School is open today - Tuesday 3rd February 2015

Hope you can all make it to our coffee morning this morning. Straight after morning drop off (9am) in the school hall.

Newsletter No.18 - 30/01/15

Dear Parents, As part of our whole school topic 'Around the World', we will be having internationally themed school meals for the next 2 weeks. Each class has been learning about a particular country, and each one of these countries has a day of school meals planned. Please see the menu for full details. We really hope the children will enjoy trying some new foods and learning more about menus around the world. I enjoyed a celebration party with members from all classes this week, whose artwork had been chosen to hang in my office picture frames. We feasted on grapes, strawberries and party rings at playtime and all the children showed their pictures in assembly. Well done to the chosen artists! On Tuesday morning I hope you are able to come and join me in the hall for coffee and cake. I would really like the opportunity to chat with you and our Parent Governors will be on hand to talk to you about what it is like being a School Governor- we are still hoping for some new members! We will be saying goodbye to Emily Partridge and Siobhan McGovern, our teaching students, who have been working with our Y1 classes. Emily and Siobhan have worked really hard and quickly become part of the WIS family. We will be sad to see them return to University, but hope they have learned a lot with us and we wish them both the very best in their future teaching careers. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY • TUESDAY 3rd FEBRUARY 9am School Coffee Morning, please join us for cake & tea or coffee. • WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY Sports for Schools Visit to School (children only) please ensure PE Kits are in school. • FRIDAY 13TH FEBRUARY • Around the World Exhibition Parents are invited to attend the Exhibition on Friday 13th February from 2pm. • Last day of term. • MONDAY 23RD FEBRUARY Children return to school. IMPORTANT REMINDERS • COFFEE MORNING TUESDAY 3rd FEBRUARY Parents are invited to school for a coffee morning with Mrs Budge, Headteacher and the School Governors. Please join us from 9am onwards, everyone welcome. • PE KITS Please ensure your child has the correct PE Kit (a plain white t-shirt, black shorts and black daps) clearly labelled with their name in school. • PLEASE CHECK YOUR CONTACT DETAILSIf you have recently changed your contact details i.e. mobile number, home number or email address please inform th e School Office. It is important to keep us up to date with these details in case we have to contact you in an emergency. • ATTENDANCE Last week we lost a total of 213hrs of education due to absences. If you know your child is going to be absent please contact the school before 8:50am and leave a message on the absence answer machine. Thank You. Have a wonderful weekend. Stacey Budge Headteacher

Newsletter No.17 - 23rd January 2015

Dear Parents, I hope you will be able to take some time over the weekend to read the recent OFSTED report for our school, which is being given to all children to bring home today. I am really pleased that the inspectors identified a number of clear strengths within our school and recognised that the school is already making improvements. We will continue to keep you informed of our actions following the report. One of the most valuable ways to contribute to the development of our school is to become a School Governor. It might sound like a daunting prospect but 2 parents have already joined and are finding that it is not as difficult as they thought! Taking part in meetings and finding out more about the running of the school is a great way to develop your own skills and can be a very effective way back into work. To a prospective employer, seeing that a candidate is a member of a school Governing Body is a valuable entry on a CV. Many people worry about having enough time. The Full Governing Body meets 6 times a year, in the evening 7-9pm. There is also the opportunity to join committees who meet 6 times a year during the school day. The Governors recognise that some people have more time to offer than others. The main thing you need is enthusiasm and commitment to help our school become the best possible place to educate your child. There is also the possibility for us to appoint Community Governors. Maybe you have a relation or friend that you think could offer the school some time or valuable skills/ experience as a School Governor? Please talk to Mrs Budge or either of our Parent Governors (Kate Hicks and Jackie Dumbrell) to find out more. TUESDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 9am School Coffee Morning, please join us for cake & tea or coffee. WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY Sports for Schools Visit to School – please ensure PE Kits are in school. THURSDAY 12TH & FRIDAY 13TH FEBRUARY Around the World Exhibition (further details to follow). Parents are invited to attend the Exhibition on Friday 13th February from 2pm. FRIDAY 13TH FEBRUARY Last day of term. MONDAY 23RD FEBRUARY Children return to school. Have a wonderful weekend. Stacey Budge Headteacher

Newsletter No. 16

Dear Parents, It has been a busy week at Westbury Infant School. Our whole school topic 'Around the World' is gathering momentum and on Thursday the whole school was visited by a professional dancer. Each class had a workshop relating to dance from the country they are studying. I particularly enjoyed watching children (and staff) from Elephants Class perform the Cancan as part of their learning about France! The School Council met for the first time this week with Mrs Rockey and came to the meeting with suggestion books from their class. Some of their suggestions e.g. more school discos have already been acted upon by school leaders. Other suggestions e.g. 'Frozen' wallpaper in the girl's toilets, may need a little longer to be considered! We were lucky to escape the forecast of winter snowfall this week, but I see that it is forecast again for next week. The plans put in place this week will apply in any event of bad weather, so please check the website (under the news tab) or listen to Heart Radio if there is any possibility of school closure. I do get very excited for the children when snow is on the horizon, as I know how magical it is to a child. However, for the adults at school and the wider community it can be a real inconvenience so please be assured that school will only be closed if the site is unsafe to access, or not enough staff are able to travel to work in order to safely supervise the children. • WISH CAKE SALE WISH will be holding a cake sale to raise money for the school on Friday 23rd January 2015 afterschool in the hall. Please bring your donations to school the morning of the cake sale. Thank you. • PE KITS Please ensure your child has the correct PE Kit (a plain white t-shirt, black shorts and black daps) clearly labelled with their name in school. • WESTBURY LIBRARY Westbury Library will be celebrating National Libraries Day with quizzes and prizes for children and adults, a Harry Potter Book Night, a Family History Online session using Ancestry.co.uk and a talk by Sally Hendry on the tragic Victorian murder in Bratton. More details from Westbury Library on 01373-822294. • PLEASE CHECK YOUR CONTACT DETAILS If you have recently changed your contact details i.e. mobile number, home number or email address please inform the School Office. It is important to keep us up to date with these details in case we have to contact you in an emergency. • ATTENDANCE Last week we lost a total of 162hrs of education due to absences. If you know your child is going to be absent please contact the school before 8:50am and leave a message on the absence answer machine. Thank You. Best wishes Stacey Budge Headteacher

UPDATE

SCHOOL IS OPEN TODAY - WEDNESDAY 14/01/15

WHAT TO DO WHEN IT SNOWS - 13th January 2015

Dear Parents, Snow is forecast across the region this evening. In the event of bad weather there is a possibility of school closure. Our staff travel to Westbury from as far away as Bath, Chippenham, Radstock and Dorset. In the event of heavy snow or ice it is possible they will not be able to safely travel to work. As a working parent myself, I understand how difficult it can be for parents to arrange childcare when schools are closed. We will only make the decision to close the school if the site is unsafe to access or if we do not have sufficient staff to safely supervise the children. In the event of school closure, parents will be informed via Heart Radio, or the website (click the "NEWS" tab). If possible, we will also send out a message to mobiles. A decision will be made at 7:30am so please check after this time. Any closures will be updated on the school website during the day. Regards, Mrs Stacey Budge Headteacher

Newsletter No. 15 - 9th January 2015

Dear Parents, Welcome back and a Happy New Year. I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas Holiday and New Year. The children have returned to school brimming with excitement about Christmas and ready for the year of learning ahead. We have started the year with some exciting news. Mrs Hull is expecting a baby in April. Congratulations! Two new members of staff have been welcomed into the Westbury Infant School family. Mrs Meehan is working in Yr2 with the Kingfishers class and Mrs Tilsley is supporting a child in Yr 1. We hope they will be very happy here. • NEW LUNCH MENU Please turn over for your copy of the lunch menu starting on Monday 12th January. • CLUBS Clubs start week commencing Monday 12th January 2015. Please check your child’s classroom window to see which club they are attending this term. • Yr 2 ORIGAMI CLUB - Tuesdays 3:05 – 4pm Origami Club have spaces available for Yr 2 children who may wish to join. • CHRISTMAS CARD RECYCLING WITH CENTRE PARCS If you would like to recycle your Christmas cards we have a Recycle Bin situated by the front door which will be there until the 27th January 2015. • PLEASE CHECK YOUR CONTACT DETAILS If you have recently changed your contact details i.e. mobile number, home number or email address please inform the School Office. It is important to keep us up to date with these details in case we have to contact you in an emergency. • PE KITS Please ensure your child has the correct PE Kit (a plain white t-shirt, black shorts and black daps) clearly labelled with their name in school. • ATTENDANCE The last week of school before the Christmas Holiday we lost a total of 465hrs of education due to absences. If you know your child is going to be absent please contact the school before 8:50am and leave a message on the absence answer machine. Thank You. Best Wishes, Stacey Budge Headteacher