Welcome To
Regents Park Community Primary School
Believe in Yourself - Anything is Possible!
Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Dear Parents/ Carers
Tomorrow (Thursday 16th December) we are celebrating Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save The Children. It will be a Non-Uniform day - we are encouraging children to wear a Christmas Jumper if they have one already or decorate a jumper or shirt with Christmas decorations. Please don't buy a Christmas Jumper especially for tomorrow - home decorated jumpers are much better!
Parents can make a donation to Save The Children on sQuid.
Children will be having Christmas parties in class in the afternoon - school will be providing party food so please don't send food in with children.
Also a reminder that school CLOSES at 1.00pm on Friday 17th December. Please make arrangements to collect children on time.
We reopen for children on Wednesday 5th January at 8.40am.
Thank you
Mr Beale
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Next week is the last week at school before the Christmas holidays. There are a number of events planned - see info below.
Unfortunately, I am going to have to make the decision that the assemblies we have planned for next week will now have to move online. This is because of the concerns around rising COVID cases and the impact of the new Omicron variant. We are following advice from the DfE and from the local Public Health team which suggests reducing contacts where possible and avoiding large gatherings where there is poor ventilation. As a result, it wouldn't seem sensible to gather children, staff and parents in the halls for assemblies at this time.
We will record the Celebration assemblies and the Y2 Christmas assembly and share them online with parents instead.
Here are some important dates coming up for you:
Thank you,
Mr Beale
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Recently, we have had a number of requests from parents to take children abroad during term time. Often these are requests around holidays such as the one coming up at Christmas, e.g. just before and just after Christmas.
Whilst I understand how difficult it is for families with relatives living abroad and that the travel restrictions during the pandemic have meant that many haven't seen these relatives for some time, I still have to remind parents that school attendance is extremely important, especially as children have missed a lot of school already in the last 2 years and are trying to catch up.
Any time missed from school means learning is lost. Taking homework away with children is not the same as learning in class and being taught by a teacher.
As a school, we do not authorise trips abroad during term time unless it is an immediate emergency - an emergency is not a planned trip abroad in a few weeks or months time.
Thank you to those parents who have come and spoken to me about this when they have been considering taking trips abroad in the past. We always need information on where children are and will chase it up if children are not in school.
Where children take trips abroad in term time it will be an unauthorised absence and this may lead to a fine following the local authority Fast Track procedure.
It's also worth reminding parents about the on-going concerns about new Coronavirus variants and the potential impact on international travel in the coming weeks.This could mean that, if restrictions change whilst families are away, that children miss even longer away from school.
Mr Beale
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Just to let you know that the Ofsted inspection was completed yesterday afternoon. We have received verbal feedback from the lead inspector which is positive and we are happy with how the inspection has gone.
Unfortunately, we are unable to share any outcomes with you yet, other than to say we are very pleased with the feedback we have received. The inspector will write a report which will be checked by Ofsted before being published in January. As soon as the final copy is published I will share it with parents.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank the parents who sent messages of support and who gave feedback to the inspector, either in person on the school gate or via the ParentView survey. The children were a great credit to you all and you can be proud of them - they all showed how well behaved and hard working they are.
Have a good weekend,
Mr Beale
Dear Parents/ Carers,
We have been notified today that we will be inspected by Ofsted over the next two days, on Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd December 2021.
Below is a letter to parents from Ofsted explaining how you can give your views about the school, including a link to the Parent View website. Please complete the survey by 11.00am on Wednesday 1st December.
There is also a link to a Guide for Parents explaining how Ofsted carry out school inspections.
All of the text on this page can be translated using the Google Translate button.
Thank you,
Mr A Beale
30 November 2021
Dear parent or carer
Inspection of Regents Park Community Primary School by Ofsted
We have just told your child's school that we will inspect it on 01 December 2021. The lead inspector will be Lorraine Lord. We are writing to you because we would like to know what you think about the school. Please take a few minutes to read the leaflet that came with this letter. It explains why we inspect schools and what happens during an inspection.
Your views about the school are important to us
If you are a registered parent or carer of a pupil at the school (including pupils on sick leave or who are temporarily excluded), you can tell us your views about the school by completing Ofsted's online survey, Ofsted Parent View, at: www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk.
Ofsted Parent View asks for your opinion on some aspects of your child's school, including the progress made by your child, the quality of teaching, how the school deals with bullying and poor behaviour. It also provides a free-text box for you to make additional comments, if you wish. The inspectors will use the online survey responses when inspecting your child's school. Written comments can also be sent to the school in a sealed envelope, marked confidential and addressed to the inspection team.
To register your views, you will need to provide your email address, which will be held securely. It will not be used for any purpose other than providing access to the online survey. Neither schools nor Ofsted will have access to any email addresses.
Please complete the online survey by 11am on 01 December 2021 as this will give the inspection team more time to consider your views. However, we will consider all online responses that are completed during the inspection, although the free-text box facility will not be available after noon on 02 December 2021.
Speaking to an inspector
If you are unable to complete the online survey, it may be possible to speak to an inspector during the inspection, for instance at the start of the school day, or to pass on messages to the inspectors if you are unable to speak to them in person. Inspection administrators will be happy to make the necessary arrangements. If concerns are raised about child protection, we may have to pass the information we receive to social services or the police. You can contact the administrators on 03000130701. Inspectors will be pleased to receive your comments, but cannot deal with complaints about individual pupils or settle disputes between you and the school.
Privacy notice
During the inspection, the inspectors will collect information about children at the school by talking to them, looking at school documents, responses to the pupil survey where appropriate, and observing the everyday life at the school. In most cases, we do not record names. However, some of the information may make it possible to identify a particular child. Ofsted uses this information to prepare its report and for the purposes set out in its privacy policy. Ofsted will not publish any information that identifies a child in the report.
More information is available in Ofsted's privacy notice:
The contact details for Ofsted's Data Protection Officer are as follows.
Email:
informationrequest@ofsted.gov.uk
Post:
Information management team
Ofsted
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6EH
Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the online survey.
Yours faithfully
Corinne Dakin
Inspection support administrator
Below is the link to the Guidance for parents on inspecting schools:
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Yesterday the Government announced some changes to the general Coronavirus guidance that is in place in England (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-new-measures-as-omicron-variant-identified-in-uk-27-november-2021) including advice on wearing face coverings in shops and public transport. Today, the DfE have also updated its guidance for schools including advice that staff wear face coverings in communal areas around school. As previously, it is not advised that primary age children wear face coverings however.
In light of the concerns about the Omicron variant and increasing cases, I would like to encourage all parents entering the school site to wear a face covering when doing so and to keep a respectful social distance from staff and each other. Parents that are entering the school building, e.g. the school office, attending meetings in the Parents' room, attending assemblies in the hall, dropping off children into Nursery or Reception classes, etc. will be asked and expected to wear a face covering. Staff meeting with parents will also wear face coverings when doing so.
I hope parents understand and respect the reasons for making these slight changes. We wish to continue to carry on with work in school as it has been over the last couple of months but we also hope to keep all families and staff safe whist doing so.
Many thanks,
Mr A Beale
Anti-Bullying Week 15th – 19th November 2021
During the week commencing the 15th November, we will be taking part in national Anti-Bullying Week. The theme of this week is ‘One Kind Word.’
This week, children will be learning about kindness and how little acts of consideration can break down barriers and brighten the lives of the people around us.
On Monday 15th November children can wear odd socks to school to highlight that we are all unique. Please ensure that children come to school in uniform.
We will be celebrating Children in Need on Friday 19th November 2021. This year’s theme is “together we can change young lives.” To celebrate, there will be a themed non- uniform day. Please send your child in wearing something spotty. You can even paint spots onto a plain t-shirt or use face paints. A donation of £1.02 can be made via sQuid (2p is the transaction fee). All money raised will be donated to Children in Need.
Many thanks for your support,
Mrs McDonald and Mrs Vara.
Dear 3N Parents/ Carers,
Apologies that we had to postpone the 3N Parents Evening on Tuesday and Wednesday this week due to staff illness. We are very sorry for the inconvenience however we are now rearranging the 3N Parents Evening for Tuesday 16th November.
Miss Nugent will be available to meet for 10 minute appointments with parents of children in 3N on Tuesday 16th November from 12.35pm in the Parents Room. We would ask you to arrive just before your booked timeslot at the gate to the Parents Room at the end of Camelot Way. As we have done this week, we would ask you to only attend if you are well and observe all COVID guidance when in school.
Please make sure that you are on time - we may not be able to fit you in if you are late. Please also be aware that the meetings will have to end quickly after 10 minutes to be fair to the next set of parents.
You will have been sent an invitation via email to book your appointment so please do so as soon as possible. Please contact the office if you don't receive the email invitation.
We look forward to seeing you next week so we can let you know how well your child is doing in Year 3.
Thank you,
Mr Beale
Dear Parents/Carers,
As a part of your child’s educational experience at Regents Park Community School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.
On the 17th May 2021, I shared the Department for Education’s changes to relationships and sex education following nationwide consultation. The statutory guidance can be found at:
All the feedback we have received about this has been greatly appreciated, and has helped the school make changes which should reassure parents as well as meet the statutory requirements of the curriculum. I have had lots of positive feedback from parents about how these changes will impact the pupils at our school. As I mentioned in my presentation to parents, the new guidance focuses on healthy relationships and keeping children safe in the modern world. It also covers a wide range of topics relating to physical and mental health, wellbeing, safeguarding and healthy relationships.
Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up will give children and young people the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships and help them take responsibility for their own well-being.
There has been some feedback from parents with concerns about the content of the curriculum. To clarify, at Regents Park, we will not be teaching optional sex education to any of our pupils. We share your concerns that not is not appropriate for children at this age and is therefore not part our curriculum. In order to be clear about what we are teaching, we have made the decision to call the curriculum Relationships and Health Education. As part of Health education and the science National Curriculum, pupils are required to use scientific vocabulary to name body parts which include female and male genitals. However, our curriculum has been designed so it meets the needs of children as they grow older and specifically has elements which link to safeguarding children. Keeping children safe is vitally important and therefore, as a school, we want to give children the correct vocabulary to safeguard themselves. Referring back to feedback, many of our parents are pleased teachers will be professional, sensitive and work appropriately according to the ages of children.
I would urge all parents to look at the curriculum overviews on the school website to clearly see what your child will be learning within their year group. This can be found here: https://bit.ly/3wrjTFa
We appreciate all the feedback we have received and have thought carefully about how to adapt our curriculum to satisfy the majority of parents as well as adhere to the statutory requirements. Whilst some parents may still have some concerns, it is important that you aware that parents cannot withdraw their child from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or what is taught in the Science National curriculum. This is further explained in the RHE policy, which is also on the school website, and I would encourage you to read this.
I hope this letter and information on the school website goes some way to answer any questions you may have. If you have any queries or concerns regarding the consultation process, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs McDonald
PSHE Curriculum Subject Lead
Dear Parents/ Carers
We have had to speak to a number of children now about playing "Squid Game" in the playground. Some of the children have been copying this from the recent Netflix TV programme.
Whilst this programme has been very popular and many people have been watching it, it actually has an age rating of 15 due to “sexual violence references, injury detail, crude humour, sex, suicide, sexual images, violence”. It is clearly not suitable for primary-age children to be watching.
It is concerning that so many children are obviously watching a programme which is not appropriate for them and are then being influenced enough to copy and act out scenes from the playground. It should go without saying that it is parents' responsibility to make sure that children are well supervised when watching TV or using the internet on computers or devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
I do think it would be wise for parents to use parental restriction settings on devices to limit children having access to things that they shouldn't have and to monitor closely what they are doing on devices. Don't leave children to access the internet without adults being around and be careful about what they're watching.
If you know your child has been watching "Squid Game" it would also be wise to speak to them about the content of the programme, to explain why it is inappropriate and to make sure that they aren't influenced to copy scenes and hurt others and themselves.
Thank you