Newsletters

May 2021 Newsletter


MESSAGE FROM MRS JONES

I hope everyone remains safe and well. 

I would like to thank all parents and carers for your support in keeping the school community safe and following our  procedures that remain in place at this time. 

Please remember that if your child has a cough, high temperature, loss of taste or smell, headache, upset stomach or aches and pains, this should be reported to school.  We will ask parents/carers to ensure their child takes a PCR Covid test in these circumstances.  They will be allowed back to school once a negative result has been received.  Please also keep the school informed of any Covid test result.

We are hoping to hear more positive news from the Government in due course this term, with regard to further activities linked to the curriculum with the potential relaxation of Covid restrictions.  As ever, the school is guided by the DFE and the Local Authority, and will add additional opportunities to the curriculum under strict review and guidance from our risk assessment and external advice. We will notify parents of any new information when we receive it.

Look after yourselves and each other.?

Mrs Jones


Latest News Articles

Events

31 Mar 2021
Allotment News!
In the last couple of weeks Vaughan School Allotment has been prepared and each year group has planted vegetables and flowers in their plot. 
Read more
18 Mar 2021
Library Renovation
Fostering a love of reading
Read more
Governing Body Meeting - Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee
6:30pm – 8:30pm
11
May
Full Governing Body Meeting
6:30pm – 8:30pm
18
May
Friends of Vaughan Meeting
1:30pm – 2:30pm
28
May

SCHOOL LUNCHES

If your child is absent from school and you wish to cancel a pre-booked meal on Schoolmoney/Eduspot you can do this in advance by logging into Schoolmoney/Eduspot via the website or the app on your phone before 12 midnight the day before.

Alternatively in the event your child is ill first thing in the morning you must email the school on the first day of absence before 9.00 am to attendance@vaughan.harrow.sch.uk  stating the reason for the absence and requesting for a refund for their school lunch. 

All orders are sent to the kitchen and the food is prepared, therefore this charge will remain billable to parents, unless the request is received in writing before 9.00 am on the first day of absence. 


STAYING SAFE AT VAUGHAN PRIMARY SCHOOL

At Vaughan Primary School, we are committed to the safety, wellbeing and happiness of all our pupils.  If you have any concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing, please speak to a member of our safeguarding team.

 

VAUGHAN PRIMARY SCHOOL SAFEGUARDING TEAM

Ms Keohane – Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mrs Davies – Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Mrs Fink - Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Ms Perschky - Deputy Safeguarding Lead

 

 

SUPPORT AND ADVICE FOR CHILDREN

If you have a worry or need some support and a trusted adult cannot help, you can contact the following organisations for help.

  • Childline (0800 1111, www.childline.org.uk) – This is a confidential service for children and young people. No problem is too big or too small and they’re there to listen and support you with anything you’d like to talk about. Or you can have a 1-2-1 counsellor chat online.
  • NSPCC (0808 800 5000, www.nspcc.org.uk)
  • Harrow Children Services - 020 8901 2690.
  • Harrow Children Services – Emergency out of hours 020 8424 0999
  • Police – in case of an emergency - 999

 

Year 6 only

  • Kooth – Kooth is a web based confidential support service available to young people. Kooth provides a safe and secure means of accessing mental health and wellbeing support. 
  • Kooth offers young people the opportunity to have a text-based conversation with a qualified counsellor.
  • Counsellors are available from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10 pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop-in basis.  You can access regular booked online counselling sessions as needed.
  • Outside counselling hours’ young people can message the team and get support by the next day.
  • When you register with Kooth, you will have support available now and in the future. Support can be gained not only through counselling but articles, forums and discussion boards.  All content is age appropriate, clinically approved and fully moderated.

To find out more visit www.Kooth.com where you can register and find out more about the service.

You can also view a short video about the service at:

https://vimeo.com/318731977/a9f32c87de.         

 

PUPILS WITH ALLERGIES/INTOLERANCES

All children with an allergy/intolerance must have a Health Care Plan.

However, if your child has an allergy or intolerance and has a hot meal at school (Breakfast Club, lunchtime or After School Club), you will be required to complete documents for the catering company so that they can ensure that your child’s dietary needs are met.

You can download the documents from the catering company on the school website here.

When completed, please return to the welfare team.

The school will send this information securely to the Catering Company's Area Manager who will liaise with their Nutritionist.

If your child no longer has an intolerance or allergy, the catering company will require confirmation from a medical professional for their records.


PUPIL AWARDS

At Vaughan we love to celebrate when our pupils achieve above and beyond. 

you can see which children have been Star of the Week and who have won our Presentation and Handwriting Award , along with the classes who have won our Attendance Award here on our website.

Please join us in celebrating with these pupils and classes! 




FRIENDS OF VAUGHAN UPDATE

Date for the diary

Non-uniform day - Tuesday 8th June.

 

Raise money as you shop! 

A quick reminder that you can support Friends of Vaughan while you shop and it won't cost a penny!

Sign up to easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/vaughanschoolpta (or download the app) and use the links provided whenever you shop online with John Lewis, M&S, Ebay and many more. 

Shop at smile.amazon.co.uk whenever you buy from Amazon and select Vaughan School PTA as your charity.

 

Recycle your crisp packets

We have partnered with the Red Shop on Merivale Road who are now collecting crisp packets to be recycled as part of a scheme with Terracycle https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB/brigades/crisppacket.  For every 5kg that are collected, FoV will receive a donation. 

 

Books for the school library

Now that the school library has been refurbished, we want to make sure it is full of the right books.  We are working with Mrs Beaven to understand where there are gaps and will be looking for donations to fill these.  More to come in the next few weeks.



COMIC RELIEF

This year at Vaughan for Comic relief we wanted to make sure we had fun and lots of laughs, as well as raise money for some worthy causes.   We will update you on the full amount raised in our next Newsletter.

Thank you to everyone that donated and took part, no amount of money was too small.

We held a ‘LOLATHON’ during the week of the 15th March.  The children shared their favourite jokes with their class in an effort to make their friends and their teacher laugh!  The child with the winning joke that made everyone laugh most was crowned the funniest member of the class.

We had a variety of jokes from ‘knock knock jokes’ to ‘what do you call a…?’

The winning children received a medal, and we thought we’d share some of these with you to hopefully make you smile and giggle!

WINNING JOKES

Morning Nursery - Why does a cow eat grass?  Because it's a lawn mooer.  (Lily-Rae)

Afternoon Nursery - What is brown, hairy and wears sunglasses?  A coconut going on holiday!  (Sami)

RA - Why did the Elephants get thrown out of the pool?  Because they couldn't keep their trunks up.  (Esmail)

RB - What is the best key to open a door on Christmas Day?  A Turkey!! (Seraphina)

RC - Why did the boy eat his homework?  Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake (Stirling)

1A - Why did the banana go to the doctors?  Because he wasn't peeling very well.  (Thibihsna)

1B - Knock knock, who’s there? Lettuce, lettuce who?  Let us in its cold out here! (Amelia)

1C - Why did the monster eat the lightbulb?  Because he wanted a light snack (Kamran)

2A - How many tickles does an octopus need to laugh?  Ten tickles.  (Aylin)

2B - Why did the skeleton cross the road?  To go to the body shop.  (Gabriel) 

2C - Knock knock.  Who's there?  Boo.  Boo hoo.  There's no need to cry about it! (Flynn)

3B - 'What is an American Cat's favourite car?'  A 'Catillac’  (Ibrahim)

3C - What happened to Hulk when he crossed the road?  He was 'hulk smashed' by a car!  (Jokubas)

4B - Knock Knock. Who's there? Oliver. Oliver who? Oliver let me in - it is raining. (Henrietta)

4C - 'What do chickens do to get fit?  They eggsercise!' (Neha)

5A - Me: Doctor, doctor I feel like I'm a pair of curtains.  Doctor: Pull yourself together!  (Sabawoon)

5B - A child at school threw some cheese at me.  It wasn’t very mature.  (Freya) 

5C - Why shouldn't you play games in the jungle?  Because there are too many cheetahs.  (Louisa & Aksaya)  

6A - Why couldn't the teddy bear eat his dessert?  Because he was stuffed.  (Aeshan)

6B - How do you make a tissue dance?  You put a little boogy in it. (Amber)

6C -  What do you call a fish with no eyes? No idea.  (Mirle) 


WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK

‘Walk to School’ week will run from Monday 17th to Friday 21st May 2021.  Please try to walk (or bike/scoot) to school with your children during this week.

A classroom wallchart will be put up at the start of the week.  Children will add their name, and each day as they come in, depending on how they travelled to school, they will record this.

This year’s theme for Walk to School Week is ‘Walking Superpowers’.  Through the week, pupils will be introduced to the Walking Superpowers who will teach them all about these benefits and reinforce the power of walking, superhero style!

 

SUPERHERO NON-UNIFORM DAY

FRIDAY 21st MAY 2021

To celebrate this, on Friday 21st May the children are invited to come to school dressed as superheroes.  This can be one that they know, or they can create their own superhero!  There is no donation required for this.


LOST PROPERTY

Please ensure that ALL items your child brings to school are labelled with your child’s name and class – e.g., coat, school clothes, P.E. kit etc.  This will help us return lost items to children!


KEY MESSAGES FROM WELFARE

Medical Conditions and Health Care Plans

If your child has a diagnosed medical condition, a Health Care Plan needs to be completed (if we have not got one already). It is important that the school are aware of any medical conditions.

If there are any changes to a child’s existing medical condition and/or a new medical condition emerges, parents/carers need to complete a new Health Care Plan.

If we do not receive a new or updated Health Care Plan, your child will be unable to attend school.  If we do not receive medicine (as outlined in your child’s Health Care Plan), your child will be unable to attend school.

The Health Care Plans are available on the school website here.

Epi pens

If your child uses an epi-pen at school, please can you provide three epi-pens so that we can keep one in the lunch hall, classroom and welfare.

Asthma

The Harrow School Nursing Team advise if any child has been prescribed an inhaler for either asthma or viral induced wheeze, they should be reviewed annually.  That can be done by either the GP, practice nurse or respiratory team. The school requires a copy of your child's latest Asthma Plan for their records.

If you require any further information, please contact Welfare on welfare@vaughan.harrow.sch.uk.

Inhalers

Please ensure that inhalers are kept in their original packaging with the child’s name and instructions.  We also require an age appropriate spacer together with the inhaler.

Inhalers for children in the Junior School

If your child uses an inhaler, please can you provide a third inhaler so that we have a spare one available.

Medication

If your child is prescribed medication which has to be administered at school, please complete a consent form which can be found on the school website with clear instructions.  It must come via the school office or alternatively, call Welfare tel: 0208 427 7222 Ext 2 and arrangements can be made to collect from outside the school office.

Any medical queries, please contact Mrs O’Rourke or Ms Goodspeed in Welfare.

Free check ups

Please be advised that children are entitled to:

  • Free NHS Prescriptions
  • Free NHS Dental Treatment
  • Free NHS Sight Tests

We do encourage families to have regular check-ups.  Please check https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk for further information.

Medical appointments during the day

And lastly a reminder about medical appointments.  If your child has a medical appointment during the school day, please remember to email attendance@vaughan.harrow.sch.uk with the details and with proof of the appointment.  We do ask however, that appointments during the day are kept to a minimum and that you book appointments for outside of the school day.  Thank you.


HARROW FOODBANK

Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy, receiving an unexpected bill on a low income, changes to benefits, not being eligible for benefits (for example due to immigration status) or delayed wages.  A simple box of food makes a big difference and the Harrow Foodbank can provide families with three days of nutritionally balanced food and support.  

The Harrow Foodbank is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. Their belief is that they don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry.

Vaughan Primary School understands that at such times, some families may need emergency support or aid, therefore we are an agreed voucher referral partner and we are able to support families and provide them with emergency support.  Please contact Ms Keohane, Mrs Fink or Ms Perschky if you require the support of the school or the Foodbank.  We have assisted many parents to access this support and they have found the foodbank very supportive.  Please be reassured that there will be complete confidentiality in this matter.

What happens at a foodbank?

Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem.

What is in a typical food parcel?

Food parcels can include:  Breakfast cereals, soup, pasta, rice, pasta sauce, tinned beans, tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tinned fruit, tea or coffee, sugar, biscuits and snacks.

Dietary requirements

The Foodbank can usually adapt your food parcel to meet your dietary needs, for example, gluten free, halal or vegetarian. When you arrive at the foodbank centre, a volunteer will chat to you about any special dietary requirements you may have.

                               Foodbank locations

South Harrow Baptist Church
270 Northolt Rd
South Harrow
HA2 8EB

OPENING TIMES
Mondays - 13:30 to 15:30

 

Holy Trinity Wealdstone
Holy Trinity Church
1a Headstone Drive
Wealdstone
HA1 5QX
Tel: 020 8416 7344

OPENING TIMES
Tuesdays - 13:00 to 15:00
Fridays - 13:00 to 15:00

Kenton Methodist Church
315 Kenton Rd
Kenton
HA3 0HT

OPENING TIMES
Wednesdays - 13:00 to 15:00

Rayners Lane Baptist Church
139 Imperial Drive
North Harrow
HA2 7HW
Tel: 020 8416 7344

OPENING TIMES
Saturdays - 10:00 to 12 noon

Further is available from the following website:
https://harrow.foodbank.org.uk/


TERM DATES

SUMMER TERM 2021

Monday 19th April 2021 to Friday 23rd July 2021

Bank Holidays:

Monday 3rd May 2021

Half Term:

Monday 31st May 2021 to Friday 4th June 2021

INSET Day:

Friday 23rd July 2021

 

AUTUMN TERM 2021

Wednesday 1st September 2021 to Friday 17th December 2021

Half Term:

Monday 25th October 2021 to Friday 29th October 2021

INSET Day:

Wednesday 1st September 2021

Friday 22nd October 2021

 

SPRING TERM 2022

Tuesday 4th January 2022 to Friday 1st April 2022

Half Term:

Monday 14th February 2022 to Friday 18th February 2022

INSET Day:

Tuesday 4th January 2022

Monday 7th March 2022

 

School will close at 1.35pm on the last day of each term
(please see separate letter sent regarding the end of the Autumn term)

Afternoon Nursery will be closed on the last day of each term.

After School Club finishes at 4.00pm on the last day of term. 

 

Please do not book holidays for during term time as these will not be authorised.  If you wish to request leave from school, please complete a Request for Leave form and email it to attendance@vaughan.harrow.sch.uk for Mrs Jones' attention.

Next year's full term dates are available to view here.