Welcome to Salcombe Preparatory School

BACK TO SCHOOL NEWS

 31 August 2010

Dear Parents

 Welcome to the new academic year all Salcombe families

 In a little under a week school will resume for the new academic year. Already staff members have been in to prepare classes and from Wednesday will all be engaged in professional development with a Health and Safety flavour for this INSET session.

The staff and I are very much looking forward to seeing the children return refreshed and ready for the year ahead. Children will of course be at once looking forward to seeing their friends but wishing that holidays could go on just that little bit longer.  So it is that as I write I am conscious that the children will be eager to know what is ahead for them.

Staffing Matters

New Staff

I am delighted to welcome Miss Gayle Kravitz who has joined Salcombe as our new Registrar and Marketing Director following Mrs Karkhanis’ decision to move on to pastures new. Miss Kravitz brings a very strong background in marketing and development and, on the admissions side of her new position, is thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to meet so many new prospective and current families who have popped in to school over the holidays. Miss Kravitz is really looking forward to meeting current families.

Also joining us this year is Miss Simona Tudoran. Miss Tudoran is joining Salcombe having taught  at Glenarm College, another Cognita school, for the past few years. Miss Tudoran has been instrumental in promoting maths through Cognita INSET days and now brings her exceptional mathematics credentials to further develop our already strong maths department as the new Math HOD. We are delighted that she has chosen to join Salcombe and, as with Miss Kravitz, I am sure you will all make her feel very welcome.

We are very pleased that we were able to retain Mr David Valerio for one more year!

Staff Leavers

At the end of the last academic year we farewelled Mrs Karkhanis and thanked her for the work she has done whilst at Salcombe Preparatory School. We have just learned that Rahma Idrissi who has been the Schools cook for some 20 plus years has decided to move on also. Whilst sad to be losing Mrs Idrissi, I am sure you will join us in wishing her all the very best for her future.

Kitchen Staff Changes

Thomas Franks Catering has now taken control of the kitchens and we look forward to working happily with them to provide our children with delicious nourishing and healthy food.  Thomas Franks are appointing a new Chef for the main kitchen in the Upper School and two assistants also for the Upper School.  Our Lower School catering team remains intact, thank goodness.

Classroom Changes

Lower School classrooms have been slightly rearranged this year. Year 2 classes remain upstairs. The library has been moved upstairs to the middle classroom. On the ground floor there is Year 1 and all the EYFS classes (Reception and Pre-School) in the EYFS Centre.

The Upper School classrooms have changed more dramatically as all children from Year 4 will move to subject classrooms for lessons this year. Year 3 will of course have subject teaching but mainly within their classrooms with the exception of Art, DT, Music, Library and perhaps Science.  A map of the classrooms will be available on display the first day along with the class lists which will be confirmed later this week.

Class Lists

Class lists will be displayed in the dining room (US) and the ground floor hall (LS) on the first day of term. For those parents who are unable to come into school, teachers will be on hand to help your children find where they are to go.

Classes for 2009/2010

Please be assured that teachers do their very best to ensure that positive class placements are made by taking into account all known factors which may affect each and every child’s learning.

Staff will be on hand to assist the children find their new classrooms. 

Returning Families Lower School

As might be expected some wee ones will find the return to school quite daunting and may express this in tears and pleas to stay with their parent. This is distressing to all!  Experience has proven that the loving but firm approach is often best.  Please persevere – your teachers will do all they can to distract and soothe. Should your child remain distressed when you leave, we will be in contact within the hour to give you an update.

Arrival Times

For new children particularly, and for those returning of course, every effort will be made to help them settle quickly and happily to school.

• Reception to Year 2 should arrive well before 8.45 a.m. which is the time when school begins.
• Nursery to Year 2 Parents and children should go directly to the Green Road Building where teachers will meet and greet parents and little ones and assist them in locating their new classrooms.

 New Children – Lower School and Pre-school

 Parents and children should go directly to the Green Road Playground where teachers will meet, greet and direct you to the appropriate class lists and the allocated classrooms. As can be expected some will find the return to school more daunting than others. We will be there to support you with this.

Returning Families Upper School

Parents and children should go directly to the Chase Side Playground where teachers will meet, greet and direct you to the appropriate class lists and the allocated classrooms. As can be expected some will find the return to school more daunting than others. We will be there to support you with this.

New Children – Upper School 

Ideally all new children should arrive with parent(s) at 9.00 a.m and will be taken to the Hall for a special welcome by the Head and Deputy Head after which they will be shown to their classrooms.

Parents may choose, however, to drop their children after 8.00am on their way to work or to wait with them until we have the new family welcome address.

Summer Holiday Work

1. Of course the summer holiday time brings with it a great deal of work for some. Our caretaker Mr Redjep has been engaged in painting and where necessary repairing the Lower School decks, the Upper School outdoor furniture and general maintenance. A wonderful job done!

    2.    The cleaners too made a very pleasing foray into cleaning walls, carpets and windows to great effect.

    3.    Outdoors in the Upper School the resealing of the play area has at last been completed and the children will be pleased      to see that there are now three four square and a netball court.

    4.    In addition the main school kitchen in the upper school has been having its long awaited facelift and what a difference this has made!

Extension Studies Programme

All Extension Studies lessons will begin in week 2 for Year 6 Only

Please look out for the options form which will be sent home during the first week for a speedy turn around. There will be a charge made for all school clubs and extension classes this year.

Maths and English lessons will alternate weekly as will Verbal and Non Verbal reasoning. These extension studies are in addition to classroom lessons

English, Maths:                                 Tuesday, 4.15pm to 5.05pm

Maths Year 6                                      Miss Simona Tudoran, Miss Aysha Ahmed, Mr Gavin McKay

English Year 6                                     Mr David Penkert, Miss Joy Heywood 

Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning: Friday, 4.15pm to 5.05pm

Verbal Reasoning Year 6:                       Mr Luigi Bonomi/Mr Nigel Watson

Non Verbal Reasoning Year 6:                 Mr David Valerio/Mr Franklin McWilliams

Communications/Interview Techniques (Autumn Term): Thursday, 4.15p.m to 5.05 p.m Communications Year 6:                    

                                                       Mrs Tina Leach 

Extension classes for Year 5 will start in the second week of the Spring Term and run for three terms.

Clubs

The Clubs option form will be sent home in the next week – again a speedy turn around please.

Mathletics  

Mathletics proved to be a big hit in our free trial last year.  Tested and proven, this mathematics programme enhances the curriculum in more than 2000 schools, with over 500,000 children benefitting from this online resource.

As Simona Tudoran (ex Glenarm College), now Salcombe’s HOD Maths, states: “I would highly recommend Mathletics to everyone. It is amazing to see the students so happy and so engaged when doing maths. Mathletics is the best way of making maths fun as it enhances the love of mathematics, and raises the standards at all ages. It is arguably the best international computerised maths programme available on the market. It is certainly the most widely used”.

Costs: The individual cost for the annual subscription to Mathletics is normally £5.00 for any pupil Year

1 – 6 at a Cognita School per year. This means that your child will have the use of all the fun and resources that Mathletics has to offer from any computer at home or at school at any time, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. It is too good an opportunity to pass by. It is less than the price of a chocolate bar every month! Please visit the Mathletics website at:  www.mathletics.co.uk 

If you would like to purchase Mathletics through Salcombe, please send £5.00 (exact amount please) in a sealed envelope with Child’s name, Year group and 'Mathletics' clearly printed on the envelope to the School Office (Chase Side) in the first week of Term 1.

Uniform Matters

Our Uniform Policy begins “Our School Uniform is important to us. It is one way in which we identify ourselves as a school family and it promotes a strong, cohesive school identity which supports high standards and expectations in all areas of school life. All children are expected to wear the correct uniform and are encouraged to maintain an acceptable standard of clean and tidy dress in school.”

From the huge pile of unwanted garments left at school at the end of the year it would appear that our children are not as good at looking after their property as we would all like. So we ask for your help in the following ways:

1. please ensure your child wears correct full uniform including blazer daily from the beginning of the year.
2. please ensure your child’s sports kit, worn to and from school on PE and sports days is tidy and presentable also; and
3. please ensure all articles of clothing and personal school equipment is clearly named

Whilst the wearing of correct uniform is expected, standards are relaxed during the day should the heat become too much. In this case, children are asked to place their ties and blazers in School bags.

Uniform checks will be made at regular intervals -all articles are expected to be named.

Water Bottles in Class

It is acceptable for children to have named plastic water bottles to drink in the classroom during lessons.

Special Events 2010-11

We are looking forward already and very much to having the girls and boys back at School and hope to see all parents at the many School functions planned across the year. 

Queries or Concerns

As always, should there be any concerns or queries during the course of the year, please do not hesitate to speak to the appropriate teacher in the first instance.  Parents are most welcome to make such an appointment to speak with teachers via the homework diaries or reading record. To meet with Senior Managers, or with me, appointments can be made via the School Offices.

It is most helpful if parents call ahead of time to make an appointment so that appropriate time can be set aside for you. 

All the staff at Salcombe including myself are very much looking forward to seeing you all back for the start of our Autumn term.

Yours sincerely

Christina A Leach

Head

It is often said that, next to a happy home, a quality education is the best gift parents can give their child. Clearly, the process of finding the right school for your daughter or son is not one which can be entered into lightly which is why we trust our website will assist you in getting to know what makes the Salcombe difference. Of course this is but one step in the discernment process. Once you have explored this site, we warmly invite to see our school in action and to speak to us about how best we may help your child.To arrange your private tour of Salcombe, please telephone the School Office (T:020 8441 5356) or email admissions@salcombeprep.co.uk  

Founded in 1916, Salcombe is an independent, preparatory school for girls and boys between 3 and 11 years of age. Located on two neighbouring sites in Southgate, London, Salcombe is served by excellent road and rail links.