A new term!

As the pupils continue to work towards their CE or Scholarship examinations this half term please remind them that the staff are here to help, guide and support in any way they can.

Prep will be supporting their learning and revision so it is important that they are completed and handed in on time, so that they can receive valuable feedback to further guide their learning.

The children continue to work hard on their projects and we are delighted with the range of topics and the dedication they have shown towards their presentations. We warmly invite you to support their PSPQ Symposium on Friday 4 July where they will share their work.

A Subject Topic & Skills Grid giving an overview of what the children will be covering this term will be shared on Friday.

Please find the Prep Timetable for the term here.

The pupils will be given a Prep diary where Prep will be recorded. Pluses will also be noted in here each week.

I am thrilled that we continue to have pupils applying to become Prefects. It is a highlight of the term being able to award the children their badges in recognition of their continued leadership, role modelling and commitment to Pennthorpe.  If your child would like to be considered to be a Prefect, please ask them to speak to Mrs Partridge.

The Student Wellbeing Ambassadors continue to do great work around the school and will continue their sessions with our Wellbeing Guardian this term as part of their ongoing training.

Being a Year 8 pupil means you are constantly busy, so we wish to say thank you to the pupils for taking on these extra responsibilities and for being so awesome when undertaking them.

The Pennthorpe PSHEE curriculum will continue this term. In accordance with government statutory guidance, specific elements of age appropriate RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) will be incorporated where applicable. Please do contact Form Tutors, in the first instance, should you have any specific questions regarding curriculum content and/or feedback.

Year 8 will be covering the following topics:

First Aid

Moving Forwards – Reviewing personal strengths, identifying opportunities, developing strengths and weaknesses, setting targets and goals and how to manage change.

Our bespoke Wellbeing scheme, RISE, will incorporate the theme of ‘Transition’ this term. Firstly this will concentrate on activities related to ‘Good Goodbyes’ and the children will reflect on their time at Pennthorpe. The second half of term will focus on ‘Happy Horizons’ where they will start to think about their future journeys.

The pupils will be participating in an exciting and varied Leavers Programme this year which I hope they enjoy. A full programme will be published and shared with you later this term. But, as a taster, it includes; a charity sleep out, trips to Thorpe Park and to see Back to the Future, a Beach Day and much, much more!

Some key dates for your diary include:

• Charity Sleep out – Friday 13 June
• Residential to Dorset – Monday 23 – Thursday 26 June
• PSB Symposium and Parent Softball & BBQ – Friday 4 July
• Year 7 & 8 Play ‘Shrek! The Musical’ – Tuesday 8 & Wednesday 9 July
• Leavers Ball – Thursday 10 July
• Leavers’ Huddle – Friday 11 July

A key part of the Good Goodbye Programme is the Year 8 Residential. This year we will be travelling to Buddens Activity Centre with Rockley Adventures between Monday 23 – Thursday 26 June. Initial information was shared at the beginning of the Spring Term. Detailed information and a kit list will be shared closer to the date.

We will also be creating a Leaver’s Year book and Mrs Partridge will provide further details later in this term.

For all absences, please complete the absence request form via the Parent Portal. Please see the guide here on how to request an absence for your child.

If your child will need any prescribed or over-the-counter medication administered during the school day, please complete the following form here. No medication can be administered without this form.

Children are to bring their water bottles to school and take them home daily. It is very important that the children drink water throughout the day, and using bottles in the classrooms helps to prevent spillages! If you do forget a bottle, just let us know and we can ensure that children have a cup to drink out of.

In Years 5 – 8 pupils must have their own fully stocked pencil case, including the following items:

• Pencils
• Rubber
• Pencil Sharpener
• Blue Fountain or Handwriting Pen (not biro)
• Purple pen (a purple biro is fine – children will use this to refine and perfect their work)
• 30cm ruler
• Coloured pencils
• Glue stick

Children should also have their charged laptop with them in school each day.

A reminder that mobile phones are not allowed in school. If you child needs to bring one for their journey to and from school (which must be pre-agreed if travel is on the school minibus), mobiles must be left at the Front Office for the duration of the school day.

Drop off is from 8:00am, students should line up on the netball court at the bell and be taken to Form Rooms (now Darwin and Curie Labs) at 8:20am. Pupils arriving earlier than 8:00am should be booked in for breakfast from 7:30am. Formal lessons commence at 8:40am.

Pick up is at 5:00pm at the front of school, unless your child is staying for Prep when pick up will be 6:00pm at the front of school. Please note that pick up is at the earlier time of 4:00pm on Wednesdays, unless there is a match scheduled.

All children must ‘blob out’ before they leave the school site.

If you’d like your child to join us for breakfast, or stay beyond 5:00pm for Hobbies or After School Supervision / Supper Club, please book this via the Portal, or contact extendedday@pennthorpe.com for assistance.

As well as your pocket-sized diary, parents can also view the Summer Term calendar via the website and Parent Portal.

Please do have a look through and pop important dates in your diary.  Of course, sometimes plans need to be updated, and so any changes will be updated on our electronic calendar and communicated to you as soon as possible.

The key events for our Year 8 parents include:

• All parents are invited to a Supporting Reading at Home Tea & Talk on Tuesday 6 May
• Our Whole School Come & See What We Do Afternoon is on Monday 12 May from 2:00pm
• Year 8 Art Exhibition Evening is on Thursday 15 May from 5:00pm
• Thursday 22 May is Whole School Pyjamarama Day 
• Sports Day followed by our Pennthorpe Family Summer Social will be taking place on Friday 23 May
• Year 8 Common Entrance Exams are between Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 June
• The pupils will enjoy the Good Goodbye Leavers’ Programme from Friday 6 June to the end of term. Further details of the programme will be shared closer to the time, but includes highlights such as a charity sleep out, trips to Thorpe Park and to see Back to the Future and a hike and picnic!
• Year 8 Charity Sleep Out & Results BBQ with parents is on Friday 13 June
• Music for a Summer’s Evening on Tuesday 17 June
• The Year 8 Residential to Buddens Activity Centre in Dorset departs on Monday 23 June (see above)
• Parents are invited to the Year 8 PSPQ Symposium followed by Pupil v Parent Softball & BBQ on the afternoon of Friday 4 July
• Prizegiving for pupils in Years 1 – 8 will take place on Saturday 5 July from 10:00am-midday
• The Year 7 & 8 Production of Shrek  will take place on the evenings of Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 July
• The Year 8 Leavers’ Ball also takes place on Thursday 10 July. More information, including menu choices, will be circulated nearer to the time.
• After term ends at lunchtime on Friday 11 July, our Year 8 parents are invited to join us for a drinks reception and Leavers’ Huddle until 1:30pm.

Our brilliant Friends of Pennthorpe, as always, will be doing lots to support our school and community this term. Key things for you to watch out for include:

• The Summer Term Friends of Pennthorpe meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 29 April at 8:30am. Everyone is welcome to attend to help develop upcoming FoP plans
• Bags of Support collections on Friday 2 May and Friday 4 July
• After school Pop Up Treat Shop on Friday 9 May
• The Friends of Pennthorpe Father’s Day Shop will open its doors on Wednesday 11 June
• The Friends of Pennthorpe AGM will be held on Tuesday 24 June
• After school Ice Lolly Sale on Friday 27 June
• Friends of Pennthorpe Second Hand Uniform Shop on Tuesday 1 July

As it is the Summer Term, all children should now be in summer uniform. Please make sure your child’s uniform is labelled with their name, as it does make it a lot easier to reunite lost items with their owners.

Children are expected to wear smart uniform each day:

• All children should wear their blazers coming to and from school.
• Clean black school shoes (if a child needs to wear trainers, for example where their school shoes have been misplaced, please make the form teacher aware)
• Shirts need to be long enough to tuck in.
• Earrings – one plain stud only. No hoops. The child needs to be able to take the earrings out independently for PE and Games lessons.
• No necklaces.
• Plain wristwatch, no smartwatches to be worn.
• No makeup or nail varnish is to be worn.
• All shoulder length hair tied up with a plain hairband or small school coloured scrunchie or headband.
• Students must wear their lanyard at all times.

The Year 8 Team will be conducting a complete kit check at the beginning of term. It is important that the children understand the importance of looking after and organising their own property. Please support this at home, by ensuring your child uses their independence and organisational skills to ensure they have what they need in school each day and take care of their belongings (especially their charged laptops!).

Uniform is available to order online, for further information please click here.

For the Summer Term the boys and girls will be switching to cricket and athletics. A full kit list is available here, and all branded items can be ordered through Blueblood

Cricket:

White Pennthorpe branded top, white cricket trousers (these can be any brand and are optional for girls), white socks, a blue Pennthorpe cap, and trainers or cricket shoes. White cricket jumper is an optional extra.

Pads/helmet/gloves/box pants are required for those playing hardball (see team sheets for some groups in Year 5 or above). The school can provide pads/helmet/gloves if necessary.

Athletics:

Blue Pennthorpe branded polo shirt and shorts, athletics vest (optional), white socks, and trainers or athletics spikes.

Please do not park in the drop-off lanes at the front of school if you are coming to watch sports fixtures or waiting for a child to come out at pick up. These lanes are intended for dropping-off only!

Instead, please park up in the car park, or find a safe place to park on the neighbouring roads (being considerate of our neighbours, especially with regards parking near to junctions or driveways).