Article 14
You have the right to choose your own religious and beliefs. Your parents should help you decide what is right and wrong, and what is best for you.
PE Competition Spring 2024.
As part of our PE curriculum, all classes take part in a half termly competition based on the topic they have been focusing on. This challenges them to use their newly acquired knowledge and skills in a competitive situation, which contributes to their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social learning. The children showed enthusiasm and competed to the best of their ability. The lucky winners are as follows:
Year 1
1st - Kingswinford Kickers
2nd - Dudley Gladiators
3rd - Stourbridge Stars
4th - Wordsley Warriors
Competition: throwing with accuracy and dribbling a ball using control.
Year 2
1st Kingswinford Kickers
2nd Stourbridge Stars
3rd Wordsley Warriors
4th Dudley Gladiators
Competition: agility, dribbling, kicking, running and dodging skills.
3/4DD
1st - Stourbridge Stars
2nd - Wordsley Warriors
Joint 3rd - Kingswinford Kickers & Dudley Gladiators
3/4JC
1st - Wordsley Warriors
2nd - Dudley Gladiators
3nd - Stourbridge Stars
4th - Kingswinford Kickers
3/4MC
1st - Dudley Gladiators
2nd - Kingswinford Kickers
3rd - Wordsley Warriors
4th - Stourbridge Stars
Competition - hockey
5/6R
1st - Ruby (Dudley Gladiators)
2nd - Frankie (Dudley Gladiators)
3rd - Tobias (Stourbridge Stars)
4th - Layla-Rose (Stourbridge Stars)
Class 5/6O
1st - Chloe (Wordsley Warriors)
2nd - Destiny (Dudley Gladiators)
3rd - Amber (Kingswinford Kickers)
4th - Joshua M (Dudley Gladiators)
Class 5/6B
1st - Harry (Dudley Gladiators)
2nd - Charlie (Dudley Gladiators) & Jess (Kingswinford Kickers)
3rd - Enqi (Wordsley Warriors)
Competition: Health and fitness challenge
Reception Mud Kitchen
Our School Council have worked very hard to improve the outdoor area in Early Years. We have dug, painted and planted flowers for our youngest children to enjoy. We would also like to say a big thank you to Mr Brierley for helping us to clear the area and paint the furniture. The new Mud Kitchen looks brilliant and is ready for our Nursery and Reception children to enjoy.
Swimming
The swimming pool has created a real ‘buzz’ around school. The KS2 children are enjoying their daily swim and building their confidence and skills, as well as their Water safety knowledge. The National Curriculum states:
In particular, pupils should be taught to:
- Swim competently, confidently, and proficiently over a distance of at least 25m,
- Use a range of strokes effectively, such as front crawl, backstroke, and breaststroke,
- Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.
Many have been successful in achieving the required 25m distance already! Well done. KS1 – Nursery will have the opportunity to receive water safety lessons.
https://blanford.sch.life/Page/Detail/swimming-pool
Support please!
Sports Day - Yr Rec - Yr 6, will take place on Thursday 23.05.2023 (more details soon)this year.
In order to make the event successful, we are asking for volunteers to help run the stalls to support our HSA and make this a real family event. If you or any family member, neighbour, friend etc. could spare some time to support this event please complete the online form by Thursday 25th April. This could be all day, or part of the day.
The online form can be on the school website under the forms tab 'Volunteers for Sports Day 23.05.2024'
We will then pass your details to the HSA who will be in contact with you.
Please help the HSA make this event really enjoyable for all our families and children by sparing some time.
Rucksacks Rec- KS1
We would like to ask for your support please. If you could send your child to school with their red book bag daily containing their planner and reading book. Carry lunchboxes and water bottles separately please, as water bottles are leaking onto planners and reading books. More and more children are bringing rucksacks to school, which are unnecessary. We simply do NOT have the space to accommodate them. Book bags can be purchased from school, using the School Money shop. We would appreciate your help with this please.
Pencil cases/items from home
Children are bringing items in from home to use a play and break times. This causes some upset when items such as pencil cases, pens, drawing books, key rings etc get damaged or go missing. Therefore, we ask for your support in not sending these into school. Your child has everything that they need to learn provided by school. Our Art Ambassadors have sorted items out for children to use at lunchtimes, should they wish to draw or write.
Polite reminder
Please support our high standards and expectations regarding school uniform. Children should wear grey (not black), shorts, trousers, skirt or pinafore and red polo shirt or a red and white checked dress – summer uniform. Shoes should be black, not black trainers, as many children are wearing. We would prefer children to keep their fashion trainers to wear at home. Hair should be tied back, no jewellery except for stud earrings, these should be removed on PE days. This forms part of our behaviour policy. Thank you in advance for supporting us with this.
Free school Meals – particularly children in Year 2
When our current Year 2 cohort move to Year 3 in September, they will no longer be entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals. Free School Meals will then only apply to children where their parent’s income satisfies the following conditions at the time of applying:
If you get any of the following support payments your child may be entitled to receive free school meals:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit Run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit (you must have less than £616.67 a month net earned income (after tax - and not including any benefits)
- Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right are also allowed to receive free school meals.
- Children under the compulsory school age who are in full time education may also be entitled to receive free school meals.
If you meet the above criteria, then please complete the online form below. You will be notified by Dudley Council if you are successful, they will also inform the school.
Parents can apply online via http://www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/your-council/council-tax-and-benefits/benefits/free-school-meals/.
Safeguarding
We all have a responsibility for the welfare of our children. If something concerns you about the welfare of a child within school then please contact the class teacher in the first instance who will refer to the Schools Designated Safeguarding Leads within school. If you have concerns which are not school based you can: Call the children's services referral and advice service on 0300 555 0050 during office hours (9am - 5pm). Out of office hours contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0300 555 8574 or in an emergency call 999. Alternatively you can call ChildLine on 0800 1111 or email them by visiting https://www.childline.org.uk/
Dates for the diary:
Friday 26th April – Yr 1 Gurdwara Trip
Tuesday 30th April – Blanford Babies 9am - Hub
Thursday 2nd May – Polling Day – School Closed to children - TBC
Monday 6th May – School Closed –Bank Holiday
Monday 13th – Thursday 16th May – KS2 SATs
Thursday 16th May – Census Day. Dinosaur Lunch.
School Census Day is an important part of the school calendar, as it has a huge impact on the amount of money that is given to Blanford Mere Nursery and Primary School by the Government. The more children eating school hot dinners, the more money the school will be given. Please help us by encouraging your child to eat a school hot lunch on THURSDAY 16th MAY 2024 -particularly our Reception and KS1 children and KS2 children; this will help increase our budget this year. To encourage your child to eat school lunch on this day we are offering choices of the children’s favourite meals. Please see the attached menu, a sandwich option will be available. We really do hope that you will support us in getting as much money as possible for our school and your children.
Friday 17th May – TTRS dress up day. Check your child’s planner – nearer the date.
Monday 20th May – Year 5. Loudmouth Performance ‘My Mate Fancies You’
Tuesday 21st May – Blanford Babies 9am - Hub
Thursday 23rd May – Rec – Yr 6 Sports Day (weather permitting) More details to follow. KS2 am – Rec-KS1 – PM . Back up date if weather awful – Thursday 6th June.
W/B 20th May – Year 2 Optional SATs tests. We will be taking part in the KS1 tests this year.
DFE: ‘Although schools will not report the results of their assessments, the guidance from the DfE says that the tests are being provided as “support in the measurement of pupil achievement” and to “help identify where their pupils need additional support”.’
Wednesday 22nd May – National Number Day. the UK’s only day dedicated to everyday maths. It’s a day that celebrates the importance of numbers for children and adults alike, building brighter futures through confidence with numbers and inspiring everyone to improve their numeracy skills.
We’re encouraging children and staff to come in dressed up in the theme of Number Heroes. From well-known mathematicians or inventors, to transforming into our favourite shapes or maths tools, or simply wearing an item of clothing with numbers on it – however you choose to interpret the theme, it’ll be a great way to celebrate all things numbers and maths. There will be no cost if children would like to dress up.
The charity National Numeracy has teamed up with celebrities and experts to create fun and engaging activities that will get children feeling good about numbers so together, we can dance, bake and rap our way to number confidence!
We have lots of free, fun activities planned for your children to take part in at school, as well as resources they can use at home. National Numeracy Day Live on 22 May: We’ll be starting the day in style by taking part in a nationwide livestreamed event from 9:30am.
There will be 30 minutes of space-themed number fun, with celebrities and CBeebies Numberblocks! Number Heroes Competition: We’ll be sparking imagination and conversations about using numbers and maths in our future dream jobs or hobbies by creating our entries for the Number Heroes Competition. The lucky winners will receive a £50 voucher for themselves, as well as a £1,000 prize bundle for their school.
One of the best ways to support children to feel positive about numbers is to feel confident yourself. National Numeracy has lots of free resources to help adults, so you can support your children with numbers and maths, and boost your own numeracy skills too! https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/numeracyday?utm_source=signupsupport
You can access a range of free resources for adults on the National Numeracy Day website. Together, we can get the whole nation feeling good about numbers!
Thank you for your support,
Mr Baker
Friday 24th May - School closed to children – INSET day
Monday 3rd June – Children return to school at the usual time
W/C Monday 3rd June – Yr 4 Multiplication Times table Check.
Friday 7th June. Year 6 Loudmouth performance. ‘Helping Hands’
W/C Monday 10th June – Year 1 Phonic Screen Check and Year 2 re-check (if needed)
Wednesday 18th June am – Year 3/4 Maths Championship final. Pm Year 5/6 Maths Championship final. Parents have already consented.
Thursday 20th June – Year Rec – Yr 1 Parent transition meeting – 3.30pm – more details to follow.
Tuesday 25th June – Blanford Babies 9am - Hub
Thursday 27th June. New to Reception Meeting. 3.30pm. Notified in the offer letter sent.
Thursday 4th July – Reports out to Parents 3.15pm (not Year 6 SATs results)
Monday 8th July – Transition Day in new classes. Meet the teachers.
Wednesday 10th July – Parents evening, for those that may want to discuss an element of your child’s report.
Thursday 11th July – Year 6 Leavers Assembly – 9.30am. 2 x adults invited.
Friday 12th July – TTRS Dress up day. See planner nearer the time.
Friday 19th July – Break Up for summer.
Mrs Crook and Miss Stanton
Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher
