Kirk Fenton News

Please look on our website www.kf.starmat.uk for up-to-date information.

We hope you have had a wonderful summer break and that you are feeling refreshed and looking forward to the return to school this week. Welcome to our new families starting at Kirk Fenton this academic year, we look forward to getting to know you and working with you.

The purpose of this newsletter is to give a few updates in readiness for tomorrow, when the children return to lessons. I'm sure there will still be things that I don't cover so we will try to answer any queries as we go through the week. Please take the time to read through this information as it may answer your questions in the meantime.

We can't wait to see you tomorrow,

Mrs Williams and the team at Kirk Fenton

At the start of this year we will have 242 pupils on our roll which inevitably means that parking at dropping off and collection times can be tricky, placing additional strain on the local roads and the local community around the school.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE

As this year, the White Horse pub will allow parents to use their car park at drop off and collection times to help ease the pressure. We have also spoken to the police to establish a street parking monitoring strategy and the local force will be monitoring the surrounding streets at regular intervals aimed at ensuring that visitors to school park within the law and in consideration of our neighbours.

You can help us by:

• Parking in the pub car park or safely on neighbouring streets and leaving quickly after drop off and collection to free up space for others to do the same.
• Refraining from parking on corners, across drives, in the bus lay-by or anywhere on (or inside) the zigzag yellow lines outside the front of school.
• Being aware of the yellow lines and zigzags across the front of school on the main road. This is NOT a drop-off zone!
• Driving at an appropriate speed for the amount of cars and children in the area.

Cycling and scootering to school:

We encourage children to be active by cycling and scootering to school and have bike/ scooter racks to store bikes during the day. Please ensure that children dismount and walk their bike or scooter on the school site.

Walking to school:

Many of our older children prepare for high school by walking to and from school alone or with friends. If your child wishes to do this please call into the office to sign a consent slip giving permission for us to release your child without an adult at the end of the day.

Class teachers will inform you via Marvellous Me! and their class newsletters when your child's class will do PE. On these days, children will spend the day in their PE kit of black shorts or leggings, a white t-shirt and a plain or school logo red hoodie or sweatshirt. PE kit must be plain with no logos other than the school logo.

Our expectations for PE kit are clearly defined on the school website school uniform page. This means that all pupils will need to follow this guidance. Spare kit is kept in school for children to change into if they don't have the correct kit.

A few important reminders regarding School Uniform:

• Please, please, please ensure that all school uniform including book bags are labelled with your child's name. We have a mountain of lost property each year that could be saved with the use of a simple Sharpie on the label. Please take 30 minutes before starting the new term to label all clothes including coats.
• Book bags - We don't have space in school to have back packs or large bags therefore all children other than Year 6 should only bring a book bag to school which can be kept in their drawer during the day. Children in Reception may keep a bag of spare clothes on their peg. Thank you for your support with this
• Football shirts are not part of the PE uniform and should not be worn. We have a stock of PE kit that can be loaned out to pupils who have the incorrect PE kit.
• Trainers are fine for PE but are not school shoes. School shoes should be black with low heels.
• Jewelry - Plain stud earrings may be worn but the child must be able to remove them by themselves for PE or not wear them to school on PE days. Hair longer than shoulder length should be tied back for all PE lessons and preferably daily to help prevent the spread of nits.
• School has a large stock of second hand uniform that is clean and in very good condition including shoes. This will be available to parents to help themselves at various points during the year but if you need anything in particular, do ask at the school office.

A reminder that ALL school dinners must now be booked online as this is now being managed centrally. You can book and pay for meals for your child on Parent Pay. The menu for this term can be found here:

https://kf.starmat.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/STAR-EATS-Menu-Autumn-23-KF.pdf

WE ARE A NUT FREE SCHOOL

We have several children in school with severe nut allergies therefore it is viatlly important that nuts do not enter our school premises. You can help us by ensuring that your child's packed lunch or snack is nut free i.e. no nutella or spreads containing nuts, be aware of cereal bars etc.

Please take care when selecting snacks to bring into school.

We are always keen to encourage parents/ carers to become involved in the life of the school. The procedures for volunteering are currently being updated and when we have confirmation from the STARMAT, we will be sharing information on how you can get involved In the meantime, please do consider joining the Friends of Kirk Fenton helping to raise funds for the school.