Well, we have had a great week with the children enjoying sports day PE lessons and Year 6 have finally begun show preparations; only a week to go to the Parent/Carer evening performance; I hope the Year 6 families have booked their tickets.  How wonderful it has been seeing children bringing in their project, such a lot of effort, a delight to behold.

Events coming up:

Friday 16th July

1. New Class morning with teacher and LA
2. Raffle Draw at the Year 6 evening show of Cinderella Rockafella

Monday 19th July

Afternoon showing of Year 6 Show Cinderella Rockafella for school only.

Tuesday 20th July

Year 6 Activity Day – own clothes and no lunch required.

Wednesday 21st July

1. 9-10.30am - Year 6 Leavers Assembly – Parents and Carers of Year 6 children can attend,
2. Picnic Lunch for all
3. PM Class parties
4. Home time normal time 3.15/3.20pm, no Funzone after school.

England Football Match

I know that many families will be up late on Sunday night watching a special football match. I do not want children missing Monday or coming in tired and grumpy so for Monday 12th July only, children can come in to school at two different times - 8.45am or 10.30am. Sadly, staff cannot come in late, so watch out for matchstick supported eyes on adults.

New children joining Ash Grange in September 2021

As you are aware in line with government guidelines, we recently rescheduled all our school Inductions to the 13th and 15th of July.

Sadly over the past few weeks, the number of positive cases nationally and locally have continued to rise. Advice received yesterday from Public Health England advises that for meetings organised outside of the school/bubble a five-day isolation period after an organised event to ensure no cross contamination.

If we were to continue with the inductions this would impact so many children, adults, nurseries and families, I do not wish to cause you this risk. In line with schools throughout Surrey all induction visits have now been cancelled. I am sure you will appreciate the safety of your children and families, the school community and wider community is paramount.

I would like to reassure you that your child and your family will be thoroughly inducted into Ash Grange in September.  Everything you need to know is contained in the paperwork you have been sent and will be delivered at your visit in September.  There is an important booklet “All About Me” that we need you and your child to complete before the summer holidays so that Mrs Mohammad the Classteacher gets to know your child and can prepare the right experiences for them at the start of the term.  If your child is currently at Ash Grange Nursery you will receive this from staff, if not, it will arrive in the post; everyone please return this by Friday 16th July.

Once the children begin in September any risk is contained to their bubble alone and you as parents will become an adult bubble too.  I am sorry to cause you any inconvenience and if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the school, alternatively You can email our Early Years Team at Reception2021@ash-grange.surrey.sch.uk

PTA Raffle

This is taking place on Friday 16th July at the Y6 show, so remember to return all stubs, money and unsold tickets by Wednesday 14th July.

Chromebook Loans

Children remaining at Ash Grange will continue to loan the machines and keep them over the summer so that they can do home learning. Children in Year 6 need to return theirs by Friday 16th July.

Snack Bar ending

Families are using the snack shop less and less as they organised fruit or veg snacks for breaktimes from home so we will provide until the stock runs out or the end of term.  Children can of course have breaktime snacks but they will come from home not school, remember the government provide Reception and Key Stage 1 children with daily fruit/veg snack so do not need one from home; of course you can provide it instead if you wish to.  The office team will contact those with credit on their account at the end of term. 

Picnic Lunch

On the last day of term (21st July) the school children enjoy a picnic lunch before their class parties in the afternoon. There will be no hot meals available on this day, instead there will be a choice of three sandwich options for the usual meal cost of £2.35.

• Main choice (Red) – Chicken and Sweetcorn
• Vegetarian (Green) – Egg and Cress
• Alternative (Blue) – Tuna and Cucumber

Please make your child’s choice through Scopay by the end of Sunday 11th July.

Governor Did you know?

Yearly school planning

Did you know this is the time of year your governing body of Ash Grange School sit down to plan and develop our aims and achievement list for the following year. These plans build into our SDP (School Development Plan). The SDP helps us review our achievement and performance against what we had set ourselves. We review the SDP every term, but this time of year is the big one. We meet to review the year we are in, against the plan we set for ourselves last year, and plan for the next. We look for what has worked well within the SDP and learn from what has not worked so well.

This year we have decided to refresh our governor focus area. This means each Governor has a personal area of focus within the SDP, so that when we discuss any area, each governor comes at the discussion or topic from a different viewpoint (through the lens of their area of focus) and it really opens up the conversation, full rounded ensuring nothing is forgotten and all is discussed.

Meeting together as a board has been tricky this year with a lot of video meetings. As a governor almost completing his first year, I’ve only met the governance team face to face once this whole year, which has had its own challenges but has been exciting being able to support the school this year. We all hope for this to change in the coming terms.   

We know you have had similar challenges this year; while it was not wanted by almost everyone, home schooling was embraced, it was challenging, it was mastered, it was frustrating at times (too many people on the Wi-Fi), it was a really good job, well done everyone for getting through it.

I hope it comes as no surprise to you that we always keep the children at the heart and focus in all we say and do. Along with the vision, we hold our Headteacher to account for the progress of the children and financial matters.

Robert Frood – Parent Governor

Uniform Shop

We have a stock of uniform available for September and would ask that all orders are placed through Scopay. Sizes and information can be found on the website at www.ash-grange.surrey.sch.uk/uniform/

When the current Year 5 children move up to Year 6 in September, they will be given a school tie. Please ensure they have white school shirts for their uniform not polo shirts as these cannot take a tie.

Last Day of Term – 21st July (normal end of day hometime)

We normally have a class party with families bringing in food and drink to share but with the current restrictions on sharing food and the fact that the children will have a picnic lunch we are going to have a tuck shop for the children to enjoy.

Children throughout the Nursery and School can buy a bag of sweets 50p (a normal scoop size that we give at Tuck Sales), to enjoy at the class game/video session.  Parents need to book these online through Scopay, under trips and events, there are gelatine and sugar free options available. Children cannot bring their own alternatives. 

Lunches – Week A

From September 2021 the cost of a school dinner will be £2.45 in line with other Surrey Schools.

Remember to order your child’s meals two weeks in advance through www.scopay.com.