Dear Parents,

I hope you’ve had a fantastic summer. It was brilliant to see the children coming into school this morning; they looked smart in their uniforms and ready to learn. We’ve missed them!

I’d like to welcome our new reception class, and their families to our school. I’d also like to welcome Amelia who has started in year two, and our new nursery children Arthur and Isla. We hope that the children love their time at Holme and that they’ll be very happy here.

We also welcome some new staff:

 Miss Knight – Year 1 Teacher

 Mr Smith – Year 5/6 Teacher

 Miss Halhead – Apprentice Teaching Assistant

 Mrs Walling – Teaching Assistant

 Mrs Tordoff – Orian’s Kitchen Team Member

Congratulations to Mrs Shepherd (Miss Newby) who was married over the summer. Mrs Shepherd has also been appointed as a School Improvement Leader and school manager. In short, Mrs Shepherd will take on additional responsibilities in the school and deputise for me in my absence.

As you’d expect there have been a number of changes over the summer holidays. Our aim is to build on the school’s many strengths and to ensure that it is a happy place for children (and staff) to thrive and achieve their full potential. As ever, your support is hugely appreciated. Please see a number of important updates and reminders below.

Value of the Half Term: Our value for this half term is independence. We want the children to take control of their learning and develop important life skills to enable them to succeed. You can help by encouraging the children to carry their own bags, check they have the right equipment for school and encourage them to take responsibility.

PE Kits: We ask that PE kits come into school on a Monday and that they are taken home on a Friday to be washed. Please note that a little bit of rain won’t stop us doing PE outside – Cumbrian children are built of strong stuff!

Work Day: Huge thanks to all the parents and children who supported our work day last Sunday. The school is looking fantastic and their work saved us hundreds of pounds. We have plans for another one in the near future and want to create an outdoor classroom/campfire circle behind the Year 5 and 6 classroom. Special thanks to Steven Duckett for cutting down our rotten tree and doing a range of ‘odd-jobs’ for us.

Meet the Teacher: At the start of the school year, we’d like to invite parents to come and look round school, meet your child’s teacher and find out about their plans for the year. Please join us after-school on Monday 9th September. Staff will be available until 4.30pm.

Breakfast and After-School Club: During the summer we relocated our out of hours provision to the school hall. Therefore, we’d like to ask that you children are dropped off and collected from the side door which leads to the playground (opposite the photocopier)

SENCO: Miss Titterington has now taken on the role of school special educational needs coordinator. This is an area that Miss Titterington is really passionate about and we know she will do a wonderful job.

Westmorland County Show: We will not be attending the Westmorland Show this year. We have decided to keep this event as a key stage two trip, which they will go on every other year. However, I recognise the importance of this event to the local community and many of our families. As a result, I will authorise absence for any children who wish to go to the Westmorland show with their families. I would ask that you do complete the holiday request form to notify us. This can be found on the school website.

Clubs and Music Lessons: Clubs start this week, and music lessons start next week.

Lunchshop: Thank you to parents for your patience whilst this new system is being set up. It worked brilliantly today. Thanks especially to Miss Kennedy and Mrs Littlefair for setting the system up and dealing with the ‘challenges’.

Scopay Accounts: Please remember to keep regular checks your Scopay account as well as Lunchshop, as all other balances will still need to be paid on that system. Please settle any outstanding dinner balances from July as quickly as possible, so we can transfer dinners smoothly to Lunchshop. Any dinner credits from July have been transferred to other balances owing.

Safeguarding: There are a whole multitude of ways that we work to keep your children safe in school. From vetting procedures for staff to site security and staff training – it is our first priority. Should you have any concerns about a child or about the behaviour of an adult, then please contact either myself or Mrs Shepherd- the schools designated senior leads for safeguarding.

I look forward to working with you in the year ahead. I can be found most mornings at the front of school and should you wish to speak to me in more depth, please contact the school office and they will arrange an appointment as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continuing support, and here is to a brilliant year at Holme.

Craig Dewar-Willox

Acting Headteacher