Dear Parents, Grandparents and Carers

Survey time

After two terms in role I am keen to get your thoughts on how we are doing as a school. Before following the link to the survey at the bottom of the page I'd like to share some thoughts with you on the direction of the school and what we are striving for.

Our school vision is to "always strive to be outstanding in everything we do".

We do this as a team; the children, you and the teaching staff. Growing learning, growing character and growing community.

I've seen these ideas come to life over recent months. The level of support for the field project, community engagement and interest in the critical thinking project has been brilliant. People have been generous with their time and their feedback, attending the EGM, and on a one to one basis. I can't stress enough the value I place on this engagement and the extent to which it shapes the direction we take as a school.

I'm reassured by feedback on the school field project and on your views of the recent Mix it Up day. Both showed overwhelming support with over 80% of respondents being very positive about the activities.

Of course, statistics are only one perspective but the sense of fun and engagement at events like the Easter egg hunt underline the willingness and enthusiasm of the whole community to work together to support the school and the children. You are making a difference, thank you.

That sense of fun and engagement is priceless but a value can be placed upon the money that is raised through such activities. I'm delighted to report that friend fund raising is going well and we'll soon be directing some of that money to initial improvements to the field.

Here are some glimpses of what your children have been doing, from theirs and the teaching team's perspective, to demonstrate their development within the three pillars:

Growing Community

What an amazing community, with so many groups of children working collaboratively

• Raising money to support charities

• Acting as Young Leaders at break times

• Being supportive friends - particularly to those at times when help is most needed

• Teaching one another to play chess

• Impressing all with their commitment to team work at sports fixtures and competitions

• Inclusion - all different all equal

The children of Launton School are excellent ambassadors for our school

• Welcoming people from the village to the autumn exhibition, as the Year 5 team of ambassadors;

• Away at Woodlands; complimented by the Woodlands staff for their exemplary behaviour

• At the music festival meeting Julia Donaldson

• At the tennis competition where they were described as being "a pleasure to be with"

• Knocking on doors taking Easter egg donations in an engaging and polite way

New friendships have been made in the village, with the Easter Egg collection and Hunt. Old friendships have strengthened too through activities like the Harvest Festival donations to the Bicester Food Bank, and more recently, the donation of eggs.

A lovely feeling of community was evident with parents donating and making hot chocolate for the children who had come to school in wellies in the snow to perform their nativity play, then again, parents buying ice lollies in the sun and the pouring rain to raise funds to improve the field for the children.

Growing learning

Christopher says that he even "dreams about learning"

Aiden says that he "...loves learning the song about the days of the week"

The teaching team have been delivering ways to inspire, engage and motivate the children through inventive virtual activities

• Turning classrooms into Hogwarts, heading for the South Pole, having had the curriculum brought to life by their virtual reality experience

• Building exploding volcanoes,

• In Ash Class "making things at the making table" was a firm favourite in today's survey of opinions, especially rockets and, intriguingly, "fly-catchers"...

• Beech Class describe meeting Julia Donaldson as one of their best memories and we now have a group of children who, having met an author, know that they can become an author.

• The children who have worked with the sub-editor for Launton Lines to file reports about school life, know that they can become journalists

The children list some of their favourite memories as the

• Grand Toy Picnic, life size Stone Age cave that appeared in one classroom

• The Dinosaur Museum

• Writing a story in 100 words

• Winning a frequent reader prize

• Collaborative cooking for Easter

• Greatest achievements include "knowing phonics now", and astonishing water colour paintings

• Our spring term mathletics report tells us that 587 certificates were earned last term, confirming that an enormous amount of valuable learning is happening as homework

Growing character

Tomo explains eloquently: "because I work hard and so I get better",

Beech class celebrate: "We do not waste a moment."

Stephen and Jaden: "Coming to school is making us both really inventive and creative."

The Launton pupils are praised for their manners and noticed for their resilience.

• Sports day

• Every day in learning

• Trips from school

Being given opportunity to gain confidence through "making it ok and perfectly normal" to feel nervous when you first try something new and challenging:

• Piano recitals

• Roles in the school play

• Public speaking - reading your line in the play or presenting work in assembly

• New activities in afterschool clubs

Inclusion - encouraging the children to understand the world of others

• Messages on inclusion through mix it up day - all different all equal

• We don't accept bullying

I can assure you that we will act upon the feedback you share in this survey. I know we are all passionate about the school and confident that we can become outstanding if we listen to your views and work together as a team. I would appreciate a few short minutes of your time in completing the survey that is accessed via the link below. We will also circulate paper copies tomorrow in book bags.

Have a lovely weekend,

Best wishes

Jane Paterson and the staff team

Oak Class message from Miss Nightingale

Please remember to bring a coat as there will be days over the next week or so when we will be out and about in the village as part of our topic work and we need to be warm and dry.

Message from Friends of Launton School

We would like to thank you all for your support with Lolly Friday. In spite of the rainy weather, we sold 49 lollies, making £24.50. Lollies will be available for sale again this Friday after school in the playground.

Thank you & kind regards,

Ruth

Please find below links to this week's letters and some updates and reminders. All of these letters are on the school website under recent letters.

Kind Regards

Kirsty Staker

Dates for the Diary -

Opportunities to share fund raising ideas

- 3rd May at 7.30 p.m. venue School Hall

- 8th May at 2.15 p.m. venue school hall or staff room

Feel free to attend either meeting, if only for a few minutes. If you can't make either one then please feel free to email ideas to Mark Williams at Chair@friendsoflaunton.co.uk . We want you to feel really engaged with this very important work for our children and have a little fun along the way. Ideas from the recent survey monkey will be incorporated.

• Bank Holiday - Monday 7th May 2018

• Class Photography's - Tuesday 8th May

• KS2 Sats - Monday 14th May 2018- Friday18th May 2018

• Year 6 Kwik Cricket Festival - Friday 18th May 2018

• Theatre Production - Monday 21st May 2018

• Year 6 Cycling Proficiency starts - Friday 25th May 2018

• KS2 Educational Visit to Waddesdon Manor (more information to follow) - Wednesday 6th June 2018

• Launton Fete - Saturday 9th June 2018, Launton School Cheerleaders will be performing at the start of the fete (more information to follow)