Dear Parents,
Next week is Innovation Week! We are all excited to take part in a variety of workshops led by Steam Co. on Monday. To help facilitate the workshops please could all children bring: a large bag of cardboard junk modelling materials; cardboard tubes/toilet rolls, cardboard boxes and corrugated cardboard boxes.
On Wednesday, the mobile planetarium, Wonderdome is visiting Horsmonden for the children to experience space, close up!
In addition to these two amazing days, children will take part in other STEM themed activities and have the opportunity to enter an Innovation Week competition. Entries should be brought into school on Thursday 5th October.
On Friday, children are welcome to come to school dressed in an innovation inspired costume to celebrate the end of an incredible, STEM based week. Please note, that due to the size of our school hall, we are unable to invite parents to watch the costume parade on Friday.
To help finance this incredible week, we are asking for a contribution of £8 per child which should be paid via MCAS. Without your contributions, we would not be able to fund such an action packed, fun, innovative week!
Harvest Boxes
As in previous years and in keeping with tradition, we are asking children to create small harvest boxes (shoe box size) filled with a few food items that will be distributed around the elderly residents of the village. There is no expectation for parents to donate huge quantities of food and for children to design large, elaborate boxes. We are all feeling the pinch due to the cost of living crisis so whatever you can afford will be appreciated.
The boxes should be brought into the school hall (not classrooms) no earlier than Wednesday 11th October. They will then be sorted ready for distribution and will be allocated to classes based on numbers rather than who made them.
The boxes will be delivered on the afternoon of Thursday 12th October or Friday 13th October (class dependent). If you are able to support your child’s class with this, please liaise directly with your child’s class teacher for more details.
FoHPS (PTA) Movie Night
Please be advised that the date for Movie Night has changed to Friday 13th October, 3:20pm – 5:00pm. The movie being shown will be Hotel Transylvania which is a PG.
Google Classroom
All children at Horsmonden Primary Academy have a ‘virtual classroom’ on Google Classroom, as well as their physical classroom in school. In EYFS, the Google Classroom is used mainly by the parents to receive messages from Miss Foord and as children move up through the school they use it in class as well as for homework.
Our move to Google Classroom has two main benefits: it teaches children valuable digital skills to prepare them for a digital world and it is also better for the environment as much less paper is used. By KS2 (Year 3 upwards), children should be completing their homework independently. Tasks set by teachers are consolidation activities, rather than new learning, meaning most children should be able to access their homework with very little adult support.
Uniform
Please be reminded that children should be wearing full school uniform and that polo shirts and trainers are not permitted. White shirts should have a stiff collar and be worn with a school tie. Please see this link to our website for more details.
MCAS
From now on parent updates, flyers, school letters etc shared between school and parents will be done using the MCAS app and not email. Letters/updates will appear in the ‘messages’ section of the app. To ensure that nothing is missed, please activate MCAS notifications. MCAS will automatically generate emails for the few parents who are not yet using the MCAS app so everyone will be kept up to date.
Attendance
At Horsmonden, we have high expectations of behaviour, learning and attendance. Children should be in school every day unless they are too ill to attend. Requests for absence during term time cannot not be authorised and may result in a Penalty Notice being issued by KCC.
We will be resuming our termly 100% attendance and punctuality certificates this year and I look forward to issuing the first round of certificates at the end of this term.
As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to find me at the gate in the morning or afternoon, or alternatively, make an appointment via the school office.
Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the last of the weather.
Kind Regards,
Hayley Sharp
Principal
2023-24 Diary Dates
Term 1
- Monday 2nd October – Innovation Week, more details to follow
- Tuesday 3rd October – Year 6 Legacy Doughnut Sale, 3:20pm
- Wednesday 4th October – Wonder Dome, Mobile Planetarium
- Thursday 5th October – Year 4 Trip to Temper Temper
- Wednesday 11th October – Harvest boxes to be brought in
- Friday 13th October – FoHPS Movie Night
- Tuesday 17th October – Open Morning, drop-in between 9:30am and 11:30am
- Friday 20th October, 9am – Year 5 Class Assembly
- Friday 20th October – End of Term 1
Term 2
- Monday 6th November – Start of Term 2
- Wednesday 8th November – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Thursday 9th November – Open Morning, drop-in between 9:30am and 11:30am
- Thursday 9th November – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Wednesday 15th to Friday 17th November – Year 5 Residential to Carroty Wood
- Tuesday 21st November – Trust Swimming Gala for selected Year 5/Year 6 children
- Thursday 23rd November – Art Exhibition
- Thursday 7th December – Flu Vaccinations, Year R to Year 6
- Friday 8th December – Christmas Coffee Morning, drop-in between 8:45am and 10am
- Tuesday 12th December, 2pm – EYFS Nativity
- Thursday 14th December, 2pm & 5pm – KS1 Nativity (Year 1 and Year 2)
- Friday 15th December – End of Term 2
Term 3
- Tuesday 2nd January – INSET Day for Staff
- Wednesday 3rd January – Start of Term 3 for children
- Friday 9th February, 9am – Year 4 Class Assembly
- Friday 9th February – End of Term 3 for children
Term 4
- Monday 19th February – Start of Term 4
- Thursday 7th March – World Book Day, children are welcome to dress up as book characters
- Friday 8th March – Fabulous Females Afternoon, drop in between 2:00pm-3:00pm
- Monday 11th March – Class Photos
- Tuesday 26th March – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Wednesday 27th March – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Thursday 28th March – End of Term 4
Term 5
- Monday 15th April – Start of Term 5 for children
- Monday 6th May – Bank Holiday, school closed
- Monday 13th May – Year 6 SATs week
- Friday 24th May – End of Term 5
Term 6
- Monday 3rd June – Start of Term 6
- Monday 10th to Wednesday 12th June – Year 6 Bikeability
- Friday 14th June – Marvellous Males Afternoon, drop-in between 2:00pm and 3:00pm
- Monday 17th to Friday 21st June – Year 6 Residential to PGL Windmill Hill
- Wednesday 10th July – LAT Cricket Festival, selected KS2 children
- Thursday 11th July – FoHPS Summer Disco, 3:30pm – 5:00pm
- Wednesday 17th July – Year 6 Production, 2pm and 5:30pm
- Friday 19th July, 2pm – Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly
- Friday 19th July – End of Term 6