Issue No 16 - 27.05.2022

Headteacher News

Dear Parents and Carers

As we approach the half term break we can sense the excitement mounting in readiness for our Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations due to take place at the start of June.  Children have been learning songs and been preparing for the concert which will take place on Friday 10th June at 1.30pm.  Please see our recent invitation suggesting you bring an umbrella, as we will continue outdoors whatever the weather.  I would also like to remind all parents and carers that we are opening up the school for you and your child to visit classrooms to see the wonderful work that has taken place over the year and to appreciate some of the special work celebrating The Queen’s 70 year reign.  This is an opportunity to see the work in other year groups so that you can look ahead to future years, too.  When walking around the school and visiting displays, please ensure that your child is supervised at all times otherwise we will direct them to the Music Room to wait with Mr Reynolds to be picked up. 

At the start of the week our Year 6 children were extremely excited to be leaving school to travel to Marchants Hill PGL outward bounds residential facilities.  You can see how all the children got on by following twitter @Tetherdown.  Teachers have reported that all the children have had an amazing time, really enjoyed all the activities (despite a few downpours), have eaten some fantastic food and enjoyed the dormitories.  Room inspections have been outstanding!  I would like to extend a big thank you to all the staff who have supported the week’s activities and wish them all a very well-earned half-term break!

Year 4 Jaguars children were recently filmed by an ITN news crew in relation to a piece on the implications of rising fuel costs for schools.  I was interviewed by Toby Saddler for Five News and shared some challenges schools around the country are facing under the current fuel cost crisis.  He was keen to hear how this was affecting decision-making in relation to staffing and maintenance of the building.  The children in Jaguars were excellent role models and the team commented on how well-behaved and focused they were in their learning.  Well done.

Please take some time to read on and find out more of the lovely work our children have recently been engaged with.

Wishing you all a restful half-term break and a lovely extended bank holiday on Thursday and Friday.  I’m sure your child’s class teacher would welcome any news on local jubilee celebrations to share with the class.

Kind regards

Tony Woodward

Headteacher

 

LATEST NEWS

27 May 2022
Year 6 - PGL 2022
Making Memories!
Read more
27 May 2022
Tetherdown Chess Success!
The children should be very proud of their achievement as we are of them.
Read more
27 May 2022
Fantastic Goal Scored by Lucas
GOOAAL!! Lucas scored a fantastic goal for Camden Youth League - Cup Winners
Read more
26 May 2022
Reception - Highgate Woods Trip
We found minibeasts everywhere!
Read more
26 May 2022
Year 5 - Self Portraits for Art
Both classes took their time to produce some phenomenal self-portraits!
Read more
26 May 2022
Manner's Week - 16th May - 26th May
Good manners mean that we are ‘people smart’, we show empathy and make the world a kind place!
Read more
26 May 2022
Year 1 - What Green Fingers!
Look at our runner beans! - We LOVE our plants!
Read more
24 May 2022
Year 1 - Local Allotment Trip
They did a scavenger hunt, and found vegetables, flowers and other gardening items.
Read more
23 May 2022
Year 2 - Maths & Science Skills
Year 2 have had a busy week in Maths and Science.
Read more

New FoT Chair, Secretary and Treasurer Needed!

After four years, Mia Jenkins, Laura Wilkinson and Dan Schonfeld are all stepping down. Being on the committee and putting on events for our Tetherdown community is a lot of fun. We've raised nearly £50k so far this year and this has funded much needed things for the school and all our kids, from books, learning resources and IT equipment to a new stage for the fall, playground gardening and much more. Without volunteers to fill these three named positions come September we will not be able to fund anything else or put on all the events you know and love. So if you are interesting in getting involved, please contact Mia Jenkins

Summer Fair is Coming! Sunday 10th July 11.30 - 3pm

Expect a mega slide, obstacle course, welly wanging, coconut shy, nearly new, kids stalls, BBQ, bar and lots more!

We can't put on the fair without our wonderful parent community, so please contact your class rep/s (who now know which stall your class are running) to sign up to help, on your class stall and with general fair tasks such as set up, helping on the entrance, selling tokens and clearing up at the end of a fabulous day. Thank you!

Summer Auction - Pledges Needed!

The auction always raises thousands of £ for our lovely school, but we need your pledges. Please contact your rep with your pledges (by 10th June).

Some ideas: vouchers for restaurants, theatre, cinema, kids sports clubs and camps, sporting tickets, or perhaps you could offer a skill, CV writing, babysitting, dog walking, pet sitting, tutoring, etc and of course, people always love your wonderful baked goods. Thank you so much!

The auction will go live 19th June and end on the same day as the fair - 10th July.

Just Giving Donations

Our Support Tetherdown Primary School page is always open for donations and these are always much appreciated!

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/SupportTetherdownPrimarySchool

Have a great half-term break!

Friends of Tetherdown

One click in support of children's learning experience

 

A quick message to remind any of you who can afford anything between £5-50 per month to consider supporting the school in the most amazing way by setting up a direct debit. 

It’s the easiest and most effective way to ensure the school has the resources it needs, as government funding hardly covers more than the cost of the teachers themselves. 

It’s a really quick thing to set up and the impact on our kids is invaluable. We know times are tough but without the volume of events we had previously, every contribution really makes a difference. Click here to set up a direct debit.

Thanks in advance for your support. 

SEND NEWS

Tetherdown families can now subscribe to receive Haringey's SEND newsletter by using this link.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Shadow Puppetry - Creativity Camp

Shadow Puppetry are running a two-day creativity camp next week during half-term for 8-14 year olds at Alexandra Palace on 30th and 31st May - 10am-3pm. They have some spaces still available.

It costs £40 to participate, however there are funded spaces available for young people who might benefit but wouldn't be able to afford it.

They will be learning about Shadow Puppetry, Drama and Story-telling - I'm attaching an image with a bit more info!

Sign up online here: https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/shadow-puppetry-creativity-camp/

MANAGING COVID-19 

Symptoms, Testing and Guidance for COVID-19

For symptoms, testing and guidance for COVID-19 please refer to our COVID-19 website pages which contain information that we hope parents find helpful and useful including:

  • How to report a positive COVID-19 test.
  • Timeline for isolation.
  • My child has tested positive - what happens next?
  • COVID-19 links to guidance, advise and FAQ.

We appreciate that there may at times be some confusion on ways to respond, but we are doing our best to ensure as many children can come to school on a regular basis so that risks to your child’s continuing education in the current climate is reduced.

LOOKING AHEAD

Request for Picture Frames!

Myself and Mr Evans are working and planning to transforming a wall in the school to showcase memorabilia and information about Tetherdown Primary School and our local area, which we hope will inspire the children’s curiosity about their community.  

If you have a good quality picture frame with glass or plastic glazing and hook,  we would be grateful if you could donate this to the school. We are looking for any size between A3 and A4. 

Please could you leave the frame in a large box outside the school office door under the arches and we will collect them in. 

Thank you for your support. 

With kind regards 

Annie Ashraf  

Deputy Head 

Scooters Welcome at School! 

We are allowing back scooters. If your child brings their scooter to school please ensure it is stored within the wooden frame outside the school office. Please do not place in or near the bicycle racks.

Clubs & Activity Camps

The Summer Term 2022 lunchtime and extracurricular club timetable is available on our website. In addition, to emailing club promotional material to parents we are also publishing any advertising provided by the clubs on our website Clubs & Activity Camps page.

Wraparound Care: Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club offers an exciting variety of healthy breakfast choices for the children these include: croissants, brioche buns, fruit yogurt, juice and cereal.

Ad hoc Bookings

Breakfast Club is currently able to take a limited number of ad hoc bookings. If you would like to use the Club’s ad hoc services please contact our Senior Play Leader Ms Geen-Moore on the email provided below no later than 9:00am a day prior to your booking.  Ad hoc spaces are charged at a slightly higher rate of £8 per session per child (via ParentPay).

Please note that due to limited availability, to attend you must receive a confirmation email from Ms Geen-Moore. 

E: breakfastclub@tetherdownschool.org

OFFICE REMINDERS

PLEASE REMEMBER WE ARE A NO NUTS SCHOOL (green)

Products containing nuts (including for staff as some may also have allergies) must not be brought into school under any circumstances

Tetherdown School Communications to Parents

We have a brand-new website please ensure your explore our website regularly so not to miss any important communications. This should be your 'FIRST PORT OF CALL' for information.

The Parents page is dedicated to you! - here you will be able to find answers and links to everyday questions and queries you may have as well as further useful information and support - to name a few...

  • Calendar - check this regularly
  • Term dates
  • Key Letters
  • School Day & Wraparound Care
  • Health & Welfare

Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have explored the website, and you cannot find what you are looking for.

Parent Communication to Tetherdown

Please remember when emailing the admin mailbox to ensure you put your child's full name and class. There are over 400 pupils on roll and as you can imagine finding any child with only their first name can be tricky!

ParentPay - Communication from Tetherdown

ParentPay is the schools Communications and Payment System All communications sent directly from the school are sent using ParentPay only.

Parents will receive an email from platform@parentpay.com - when you receive messages from this email you can be assured this is an official direct school communication.

Any undelivered emails to parents the school are notified - we have not been notified of any undelivered messages to date.

Text and Email Alerts

Parents are advised to set up text and email alerts to ensure that you do not miss any important information from Tetherdown. Details of how to do this can be found on our Payment & Bookings System pages. If you have missed an email please search your mailbox for platform@parentpay.com messages and check junk mail.

If you are having any problems receiving official school communications please contact the school office after you have checked your mailbox and junk mail and not ParentPay.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Extracurricular Club Cancellation

This week one of our extracurricular club providers cancelled their club. Please can families note the process below for any future cancellations. Thank you in advance.

  • If your child's extracurricular club at the end of the school day is cancelled by the provider, parents are advised to make alternative pick-up arrangements for their child and to notify the school office via email of the new arrangement no later than 2:45pm. Parents should not assume that the Tetherdown after-school club can take their child following a club cancellation if they cannot make alternative pick-up arrangements. 

  • Children who normally attend the Tetherdown after-school club directly after the cancelled extracurricular club (e.g. tennis) can go straight to after-school club at the end of the school day, however you will be charged accordingly for this session via ParentPay.

Gentle Reminders 

Reporting Absences and Pick-up

 

Reporting Absence

We always require absence information, including unplanned absence, to be reported daily before 9am.

If your child is absent please call the school office before 9am and select option 1. Leave a clear message with your child’s full name and class and a brief reason for the absence.

Reporting Pick-Up

If your child is going home with someone different to their regular person collecting them, please remember to communicate arrangements via the admin email before 2:45pm stating your child’s full name and class and who is collecting them.

Please do not email teachers as they are unable to check emails during the teaching day.

*****

For absences and pick-up arrangements report to:

admin@tetherdownschool.org

Official Appointments

 

If your child is going to be absent for medical or official appointment you must provide proof of the appointment to the school office via email. Please remember to include your child's full name and class in all correspondence.

You do not need to fill in the absence request form for medical appointments, or official appointments.

Children Leaving Tetherdown

 

If you are planning on leaving Tetherdown it is important that you inform the school as soon as possible. Please fill in the destination form which can found on our School Forms & Links page.

Medicines in School

 

As a reminder that medicine cannot be given to your child to bring into school. The school can administer prescribed medicine only (the parents form on our website must be filled in). Any over the counter medicine must be administered by a parent / nominated carer. Please refer to our Health & Welfare pages for further details.

Forgotten Items

 

The school does not accept forgotten items. We aim to promote independence and responsibility in our children. This includes snacks and packed lunches, water bottles, PE kits, instruments etc. We can accept medical and reading glasses. If a child has forgotten their lunch one will be provided and will be charged via your ParentPay account.

Unhealthy Treats

 

We are a healthy school and as such we kindly ask that children do not bring in sweets or cakes/biscuits to hand out to their friends on their birthday. A class book donation is always much appreciated. We will share your book-gift with the class and insert a special book plate to mark the occasion of your child's birthday.

DIARY DATES TO THE 17TH JUNE 2022

Half Term
All Day
From 30 May until 03 Jun
30
May
Mi-Sport Half Term Camp
9:00am – 3:00pm
From 30 May until 01 Jun
30
May
Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday
All Day
03
June
Summer Term 2 - pupils return to school
All Day
06
June
Group 2 - Y4 Swimming Park Road
8:15am – 10:15am
08
June
Muswell Hill Library visit Ladybirds
1:30pm – 3:00pm
09
June
Queen's Jubilee Celebration
1:30pm – 3:30pm
10
June
Group 2 - Y4 Swimming Park Road
8:15am – 10:15am
15
June
Y5 Apollo Workshop 6
1:00pm – 3:30pm
16
June
Muswell Hill Library visit Butterflies
1:30pm – 3:00pm
16
June
Year 5 Komodos Assembly
9:00am – 9:20am
17
June