Newsletter: Friday 31st March 2023
Dear Parents,
It was lovely that so many of you were able to attend the learning reviews this week. A huge thank you to our teachers for working so hard throughout the term but especially this week to ensure that you are all kept well-informed about your children’s progress.
Music lessons
As some of you will be aware, Harriet Pitman, who usually teaches our piano and singing lessons, has begun her maternity leave. I’m sure you will join us in wishing her all the best and we will share her happy news in due course. In the meantime, we are just finalising arrangements for her cover and will let you know as soon as possible.
If you are interested in your child taking up guitar/ukulele lessons, Justin our guitar teacher also has some upcoming availability for the summer term. Please do visit https://www.bidborough.kent.sch.uk/Learning/Music-at-Bidborough/ to find his details and those of other peripatetic music lessons available through the school.
Gymnastics competition (Thea and Hannah)
On Tuesday, the gymnastics team went to the Angel Centre for an epic gymnastics competition. We did three main events which was vault, bench routine and floor routine. We were split into two groups – advanced and intermediate. Our first routine was bench routine, then floor and then vault. We won first place on both advanced and intermediate! We had a great morning and realised it was not the winning that counts but one big team effort.
Easter celebration (Mrs Dance)
Today, the children had great fun joining our Worship Leaders in the hall for a range of Easter themed activities. The Worship Leaders did a great job of running 5 activities linked to the Easter story:
- Palm Sunday: making a palm leaf and decorating it.
- The Last Supper: decorating a plate (what Jesus shared, their favourite meal or chosen decorations).
- Jesus was Betrayed: making a Roman shield.
- Good Friday: making lolly stick puppets.
- Easter Sunday: creating a colourful stained glass cross design.
While in the hall, I saw and heard lots of discussions about what happened at different parts of the Easter Story, squeals of delight, tongues of concentration and lots of koinonia. At the end of the day we all gathered in the hall for an end of day assembly. The Worship Leaders retold the Easter Story and shared some prayers they had written. We are all so proud of our Worship Leaders and want to say a special thank you to each of them for helping to organise and run the day. We hope the children enjoyed it and wish everyone a Happy Easter!
A huge thank you to Mrs Dance too for supporting the Worship Leaders in organising the events today as well as the PTA for putting on a fun Easter Hunt for the children this afternoon. It’s been a brilliant way to end the term!
Election of Parent Governors
I would like to invite you to consider standing for election as a parent governor for this school.
Every Local Authority maintained school has a governing body, which includes a number of categories of governors including parent governors. Parent governors are elected to serve for a period of 3 years, though they may resign at any time.
Together with the headteacher, the governing body has overall responsibility for the running of the school; amongst many duties governors are involved in deciding school policies, allocating the school’s budget and appointing senior staff.
The governing body has three core functions:
· Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
· Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
· Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
No special qualifications are needed, the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to give time to play an active part in the governing body’s work. In order to support governors in their work full training is provided at no cost to the individual.
The full governing body normally meets 3 times per a term, usually at 6pm. In addition, there may be committee meetings held each term, specific arrangements will depend on the model of governance adopted by the governing body. Governors are required to have a DBS check completed upon appointment.
If you would like to stand for election, please complete the attached form and return it to me within 10 school days, i.e., Friday 28th April, 3pm. You can return via email headteacher@bidborough.kent.sch.uk or via the school office.
You may wish to propose another parent and if so, please ensure that they are aware of your intentions; please also ensure that they sign the nomination form by way of confirmation.
Each person standing for election is invited to provide with their nomination, a short personal statement (a maximum and strictly no more than 250 words). The statement could include biographical information, your reasons for wanting to be a parent governor, your skills and the contribution you believe you could make to the governing body. The nomination form is attached and additional copies are available from the office.
If the number of nominations received is equal or less than the number of vacancies, the nominee(s) will automatically be elected as parent governors, subject to a satisfactory DBS check; if there are more nominations than vacancies, a ballot (vote) will be held, and copies of the personal statements will be sent to all parents; 10 school days will be allowed for the return of ballot papers.
Each eligible parent will have one vote for each vacancy, irrespective of the number of children they have at the school.
I do hope you will consider standing as a governor or perhaps nominating another parent/carer (please ensure they are aware of your intentions; you should also obtain their signature on the nomination form).
If you would like more information about being a school governor, please contact a member of our governing body or myself for more information via the school office.
School Photographs
If you ordered a copy of your child’s in-class portrait photograph, this should have come home today. Please see the attached subscription information from Happy Days photography which may be of interest to you for future orders.
Wishing you all a restful break and we look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Monday 17th April. Please see attached the menu for next term.
Happy Easter!
Kind regards,
Julie Burton
Headteacher
31st March – INSET day
17th April – Start of Term 5
19th April – Class R trip
21st April – St. George’s team may wear red
1st May – Bank holiday
5th May – Class 1 assembly
8th May – Bank holiday (Coronation)
9th May – Year 6 SATs
10th May – Year 6 SATs
11th May – Year 6 SATs
12th May – Year 6 SATs
26th May – Last day of Term 5
