Dear Parents,
Thank you to those parents who have already completed the Annual Trust Survey for Parents. The survey is an opportunity for parents to inform the Trust of their thoughts about Leigh Academy Horsmonden, including how it is run, the education your children receive as well as offering suggestions for improvements. The survey closes later today, so there isn’t long left to have your say. It can be found in the ‘Announcements’ section of MCAS.
FoHPS
The next FoHPS event is on Thursday 13th February, our last day of term, when children are invited to wear home clothes for the day in exchange for a donation of £1 payable on MCAS.
In conjunction with World Book Day on Thursday 6th March, FoHPS will be selling ‘Chocolicious Bars’ again this year. Parents are able to pre-order chocolate bars, choosing between milk chocolate and dairy/soy free bars for a payment of £2 on MCAS. The bars will be distributed on World Book Day. Please see the attached poster for more information about the amazing prizes to be won inside the bars!
Staffing Update
I am pleased to share that, after a rigorous interview process, Mrs Bellingham will be joining our staff team as a Teaching Assistant until the end of this academic year. She will be working with children in EYFS and Year 5 predominantly.
After School Club
We still have a vacancy for the right candidate to join our friendly staff team and work in our After School Club. It would be perfect for someone who would like to gain experience of working in schools with a view to becoming a teacher/teaching assistant in the future, plus the successful candidate would be off work during the school holidays! If you are interested in finding out more, please follow the link.
Dinner Selection Trial – EYFS, Year 1 & Year 4
Further to information shared with EYFS, Year 1 and Year 4 parents, we are trialling another feature of the MCAS app – Dinner Selection- which allows parents to select their child’s lunch in advance, rather than children choosing on the day.
Using this feature will reduce registration time in class and therefore increase teaching time. It will also support the catering team in reducing food wastage and ensure that meal selections can be met.
Parents will be able to book a meal from one week to one day beforehand but please note that it will not be possible to amend the choice in school, once made, so please discuss the choices with your child/children in advance. Currently, children can still choose a meal in school, if no pre-selection is made, but this option will be phased out.
At the moment, this option is only available to parents with children in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 4, but I am hoping to be able to roll it out to everyone after half term.
Uniform
Once again, I am kindly asking that parents take a minute to be mindful of our uniform expectations, which can be found on our website here.
In particular, I would like to draw your attention to the point that children should wear black shoes and not trainers, as well as all children being expected to wear a school tie. In addition, girls should wear black tights or grey socks, rather than leggings underneath their skirts. If girls prefer, they can wear grey trousers instead of skirts in the winter months.
Attendance
If your child is unwell and unable to come into school, please contact the school office by phone each day they are absent.
As always, If you have any feedback, questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me. You could catch me on the gate in the morning/afternoon, email, or make an appointment at the school office.
Kind Regards,
Hayley Sharp
Principal
2024-25 Diary Dates
Term 3
- Friday 7th February – Year 1 trip to Tunbridge Wells Fire Station
- Tuesday 11th February – Safer Internet Day
- Wednesday 12th February, 9am – Year 4 Class Assembly
- Thursday 13th February – End of Term 3 for children
- Thursday 13th February – FoHPS Non Uniform Day
- Friday 14th February – INSET Day for Staff
Term 4
- Monday 24th February – Start of Term 4
- Thursday 27th February, 2:45pm – Online Safety Workshop for Parents
- Friday 28th March – Fabulous Females Afternoon, drop in between 2:15pm to 3:00pm
- Thursday 6th March – World Book Day
- Tuesday 11th March – Class Photos
- Wednesday 26th March – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Thursday 27th March – Parent Consultation Meetings, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
- Friday 4th April – FoHPS Easter Egg Hunt
- Friday 4th April – End of Term 4
Term 5
- Tuesday 22nd April – Start of Term 5 for children
- Monday 5th May – Bank Holiday, school closed
- Monday 12th May – Year 6 SATs Week
- Friday 23rd May – End of Term 5
Term 6
- Monday 2nd June – INSET Day for Staff
- Tuesday 3rd June – Start of Term 6 for children
- Saturday 7th June – FoHPS Summer Fair
- Friday 13th June – Marvellous Males Afternoon, drop in between 2:15pm to 3:00pm
- Wednesday 16th July – Year 6 Production, 2pm and 5:00pm
- Tuesday 22nd July, 2pm – Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly
- Tuesday 22nd July – End of Term 6