Embsay
North Yorkshire
BD23 6RH
Dear Parents,
As we reach the end of the year, there are various pieces of information or news that I need to share with you.
Staff leaving
Various members of staff are leaving at the end of term:
Miss Farmery who has been with us this term in year 3,
Mrs Pugh who has been with us as a teaching assistant since 2012,
Mr Warwick who has been with us as a teaching assistant since last September, and
Mrs Gormley who has been with us since October.
We wish them well as they move on – whether it be to other jobs or retirement!
Volunteers in school
I have had enquiries from various people who would like to come and volunteer in school. Volunteers were put on hold during the pandemic and this has given us the opportunity to review how we use volunteers across school. A revised policy for Volunteers can be found on the school website.
Volunteers bring with them a wealth of skills and experience that can enhance the learning opportunities of the children. However it is important that anybody working with children in our school is suitably trained and qualified to do so. Volunteers will therefore be asked to undertake training of various kinds before beginning to work with children. This training includes safeguarding training (reading specific documents and an online course), as well as training in the activities they will be carrying out with the children. Early reading is a priority within school and any adult working with children needs to support children in a consistent way.
Volunteers need to undergo a DBS check and also need to be committed to coming in on a regular basis. They will not be asked to work in the same class as their child.
If you would like to volunteer, please drop me an email before the end of term so I can organise training in the first few weeks of term.
Absence in term time
During this academic year, I have been very aware that holidays have had to be rearranged following cancellations postponements etc due to the pandemic. However, during the course of this academic year there have been over 100 days of school missed due to unauthorised absence. It is incredibly important that children are in school every single day that they can be – there is clear evidence that missing school can have a considerable impact on a child’s educational achievements, as well as the disruption caused to the class as a result. Could I please ask you to think very carefully before taking your child out of school during term time? If there are specific reasons, please have a word.
If I don’t see you before the end of term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support and good wishes through the year and to wish you and your family a very happy and restful summer break. School reopens on Tuesday 6th September.
Kind regards,
Fiona Prest