1. Thornhill School News Issue 10 Fri 16 th Nov News from Miss Clark News from Mrs Colley SCHOOLSCHOOL www.thornhill.cumbria.sch.uk/ This Week Future EventsNext Week News from Mrs Figes Arrival at school We are experiencing problems with children arriving at school too early in the morning from 8.30am onwards which often results in petty squabbles spilling over into class. The school doors do not open until 8.50am so please make sure your child does not arrive at school before this time. Similarly, it is important to get your child to school on time. Registers close at 9 am. After this your child is classed as late. If your child has repeated late marks, Mrs Figes will ask you to come and speak to her, to find a way forward. Attendance last week- 97.5% 4 lates! Mon- Sports Club (£1) Remembrance Walk 10.15- all welcome Wed- Bring your teddy to school day! Thurs- Intergenerational Wartime Quiz-KS2 Fri 16 th Nov- Children in Need Fri- Youth Club – Autumn craft Monday 19 th November- Road Safety Week Friday 7 th Dec- Xmas Fair Tuesday 11 th Dec- School Panto visit- Sleeping Beauty Mon- Sports Club (£1) Governor’s Meeting 6pm Tues- KS1 Gym club Wed- Dance Club Thurs- Recorder club Fri- Youth Club (£1) Wii Party - Year 5/6 Theatre visit This week we have had a varied few days. We have started our topic on newspapers- looking at the different parts of a journalistic report and making an attempt to write headlines. We have also continued to form friendships with the local over 60s group: we went to a wartime quiz held at the Social Club. On Friday we had a fundraising day- we came to school dressed in our pyjamas ! This week the children began to practise for the Christmas play. Please help your child if they have lines to learn, as so far things are progressing nicely. We have all learnt the first few songs and many of the children have practiced their acting skills. In maths the children have looked at co- ordinates and angles and in Science they have been testing materials for transparency. Art this term involves looking at pattern and the children have been researching patterns in nature and Islamic art. They have been designing wrapping paper which will be produced using the computer. This week we have welcomed Miss Burns into our class. She is a teaching student who will be with us for 4 weeks. We hope she enjoys her time with us. In literacy the Year 1s and 2s have written poems about Bonfire night and the Reception children have written their own line for a poem. They all sounded really good when we read them to the class. In PE we have created our own firework dances using pieces of fabric and ribbons. We had great fun!

2. Green cards We have had a great many children receiving green cards over the last few weeks. These can be exchanged for prizes. Many of our children like to change their Green Cards as soon as they can, whilst others are saving up for bigger and better prizes. This is a good lesson in delayed gratification and some pupils are better at waiting than others. I am aware that some parents are concerned, since they believe that some children receive more green cards than others. This may well be the case: green cards are part of the reward system in school and some pupils may do more that require rewards. If green cards were given out equally, without merit, they would have no value. They need to be earned and how they are earned may differ from pupil to pupil. Our more able pupils are unlikely to earn a green card for excelling in a spelling or maths test, for example, as this was no real challenge to them. Whilst for some pupils, learning a basic spelling, is a real challenge. Accordingly, pupils with emotional or behavioural needs, will have deserved a green card for applying themselves to a task that others may do as a matter of course. An analysis of the green card book, where pupils record their green cards to be read in assembly, shows that most children receive a green card fortnightly or every three weeks. These vary in substance from helping others, working hard, being part of a school team or really making an effort to improve in an area in which they were struggling. Green cards are part of a range of tools which are used in school to champion good behaviour and to punish poor behaviour : *Well behaved pupils also receive: praise and stickers, certificates, ticks and sweets, chances to be part of sporting teams and represent the school on other outside school visits, they get to stay for after school clubs and are often chosen to do special tasks around the school. * Poorly behaved pupils might be on restricted timetables and even excluded, they might have to report to the Head teacher daily and have regular meetings between parents and the school, they might be refused entry to after school clubs and are unlikely to represent the school on sporting and other events. They often lose play times and have to sit away from their friends at lunch times, they may be given lines to write and made to sit on their own during class time. I hope that all parents will continue to support the green card system as a method of reward, we believe it is a good system for ensuring all pupils can succeed, since it is based on the individual’s targets, rather than a system based on academic achievement alone. Our school policy on behaviour can be found on the school website if you wish to find out more or please book an appointment to speak with Mrs Figes if you have any concerns.