Thursday 17 February 2011

issue 21, 2010-11, 18th Feb 11

Dear Parent/Carer,

We have had a great, action-packed, final week in school before the Half Term.

Valentines Disco
My thanks to the PTA for organising and managing the Valentine’s Disco this week… in the midst of keyboard lessons, busy classrooms, World Book Day and the Book Fair. I certainly got a flavour of the music from my office next door (and a headache) and my information is that everyone who attended the Disco had a great time. Well done to our PTA.

World Book Day (Non-Uniform)
Our World Book Day on Monday was a fabulous success. It was fantastic to see virtually everyone throughout school dressed as their favourite book character. I have to say a special thank you to the staff for making such a superb effort and contribution to the day. It is their energy and enthusiasm that brings learning to life for children at Robin Hood. An extra special thank you also to Miss Hinton for her leadership of this event.

Football News
Our school football team played two games at Garforth Academy last week. The first game against St Nicholas’s was won 7-1 with five goals from Matthew Hambleton. The second game was a 1-1 draw against Strawberry Fields. Fine work by our boys and the team looked fantastic in their new green and white halved shirts.

Celebration Fridays
Thank you to all parents who have attended our Celebration Friday events this Half Term. These events are getting bigger and better each time we put them on. There was huge support from parents, family and carers at our assembly on Friday and a great turn our for our Year 56 Celebration Friday. The Year 56 team had organised Yorkshire Tea and pupil-made Yorkshire Parkin to welcome guests. In many cases more than one slice was ‘sampled’.

Robin Hood TV
My thanks to Miss Darroch, who has brought together the fine work of Robin Hood TV and Mr Simpson’s expert camerawork from the Celebration Assemblies on our own in-house TV station. Children from all over school are watching themselves on our big screen at the end of the Mall… the stars of the show!

International News
Miss Hinton, Miss Lambert and Miss Thackeray have been in Austria this week, meeting with our European Comenius colleagues. The Comenius project brings schools from across Europe together to develop collaborative learning projects. Our Year 34’s have contributed fantastic storybooks about Robin Hood to the project. Our teachers will be bringing back similar works on Folk Legends from Austria, Norway, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Our Year 56’s have also been working on materials to send overseas. Miss Gascoigne will be taking their storyboards and Comic Strips about life at Robin Hood to Senegal in March to share with our Senegalese and Ugandan partners.

Mrs Wathen received an email this week from the school attached to the Spanish Embassy complementing her on the Spanish Blog that we have running on our website. It is incredible to think about the number and diversity of people who are reading our blogs. I have also received contacts this week from a fellow Headteacher and a teacher in Leeds who are following the blogs.

Visits and visitors
We received visitors this week from the leadership team from what is currently a High School in Rotherham that will shortly convert into a through 3-18 school. The Headteacher and leadership team are visiting key schools in the country to learn about outstanding Primary practice. We were also visited by a Learning Consultant from Education Bradford who has invited Miss Darroch and a group of pupils to present at forthcoming conference in Bradford. Both groups of visitors left enthused, excited and inspired by what they saw at Robin Hood this week.

Coffee Mornings in the Community Annexe
I am very grateful to Julie Austin-Lee and a group of parents who are planning to open the Annexe for coffee and a chat on alternate Mondays, 1st, 15th and 29th March from school drop off time at 9.00am – 10.30am. Tea, coffee, juice, biscuits, toast… and maybe even Rocky Road… will be on offer. It sounds too good to miss! Ex-Lost Property that has previously been displayed and not claimed will be available for sale. Funds raised will be donated to our Uganda Appeal, which will allow us to send further resources out for the benefit of children at our Ugandan partner school, Gayaza CU Primary.

Friendly Faces
Spaces remain available at Friendly Faces for the Half Term holiday, Monday to Thursday. We are offering half day as well as full day childcare… either morning or afternoon. Fancy a morning’s shopping in peace and quiet… drop the kids off at Friendly Faces and collect them after lunch! Half day places are available at £12.50… Much cheaper than the cost of keeping bored kids entertained at the shops! Anyone wishing to book Childcare at Friendly Faces during Half Term please contact Louise Parker. Please Note: Friendly Faces will be closed on the Friday of the Half Term.

Have a lovely weekend and fantastic Half Term,
Mr Wilson

Tuesday 15 February 2011

issue 20, 2010-11, 11th Feb

Dear Parent/Carer,

Book Day (Non-Uniform)
Remember, we are holding a themed Book Day on Monday 14 February. This is a non-uniformed day on which children are encouraged to come to school dressed as their favourite story character and bring in their favourite book to share with their teachers and friends. We will begin the day with an assembly during which teachers will be sharing their favourite books with the children. My thanks to Miss Hinton for her leadership of this event.

Clubs News
I am delighted that we will be offering a further Club starting on Thursday 3rd March. This is the French Club which will be run by Mrs Charlesworth. We are currently able to offer an incredible fifteen clubs, accessed by over two thirds of children at Robin Hood. These clubs are, for the most part, run by our staff – all of whom are freely giving of their time to add value to our children’s school experience. This is further evidence of the outstanding people who are making outstanding contributions at Robin Hood. Our Art Club, run by Mrs Steel and Mrs Chin will also be moving to a new Thursday evening slot after the Half Term.

Local History
Mrs Steel, our History Leader, would like to hear from anybody who has old photographs of themselves, school friends, family and neighbours, roads or buildings in the local area that we add to our online community archive. This archive provides a very important resource for our Local History studies in school. Mrs Steel is also keen to record oral histories about the local area/changes from local residents that could be added to this rich learning resource for pupils and the community. Anybody who is able to make a contribution… please contact Mrs Steel at the school.

Friendly Faces
Spaces remain available at Friendly Faces for the Half Term holiday, Monday to Thursday. We are offering half day as well as full day childcare… either morning or afternoon. Fancy a morning’s shopping in peace and quiet… drop the kids off at Friendly Faces and collect them after lunch! Half day places are available at £12.50… Much cheaper than the cost of keeping bored kids entertained at the shops! Anyone wishing to book Childcare at Friendly Faces during Half Term please contact Louise Parker. Please Note: Friendly Faces will be closed on the Friday of the Half Term.

PTA
Valentines Roses will be on sale outside school on Monday morning, priced £1.00. Our PTA Valentines Disco takes place in school on Monday evening, February 14th.

Have a super weekend,
Mr Wilson

Tuesday 8 February 2011

issue 19, 2010-11, 4th Feb

Dear Parent/Carer,

Book Day (Non-Uniform)
We are holding a themed Book Day on Monday 14 February. This is a non-uniformed day on which children are encouraged to come to school dressed as their favourite story character and bring in their favourite book to share with their teachers and friends. The day will include lots of reading, sharing stories and having fun with books. The teaching staff are all very keen to dress up in character too… It promises to be an interesting day!

Our next Non-Uniform Day will be on Red Nose Day, Friday 18th March. On Red Nose Day, we do ask that children bring a Non-Uniform donation that will be passed on direct to the charity.

Friendly Faces
Spaces remain available at Friendly Faces for the Half Term holiday. Anyone wishing to book Chilcare at Friendly Faces during that week please contact Louise Parker. We are continuing to make significant investment in Friendly Faces, supported by Sure Start funding. Louise, Jill and Matthew are working hard to create a great provision.

Thanks
Mrs Wathen, Mrs Cookson and Mr Reynolds were identified for special praise by Governors at the recent Governing Body Meeting. All three have consistently made outstanding contributions at Robin Hood and continue to do so. I am very pleased and grateful that Governors recognise and celebrate the contributions made by all of our staff. I would very much encourage you look at Mrs Wathen’s Spanish blog, which has some truly innovative features. The blog can be accessed via the link on the school website or direct at http://robinhoodspanish.blogspot.com/ We have brilliant blogs from all around school…. Miss Abbey and Miss Bradshaw’s wonderful Nursery blog, for instance… The blogs are designed to bring you even closer to the work that our children are doing every day in school.

Thanks to Karen
Karen Whitwam who has served our school and community in the kitchen at lunchtime and on the school crossing is leaving next Friday, 11th February. On behalf of the school community, I would like to thank Karen for her service to the school and wish her well for the future.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mr Wilson