September Newsletter

6th September 2012 Dear parents, carers and friends, A warm welcome back to another academic year. You will have noticed new signage going up as our partnership with the Children’s Centre is realised, and we have many exciting events coming up to celebrate this new relationship (more of this later). Due to the efforts of the staff, the school already looks amazing, made even better by the children in the smartest uniform I can recall in all my time here. Standing at the front of assembly on Tuesday was a joy, looking out on a sea of smiling faces in smart, crisp uniform. Thank you all so much. Last year’s attendance was easily the best in my time here, and (we believe) the best since the year 2000, standing at 92.4%. This is an incredible achievement, and we are so grateful for all your efforts. We will continue to work closely with Education Welfare Services to promote positive attendance – I hope to write to you soon with the precise number of Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. What I can tell you is that we had an amazing 8 pupils whose attendance was 100% for the whole year. Attendance thus far has been good, but some people still have alarms set to holiday time and are coming in late (after 8.55). Please remember that late marks affect everyone, and being on time for school is essential. Our first exciting event this year takes place tomorrow afternoon – Friday 7th. To celebrate the creation of the new Badock’s Wood Communtiy Primary School and Children’s Centre, we will be visited by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Peter Main. He will come to the school (around 1.45) and then walk from the school to the children’s centre, placing the final links in a giant paper chain linking the two sites. We will take key stage 2 pupils out to the route, and the police will be on hand to ensure the safety of all. If you do not want your child to take part, please let me know and we can make alternative arrangements. Advance warning – school is closed on Friday 28th September for Inset training. (If you ever wondered what staff get up to on inset, visit the news section of our website.) So, here’s to what promises to be another exciting year in the history of (the now enlarged) Badock’s Wood. Once again, we look forward to working with you all to provide the very best we can for the children of Southmead. Yours faithfully, Zak Willis Headteacher