Friday 13th September 2024
Dear Chilton Families,
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you for a fantastic start to the new school year! It has been wonderful to see the children settle back in so smoothly, and this week was extra special as we welcomed our new Reception class for their first full week. Their excitement and energy have already become a lovely addition to our Chilton community.
I'm thrilled to report that our whole school attendance since we’ve returned is currently an impressive 98.67%! This goes such a long way in reducing lost learning time for our children, and it’s a testament to the collective efforts of families and staff in ensuring that children are in school and ready to learn. With attendance in mind, however, it seems that sickness season is already upon us. We’ve noticed the usual colds, coughs, and sniffles making their way around the school, so we will be reminding children of the importance of regular handwashing and good hygiene practices. Your support with this at home is always greatly appreciated!
After-school clubs kicked off this week with the usual enthusiasm from our children. We’re also excited to announce that additional teacher-led clubs will be starting next week, making it a busy time for the wide range of wrap-around care we offer at Chilton. We are aware that an update to the app over the summer led to some confusion about club attendance for your children. We’ve listened to your feedback, and we’ll be making improvements to avoid any issues next term. Thank you all for your patience as we work to improve the process.
Many of you have reached out regarding free school meals after receiving our information earlier this week. We’re pleased that some families have successfully applied, ensuring that their children will benefit from free school meals for the duration of their time at Chilton. This also means additional funding for the school, which will help us to enhance the provision we offer. If you haven’t looked into this yet and would like to see if you qualify, please do get in touch with the office, and they will be happy to guide you through the process.
As this is a new academic year, it also brings new opportunities to get involved with our fantastic PTA. This group plays a vital role in creating the warm, community spirit that makes Chilton so special. Their fundraising efforts directly benefit the children by providing enriching experiences and resources. If you would like to get involved or help out in any way, please reach out to the office, myself, or Mrs Cheshire. We would love to have you join the team!
Finally, I am excited to announce that, by popular demand, next week will see the return of our first Wake and Shake of the 2024-25 school year! Starting from 8:20, you’re welcome to join myself and Mrs Reavill for a tea or coffee on the playground before we get moving with a little dance from 8:30. If you need to drop your child off and go, no worries – they will still be able to join in from their classrooms. Wake and Shake was such a joyful part of last year, bringing the Chilton community together, and I look forward to welcoming our new Reception families to join in the fun!
