NEWSLETTER Issue: 6.07

HEAD'S VIEW
Next week will see the final newsletter for this year. It could well be a bumper edition! I would like to say 'thank you' to all our families and staff who supported the CLIC fundraising appeal last Friday. We had a lot of fun, raised over £500 for such a worthwhile charity and we also discovered yet more talent at Newbridge. When does it end?!

Year 6 SATs results
No doubt you have heard in the media that the administrators of both the Key Stage 2 and 3 tests have surpassed themselves this year. Papers and results, which were due to be returned to us by the deadline date of 8th July, have still not fully appeared. There are thousands of schools across the country that are in the same boat as us and voicing their disgust at what is little more than bungling incompetence. It seems the imperative to meet deadlines does not apply to both sides. Our children deserve better. As soon as all the results come in, we will send the information home with the children. We hope this is early next week.

Parental Questionnaire
Many thanks to our parents and carers who took the time to give us their views on how we are progressing. 102 questionnaires were returned with a total of 141 children represented and a copy of the statistical outcome is attached. All your comments have also been collated and this information provides us with very useful material for our development planning for the future. The questionnaire is overwhelmingly positive but there are also areas where we can do better. Last year’s questionnaire clearly pointed out the need for better communication about what the children are learning and how they are being taught and this is echoed in this year’s results. As a result of this feedback, we have reviewed our systems and made a number of changes. For one, I hope you appreciated the new style of report which included more data to back up the teachers’ comments and more of an emphasis on what each child is doing well and what they need to work on. Next year we are also introducing ‘Getting to Know You’ sessions for all the classes. These are half hour sessions, take place in the classrooms and give the opportunity to our parents to find out about the particular routines and expectations in each year. A full year’s calendar is coming out at the end of the first week back but I will give you the dates and times of these sessions now so that you can book them in the diary. They are: Tuesday 16th September 2.00pm: Year 1 and 2.30pm: Year 4, Wednesday 17th September 2.00pm:Year 2 and 2.30pm: Year 5, Thursday 18th September 2.00pm: Year 3 and 2.30pm: Year 6. Watch out too for a curriculum overview that will be sent out to you at the beginning of each term outlining what your child will be covering during that term and there will be more curriculum information evenings on their way too. Please book in the first one which is being held on Thursday 2nd October at 6.30pm. This will be about a number of changes we are making next year.

We will use this year's questionnaire in such a way to continue to move Newbridge Primary on to greater heights. I would like to express my gratitude to two of our governors, Lesley Waters and Nigel Hamilton, who burnt the midnight oil collating all this information for us. That is no mean feat.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY W/B 21/07/08
Monday 21/07/08
Year 1 and 2 Disco @ 4.30 – 5.30pm
Year 3 and 4 Disco @ 6.00 – 7.00pm
Football vs Widcombe @ 3.30 – 5.00pm
Tuesday 22/07/08
Year 6 Production of Jungle Book @ 7.00pm
Wednesday 23/07/08
Moving On (classes to next teacher-induction) 1.30-2.30pm
Year 6 Production of Jungle Book @ 7.00pm
Thursday 24/07/08
Reception Teddy Bears Picnic
Year 6 Leavers Tea and Disco @ 5.00pm
Year 5 Disco @ 6.30 – 7.30pm
Friday 25/07/08
Leavers' Assembly @ 2.00pm – Year 6 parents welcome
Last day of Term

NEWBRIDGE RUGBY HITS THE HEIGHTS!
On Saturday, the Newbridge won the BANES tag rugby championship for the second year in the row. Having qualified in style for the final a few weeks earlier, the team turned in another scintillating performance to win against Trinity School by 16 tries to 8. Several seasoned watchers remarked that this was the best rugby they had seen played at this age. The team of Max, Ellie, Sammy, Caleb, Fran, Joe, Erin, Jacob and Harrison are largely the same team as last year and remain undefeated over two years. The whole squad also deserve a mention for the quality of both attitude and play. Well done to them all. The future also looks very bright with some Year 3 & 4 children showing some deft skills at Saturday’s festival.
('It has been a pleasure to work with such talented boys and girls who also have a great attitude to the game. I hope they continue to enjoy rugby in the future. Well done to them all. How wonderful too that we have children developing their talents and interests in so many sports and other activities such as music, drama, dance and much much more!' Mr Croker)

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING CHILDREN WHO WERE CHOSEN BY THEIR CLASSES TO PERFORM AT THE 'NEWBRIDGE HAS TALENT' SHOW LAST FRIDAY
Elm – Max
Willow – Nikita
1H – Sophie, Phoebe, Rosie, Freya and Jade
1HO – Saul
2GB – Katerina, Danielle, Caitlin and Francesca
2RB – Coco
2S – Megha, Naomi, Mimi, Alice
3C – Annie, Ollie, Ben, Freya, Nancy and Molly
3H – Hodaviah and Aaron
4A – Harry
4P – Louis
5C – Emma, Emily, Poppy, Helen, Neelia, Harriet
5D – Marlena
5W – Paige, Jeorgia, Alayna, Sherilyn, Mollie and Jasmin
6B – Georgia, Sophie, Wendy, Emily, Ayla, Alice
6N – Ella and Caroline
6S - Maiya
('All these children bravely performed in front of the whole school and entertained us in fine style. Well done also to every child who entered the competition and had a go. That is the main thing, girls and boys. Thank you too to Mrs Balch who very skilfully helped us understand what CLIC is all about.' Mr Croker)

NEW ARRIVAL
Brandon in 2RB is delighted to have a new baby brother called Tyler. He was born on Saturday 28th June and weighed 7lbs 1oz. Congratulations to all the Davis family on their new addition!