Clifton College Website

Butcombe Newsletter

Dr Wendy Bowring, the Headmistress of Clifton College's Butcombe Pre-Preparatory and Nursery School, writes a regular newsletter for parents and friends of the school.

Archive...

Newsletter 1

Dear Parents,

A really warm welcome back to all our ‘Butcombe family’, and to everyone joining the school this week, children and their parents. I hope you had a really wonderful summer with your families. September 3rd has finally arrived, and the staff and I are just as excited about welcoming the children back as you are to see school term begin! Seriously! We are all very much looking forward to the months ahead and feel sure it will be another successful year for everyone.

Staff News

An exciting piece of staff news to start the term with is that Miss Parker is no longer, following her marriage in July, and is now Mrs Townsend. We are all getting used to her new title, and I am sure you will want to join with me to wish Lisa and Patrick a long and happy life together.

Sadly, I have to report to you the death of the President of the College, Professor John Barron, who many of you will recall chaired the Butcombe Celebration Day in May. John was a great supporter of Butcombe, and he will be sorely missed. You may be interested to read his obituary that appeared in The Times and Telegraph, to read of his life and outstanding career.

Morning Arrangements

The children came in to school very cheerfully this morning, and are very keen to tell us all their holiday news. For the next two days, Thursday and Friday, you are very welcome to bring your child into either of the buildings and into the classroom from 8.15 a.m. (any arrivals before this time will go into Early Care). As from Monday, we will start our normal morning arrangements, and I think it is a good idea to clarify these for everyone new to the school.

The school is open to receive children of parents who are both working for Early Morning Care from 8.00 a.m.. Children in N and Y3 receive early care in the Nursery lower floor, and pupils in R, Y1 and Y2 are brought to Butcombe Hall. Pupils arriving between 8.00 - 8.20 a.m. are signed in by their parents to signify handing over responsibility for the child to the school.

Apart from those attending Early Care, the children should arrive from 8.20 a.m. onwards and wait in the playground with their parent or carer until the bell is rung at 8.30 a.m.. The children will line up with their classes, and the teachers will escort them in to their classrooms. Please make sure that you move away from the children at this point so the class lines can be free from adults, toddlers, buggies etc. so that we can get into school as quickly and safely as possible.

Once parents have left, each of the gates will be locked so the children are completely secure within the Butcombe playground. They will remain locked throughout the day, but will be opened at approximately 3.15 p.m. for parents to congregate to meet their children at the end of the day.

Afternoon arrangements

The teaching day ends at 3.30 p.m.. Staff will escort pupils to the playground where they are handed over to the parent/adult responsible, after formally shaking hands. We only let the children go home with the person we are expecting to collect them, so please make sure your child knows who is collecting them at the end of the day as the teacher makes a list of who is meeting each child on each day. After five minutes waiting in the playground, if a child has not been collected, a teacher will take them to the school office where they are supervised until they are taken over to After School Care (ASC) at approximately 3.45 p.m.. Charging for ASC starts from this point.

After School Care is registered with Ofsted and can accommodate up to 40 children aged 3 – 8 years with a staffing ratio of 1:8. ASC is run by Gina Burnhill, with the assistance of other qualified members of staff. It is held in the lower ground floor of Sharps.

There has been some confusion in the past about booking ASC. Parents may book ASC for the whole term, and will be charged for all sessions except for two instances: when the child is absent, and if notice is given the previous day that the child will not be attending. You will also be able to book at the beginning of the week or on the actual day you want ASC, subject to places being available. Booking forms are available in the entrance hall of Butcombe, and can also be found on the Parents’ Page of the school website.

Please let me know if you have any concerns about the procedures at the beginning and end of the day – I am always willing and eager to hear your views that help us move the school forward.

The Playground

The playground is available exclusively to Butcombe children until 4.30 p.m. each day. At 4.30 p.m, the Pre children are able to use the pitch area, leaving the rest of the playground for ASC to use. The gates will be locked once the final child has left ASC, and will be opened early the following morning. Many of you will know that in recent years we have introduced far stricter security measures during the school day. These are designed to protect the children and to comply with new health and safety regulations. I am aware that a few people felt they were more ‘distanced’ from life at the school by the introduction of such measures, but let me make it quite clear that you are still as welcome to take an active part in school life as ever you were before, and the staff and I value the support of the parents in the working life of the school immensely. We do not deny access or lock doors to keep parents out, but to ensure the safety of the children within. If at any time you want to come into either buildings for a particular reason, please ring the bell at the main Butcombe front door. Thank you for helping us in this matter.

Parking

A reminder, too, that you are able to park at the lower end of the Zoo Car Park (opposite the Pre building known as Cambridge and Downend) at the top of The Avenue first thing in the morning and for the afternoon pick-up, and we strongly advise that you do this, keeping the area with zig-zags and other yellow lines completely clear. Please let me know if there is any problem with this. It would help, too, if you would not buy ice creams from the ice cream van that comes every day after school if he is parked inappropriately on the zig-zags or yellow lines – if people are not buying and he knows the reason why, perhaps he will move to a safer place!

Dates

Attached to this letter are the Dates for the Term. Please put these into your diaries and calendars. We really try to stick to these dates, but sometimes it is necessary to change one or two, so apologies in advance if any inconvenience is caused by so doing. I will write again next week with more information about some of the events listed on it.

Forms for completion

Also attached are a few forms for your completion. One is giving the school permission to use your child’s photograph in any marketing materials or other such communications over the year. If you do not want your child’s picture to be used, it is important that you clearly indicate that on the form.

The second form is asking for your permission to take the children out round the College campus (e.g. to the theatre) and to the Zoo without your prior consent as and when appropriate. It is a great bonus having the Zoo so nearby, and great to be able to take the children in there if the weather is fine and they deserve a treat, maybe even for just the odd half hour. Please rest assured that all the necessary health and safety checks will have been made, and that the correct number of staff will be present, complete with first aid kit, mobile phone and other essential items.

The third form is asking for your permission for your child to visit Forest school at Beggar Bush, travelling to and fro via school minibus. We hope this will not be a problem for you.

Dance and Music Lessons

If you would like your child to have ballet lessons (all year groups) or tap lessons (Years 2 and 3), please download a form or pop in to the office to collect one. If you want your child to learn a musical instrument (Years 2 and 3), please collect a form from Annabel in the office.

Communication

You will be receiving a copy of your child’s Year Group Bulletin from your child’s teacher before the end of the week, giving you further information about life in their new class. At the moment we will continue to send home hard copies of letters and other information to you rather than by email, but should you lose a letter or feel you might have missed something, all school letters will be available on the Parents’ Page of our website, along with any forms that you might need to fill in.

Well, that’s it for the first day! I look forward to seeing you around school, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if I can help at all.

With best wishes,

Wendy Bowring
Headmistress

3 September 2008

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