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L I F E L O N G E N G A G E M E N T
Coming up… Dates for your diary - and and notices from around the schools.
Page 12
AcademyIt’s good to talk Scope’s Face 2 Face befriending programme offers a chance to chat, get support and let off steam.
Page 2
An OBE for the CEO Elaine Colquhoun is invited to Buckingham Palace to be awarded an OBE for her services to education.
Page 3
Joseph Clarke Apart from the building work, there’s plenty else going on at Joseph Clarke School.
Page 5
Parent voice The results of Whitefield Schools’ parent survey. The pupil survey results follow in the next issue.
Page 10
News
Whitefield
For Whitefield and Joseph Clarke Schools Spring 2016
SEARCH Success The first Project SEARCH intern this year receives an offer of a full-time job.Page 8
Improvements continue apace across the Academy, with the builders at Joseph Clarke School completing and handing over the first new classroom to the Early Years team who came in over half term to set it up.
Acting headteacher, Isobel Cox said: “It is wonderful to see the pupils and staff in our new Early Years classroom. The pupils settled in so quickly. It’s such a bright and airy room where pupils can easily move from the inside to the outside. This sets the standard for the rebuild.”
The next step on Joseph Clarke's redevelopment plan will see two new classrooms built. These will be the temporary home of the Primary Department, while the Primary part of the building is being redeveloped. After that it will be the Secondary Department's turn.
New adventures Meanwhile on the Whitefield Schools campus, the adventure playground is being renovated over the Easter holidays with new equipment commissioned from playground specialists Fawns Ltd. If one thing was clear from the recent survey that asked pupils what they would like to see improved in our playgrounds - our children and young people like swings. The new design has no fewer than three new swing areas, with a mixture of flat seats, bucket seats and a basket swing, as well as a specially designed "tunnel mound” and “forest tower".
New classrooms, better playgroundJoseph Clarke School’s Early Years class moved into the first new classroom to be completed as part of the site's £3.8m redevelopment. Meanwhile Whitefield Schools’ adventure playground is also getting a makeover.
The second day in Joseph Clarke’s new Early Years classroom. Inset: the same room in November
The adventure playground will be transformed
F A M I L Y S U P P O R T
“Its about helping people feel resilient, more confident and less isolated” says Andrea Wershof Scope’s Face 2 Face Coordinator in Redbridge & Waltham Forest.
Run by the charity Scope and funded over three years by the Big Lottery fund, Face 2 Face is all about “Befriending” — having someone that you can talk to, won’t be judgemental, will offer advice if you ask for it — and perhaps most importantly - knows what you’re going through because they’ve been through something similar themselves.
There are two courses every year to recruit and train new befrienders and Andrea has already recruited 20 befrienders in the area with another nine currently going through training. They are a diverse bunch with different backgrounds, first languages and there are some men among the group too.
What does it involve? The idea in general is to match someone looking for a friendly ear to a befriender with similar life experiences. Andrea says that it it is quite common for people who have just received a diagnosis to feel they need support, “but we offer support at any crisis time” and it doesn’t matter what the child’s additional need is.
Befrienders tend to meet for an hour to an hour and a half - some meet every week, some every couple of weeks, some on an occasional basis - it just depends on what seems to work. Meetings can take place at a local café, at the befriendees home .. again wherever suits.
“Its about listening and the parents know that the befrienders have been there, done that” says Andrea: “it provides a safe space where people who are upset can let of steam in a way that they perhaps couldn’t with their family or other friends.
Because that’s the point - “befrienders” are quite different to “friends” - although some do go on to become friends in real life.
Becoming a befriender Mums and dads who want to become befrienders must be at least two years past their own child’s diagnosis — to give their own emotions time to settle a bit. They attend an 8-session training course where they are taught about safeguarding issues and the other aspects they need. “It’s
basically fine-tuning though” says Andrea: “Parents already have most if the skills that they need - and you really can’t teach people to be kind, empathetic and non-judgemental”.
As a befriender it’s up to you how much you choose to disclose about your life, you’re not so emotionally invested as a ‘real’ friend and it is that slight distance that can make difficult conversations easier.
“A lot of our befrienders say that befriending helps them
make sense of their own situation … it really helps you help yourself” says Andrea. Befrienders meet up for monthly ‘supervision sessions’ with other befrienders to talk about how things are going and get updates etc.
If you are interested in either being paired with a befriender, or becoming one yourself - get in touch with Andrea. The next befriender training course will be starting in December and is run in Leytonstone.
It’s good to talk Is it all getting a bit much? Talk to someone who knows what you are going through. Scope’s Face 2 Face ‘befriending’ scheme puts people together… or become a befriender yourself
“A lot of our befrienders say that befriending helps them make sense of their own situation … it really helps you help yourself”
Find out more
Scope Face 2 Face Co-ordinator: Andrea Wershof
✆ 07436 831217✉ [email protected]🌐🌐 www.scope.org.uk/support/services/befriending/about-face-2-face
Family Support At Whitefield Schools:Gill Wadeson✉ [email protected]✆ 0208 498 4230
Lesley Middleton✉ [email protected]
At Joseph Clarke:Sarah Bent✉ [email protected]✆ 020 8523 4833
Elaine Colquhoun has been appointed an ‘Officer of the Order of the British Empire’ (OBE) in the Queen’s New Years Honours list. The award is in recognition for her contribution to education. On March 11th she visited Buckingham Palace for the formal ceremony and at 11.20am was awarded the honour in the shape of a rather splendid medal and ribbon by HRH Prince William.
Elaine joined Whitefield in 2011 as Executive Principal and has worked in the field of special education for nearly 35 years — including three years as President of Nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs) and over 10 years as Head Teacher of Hill Top School. She became CEO of the Academy this term.
She said: “It was such a wonderful surprise to learn that my work had been honoured in this way. I am immensely proud to have received this award, which is shared with the many dedicated and hardworking people who I have worked with over the years.
I have always been passionate about Special education, promoting the rights of high quality
education for all students regardless of their challenges.
I’d particular like to thank my mother, father and daughter for their unswerving understanding of my work and the headteachers who taught me so
much in the job – especially Margaret Hutchinson from the Cedars School whose belief in me was awesome. I’d also like to thank the excellent teams at Whitefield Schools and Hill Top School who make differences everyday to the lives of pupils and young people.”
It is a pleasure to write as the new Principal of Whitefield Schools, having taken up the post after the half term holiday and I thought that I would use this first column to introduce myself and my priorities for the school.
Although I am newly appointed as Principal, I am not new to Whitefield. I joined the school more than 30 years ago to teach children and young people who were both deaf and visually impaired. In time this part of the school became the Rebecca Goodman Centre for deafblind children where we taught children from across the south and south east of
England, I then became head of SILD (now Margaret Brearley School) where I spent 14 years before becoming Vice Principal when Elaine Colquhoun joined the school.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my various roles at Whitefield, teaching some wonderful children and young people and watching them grow and make progress and working alongside the school’s skilled and creative staff.
I am absolutely committed to Whitefield’s mission statement ‘Enjoyment, Achievement and Wellbeing for all’ and my first priority will be to do all I can to ensure that it is a reality for every pupil. To address enjoyment and achievement, we will continue to develop the curriculum and to offer a wide range of activities in music, arts and sport through which children and young people can express themselves. Wellbeing is now a national priority, included in the School Improvement Plan. To support wellbeing, we will continue to build strong relationships with children so that they know that their voices are
heard and to develop our expertise in helping those children and young people who are finding life or learning particularly difficult.
Alongside our aspirations for the pupils, the Senior Leadership Team and I are continuing to work to ensure that our amazing staff have every opportunity to develop their skills and progress their careers through high quality training within the Academy and in collaboration with universities and colleges.
My third priority is to work with Elaine and the Directors to strengthen the Academy and to build partnerships within the education world, learning from others and sharing our expertise as an outstanding school.
Many of you will know me already and I expect to get to know other parents and friends of the school in due course. I am always happy to hear from parents by email ([email protected]) or to meet parents by arrangement.
— Laura Pease, Whitefield Schools Principal
…and congratulations as the Trust’s CEO becomes OBE
Elaine with her sisters and brother outside Buckingham Palace on March 11th. Inset: The OBE medal and ribbon itself
Hello from the new Principal of Whitefield Schools
E V E N T S C A L E N D A R
Hellos, goodbyes, visitors and thank-yous this termA R O U N D T H E S C H O O L S
Congratulations and thank you to the 14 walkers who braved mud & elements on Joseph Clarke Trust Owl walk on the first weekend in February
A huge thank you to Borno Pharmacy’s charitable foundation who donated £527 to the Joseph Clarke Trust this term.
Cllr Mark Rusling, Lead Member for Children and Young People, visited Joseph Clarke School this term to meet pupils and staff.
Children from Gwyn Jones School visited for an assembly with Peter Turner Primary - the culmination of weekly joint activities between the two schools.
Goodbye Angela: After 22 years at Whitefield Schools - in the classroom, at the gates, looking after the library and herding buses, Angela Thomas
Alison Venner-Jones from the Department for Education visited Whitefield Schools to see how we promote mental health and wellbeing.
A group of special education teachers from the Vatiala Primary School in Kangasala Finland visted Whitefield Schools to see how we do things. They were here for three days meeting pupils and staff, including Elaine Colquhoun.
Thank you to everyone who came along to Family Support’s Easter-themed parents-and children baking and craft session. We’ll be organising another one soon!
P E T E R T U R N E R P R I M A R Y S C H O O L
J O S E P H C L A R K E S C H O O L
Our school redevelopment is taking shape. This term we have lost the old Portakabins, the ground has been flattened and the foundations for the new classroom block have been laid. Inside we now have three mini-lifts so pupils who are wheelchair users no longer have to go round the outside, braving the elements, to get changed or have lunch!
After half term our rather surprised Early Years pupils moved into their new classroom. The doors to the playground fold back so they can choose an indoor or outdoor learning environment. There is always something new going on and builders to watch!
It has been amazing to see how well staff and pupils have coped with the changes and how teaching and learning continues with the same purposeful atmosphere. They have coped well with personnel changes during the ill-health absence of Maureen Duncan, the Headteacher and have been so welcoming of colleagues from the Academy who have supported me in ensuring that our pupils make continuing progress. Chadia Filali-Moutei has recently joined us as Acting Deputy Head.
In February PwC brought their pantomime “Jack and the Beanstalk” to us. The whole school were enthralled by the video of the performance and loved handling the props. Next year we hope to be able to return to the Peacock Theatre to see the show live.
The redevelopment has forced us to de-clutter. Parents were invited to a coffee morning where they could take away books we no longer used.
We have an active School Council who provide such positive ideas for the school such as the sponsored dance for Sport Relief and volunteers to form a sub-committee to help make decisions regarding the new building.
We are currently investigating the feasibility of commencing an after-school club on one evening a week. Watch this space…..and have a wonderful Easter break.
— Isobel Cox Acting Headteacher, Joseph Clarke School.
Getting to try out the wand at the Jack and the Beanstalk panto
One of the new mini-lifts
Thank you to the London Children’s Flower Society for sending us the seeds for Runner Beans, Giant Sunflowers Calendula, Nasturtiums and other flowers for the children to plant to brighten up our school.
Congratulations to our primary and secondary 10-pin bowling teams came 2nd and 1st in the Panathalon VI
bowling competition this term.
M A R G A R E T B R E A R L E Y S C H O O L
Have an app-y Easter George Christou is the Joseph Clarke Services I.T. Manager for Visually impaired students. In this issue he looks at two free apps, that are both fun and educational.
This is a fun and exciting app that allows the student to get very involved and play the role of the train driver driving a large steam train around the countryside tooting the horn. Full of fast flowing movement with sounds and lots of colour, almost everything within the program is touch accessible, e.g. the animals in the fields, the whistle, and cargo touch either moves or makes noises when you touch them on the screen, cause and effect.
There are a variety of options to choose from, you can choose from which wagons to load, build bridges, stop at crossing, refuelling and you can lay tracks around rocks making this app brilliantly interactive!
Children can learn about shapes, instructions, movements and colours. There are lots of interesting sounds and prompts to engage children to follow instructions. It is a very hands-on app with lots of motivation to touch the screen. Excellent for helping to stimulate and improve fine motor skills and requires good hand to eye co-ordination skills.
Positive Features: It’s a very bright, fun, and child friendly app full of interactive animations and has a good soundtrack. It has good clear icons and simple navigation for easy game play. The app prompts
you with a large finger on the screen to follow instructions so that the student can continue moving forwards learning and playing at the same time.
Negative Features: Ultimately it’s quite a straight forward app but it is fast paced and you require good visual awareness and a good understanding of what to do next. Visually it is eye pleasing but can look quite busy therefore you have to be fairly confident to work with the instructions. Hand to eye co-ordination skills must be good as it is an app with lots for the user to do.
Finger Paint with Sound
This finger paint app offers a fun alternative to aid children to practice hand to eye co-ordination, fine motor skills and enjoy the experience of using a touch screen. The options are great; you can choose a colour and simply paint with music it’s that easy. There are some fun sound options but you don’t have to use them. The program gives you a choice of musical or sound-FX auditory feedback or no sounds at all.The programme offer single or multi touch options, it has a bright screen that is accessible to visually impaired students and you have the option to save your work.
Positive Features: It’s a very bright, fun, and child friendly app full of colour and sounds and great to use if sound selected. It is very easy to colour on the screen and the music stops when you take your fingers of the screen. It offers independent user play so students can have fun creating patterns shapes and more. The app allows teachers to use it for drawing shapes for the students to follow, learn number shapes, and recognise colours, learning the alphabet by drawing the letters and paint with fun. The music provides extra feedback to students with sensory impairments which can help develop an understanding of how cause and effect works. Very simply, when you choose a colour, touch the screen to paint and hear sounds, hands off for the screen for no sounds.
Negative Features: A big screen keeps it looking less busy depending on what you had decided to paint. You cannot customise the sounds to tailor the program to specific child’s individual needs and it is not accessible with voice over so the impairment range is limited.
• Genre: Educational Action & Adventure
• Price: Free (no in-app purchases, no third party advertising, and no links to any websites!)
• Age: Specifically designed for children aged between 1 ½ - 5.
• For: Apple or Android
• where: www.lego.com
Lego Duplo Train
J O S E P H C L A R K E S C H O O L
• Genre: Educational & Creative
• Price: Free
• For: Apple or Android
• where: /www.inclusive.co.uk/apps/finger-paint
Get involved with the Joseph Clarke TrustJoseph Clarke Trust is a charity that raises funds for all kinds of equipment and activities for the school.
As part of this charitable work, the Trust organises events for grown-ups that, are - to be frank - a lot of fun.
If you enjoy quiz night, there’s one on Friday 20th May 2016 at Buckhurst Hill Cricket Club. It’s £5 per adult, and there’s a bar - but bring your own food.
If golf is more your thing, there’s a Charity Golf Day at West Essex Golf Club on Thursday 14th July 2016. Play 27 holes of golf, with breakfast, lunch and dinner - £70 per person.
If you are interested in more details or booking for either event contact John Chipperfield
S E Q U O I A C L U B
After the successes of our autumn and the spectacular end of term events it was pleasing to see everyone back in school to start the New Year.
Early Years classes have been taking advantage of learning in the local community and especially enjoyed a visit to Brooks Farm looking at and learning about animals.
A group in Key Stage 1 took advantage of the museum quiet day at Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood at the beginning of March. This is a day set aside once a term for groups with special educational needs only. The Museum is generally quieter and students have full access to the galleries and interactive displays. The children enjoyed the specially developed resource boxes.
A number of children in KS 2 have been involved in a project with a local mainstream school Gwyn Jones. The schools have been collaborating in joint projects for many years and we are very proud to keep the link going. This year the sessions have been weekly and have involved activities such as drama, music and games. There have also been opportunities for the children to enjoy shared playtimes together.
The partnership culminated in two assemblies, one held at Gwyn Jones and one at Whitefield School where the children and staff will be celebrated their hard work.
Everyone in Primary practiced their PE and sporting skills in order to take part in events to raise awareness and funds as part of Sports Relief.
At the end of March each Key Stage has special Spring and Easter assemblies planned which will celebrate the start of the new season and lead us into the Summer term
— Joanne Sweeney, Head of School, Peter Turner Primary School
Above: day out at Brooks Farm Outdoor Learning Centre.
Below: A chance to visit Bethnal Green Toy Museum on a quiet day.
P E T E R T U R N E R P R I M A R Y S C H O O L
M A R G A R E T B R E A R L E Y S C H O O L
Students came back to school in January full of beans and enthusiasm for the new term ahead.
Topic focus at Key Stage 3 was ‘Forces and Motion’ and at Key Stage 4 ‘Cooking’ with Physical and Chemical Changes.
We have been fortunate to have received and installed with Jack Petchy money two table tennis tables and a table football activity for students to enjoy during break and lunchtimes which have been a huge success. This is part of an ongoing focus of improving the playground and leisure areas for our students.
We have some management changes in Niels Chapman and would like to congratulate Jamie Bargeman who is now our new Post 16 Leader, Nikos Tzenas is our Acting Deputy Head while Chadia Filali- Moutei is at Joseph Clark School, Kayleigh Hardy our new Manager for ‘Climbing Up’ curriculum and Ella Clark who is Acting Key Stage 3 Manager.
During February we hosted ‘Autism Education Trust’ into school to carry out some filming for training purposes with our students, staff and parents. This was also a great success.
At the end of the term we took part in some exciting activities, in particular a curriculum week for ‘Mark Making’ for Literacy and we as well as various activities to be organised for ‘Sports Relief. Next term we are looking forward to a day with the fabulous ‘Lions of Zululand’ who will be coming to visit Whitefields in April It’s a busy time ahead!— Elaine Smith Head of School, Niels Chapman Secondary School
Barely past the half way mark of this year and we already have some amazing news to share with you. Daniel — one of the Mile End group — completed a work trial on at the beginning of March in the restaurant at Royal London Hospital and made such a good impression that he was offered a job there and then! An incredible achievement for both him and the team.
However the exciting news around Employment as a final destination doesn’t stop there. We’ve had multiple job applications flying out the door recently, with some of the interns already being invited to interview in the next couple of weeks. The group continue to work well in their current placements, which will finish at the end of this term.
There has also been some excellent feedback from the mentor and managers and the interns have paved the way for the third and final placements which start after Easter. Without exception, the interns have matured and continue to develop essential work skills for their adult lives in such diverse department as Sexual Health, Pathology,
Laundry, Medical Engineering and in multiple ward placements across the Whipps Cross and Mile End Hospitals.
Family involvement continues to a very important part of what we do at Project SEARCH. The fourth round of Employment planning meeting will be happening shortly. These half termly meetings gather together
family, the Project SEARCH team, Managers, Mentors and
other significant members of staff, to discuss the young person and how best to support them. The family curriculum, which has six sessions throughout the Project SEARCH, also helps the family further understand and support their young person towards that all important job.
Thank you to everyone who supports Project SEARCH throughout the borough and beyond. Watch this space for more exciting news in the near future.
Project SEARCH is a programme for young people in their last year of full-time education, designed to find them full-time, permanent employment through a series of work placements.
The local Project SEARCH programme based at Whipps Cross University Hospital and coordinated by Whitefield launched in September 2013.
First of this year's Project SEARCH interns offered permanent job
Daniel (left) and his new manager at the Royal London Hospital - Nick
The Autism Education Trust, came to Whitefield in February, as part of their new complex needs training module that will illustrate excellent practice teaching young people with autism.
N I E L S C H A P M A N S E C O N D A R Y S C H O O L
As the first signs of Spring become visible, Margaret Brearley School approaches the end of yet another busy and eventful term. Students and staff continued to work hard within classes, exploring new and interesting activities and developing skills in all areas.
In an already busy and stimulating term, some other special events took place, including the Multi –Sports Panathlon and an eventful Literacy Curriculum week.
Several pupils within the Yellow phase represented Waltham Forest in the Multi-Sports Panathlon in January. Events taking place during the day included Boccia, New Age Curling, Table Cricket, Pollybat as well as various athletic activities. Waltham Forest received an overall third place against several
neighbouring boroughs whilst individual pupils received Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. These events will continue throughout the Summer term and we wish our pupils the best of luck during future meetings.
Literacy week focused on Mark making and classes participated in a range of creative activities, suitable for all ages and abilities, exploring different methods of creating patterns and marks to express themselves. These included art activities and workshops as well as working with different materials such as foam, sand, clay and Modroc. As always, both students and staff threw themselves wholeheartedly into these activities, ensuring that it was an exciting week where plenty of learning took place.
Various characters from childrens’ books came alive during World Book Day on Thursday 3rd March with everyone from Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood to ‘Where’s Wally?’ gracing our corridors with their presence. It was a fun day that promoted lots of discussion with the children about their favourite books.
We celebrated Spring as a school with our parents, during our annual Spring Festival. These whole school events are
always much anticipated by everyone and this year was no different, with the Purple phase performing a new and expressive wheelchair dance to the music of ‘Swan Lake’, whilst the Yellow phase created exciting outfits for their Easter parade.
Finally, Margaret Brearley got our tracksuits and sports equipment ready for Sport Relief. This was a fitting way to end the term and prepare ourselves for the new challenges of the summer term.
— Marize Lawson Acting Head of School, Margaret Brearley School
World Book day: Margaret Breareley's Class Y107 pose with a bunch of Wallys
Students make their mark during literacy weekLiteracy week saw a host of events at the schools. As well as the traditional dressing up on World book day, other major element of the week was a 'mark making competition' — an art competition judged by Whitefield Schools Principal Laura Pease. You can find a gallery of the winning and highly commended entries on the Whitefield Web site.
You’ll also find video of the visit from Artsburst, a specialist arts group who ran a literacy and arts workshop, based on the book Tiddler by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Peter Turner Primary, Margaret Brearley and Niels Chapman Schools all took part, reading the book, then making their own ‘tiddlers’.
Laura says: “It was extremely difficult to select winners as all the entries represent real achievements by the individual pupils. We were looking for two things – visual impact in terms of shape, colour or texture and evidence of the pupil’s contribution.”
Pupils from Peter Turner
Primary get to work on their ‘Tiddler’ sea
scene.
S E Q U O I A C L U B
Some children and young people with autism display what is called ‘sensory seeking behaviours’ — where pupils may have an unusual response to touch, smell, or sound, due to they way that sensations and stimuli are processed in the brain. Somebody with sensory processing problems can behave in unusual ways such as walking on tiptoes, spinning, seeking deep pressure or massage or constantly mouthing objects.
Quite often the standard approach to tackle the sensory behaviour directly — assessing the pupil’s sensory responses alongside an occupational therapist. So, for a pupil who constantly puts objects in their mouth various foods might be introduced - crunching on ice, or sucking on a lemon in the hope that by stimulating the senses in the mouth, the craving of putting other objects in the mouth might reduce.
But are there alternative approaches?
The approach: For one pupil in particular, it was apparent that levels of sensory-seeking behaviour tended to increase in lessons with less structure such as Art, PE and music.
Adapting lessons where possible to add more structure, predictability and consistency reduced sensory seeking behaviours over time as he became more settled in the routines and knew what was expected.
Additionally sensory activities were planned into the lesson, designed to match the pupils’ sensory needs.
Creating these sensory opportunities encouraged him to be drawn to the activities and therefore participation increased. Over time this developed to be group experiences, shaking material together and playing instruments.
In addition giving him something to help him to stay in his seat for longer.
Originally, it seemed that the pupil’s sensory seeking behaviours outweighed his autism, but on closer reflection it is clear that the same routine and structure that help autistic children cope in the classroom could also have a positive impact on sensory behaviours too.
Hints and tips: • All pupils benefit from structure, routine and
consistency.
• Be flexible and creative in ways to use senses to engage pupils- could be linked to their likes/ preferences, but don’t overdo it. It is about getting the right balance to engage them enough without sending them to sensory overdrive.
• Each young person is different and what works for one may not be the same for another
• Give the strategies time; do not change them too quickly.
Researcher: Ella Clark, Teacher Whitefield Schools
Of interest to: parents and teachers looking to manage sensory-seeking behaviour
Techniques used: making routines more structured, building sensory-rich aspects into activities.
Research Unlocked is
an initiative driven by the
Whitefield Research & Development Centre which attempts to find ways to make academic research in
the areas of special educational needs accessible to schools, education
professionals and parents.
We had a good response to our latest parent questionnaire 141 questionnaires were returned (40% of the school). Thank you to everyone who took part.
The summary of responses is shown to the right, we also asked if there was is anything else that would like us to know and 33 parents took the opportunity.
21 made positive comments on the school relating to: Staff, relationship between parents and staff, behaviour, family support, school nurses, transport operatives, pupil’s progress and pupil’s safety.
Other comments concerned: The School nurse, speech and language therapy, updating parents on progress and changes to class staff, parents evening, more After School Clubs, sport and swimming, specific problems relating to individual pupils, educational programmes for parents e.g. sign language, pupil’s behaviour at home, communication from the school and pupil’s interaction with community.
All parents who raised concerns have been contacted by the Heads of School.
Make sense of sensory-seeking behaviour
What do parents think of Whitefield Schools?Statement Agree Disagree/other
My child is happy 99.3% 1 stated “sometimes” (0.72%)
My child feels safe 98.5% 2 stated “sometimes” (1.5%)
My child makes good progress 98.5% 2 disagree (1.5%)
Whitefield Schools meets my child’s particular needs
97% 3 disagree (2%), 1 stated “most of the time” (1%)
My child is taught well 98% 2 disagree (1.5%), 1 stated “most of the time” (0.5%)
The school helps my child to develop skills in communication, reading, writing and mathematics
98% 2 disagree (1.5%), 1 stated “most of the time” (0.5%)
There is a good standard of behaviour 98.5% 2 disagree (1.5%)
Any cases of bullying are dealt with effectively 100% No-one disagreed
The school helps me support my child’s learning
96% 4 disagree (3%), 1 stated “most of the time” (1%)
responds to any concerns I raise 98.5% 2 disagree (1.5%)
The school keeps me well-informed about my child’s progress
98% 3 disagree (2%)
Whitefield School is well-led and well-managed 100% No-one disagreed
P E T E R T U R N E R P R I M A R Y S C H O O L
Are you eligible for free school meals?Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:•Income Support•income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance•income-related Employment and
Support Allowance•support under Part VI of the
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999•the guaranteed element of State Pension
Credit•Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not
also entitled to Working Tax Credit and
have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
•Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
•Universal CreditChildren who get any of the above benefits in their own right (i.e. they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
Moreover, claiming free school meals helps your child in other ways too. The school is given additional money by the government for every child who successfully claims free meals.
Join those already helping FOWS raise money You could join the group raising money for the Friends of Whitefield when they shop online
1. Sign up
Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/fowschool and follow the simple steps to sign up.
2. Hit the shops
If you install its toolbar, Easyfundraising checks whether the place you’re shopping online will give us a donation. You shop as normal. Everything costs exactly the same.
3. Earn donations
With every purchase you make you’ll raise a donation from the retailer which automatically
goes to FOWS.
At the beginning of last term, the Friends of Whitefield Schools (FOWS) signed up with EasyFundraising, a way of letting you raise cash, as you shop online - at no extra cost. FOWS runs all kinds of events to make and fund all kinds of things that make school life just a bit more fun.
Since then 18 people have signed up and nominated FOWS as the charity they would like to give to. We would like to give a big thank you to everyone who has signed up, and a particular thank you to our top 5 donors.
This term’s top supporters 1st Ursula A. £98.84 2nd Sarah M. £74.27 3rd Gill W. £11.94 4th Lino D. £6.20 5th Margaret R. £6.09
Together our 18 supporters have raised £198.57 so far.
Friends of Whitefield continues to provide ‘extras ‘ for all the pupils in the school. Every child class received money at Christmas to provide treats for the class. We have provided track suits and T shirts for the athletics team and I am sure this has inspired them to success. At the end of every term we run a free family disco,
which is well attended. Next term we will be paying for transport for the children to go on the Kids Day out in June. Thank you for everyone who joined the 100 club, or bought raffle tickets, bought Christmas cards and photos or made a donation all your money goes to helping
FOWs provide things during the year for the children. Look out for the summer activities. If you would like to join our committee we meet once every half term and you would be most welcome.
Events at Whitefield Schools
April Wednesday 20th Lions of Zululand
May Tuesday 10th 7.00pm Connections Theatre public performance
June Wednesday 8th Kids Day Out - Rotary ClubTuesday 21st 10.00am New Entrants' morning - NCSWednesday 22nd 10.00am New Entrants' morning - Margaret Brearley SchoolFriday 24th 2.00 KS3 Sports Day
July Friday 1st 10.00am NCS Sports DayTuesday 5th 2.00pm KS1 Sports DayWednesday 6th 5.30pm Project Search Graduation CeremonyWednesday 6th Margaret Brearley Purple Sports DayThursday 7th 5.00pm Peter Turner Primary Garden Party/Meet the teacherFriday 8th 10.00am Margaret Brearley Yellow Sports dayTuesday 12th 2.00pm KS2 Sports Day
Thursday 14th Early Years sports/active fun day Friday 15th 10.00pm MBS ASDAN celebration and Post -19 leavers Friday 15th 10.00am KS2 Leavers' assemblyFriday 15th 2.00pm KS1 Leavers' assemblyTuesday 19th 1.30pm NCS Leavers' assemblyWednesday 20th 1.30pm Margaret Brearley School Disco
Events at Joseph Clarke School
April Week of 25th - Parents share a session week - details to come
May Wednesday 18th - Parents coffee morning Friday 20th - Joseph Clarke School Trust - Quiz NightWeek of 23rd - Charity week
June Tuesday 7th Parents evening - secondary new entrants evening
July Thursday 14th Joseph Clarke School Trust - Charity Golf DayFriday 15th - End of term concertMonday 18th - Sports day
Term Dates Summer term 12th April — 20th July • Term Starts: Tuesday 12th April• Bank Holiday: Monday 2nd May• Half Term: Monday 30th May - Friday 3rd
June• Term Ends: Wednesday 20th July
Autumn term 6th April — 21st December • Term Starts: Tuesday 6th September• Half Term: Monday 24th October -Friday
28th October • Term Ends: Wednesday 21st December
Spring term 2017 4th January — 21st DecemberTerm Starts: Wednesday 4th JanuaryHalf Term: Monday 13th February - Friday 17th FebruaryTerm Ends: Friday 31st March
Summer term 2017 19th April — 19th July
Term Starts: Wednesday 19th AprilBank Holiday: Monday 1st MayHalf Term: Monday 29th May - Friday 2rd JuneTerm Ends: Wednesday 19th July
E V E N T S & N O T I C E S
Letting us know about sickness and requesting
leave of absence
Regular attendance at school is crucial to your child’s education, but if your child is ill and has to be absent, you need to let us know.
Phone the school before 9:00am on the day, and tell us what’s wrong and how long you expect him or her to be away.
The government rules regarding schools’ ability to grant leave of absence for pupils for family holidays in term time are now very strict. We are only allowed to grant term-time leave in ‘exceptional circumstances.’
Families who need to request leave for their children must complete the relevant form, explaining the reason for their request and giving as much notice as possible. The Head of School or Headteacher may wish to arrange a meeting to discuss the situation further before the school makes a final decision.
The Academy safeguarding team is: Laura Pease - Designated Safeguarding Lead, Whitefield Schools
• Gill Wadeson • Lesley Middleton Maureen Duncan - Designated Safeguarding Lead, Joseph Clarke School
• Sarah Bent • Isobel Cox
Owen O'Reagan - Link Director for Safeguarding.
Please contact a member of the team if you see or hear anything which causes concern about the safety or wellbeing of any child or young person attending the Academy.
Safeguarding information
For more details of any of these events, including details, times and booking details of Joseph Clarke Trust charitable events visit www.whitefield.org.uk to find the school’s calendar and click on the event. It is now possible to get our events updated automatically on your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Visit the calendar that you are interested in and tap the ‘Subscribe’ button
