School Newsletter No. 7, May 2008

School questionnaire

We have finally managed to collate the questionnaire responses from last term and received 76 main school returns, 11 Nursery specific and 74 from the children. Thank you to all of you who contributed various views and thoughts on your returns. Staff have been considering your opinions and have felt very rewarded by many of your positive complimentary comments. On the whole the questionnaires have shown that Maple has much to be proud of and your responses have supported this but we are always trying to improve and build upon our successes so your comments have helped us to reflect upon our own performance and the school provision generally.

One of the questions regarding our lunchtime provision engendered a range of suggestions and concerns about pupil behaviour and supervision during lunchtimes and playtimes. These ‘unstructured’ times are a very important part in any child’s time at school because they provide opportunity for self-initiated activity and pupil-organised free play. At Maple we aim to establish a safe, secure environment but, also, one that has potential and possibilities for the promotion of imaginative play and challenge in our playground.

Pirates and Islands play area

This week the ‘wig-wam’ area is being cleared and re-developed as an imaginative play area called ‘Pirates and Islands’. The work is being carried out by Hand Made Places, the company that has developed our Reception play area and also the Pergola project. It will serve to add to the possibilities of self-initiated play in our outside area as will the purchasing of outdoor games equipment specifically for lunchtime use.

Over the next few weeks, governors will also be making comment on the questionnaire responses and we will be considering any actions needed in the light of issues raised. Please find attached the questionnaire results and figures for your information.

Food safety

I am often very aware that the children’s lunch boxes are left in the classrooms for a number of hours before lunchtime and would like to encourage you all to put an ice pack in the boxes, especially during the summer months. Having recently had a staff training day on Food Safety, I am even more concerned about this and have noticed that some of you already do this each day.

Hot meals

On a similar vein, the number of children taking up the hot meal option at Maple has risen by 10% this term and I am so pleased that more children are enjoying the school meals offered.

Water bottles

Don’t forget that as the summer months are almost upon us, pupils may bring in a bottle of water (preferably with a pop top) to have in their classroom as needed. We have extended this to the Reception classes as a result of the questionnaire response but ask that the bottles are taken home each day and re-placed with fresh water.

Sun hats and sunscreen

We have put up the canopies to provide extra playground shade but also ask you to purchase a Maple sunhat from the school office as we do prefer the children to wear these as opposed to any other. We also ask you to apply sunscreen to your child before school. Hopefully, the children will be enjoying lots of outdoor learning this term!