May 2023 Newsletter
Dear Parents / Carers,
We are all looking forward to the weeks ahead in the summer term.
Well done to all the children in Year 6 who completed their SATs tests last week. They were all amazing, showing a fabulous commitment to their learning. We are so proud of every one of them!
Staffing update- Last week, the academy leaders interviewed candidates for an Assistant Headteacher to join the senior leadership team at the academy. We had a strong group of candidates and we are incredibly pleased to announce that Mr Sandwith will be joining us as the Assistant Headteacher at Smithies Moor in September.
Thank you to the parents who completed the Your Voice survey earlier this year. The results have been collated and we are looking at how we can make improvements from your suggestions. One area was to make it clearer who the Chair of Governors was and how to make contact with governors. Our Chair of Governors is Tracey Darley. You can find out more about the governors on our website . If you wish to contact Tracey you can find her details on the contact page.
Amazing things happen here at Smithies Moor
After school Clubs
It is great to see many children coming to the different after school clubs at the academy. There are still places for our after school clubs. Children can choose from dance, multi-skills, football, art, tag rugby, cross country running and gardening. Please speak to the office if you would like your child to join a club for the Summer term.
The children enjoyed celebrating King Charles III’s coronation event by making their own crowns and learning about the monarchy. They wore their crowns to lunch as they had a coronation themed picnic meal.
Some of the Year 5 children were chosen to take part in a series of workshops looking at healthy relationships. This was really informative and the children worked well at discussing how to develop strong, healthy relationships as they grow older.
After being supported by the DfE Behaviour Hub for the past year, we graduated from the programme at Easter. The plan is to continue the hard work to support our pupils to ensure they are able to access the curriculum through support from their teachers and the pastoral team. We are hoping to hold a parent consultation in July to ensure you all have information about the academy’s positive behaviour strategies and procedures that are in place going forward into the next academic year.
Parents Evening
Was a great success and really well attended. Thank you to all families who attended over the different dates available.
Residential Trip
Year 5 children have had the opportunity to visit Cliffe House, Huddersfield on a residential trip for 3 days. They took part in lots of challenges and activities, including buggy building, climbing, canoeing and archery. This was the first time we offered Year 5 a chance to stay overnight on a trip. This was so successful we have booked Cliffe House for April 2024. More information will be sent out to the current Year 4 children in the next few months.
Nursery places
We are delighted to be able to offer nursery places from September 2023 for children with 15 hours and 30 hours funding. This will allow parents to secure a place in our academy nursery, led by a qualified teacher. If your child is entitled to 30 hours funding, they will have the opportunity to stay for the full day, including lunchtime. Please contact the office to book a visit to our nursery and complete the admissions from.
Attendance
Please ensure that your child attends the academy if they are well enough to do so and arrives on time at 8.50am. Being in the academy everyday will support your child to receive the best opportunities offered to them at the academy. BCL attendance officers will continue to make home visits and support the academy with more panel meetings with families who need further support with attending school. Improving attendance is a high priority to the academy as part of our improvement strategies this year and beyond.
As an academy we are unfortunately below the national and local averages for attendance at 91.7%. We thank you for supporting your child with their attendance and therefore helping improve our overall attendance. Please remember extended holidays or leave from school will not be authorised unless there are extreme circumstances. Letters will be sent home regarding any requests made for extended holidays in term time. Kirklees Authority will be notified if the family takes the holiday. They may decide to issue a penalty notice to parents linked to the leave taken.
Online Safety
We are working with National Online Safety and the local police to support staff, pupils and parents in keeping children safe online. Please join our school community and access resources, webinars and guides on a wide variety of online safety subjects. It is here as a resource to support us in keeping our children safe in the online world.
To create your account, please click here and complete your details. When you’re set up, you’ll be able to set ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type.
You can access National Online Safety online via any device- including via our brand-new smartphone app. To download the app, please go to:
Alternatively, search for ‘National Online Safety’ in the App Store/Google Play Store.
New building update
We are very excited to add more information around the DfE ReBuild, that will be happening on site at Smithies Moor. The plans are to be fully operational in a new building by September 2025. As the rebuild is directly funded by the Department for Education (DfE) it will only cater to house the school pupils. It has been proposed that the building work will take place on site whilst allowing the current pupils to remain in the building up until we relocate into the new premises. Unfortunately Kirklees SCITT Teacher Training, Whitelee Playgroup and the rugby club will not have access to the site of the new build and therefore will not be leasing the rooms on the school site from September 2024.
Bridge – After School Club
Due to a low uptake in places last year, we had to make the decision to close the Bridge after school club for this academic year. We are eager to support our community and our parents by offering the after school club from September 2023, if there are enough pupils attending to make it financially viable. We would be interested to see how many families would want to use the Bridge Club for a set charge per day. If you would be interested in a place for your child from September 2023, please speak to the office staff.
Date for the diary
SENDco Drop in – Have a concern about your child? Come and chat with Mrs Shaw to share your concerns at these sessions. Fortnightly events starting Monday 5th June at 9am.
Health and Sports week (w/c 5th June) – this is a week long event where the children will need to have their PE kits in school all week.
Smithies Coffee & Chat – please come along to socialise and meet other parents and staff in school and grab a coffee or a cup of tea on Thursday 22nd June at 9am
Careers Fair in school for parents and pupils – Friday 30th June at 2pm.
Reminder that on Monday 3rd July 2023 the academy will be closed to all pupils for staff training.
Thank you for your continued support,
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Catherine Brackenbury
Head of Academy
Mr Jack Sowter
Executive Headteacher