The Bugle

The BJD Bugle - Issue 9

Dear Parents,
There are several leaflets to draw your attention to this week. After School Clubs start on Monday so if your child is interested in attending please return the reply slip. It is also time to reorder your child’s school meal. Again, we would appreciate a swift response. There are a couple of leaflets regarding attendance and taking holidays in holiday time with a discount voucher. I realise this may not substitute the cost of a holiday in school time but we do urge you to bear this in mind when making arrangements.

Don’t forget our Healthy Eating Roadshow tomorrow and the Assembly at 1.30 to which you are all invited. I’m sorry if the time is slightly inconvenient but we are constrained by the people running the show.

Gymnastics Club is currently under-subscribed so it may be possible for any Year 3 child to attend. If this is of interest than please fill in the After School Club reply sheet, please remember that the cost of this club is £2.

Our first Mass of the term will be on Friday 6^th February at 10.30 in the school hall with a First Communion Celebration in church at 9.00 on Sunday 8^th February.

Mrs S. McQuiggin

Attendance

Week ending 9^th Jan

Week ending 16^th Jan

Reception – 97%

Class 2 - 95%

Class 3 – 85%

Class 4 – 95%

Reception – 93%

Class 2 – 93%

Class 3 – 84%

Class 4 – 93%

Every School Day Counts:

Government targets for attendance is 95%.

Our attendance figures are carefully monitored each week by County Hall. Any child whose attendance drops below 85% is seen as a cause for concern and letters may be sent out to parents by the Education Welfare Officer asking them to attend a meeting in school to discuss these concerns.

Our overall attendance is well below Government guidelines and as you can appreciate this has a huge impact on your child’s learning.

Take a few minutes to consider the chart below

365 Days per year	190 School Days in total	Absence
100% attendance	190 days attendance	0
95% attendance	180 days attendance	2 weeks absence
90% attendance	171 days attendance	4 weeks absence
85% attendance	161 days attendance	6 weeks absence
80% attendance	152 days attendance	More than half a term absence
75% attendance	143 days attendance	9+ weeks absence

Something to consider:

As few as 19 missed days over the school year reduces your child’s chances of success. SAT results or GCSE results could drop by one grade across all subjects

Why are we concerned?

Over the Autumn term, 40 out of 78 children (50%) in school had an attendance less than 95%, which remember is regarded as national average.

15 out of 78 children (20%) had an attendance of less than 85% which gives us cause for concern.

We do recognize that Autumn term is usually the term that is worst hit by illness but I think it is important to bear these statistics in mind. I will give you an update of information after the Spring and Summer term.

Please read the leaflets carefully and note that requests for holidays during term time will be considered on an individual basis and may not always be authorized.

If your child is ill can you please remember to letter us know, either by letter or phone.

After School Clubs begin next week – 26^th Jan

Club	Day	Time	Year Group
Gymnastics	Monday	3.15 - 4.15	Yr 1/2
Sports	Tuesday	3.15 – 4.15	Yr 5/6
First Communion	Tuesday	3.15 – 4.15	First communicants
Animation	Wednesday	3.15 - 4.15	Yr 6
Cookery	Thursday	3.15 – 4.15	Yr 3/4
Eco Club	Thursday	12.30 – 1.00	Nominees from all years group
Buzzy Bees Gardening	Friday	3.15 – 4.15	Any year group but must bring an adult
After school clubs run for 6 weeks at a cost of 50p a session. If your child wishes to take part in a club please return the slip provided. Thank you! Gymnastics £2