Goodbye to you all!

 

 

Dear Parents/Friends/Guardians                            19th July 2006

 

This will be my final newsletter and the end of an era for me! I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for the happy times I have spent at Chalfont St Giles Infant School & Nursery. I could not have wished for a better school for my first headship and I will always remember the friendship and support of all the parents – Burford parents will have a lot to live up to! Thank you to all of you and I wish you all best wishes for the future!

 

 

Waiting by the Zebra Crossing

We have been asked to bring your attention to a safety issue: if you wait by Milton’s Head for children from the Junior School at the end of the day, please stand well back from the road.  Parents are gathering to chat and blocking the pavement, so children (and adults) walking past are sometimes forced into the road.  

 

PTA

A huge thank you to the PTA this year for raising so much for the school. They have raised over £19,000 which is a terrific amount and the school would like to officially thank all those people who have worked tirelessly to make the school a better environment for your children.

 

 

 

Questionnaire results

The results of the ‘evaluate’ survey that we carried out with Staff, Governors, Parents and pupils are summarized below. If you wish to read the full report please let the office staff know.

 

Overall Summary

 

Most Effective

  • The leadership of the school
  • The organisation of pupil care and involvement
  • The management of behaviour and discipline
  • The organisation of learning and teaching
  • The organisation of resources and the learning environment

 

Least Effective

·       The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance

  • The monitoring and evaluation of staff performance
  • The organisation of extra-curricular activities.
  • The communication of vision and goals.

 

Areas of greatest improvement

        (As defined by Staff only)

·       The organisation of learning and teaching (improving)

  • The organisation of resources and the learning environment (improving)
  • The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance (improving).

 

Areas of least improvement

(As defined by staff only)

·       The monitoring and evaluation of staff performance (improving)

  • The management of behaviour and discipline (improving)
  • The organisation of staff training and development (improving).

 

Areas of discrepancy

·       The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance (Staff v Parents and Governors)

  • The organisation of parental involvement and responsibility (Staff v Parents)
  • The organisation of staff training and development (Staff v Governors)
  • The leadership of the school (Pupils v Governors)

Governors

 

Characteristics perceived as most effective

· The organisation of pupil care and involvement

· The leadership of the school/college

· The management of behaviour and discipline

· The organisation of staff training and development.

Characteristics perceived as least effective

· The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance

· The monitoring and evaluation of staff performance

· The organisation of extra-curricular activities.

 

Staff

 

Characteristics perceived as most effective

· The organisation of pupil care and involvement (and improving)

· The organisation of learning and teaching (and improving)

· The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance (and improving).

 

Characteristics perceived as least effective

· The monitoring and evaluation of staff performance (but improving)

· The organisation of parental involvement and responsibility (but improving)

· The organisation of staff training and development (but improving).

Areas of greatest improvement

· The organisation of learning and teaching (improving)

· The organisation of resources and the learning environment (improving)

· The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance (improving).

Areas of least improvement

· The monitoring and evaluation of staff performance (improving)

· The management of behaviour and discipline (improving)

· The organisation of staff training and development (improving).

 

Parents

 

Characteristics perceived as most effective

· The organisation of pupil care and involvement

· The organisation of parental involvement and responsibility

· The management of behaviour and discipline.

Characteristics perceived as least effective

· The organisation of extra-curricular activities

· The monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance

· The communication of vision and goals.

 

 

Pupils

 

Characteristics perceived as most effective

· The management of behaviour and discipline

· The organisation of resources and the learning environment

· The organisation of pupil care and involvement.

Characteristics perceived as least effective

· The communication of vision and goals

· The organisation of extra-curricular activities

· The leadership of the school/college.

 

The school have used this information to help to create their school plan for next year. Details of progress within all the areas will be communicated to parents during the new academic year.

 

Strawberry Fayre

Well done to the PTA who made a staggering £8,200 at the Strawberry Fayre – the best yet! The money will be put to good use providing equipment and resources for the children. Thank you very much to all the PTA for working so hard and also to you, the parents for putting your hands in your pockets and digging deep!

 

 

 

Crocodile trail/Going for Gold

Thank you also to Donna Westall and Alison Robinson for working hard to ensure the safety of your children travelling to and from school each day. The Walk to School weeks are an excellent promotion for keeping healthy, and the Crocodile walkers promote the ethos of being safe, both areas of the Every Child Matters Agenda implemented by the Government.

 

Cottage Works

Now that the cottage work is completed we are pleased to say that the extra facilities will greatly improve the teaching environment for the children. The provision of extra storage space for resources and extra rooms for group and individual work will ensure improved teaching and learning throughout the school. Also, the addition of the toilet has been of great benefit to the children who are cooking and using the Library and we are extremely pleased with the whole project!

 

 

 

Staffing

As you know, this is the time of year that staff changes occur. We are sad to be saying goodbye to a number of people this year who are all moving on to greater things! We say goodbye and good luck to Mrs Michele Fowler, Mrs Sue Walker, Mrs Cherie Hawkins, Mrs Julie Winson and Mrs Margaret Skinner. Thank you to all of them for their dedication and support during their time here. We would also like to wish Miss Katherine Storey, Miss Lisa Davies and Miss Sam Plested congratulations on their forthcoming weddings! I would also like to say thank you to a wonderful staff – Your children are incredibly lucky to have such excellent staff, outstanding teachers, superb support staff who have kind and caring attitudes that make all your children feel safe and secure. It has been a pleasure to work with them all and I wish everyone health and happiness for the future.

 

Dates for your Diary (amendments/additions in bold)

20th July               Flower Festival at St Giles Church – 9.15am

20th/21st July        Nursery visits to new parents

21st  July               End of term - 2.00pm

 

Term dates 2006/07

6th September        School starts (except Nursery) (4th/5th Training Days)

                             New Nursery children visit

20th October          School closes for half-term 3.15pm

30th October          School re-opens

20th December       End of term 2pm

4th January            School starts (except Nursery) (3rd Training Day)

                             New Nursery children visit

9th February           School closes for half-term 3.15pm

19th February         School re-opens

30th March             End of term 2pm

17th April               School starts (except Nursery) (16th Training Day)

                             New Nursery children visit

25th May                School closes for half-term 3.15pm

5th June                 School re-opens (4th Training Day)

20th July               End of term 2pm

 

 

 

 

And on that final note I will sign off!

With every best wish

 

    

 

Mrs K. Whittington

Headteacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A copy of this letter is available on our website  'www.csg-school.co.uk'

 

Please remember to walk to school if possible, and not to park in School Lane or Staff car park.

 

'Our school is a happy, caring place where we work together to learn and succeed by doing our best'