Newsletter 3rd December 2021

  

Dear Parents and Carers

    

    

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Dates of all events happening at Uplands Manor can be found on the calendar  https://uplandsmanor.sch.life/Page/Calendar 

Make sure you check it regularly as new dates will be added throughout the year

December

  • Saturday 4th December 10am Open morning
  • Tuesday 7th December - deadline for booking Christmas dinner
  • Thursday 9th December 6pm Open evening
  • Tuesday 14th December Christmas jumper and Christmas lunch
  • Friday 17th December Last day of term
  • Monday 20th December - Monday 3rd January CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
  • Tuesday 4th January School closed for staff training
  • Wednesday 5th January School re-opens for all children
  • Monday 10th January - Friday 11th February - Guitar, football, singing, Y5 challenge and girls' football club dates
  • Wednesday 12th January Nasal flu immunisations for children who didn't receive it earlier in the year

January

  • Monday 19th January - Friday 11th February Year 5 extra-curricular clubs
  • Monday 10th January - Friday 11th February - Guitar, football, singing, Y5 challenge and girls' football club dates
  • Wednesday 12th January Nasal flu immunisations for children who didn't receive it earlier in the year
  • Wednesday 19th - Year 3 Egyptian Workshop
  • Monday 24th - Wednesday 26th - Edgmond Hall Residential (group 1)
  • Wednesday 26th - Friday 28th - Edgmond Hall Residential (group 2)

    

Christmas song recording - bring your Christmas jumper on Friday 10th December

The children have been learning lots of new songs recently and will be recorded next Friday 10th December. 

Children are invited to wear or bring a Christmas jumper on Friday 10th December with their uniform.

Please note children should wear school uniform. Please make sure jumpers have your child's name in.

    

    

Open Days

Was your child born between 1st September 2017 and 31st August 2018?

You can apply for a Reception place to start in September 2022 by visiting the Sandwell Admissions website:

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/schooladmissions

We would like to meet you and show you around our school so you can see all the wonderful teaching and learning that take place at Uplands Manor, have a tour around the school and meet some of the dedicated staff team.  

You are invited to our open days:

    

    

    

    

Congratulations to  the children who have received a Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher award this week.  They are:

  • Nick K for clearly communicating with his class and being so kind and caring to all of his peers
  • Ibraheem R for his fantastic instructional writing - well done!
  • Riley B for his work in PE - he had great ideas and led his group creatively

    

    

The national target for attendance in school is 96%. 

It is really important that children are in school on time every day.  

For the week ending 3rd December, the whole school attendance was 91.1%.  The highest attending classes were:

 

  • RM - 95.7%
  • 1G - 95.8%
  • 2B - 92.6%
  • 3M - 94.2%
  • 4S - 95.2%
  • 5DG - 95.5%
  • 6S - 91.5%

    

  

    

    

Safeguarding - Is someone else collecting your child from school?

If you need someone else to collect your child from school, you must ring school to let us know as early as possible.  Please make sure that you think of a password that you can tell both school and the person collecting.  

If you do not tell us beforehand, we will not be able to release your child until we have spoken to you.

    

Arrival at school each morning

We hope you read the recent letter sent out about attendance at school. 

Doors close at 8.55am.  Any children who arrive at school after 8.55am must be taken to the late door.  

Any arrivals after 9.30am result in an unauthorised absence mark for the child's morning session.

Children who are late for school miss vital learning time.  If you need any support with attendance, please speak to Mrs Wilkins-Francis or Mrs Ford.

    

Free School Meal Vouchers for Christmas

We are pleased to inform you that Sandwell Council will be providing Food Vouchers for the Christmas holiday to all families who are entitled to Free School Meals.  You will receive more information next week.

    

Packed lunches

We have a number of children and staff in school who have nut allergies.  Please do not send in any food containing nuts - e.g. Peanut butter, Nutella or food items containing nuts.

Some children have brought sandwiches containing chocolate spread.  Please make sure this is chocolate spread and not a nut based spread.

    

It's cold outside!

Please make sure your child has a warm coat and perhaps a hat, scarf and gloves in school to wear at break and lunchtime. 

Everything needs to be labelled - buy some sew in or stick on labels or simply use a pen to write their name somewhere on every item of clothing, shoes, bags, etc.  We have lots of children with the same initials so please write their full name so we can return any lost items to the correct child.  We cannot take responsibility for items that are not labelled.

    

Snow days - how to find out if we are closed

If we have to close school due to severe weather or any other reason, we will let you know as quickly as possible by sending a message on the School Gateway app and on social media.  

    

Parents attending Assemblies

If you have been invited to attend an assembly, please go to the door in the top right corner of the main playground as soon as your child has gone into school. 

Please do not leave the playground.  Assembly starts at 9am. Anyone arriving after 9.05am will not be permitted entry as it will disturb the children leading the assembly and impacts staff having to take parents through school.

 

    

Covid information

The Government have recommended that pupils have a precautionary PCR test if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.  We will keep you up to date about positive cases and remind you of the Government guidance.  

This week, we have been informed of positive PCR tests in the following classes:

    

Beyond the Book Day

On Friday, we had a fantastic day exploring books and stories that represented different cultures. Around school, we saw all sorts of wonderful activities from decorating stars to writing their own stories, designing their own mermaid tails to sharing what they would like to be when they are older and so much more. The children's outfits were also fantastic! Thank you for your support with this. 

    

KS2 Reading Workshops

  • Friday 3rd December Last day of all extra-curricular clubs
  • Saturday 4th December 10am Open morning
  • Thursday 9th December 6pm Open evening
  • Tuesday 14th December Christmas jumper and Christmas lunch
  • Friday 17th December Last day of term
  • Monday 20th December - Monday 3rd January CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
  • Tuesday 4th January School closed for staff training
  • Wednesday 5th January School re-opens for all children
  • Wednesday 12th January Nasal flu immunisations for children who didn't receive it earlier in the year

A huge thank you to the parents and carers that attended our KS2 reading workshops. It was lovely to share an enthusiasm for reading and look at ways children can be supported at home. If you missed the workshops, click the links below. 

    

    

GOVERNANCE

    

    

Parent Governor Vacancy

We have a vacancy for 1 Parent Governor.  If you are interested in becoming a Governor at Uplands Manor, please ask the School Receptionists for an information pack.

    

    

COMMUNITY NEWS

    

    

Cllr Roger Horton

We were sad to receive the news that Cllr Roger Horton, who was Freeman of the Sandwell Borough sadly passed away last week.  He was a Smethwick Cllr, a former Mayor and was on the Council for 44 years prior to his retirement.  Cllr Horton attended Uplands Manor as a child.

We will be writing to his wife on behalf of the school community.

    

The Dorothy Parkes Centre

    

    

Singlepoint

    

    

Sandwell Good to Know Newsletter

School Life app download
A School Life Website
School Life app download