.
Year group | Up to 21.11.24 |
Whole School (Without Reception) | 95.4% |
Reception | 94.2% |
Year 1 | 95.6% |
Year 2 | 95.6% |
Year 3 | 94.4% |
Year 4 | 96.6% |
Year 5 | 95.5% |
Year 6 | 95.0% |
Year 4 and 5 Cinema trip
On Thursday 21st November, Year 4 and Year 5 visited Cineworld as part of the Into Film Festival 2024.
The Into Film Festival is a free, annual, nationwide celebration of film & education for 5-19 year olds.
We chose to watch the brand new animated film, "Kensuke's Kingdom" based on the book by Michael Morpurgo. Year 5 enjoyed reading this last year as our class reader, and linked it to our learning in Writing, Reading and Topic so Year 4 invited them to join us.
The children loved the film, with many of them noticing differences in plot between the book and the film and discussing the key characters. We enjoyed the animation and the build up of the story between Michael and Kensuke.
"Miss, I didn't like it...I LOVED it!"
"That was so good - I loved watching it come to life"
"It was so emotional at the end. It was sad and happy all at the same time"
Year 4 can't wait to start their English work next week linked to the topic.
Asthma Friendly School Award
We were delighted to be awarded the Black Country Asthma Friendly School award.
'On behalf of the Black Country CYP Asthma Team, I would like to congratulate you on the achievement of this award which recognises that your school strives to be safe and welcoming place for children with asthma' -Viv Marsh - Black Country CYP Asthma Team.
Reverse Advent Calendar
This Christmas, School Council pupils have organised for us to support The Well - a Wolverhampton charity which provides food parcels for people in need.
We will be taking part in their Reverse Advent Calendar campaign! Each class will gather items in a box which will be donated to the charity just before Christmas.
More information can be found here: Reverse Advent Calendar — The Well
Please see the image below for a list of items you may wish to donate. Thank you in advance for your support!
Reception admissions September 2025
The online portal for applications opened on November 12th. All applications are to be made online using the online application system www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/admissions
All applications must be made by the deadline of 15th January 2025.
Support for parents/carers who are making applications is available through the Admissions and Appeals Section. Parents should contact the team on 01902 551122 or by email at School.Admissions@wolverhampton.gov.uk
National offer day is 16 April 2025 when the parents will be notified of their allocation via e-mail if they applied online, letters will also be sent second class posted on 16 April 2025.
Christmas lunch
On Wednesday 11th December, we will be celebrating Christmas with a special Christmas lunch! We also invite all children to wear Christmas jumpers on that day instead of school cardigans/jumpers with their normal uniform. Christmas dinner day is always a highlight of the year – we play Christmas songs in the dining room and there is normally a sing along!
Look our for a letter coming out Monday with more information.
Uniform
We've noticed some children wearing false nails to school - these are not allowed. Please could families ensure that these are removed before school for health and safety reasons.
Please could we also remind families that our PE uniform consists of bottle green t-shirt and bottle green hoodie. No other colours should be worn and we ask that families avoid branded goods please. Thank you.
Girls High Workshops
A group of Year 4/5 pupils were excited to attend a Creative event at Girls High school this week.
The day began with a talk by Dr Yarnald, the curator of Wolverhampton art gallery where he shared the work of Edwin Butler Bayliss and his collection of art work, representing images of our city of Wolverhampton within the Black Country in the Industrial Revolution. Pupils learned about his work, the history of the black country and then recreated some pictures using their art skills! After lunch, they had a creative writing session and wrote poems. What a fantastic day's work!
We received a lovely message from staff at the Girls' High: "I wanted to pass on our thanks to Mrs Brasier-Creach, Mrs Westwood and your pupils that attended our Creativity Workshops this week. We hope they enjoyed their visit and the teachers felt it was beneficial to the children. The children were fantastic, so enthusiastic, hardworking and polite - a real pleasure to work with and an utter credit to your school."
We are so proud of all pupils who attended and represented our school so brilliantly following all of our ELSTON values.
Reception Phonics and Maths workshops
Thank you to families who joined us for maths and phonics workshops this week! It was wonderful to see you working with your children on the types of activities that they complete in their classrooms. We had some fantastic comments off families who attended! Please see our website for more information. Reception Parents Workshop
Year 2 Circus Skills
Year 2 enjoyed a visit from the circus last week. They spent our morning taking part in workshops where they learnt and practised several circus skills such as spinning plates and juggling, hat tricks and hula-hooping. Finally, we finished our visit off with a performance and we couldn't believe our eyes! We saw juggling, hat throwing and even watched on in delight as the performer took to the top of a ladder. We had such a great time and enjoyed everything we learnt. Year 2 Circus Skills Workshop
Key Dates
Autumn Term 2024
Wednesday 4th December - The Way assembly for Years 5 and 6
Wednesday 11th December - Christmas lunch and Christmas jumper day. The Mayor's Parlour Christmas Party.
Thursday 12th December - Nursery Christmas Performances 9:15 & 13:30, Reception 10:15 & 14:30
Friday 13th December - Reception trip. Year 5 Christmas Performances 9:15 & 13:30, Year 6 10:15 & 14:30
Monday 16th December - Year 1 Christmas Performances 9:15 & 13:30, Year 2 10:15 & 14:30
Tuesday 17th December - Year 3 Christmas Performances 9:15 & 13:30, Year 4 10:15 & 14:30. KS1 Craft Fayre after school.
Friday 20th December - Snowman Day - come to school in pyjamas
Monday 23rd December—Friday 3rd January—Christmas break
Spring term 2025
Monday 6th January —INSET DAY
Tuesday 7th January - Pupils return to school
Monday 17th February—Friday 21st February—Half term
Monday 24th February—INSET DAY—School closed to pupils
Monday 14th April—Friday 25th April—Easter break
Summer term 2025
Monday 28th April —Pupils return to school
Monday 12th May—Thursday 15th May—Year 6 SATs
Monday 26th May—Friday 30th May—Half term
Monday 2nd June—Friday 6th June - Year 4 Multiplication Checks
Monday 9th June—Friday 13th June - Year 1 Phonics screening and Year 4 Multiplication Checks
Friday 20th June—INSET day—School closed to pupils
Friday 18th July—Last day of summer term
Community Links
Yo! Christmas events
The Yo! Wolves Christmas HAF programme is open for booking from Monday 2 December. Offering hundreds of activities, events and food for the city’s children and young people and their families during the festive school holidays.
Running from Monday 23 December to Friday 3 January, all activities are fully funded and will include a meal.
The holiday activities are free for all children and young people of school age receiving benefit related school meals, and with SEND or EHCP. The activities include arts, crafts, fun days out, dance and drama workshops, photography and much more. Booking places is easy at www.yowolves.co.uk
West Midlands Police
Adult Education Wolverhampton – January open days
Make this the year you join us for success, enjoyment and a path to further study, employment, a new job, a promotion or better health and well-being.
We have open days on:
Date: Wednesday 15 January 2025 Time: 10.00am – 1.00 pm
Date: Thursday 16 January 20-25 Time: 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Get in touch to find out more or join us on one of these days and start your learning journey with us this New Year.
