16-7-21
Dear Parents/Carers,
The end of term is upon us. It has been an extraordinary year. Never did I think I would have to close down classes and send staff home to isolate, (even on the last day!) to the extent that we have needed to do, particularly in the last few weeks. As a school we had been relatively untouched on a large scale, in the previous 15 months, but I know from speaking to other headteachers that the local area has been badly affected by the Covid infection spread recently. Once again thank you for your patience in these frustrating times.
Today we say goodbye to our fantastic year 6 pupils. They have been superstars and have shown us how to rise to the challenges of the last year. I would like to thank the year 6 staff who have tried to make the end of this year as normal as possible. The children have enjoyed most of the usual sports days, leavers service, outdoor activities visit (in line with the Welsh visit guidance!) and end of year celebrations. The frustration has been that as parents we have not been able to share these events as we would normally want to. As a school we have done our best to provide pictures on Twitter and videos shared through Google Classroom. In the end of year assembly we presented awards to Year six, said goodbye to four members of staff and wished the rest of the school a happy, safe and fun filled summer.
Notices for September and learning from Covid
- Children will still be able to wear PE kit to school on the days they do PE. PE will start in the first full week back and teachers will let you know the days.
- We have returned to more of a normal start and finish time for September as shared in the previous newsletter. This is particularly important to support the teaching towards the end of the school day. We will keep the start of day times under review.
- If during next year infection levels are high we will return to the opening and finish times we have used this year as a plan B.
- We will still keep the one-way entrance and exit into school as this seems to have worked well and children will access classes directly as they have done for this year.
- We have improved the drainage and the fencing of the school field and we will be able to use this for longer periods during the school year.
- We will continue to use Google Classroom and Tapestry for some homework and online learning.
Reading over the summer
We are often asked what children should do over the summer. Apart from having an enjoyable time it is always worth making a regular time to read. Researchers in the United States who had looked at the impact of parents reading with their children quoted the following figures in a news release about their findings:
Here’s how many words children would have heard by the time they were 5 years old:
- Never read to, 4,662 words;
- 1–2 times per week, 63,570 words;
- 3–5 times per week, 169,520 words;
- Daily, 296,660 words; and five books a day 1,483,300 words
West Kirby Parish Youth Choir - ‘Sing Aloud!’
Do you enjoy singing? Would you like to be part of a new choir of young voices?
What will be involved?
A weekly after school choir practice during term time. Singing once a month in church.
Where and when would we sing?
Rehearsals would be either in St Bridget’s Centre or St Bridget’s Church. The choir will sing once a month in church on a Sunday morning at 10am. There will also be chance to sing at weddings as well as Christmas and other festivals.
Why might I be interested?
Singing is really good for you - it helps with relaxation, concentration and generally feeling good!
As part of being in the choir you will follow the Voice for Life music training, helping you learn to read music, understand music theory and gain singing awards. It’s a chance to meet new people and make friends or keep in touch with old ones.
Who can join?
Anyone aged between 8 and 18 who loves singing. Don’t worry if you are not sure about your singing - we will help you develop your voice.
Is there a cost?
No it’s free - we are so passionate about singing that we want everyone to have chance to find their voice and sing aloud. We even pay you for singing at weddings! I don’t go to church at the moment, does that matter? No you’ll find a warm welcome and soon get to know people.
If I am interested, what do I do next?
Contact Alex Williams, on 07718646863 or rectorwestkirby@gmail.com or 0151 625 1052
E-safety alert
I felt that it was important to share this information about a new App 'Monkey' that has emerged. It poses great risks for children, being similar to Omegle and TikTok risks. The summer holidays are fast approaching and children might be at risk if they use this App.
Ineqe.com is headed up by Jim Gamble, QPM, is a former Chief Police Officer and was the founding Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. His website highlights online risks and also offers online training. Below is the link for the information about the App: 'Monkey'
https://ineqe.com/2021/07/06/safeguarding-alert-monkey-web/
Important message from the Road Safety Officer
Private E-scooters: Illegal and Dangerous for Children
Trauma surgeons recently met with Merseyside Police at The Merseyside Road Safety Partnership to tell us about the increasing number of life changing injuries they are seeing after e-scooter collisions. Lots of sellers hide the fact that ANY e-scooter you can buy is illegal to use (except on private land), and police regularly seize them. The orange ones you might see around Liverpool are part of a government pilot scheme and are illegal for under 17s. You have to have at least a provisional driving licence to use one.
We know that e-scooters look fun, but they aren’t legal or safe for children. For more information visit www.merseysideroadsafety.org/e-scooters-know-the-difference
Wirral’s children and young people helpline
Please do make pupils aware of the support services in place, with professionals ready to help them no matter the problem.
Key dates (Please check)
Remaining Inset Days 2021
- Monday 19th July 2021
- Tuesday 20th July 2021
Inset Days 2021-22
Please note there has been a change to the Inset day on Monday 1st November due to the Year 6 residential now being able to go ahead on this week and only certain bookings becoming available. Please contact school if you were relying on this date for a holiday or trip.
- Wednesday 1st September 2021
- Friday 22nd October 2021
- Monday 1st November 2021 changed to Monday 28th February 2022
- Tuesday 4th January 2022
- Friday 27th May 2022
There is an additional day’s holiday for schools next year to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This will be on Thursday 21st July 2022. School will now finish on Wednesday 20th July 2022.
Thank you for your continued support,
Neil Le Feuvre
