I am sure you are very excited about this weeks performances, for a reminder of the details see our website link. https://www.consett-jun.durham.sch.uk/christmas-show-productions-important-information/

We have recently met with staff from the Academy, who suggest doors open at 2.00 p.m. for a 2.15 p.m. start. as our children are only arriving at 1.30 p.m. therefore opening at 1.45 p.m. would cause unnecessary congestion on entering the Academy.

If you have siblings at our school they can remain at school until you collect them, so please ensure they are aware of this. If you have children in the Infant school, we have made them aware that there will be a late collection on those days. We estimate a show finish between 3.00 and 3.15 p.m. At the end of the performance, Mr Dixon will inform families to how children will vacate from the stage.

If you are not watching the performance you child will be walked back to school for the usual collection.

Enjoy the Show and remember not to take photographs of the children, it is everyone’s responsibility to keep them safe.

Next week, children will be given sealed letters with details of their current autumn term % attendance figures. Please note, the date of printing is today (10th December), so please don’t be concerned about missing registration marks after this date.

When we issue ‘termly’ attendance letters we colour code the subject title (not the paper) as follows:

Green = Excellent attendance for the previous term (between 96 – 100%).

Orange = Generally good attendance but may require improvement as their attendance is below the governments target of 96% (between 90 – 96%) at this point in the year.

Red = Attendance has fallen into what Local Authority deem as ‘the danger zone’ as their level of attendance has dropped below 90%.

We also attach your child’s academic year attendance registration certificate, and on the top right hand corner you will find their % attendance from September to present, it is this figure we need to monitor moving forward, not individual terms. Schools are responsible for monitoring their own attendance to ensure children are not missing out on their education. We follow the ‘Durham County Attendance Toolkit’ and all our letters, procedures and policies follow this guidance. By monitoring individual attendance in school, and offering support to the families who need it, we hope that future referrals to the Local Authority are minimal to none.

Our whole school current level of attendance is 95.39% (September to present), which is slightly below where we strive for it to be, but, the recent winter viruses has been out in force! If you have received a red letter, the content of your letter is curtailed to your child’s particular reasons for low attendance (if provided to us). We are very aware that some children have specific medical needs which can cause absence(s) from school and we are sensitive to this when we write to you each term.

If your child has had any holidays in term time, whether authorised or not, this will obviously cause low attendance, which is most likely the reason for a red letter on this occasion.

Please remember to make medical appointments outside of school time, if this cannot be arranged, you must provide us with a copy of the medical appointment.

If your letter advises you make an appointment with us for further discussion, please do so before 10th January, as we are happy to support you in this matter.

We would like to bring to your attention that this is the first term of the school year, so if your child has been unwell this term their attendance is obviously going to be low. Please try not to worry if this has happened to your child as there are two further terms which means excellent attendance moving forward will bring them out of the ‘danger zone’.

Below are details of the first half of the spring terms after school clubs. Letters for the two ‘New’ clubs will be given to children to book their place(s) this week. Our clubs are popular so please ensure you return your forms sooner rather than later.

Doodle Club finishes tomorrow (10th December) and Christmas Movie club will finish Thursday 19th December (next week).

*NEW* Recycling Club for children in all years every Tuesday until 4.30 p.m. from Tuesday 14th January. The cost is £5.00 for the 5 week half term, limited to 25 places. The last session will be Tuesday 11th February.

*NEW* Basketball Club for children in years 4, 5 & 6 every Thursday until 4.30 p.m. from Thursday 16th January. The cost is £5.00 for the 5 week half term, limited to 25 places. The last session will be Thursday 13th February.

*CHANGES* Football Training will continue after school until 4.45 p.m. every Friday, starting Friday 17th January. But due to the popularity of this club, and the poorer weather, after half term the football training will only be offered to children in years 5 and 6. Therefore children in Year 3 and 4 will no longer attend this club. THERE ARE NO SPACES FOR NEW MEMBERS – EXISTING MEMBERS ONLY (Your child is classed as an existing member if they trained with Gareth on a Friday before the October half term).

Art club will continue every Friday, until 4.30 p.m., this club will run until June 2020. This is for children in Year 3 only and is currently full with a waiting list. There is NO art club on Friday 13th and 20th December. Art club will re-commence on Friday 17th January 2020.

Brass band – For current members will continue from Monday 13th January 2020 until 4.30 p.m. and is £1.50 per week.

Karate club – For existing members and will recommence on Tuesday 14th January 2020.

Cross Country – This is a lunchtime running club for existing members. Children run Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes. Selected children also run after school on a Tuesday. This club will run for the entire academic year. After School training will recommence on Tuesday 7th January 2020.

A register of children attending all clubs will be taken. Band, karate, football, art and cross country remain as last term (members only).

Thank you so much for all the new and unused toys and gifts families have donated to the Salvation Army Toy Appeal.

We have spoke to the staff at the Salvation Army, and they have said this year they have received the highest number of family referrals than previous years.

At the moment the demand for gifts if far higher than those received. In particular for teenagers. With less than two weeks left to donate, please help this appeal.

Year 6 are due to swim until February half term. There is now a change to this arrangement.

Year 6 will have their final swimming session next Friday (13th). On return after Christmas Year 5 will take their swimming sessions.

Therefore Year 5 will swim every Friday starting from Friday 10th January 2020 until May half term.

Please click on the link below to access the Christmas 2019 Newsletter

https://consett-jun.durham.sch.uk/parents/school-newsletters/

It’s almost Christmas – and with it comes Elf on the Shelf, sent by Santa Claus to check on children across the country.

For those not in the loop, the festive toy began as a children’s book in the United States in 2005, telling the story of how Santa sends a “scout” elf to check whether your children are being “naughty or nice”. It has moved across to the UK in recent years, and rumours have it that many of our Consett Junior Families have an Elf!

Last year Mr Meadows and the children came into their class to find a very naughty elf hanging from the ceiling inside a glitter and snow filled balloon, which was then popped leaving a mess all over the floor…we can’t wait to hear about all the naughty adventures this elf gets up to!

Based on this we are once again holding an ‘Elf on the Shelf’ competition. If you have a mischievous Elf at home, please email a photograph of their antics to consettjunior@durhamlearning.net before Wednesday 18th December.

The top 10 naughty Elves will receive a prize!

All Elf photographs received will be placed on the website blog so everyone can see what they are getting up to!