Dear families,

Welcome to the first newsletter of the school year. It has been wonderful to see our school buzzing with energy, enthusiasm and smiling faces once again.

I am delighted with how well all of our children have settled into their new classes. Whether they are joining us for the first time or returning after the summer break, they have embraced the new school year with confidence, positivity and a real eagerness to learn. I have been particularly impressed by the kindness, resilience and excellent attitudes that the children have demonstrated during these first few weeks.

A special welcome goes to our new children and families who have recently joined our school community. We hope you already feel part of our warm and supportive school family.

As we look ahead to the academic year, we are excited about the many opportunities that await our pupils, both in and beyond the classroom. Alongside high-quality learning experiences, there will be trips, visitors, sporting events, performances and many memorable moments that will help our children grow academically, socially and personally.

Next week, pupils from Year 1 through to Year 6 will be visiting local farms. These trips are always a highlight of the autumn term and provide valuable opportunities for children to experience life on a real working farm. Seeing agriculture in action helps bring learning to life and gives children a greater understanding of where our food comes from, how farms operate and the important role they play in our communities. We know the children will gain so much from these hands-on experiences.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Working together, we can ensure that every child has a happy, successful and rewarding year. We are very much looking forward to all that lies ahead and to celebrating the achievements of our wonderful pupils throughout the year.

Best wishes,

Mrs Gemma Robertson

Headteacher

We Love Forest School

At Greenfields, we are very lucky to have an extensive Forest School area. As you can see, the children love being out there, exploring with their friends.

Mrs Banks' SENDCo Update – September

Welcome back to a new school year! It has been lovely to see everyone returning to school and settling into their new classes, routines and learning.

As we begin the year, we have been particularly focused on making sure that children who need additional support are able to access their learning from the outset. Teachers and support staff have worked hard to ensure that individual adaptations are in place within classrooms, helping children to feel comfortable, confident and ready to learn. We will continue to review these throughout the year to make sure they remain appropriate and effective for each child.

We are also pleased to invite parents and carers to our upcoming Connect Mental Health Support Team Coffee Morning on Wednesday 30th September at 9am in the school hall. The session will focus on ‘Understanding Fears & Worries and Strategies to Support Your Child’. It will be an informal opportunity to find out more about supporting children's wellbeing, share experiences if you wish, and access advice and guidance from the Connect team. Myself and Mrs Wilson (Early Years SENDCo) will also be there to offer support and signposting where needed.

If you would like to attend, please register your interest using the Google Form shared with families. This is simply to help us make sure we have enough spaces and that the session can go ahead.

Just a reminder that you can contact both myself and Mrs Wilson on our designated SENDCo email address:  sendco@greenfieldsprimary.org.uk 

We look forward to a positive year ahead and continuing to work closely with our children and families to ensure that every child feels supported, included and able to thrive.

Mrs Banks

Attendance & Punctuality

You will have received my email about attendance and punctuality and the procedures we follow in school to ensure children are here when they can be.

When a child misses a week of school, they miss so much learning and it is hard for them to catch up.

Last academic year our whole school attendance was 94.9% which is below the Governments expectation of 96%.

We celebrate good attendance at Greenfields. Each week in assembly, the class with the highest attendance or the class that has improved the most get to spin the wheel. To date, Year 6 got spun to win the chance to play a big game of hide and seek and Year 1 won 30 minute extra playtime.

Please support us in ensuring the children of Greenfields are in school, learning as much as they possibly can be, but more importantly, if you are struggling to get your child into school, please get in touch with us. We are here to help.

Safeguarding Update

At Greenfields, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in our care. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and is our legal duty.

All members of staff are regularly trained in safeguarding children to ensure their safety. This includes our practices and policies in school. If the school is worried that a child is at risk of harm, we must legally look into the matter, following the Department of Education’s statutory guidance for schools and colleges called ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s child protection procedures.

Our staff are vigilant and knowledgeable about the children in their care and the importance of reporting any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. Every school must have a Designated Safeguarding Lead to support staff to carry out their safeguarding duties and to liaise closely with other services such as children’s social care.

At Greenfields, our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Gemma Robertson. Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Amy Banks, Karen Cockman, Sarah Watton, Ashley Wilson, Joanna Love and Annabel Rowe. Pauline Pearson is our Safeguarding Governor.

Further information about safeguarding can be found on the Safeguarding page of the school website (found under the ‘About Us’ section). A copy of our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy is also available on the website in the policies section.

Please review the information on our website, and we are happy to discuss any questions you may have.

North Gosforth Academy

Date For Your Diary

Monday 21st September: Year 5 & 6 trip to The Centre for Life

Tuesday 22nd September: Year 4 visit to East House Farm

Wednesday 23rd September: Year 5 visit to Eachwick Farm

Thursday 24th September: Year 6 trip to Meldon Farm

Friday 25th September: Year 1 trip to Fairnley Farm

Friday 2nd October: Year 2 trip to Low Barns Farm

Monday 5th October: Sponsored walk

Thursday 22nd October: Autumn disco - Year 1, 2 & 3: 2.30pm-3.15pm

                                                                        Year 4, 5, & 6: 3.30pm-4.30pm

Children in Early Years will have their own Autumn disco at some point during the day on this day too. 

Celebration of Learning

Monday 19th October: Year 2, 9am

Tuesday 20th October: Year 1, 9am & Year 3, 2.30pm

Wednesday 21st October: Year 5, 9am & Year 4, 2.30pm

Thursday 22nd October: Stay and Play - nursery: 8.30am, Reception: 2.30pm,

                                                                        Pre-school: 2.45pm

Friday 23rd October: Year 6 class assembly, 2.30pm