Weekly Bulletin 6th September 2024
Headteacher’s Message
Welcome back to the start of the school year. I hope you have managed to have a restful break and some enjoyable family time.
We are delighted to welcome our new starters and returning pupils and look forward to working together in partnership during the course of the coming academic year. I draw your attention to the attendance information shared with parents via email. Excellent attendance and punctuality are vitally important to success at school. Please do read this. I also remind parents that they must supervise their children if they are waiting to collect/drop off a sibling(s) if they are in different Key Stages. Please ensure your children stand with you and are not running around the waiting area or on the grassed areas.
A home-school links sheet from your child’s class teacher has been shared (paper copy or via DB Primary). This details the ways in which you can support your child with their studies as well as informing you of the curriculum content to be covered during this half term in each subject area. I encourage you to read it and to use it as a basis for discussing with your child what they are learning about in school. Through working together in partnership, we will be able to achieve the very best for the children in the year ahead.
Best wishes
Mr Rumbles
Reception Update
For parents with Reception children, please remember to step forward when collecting your child at the end of the day. Children in Reception class don’t need a water bottle as they have their own water cooler which can be accessed at all times during the day.
School Uniform
The school uniform is:
Grey skirt, pinafore or trousers
White polo shirt
Navy sweatshirt / cardigan
Sensible, black school shoes
In warmer weather children may wear a blue and white school dress or grey shorts.
For PE Days children require:
House colour t-shirt and jumper, shorts (black or navy), jogging bottoms and/or leggings (black or navy) and appropriate trainers
Polo shirts, sweatshirts, cardigans, fleeces, shower-proof jackets, rainproof jackets, house t-shirts & sweatshirts, and book bags with the school logo can be ordered through school. Please contact the school office if you have any questions.
PE
The children are required to wear their PE kit on the day they have PE. Please note: there may be ad-hoc PE days for which you will be informed via letter or SMS text message. Please see class PE days below:
| Reception | Wednesday |
| Year 1 | Tuesday & Friday |
| Year 2 | Wednesday & Friday |
| Year 3 | Monday & Thursday |
| Year 4 | Monday & Thursday |
| Year 5 | Wednesday & Friday |
| Year 6 | Tuesday & Friday |
School Extra-Curricular Activities
You will have received a list of clubs that we are offering for this term. If your child is interested in taking part then please do return the forms as soon as possible to the school office.
Diary Dates
For a full list of school holiday dates please see the school website.
Tuesday 17th September – Y6 Trip to Eden Camp
Thursday 26th September – Y6 Modern Foreign Languages Day at Durham High School
Thursday 26th September – Y5 Trip to Iskcon Temple
Friday 25th October – School closes for Autumn half term holiday
Monday 4th November – School re-opens after half term holiday
Wednesday 6th November 2024 – Y1 Beamish Trip
Wednesday 8th January 2025 – Friday 10th January 2025 – Y6 Trip to Robinwood
Tuesday 4th March 2025 – Y5 Murton Park Trip
Monday 7th April 2025 – Reception Zoolab Visit
Noticeboard
- DATA COLLECTION – Please inform the school office if there are any changes to personal contact details – for example addresses, phone numbers or emergency contacts.
- Packed Lunch– If your child is wishing to change to Packed Lunches please inform the school office with one week’s notice.
- PHOTOGRAPHIC CONSENT – Consent is required every school year and will last for the duration of that school year unless consent is withdrawn. Please can you complete the Photographic Consent forms for your child and return to the School office.
Medical
- A reminder that we are only able to administer prescribed medications at school once parents have completed the required consent form. All medication must be delivered to and collected from the office by an adult.
- Packed Lunch Children – please ensure your child’s packed lunch is NUT FREE as we have children in the school who have an allergy to nuts.
Starting School – Will your child turn 5 between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026?
Applications open 1 September 2024 and close midnight 15 January 2025.
If so, you need to complete an application online to tell us which school you would like your child to attend from September 2025.
Visit www.durham.gov.uk/primaryschoolplaces where you can access a useful guide to help with your application. The easiest way to apply is online, if you are unable to apply online, paper application forms are available on request.
You still need to apply even if your child attends the nursery unit attached to the school, or already has a sibling at the school. You will also need to apply for a place in Year 3 in a junior school for an older child.
For more information please contact School Places and Admissions Team www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions
Tel: 03000 265896
YEAR 6 PARENTS – Application for a Secondary School Place – September 2025
As you will be aware, your child is due to transfer to secondary school in September next year. The application process will be open on 1 September 2024. You will need to read the School Admissions online guidance for parents which is located on the School Admissions web page. This contains essential information that will help you in making your child’s application. The guidance is available on our website www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions You must only complete one application and this must be to the Local Authority to which you pay your council tax (i.e. Home Local Authority).
If you live in County Durham, you need to complete an application to tell us which school you want your child to attend. You should list up to 3 school preferences and applying for just 1 school Does Not improve your chances of gaining a place at that school. You can apply for any school/academy in County Durham or in another Local Authority area.
Please apply on-line at www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions When you apply on-line you will receive an acknowledgement and you will receive an email on 3 March 2025 containing a link to obtain your offer of a school place from the Document Download Portal. Please save your log-in details.
Please note that school places are allocated according to specific criteria which are different depending upon which school you apply for your child to attend. One criterion is “nearest school”. If you wish to know your nearest school, please contact us.
If your child’s offer of a school place is for an oversubscribed school (i.e. where there are more applications for a school than places available) we will offer your child a school place based on the child’s/parent’s address. We may request information on the child’s/parent’s address when we offer a school place and the onus will be on you to prove your address if asked.
If you do not wish to apply on-line, you can contact the School Admissions Team by email or telephone to request a form. Email: schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk or telephone
03000 265 896. Your application must be received by us at the address below by the closing date. We strongly advise you to return the application form to us by “Royal Mail Signed for™” or “Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed”. If you complete a paper application form you will receive a letter to inform you of the school place offered to your child on the 3 March 2025.
Please note for both on-line applications and paper application forms, you will be required to read the disclaimer and sign/tick the box to agree that the information you provide on the application form is complete and correct otherwise the offer of a school place will be withdrawn.
The closing date for receipt for on-line/paper application forms is 31 October 2024.
Yours sincerely DCC School Places and Admissions Team.
Christian Values
We are exploring the value of Creativity this half term and worship will be led by Mr Rumbles, Fr. Peter, Mrs Matthews, Fr. Bill and our Key Stage Two pupils.
Further information on the values of Creativity:
Seen from a Christian perspective all of life is a ‘gift’, entrusted by God to humankind for a purpose. This purpose is glimpsed as the creative spirit within each person learns to value and explore, celebrate and enjoy this world in all its mystery and diversity. With this gift comes a mutual responsibility to ensure the creation is not spoiled, but rather sustained and shared by all.
Jesus told his followers that
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
We would like our children to continue their reflection and experience at home.
Some things to think about:
- How do we use the earth’s resources to meet our needs whilst still carrying out our duty of stewardship?
- What opportunities are there to meet creative people in various walks of life?
- Who might inspire and channel their own creativity?
If you would like to receive a copy of the Weekly Bulletin by e-mail please e-mail the school. Shincliffece@durhamlearning.net The Weekly Bulletins from previous weeks can be found in the parents’ section of the website.
