Today we had our end of topic celebration in class 1 – we knew we couldn’t get tot he Beach with all of the current restrictions so we brought the beach to Nettlesworth Primary School. We had our very own pool, fish and chips delivered, music, sand and even the ice cream van made an appearance 🙂
We are delighted to let you know that we have been re-accredited for the third time the NACE Challenge Award. Thank you to staff, parents, governors and children for your continued hard work.
Please see attached report
As part of our community of NACE Challenge Award schools, a new feature launched on our website this week: an interactive map showing the locations of all Challenge Award-accredited schools.
The map is intended to illustrate the reach of the Challenge Award, and to promote the achievement of accredited schools in earning and maintaining the Award. It can be viewed here: www.nace.co.uk/challenge
TT Rockstars Celebration Day – Be a Rockstar for the Day!
Dear Parent / Carer,
Throughout the whole of this year, our children have been working tirelessly hard on the development of their Multiplication Tables – these are essential skills to enhance the children’s mental mathematics and number property knowledge and understanding.
The children from each class have been actively involved in multiplication exercises through our TT Rockstars and Numbots initiative in school, and using their electronic devices at home.
May I first say a huge thank you for all your commitment in helping your child complete their TT Rockstars and Numbots at home – I hope there wasn’t too much competition!
As a reward for their tremendous efforts, we will be holding a TT Rockstars Celebration Day on Friday 9th July 2021. Throughout the Day, your child will experience the KaBoogie Disco Bus – due to COVID restrictions, the Disco bus will be stationary; have a session in the Nettlesworth Rockstar Disco, as well as completing mathematical challenges – all dressed as a Rockstar.
Your child can come to school dressed as rockstars for the day.
The children are really looking forward to their celebration day.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries.
Once again, thank you for your continuous support.
Kind regards
Mr. C. Graham
Deputy Head Teacher
Year 6’s Leaver’s Performance – 2021 – Wow! What a Year!
Dear Parent / Carer,
The children from Class 4 are delighted to showcase their performing arts skills on Friday 9th July 2021, starting at 10.00am. This is a unique event in the school-life of our children, as they have the opportunity to express themselves on stage and participate in the production of ‘Wow! What a Year!’
We are very proud of the determination and commitment our children have shown throughout the year, as well as in the run-up to their Leaver’s Performance, and we believe that you are in for a real treat!
As the children from Year 5 are very much part of our performance, and following current guidelines, we hope to welcome one parent from all the children in Class 4 (one parent per child for both Year 5 and 6) to attend the performance – we will aim to perform on the school yard. Should the weather be wet, we will aim to record the performance in school with no audience.
Please arrive for 9:50am to be seated for the performance – to begin at 10.00am. On arrival, please maintain a 2m distance, lining up against the school fence, where a member of staff will welcome you to your seat. We will be adhering to the COVID guidelines of 2m distance.
May I take this last opportunity to thank you for all your support throughout the year, and I wish you a very relaxing summer holiday.
Stay safe
Mr. Graham
Deputy Head Teacher
c.graham201@durhamlearning.net
Today we welcomed Mrs Barclay, one of our governors, into class. She, very kindly, offered to answer our questions we had about living in London. We have learnt lots about London during our Bright Lights, Big City topic this half term. We all came up with a question and asked her it. We learnt lots about what it is like to live in London and how it differs from where we live here in the North East.
Thank you Mrs Barclay.
Well done to Kian in Class 1; who has been doing some tremendous Speaking and Listening when out visiting our Forest School – not only that it was his 6th Birthday too! How exciting 🙂
In Class 2 we have all worked so hard that choosing Head Teachers Award was super tricky. We decided on two ….. Well done to our little BIG WRITE super stars!
Well done Linzi in Class 3 for doing a lovely Big Write and producing beautiful pieces of work in all your books. Great job Linzi!
All of the children and staff at Nettlesworth School got in the spirit of the Euros by coming to school in their England kits or anything white, red or blue. We recorded the footage and put it altogether in a video for you all to see…
#ENGLANDTOWIN
#COMEONENGLAND
#ENGLANDVSGERMANY
Monday 28th June 2021
Dear Parents/Carers,
Just an update of some of the events which are taking place as we approach the end of term.
Tue 29th June -NACE Re-accreditation assessment day
Many of you will know that we are very proud to hold the NACE challenge award. This is in recognition of the provision, work and intervention we provide for our more able and talented learners. Mr Keith Watson, NACE assessor is travelling up from Sussex to re-assess our school for the award.
Wed 30th June- Class Swap/Transition Day
This is an important day to prepare our children for their new year groups/class teacher and class room in September. We will be unable to mix class bubbles but their new teachers will come into their bubbles and prepare children for September. Current Year 1 who will be Year 2 in September will be able to spend the day in their new classroom with their new class teacher Miss Grimes.
Thur 8th July- Class 1 Performance of Jack and the Beanstalk
For parents/carers of Class 1 only. Weather permitting, we will try and hold this performance outdoors permitting one parent/carer per child. This performance will begin at 10.00am. Please queue outside school 2m apart and wait for an adult to bring you on to school site.
Fri 9th July- Class 4’s performance of WOW! What a Year!
For parents/carers of Class 4 only. Weather permitting, we will try and hold this performance outdoors permitting one parent/carer per child. This performance will begin at 10.00am. Please queue outside school 2m apart and wait for an adult to bring you on to school site.
Fri 9th July- Times Table Rockstar Day
Children are in invited to come to school dressed as rockstars/favourite popstar for the day and will take part in maths activities and a class bubble disco treat.
Fri 9th July- End of Year Reports sent out to Parents/Carers
Week beginning 12th July- No after school catch up tuition this week
Mon 12th July- Parents Open Evening 2-5pm
Normally this is the time parents/carers can come into school to see class work or discuss end of year reports further if necessary. Unfortunately, we will not be able to allow parents/carers to come into school due to restrictions being delayed but we will send some showcase examples of your child’s work home for you to see and celebrate. If you would like to discuss end of year reports, please contact school office to make a telephone appointment with class teacher.
Thur 15th July- Y6 Leavers assembly.
For parents/carers of Year 6 only. Weather permitting, we will try and hold this performance outdoors permitting one parent/carer per child. This will begin at 9.30am. Please queue outside school 2m apart and wait for an adult to bring you on to school site.
Thur 15th July Y6 Prom
This will still be able to take place as planned for children only. Weather permitting before prom starts one parent/carer can come with child to take photographs of Year 6 bubble on school field. This will start at 4.30pm and finish at 6.30pm. We will have a disco, Mcdonalds tea, popcorn and candyfloss cart.
Fri 16th July- Outdoor Picnic with Parents/Carers and Celebration of Mrs Shaw’s Retirement.
Outdoor picnic will still take place keeping class bubbles separate but unfortunately we will not be able to invite parents/carers. We will upload photographs of special celebration on our school website. We will have a disco, entertainment and bouncy castles for the children. Children can come to school in non-uniform.
Fri 16th July –End of Summer Term
Thur 2nd Sep– Children return to school- I will update parents/carers with start times etc as soon as I have further guidelines from Government.
Breakfast club -will begin on Thursday 2nd September. Children arrive at school 8am for those who wish to attend and pay via parent pay at the cost of £1 per day.
School Dinners-will increase from £2.10 per day to £2.15 per day from September 2021. If you have arrears with your school meals, please can you ensure these are paid. Many Thanks
Staffing Update- Miss Amelia Grimes begins to work alongside Mrs Aspinall this week to get to know children and parents/carers before she starts in September teaching Year 2 in our new classroom-Class 3.
We are also pleased to let you know that Mrs Marie Plant will be returning to work in our school this week and continue from September to help support some of our children in Class 1.
Unfortunately Mr Nicholson is leaving after over 25 years of service in our school. We would like to thank him for his hard work and dedication in looking after our school all these years and wish him all the luck for the future. We are currently in the process of recruiting a new school caretaker and will let you know in due course of the successful candidate.
COVID-19 Information
Please remember that if your child develops any of the three key symptoms of COVID-19, you must keep them off school and book them a PCR test and you need to inform the school that they are absent due to suspected COVID-19. Whilst a lot of the time these tests end up being negative, every potential case of COVID-19 has implications for school – if we are aware that pupils are going for tests, we can begin planning for a potential bubble closure sooner. If we only find out once they have received a positive result, this understandably causes extra strain and stress which could be eased if we were aware of the possibility. In addition to this, we are required to report to the DfE on a daily basis whether we have pupils off for reasons relating to COVID-19, so it is imperative that we know if that is why your child is off so our information can be as accurate as possible.
COVID-19 Symptoms & Testing
It is also important to remember that if you, or your child, develop symptoms of COVID-19, it is not enough to have a lateral flow test, which many of you will be taking on a regular basis. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms must isolate and book a PCR test whether or not you have had a negative lateral flow test.
School Holidays and Term Dates 2020 – 2021
I am sure that many of you will have had holidays cancelled or postponed and will be considering when these can be re-booked for next year. We are seeing a growing number of children on holiday during term time. It is really important to remember that holidays during term times can only be authorised in very exceptional circumstances. Very few holidays are ever authorised and this is likely to be even lower next year. It is going to be essential for ALL children to be in school as much as possible due to the extended closure of schools during the latter half of this year. Please also bear in mind that if you do decide to take a holiday during term time which has not been authorised, if your child is out of school for more than 7 consecutive days you can be fined – £60 per parent for each child.
| Holiday | Closing Date | Date re-open for Teaching Purposes |
| Summer Holiday | Friday 17th July 2020 | Wednesday 2nd September 2020 |
| October Half Term | Friday 23rd October 2020 | Monday 2nd November 2020 |
| Christmas Holiday | Friday 18th December 2020 | Tuesday 5th January 2021 |
| February Half Term | Friday 12th February 2021 | Monday 22nd February 2021 |
| Easter Holiday | Friday 26th March 2021 | Tuesday 13th April 2021 |
| May Day | Friday 30th April 2021 | Tuesday 4th May 2021 |
| Summer Half Term | Friday 28th May 2021 | Monday 7th June 2021 |
| Summer Holiday | Friday 16th July 2021 | Thursday 2nd September 2021 |
We would like to wish you a lovely summer holiday and thankyou again for your continued support.
Many Thanks
Donna Lee
Head Teacher
