Keep up to date with all the news happening in the school at the moment. Articles are added during the week. Parents are encouraged to check regularly. Our weekly bulletin, emailed directly to parents, summarises content for the week.

• Academy consultation, next steps

  Thu 20 Jul 2017

  Thank you to all those parents who attended the second parent information session on 20th July. We received questions from 25 parents in advance of the meeting and in excess of 100 questions on post-it notes during the session.

  Many of the questions have common themes. We have started to group these questions and once processed will be publishing questions and answers on our website.

  One of the most common questions raised was around the process of consultation and where the Governing Body are in this process.

  The DfE give clear guidelines on the process for Academy conversion.

  Step 1 includes the following:

  1. registering interest with DfE to get a named project lead
  2. reading the appropriate guidance,
  3. considering the different types of academy
  4. getting consent – The Governing Body to ‘pass a resolution to convert’
  5. Preparing the application
  6. Informal discussion, leading to statutory consultation with parents, staff, pupils and local community including whether the school should convert.
  7. Seek legal advice (the order of 6 and 7 can be reversed)
  8. Get an actuarial assessment
  9. Land registration
  10. Contracts
  11. TUPE

  Step 2 is to complete the application form and notify the Local Authority

  Step 3 to set up or join an academy trust

  Step 4 transfer responsibilities to the trust

  Step 5 prepare to open as an academy

  The Governing Body has completed Steps 1.1 –1.5 and are now on step 1.6. There is no law on how long the consultation period should be, but guidance says interested groups should be given reasonable opportunity to respond. The guidance also states that this formal consultation must be completed before the academy funding agreement is signed.

  The two parent sessions have formed part of this consultation period so far. Parents have been presented with information that answered  questions submitted in advance and there has been an opportunity for members of the Governing Body to hear parent views including further questions and any concerns.

  The online survey asks all parents, including those joining the school in September, to rate a series of statements between 0 and 100 so that the Governing Body can understand the parent view on the process and to what extent parents are in support of the conversion (question 6).

  Parents also have an opportunity to add any further comments at the end of the survey. Each of these comments will be considered by the Governing Body at the end of the consultation period.

  A simultaneous consultation is being run for school staff, including recognised trade unions.

  Once the Governing Body has considered views from all invited parties they will then take the decision on what steps to take next in this process.

  At this point we have received mixed views from parents around the process of the consultation. The Governing Body will be meeting on the 18th September to decide how to proceed. As this meeting is after the next two planned parent information sessions on the 13th, these will be cancelled.

  We invite you to continue adding your comments to the online survey and to check the website for any additional information that will be added over the next few weeks.

• Squad Trials in September

  Thu 20 Jul 2017

  Dates for next years squad trials are below. Remember even if you were in a sports squad this year, you will still need to attend trials if you want to be in next years squad. Next year all trials will be opened up to all Year 4, 5 and 6 children who would like to be considered for squads.

   

  Boys Football Trials - Tuesday 12th September at 7.45am

  Mixed Tag Rugby Trials - Wednesday 13th September at 7.45am

  Girls Football Trials - Thursday 14th September at 7.45am

   

  See you in September.

• Our Playground

  Wed 19 Jul 2017

  As the school year draws to a close, we have been reflecting on our playground and the changes that have happened during this academic year. The outside space is hardly recognisable from this time last year and the children give the new provision a big thumbs up.

   

  At the beginning of the year, we listened to the children during our parliament assemblies and they complied a wish list to improve our playground. The wanted the opportunity to climb so we installed the three clamber stacks and the tree stumps. They requested the opportunity to have areas to sit and to read. We created the Mindfulness zone under the big tree and added picnic tables to the playground with baskets of books so the children had these quiet areas if they needed them. They wanted more areas to explore so we created our own Fielding Forest where the children build dens, explore wildlife and discover nature throughout the week. We jazzed up the pirate ship adding tunnels and surrounding it with sand and adding buckets and spades so they can take of the life of pirate. During the summer term we introduced our own Gaga pit, an idea brought over from America, which the children love. A simple game that supports the development of teamwork, determination and fairness. More of our children are joining in the lunchtime QPR sessions and enjoying the number of zones set up for them to enjoy. You will even find Mr Dunmall occasionally outside challenging to the children to a ping-pong match.

   

  So what next? The children have been busy sharing their ideas of where we could take our playground in the new school year. We will bring you an update in the new term.

  

• Summer Holiday Club

  Wed 19 Jul 2017

  Holiday club begins on Monday 24th July, there is a fantastic array of activities and outings planned to keep the children happy and captivated. Childcare is available five weeks of the summer for children in Reception through to year 6, opening at 8.00am and caring for children until 6.00pm.

  Bookings are beginning to soar, have you secured your child's place yet?

  Bookings open through Laser.

• Cygnus crowned PE Constellation Cup Champions

  Wed 19 Jul 2017

  After a very consistent year from Cygnus across all of the Constellation Tournaments, Cygnus have accumulated the most points and have been crowned the 2017 PE Constellation Cup Champions.

   

  Congratulations to every child in Cygnus for contributing towards this fantastic achievement for the constellation. 

   

  Check out the final scores on the PE page.

  http://www.fieldingprimary.com/sports-day/

   

  

• Sainsbury's Vouchers

  Wed 19 Jul 2017

  A huge thank you to everybody who donated Sainsbury's Active School vouchers to Fielding this year. In total we collected a staggering 25,913 vouchers which will go towards ordering a huge amount of active sports equipment for next year including balls, stopwatches, measuring tapes, hoops, mini goals and reversaboards.

   

  Thank you very much, all of those vouchers really do make a difference to our children!

• Coming soon, 'Family Style Dining'

  Wed 19 Jul 2017

  From September we will be working with the Harrison team to move towards 'Family Style Dining for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.

  Benefits to children

  Research tells us that implementing family style dining will foster children’s:

  • Social/Emotional Development – Children will learn how to be responsible for themselves as well as others by following rules and routines such as passing food items. They will also develop independence and self-direction.

  • Physical Development – Fine motor skills are developed as they use utensils to serve and eat as well as pitchers to pour. Their eye-hand coordination benefits from these simple tasks as they learn to control the small muscles in their hands.

  • Language Development – Language and literacy skills are developed as they engage in conversations with staff and other children. Staff can use this time to talk with children about activities and important events going on in their lives, about the healthy foods being introduced, and what's going on in the classroom.

  • Cognitive Development – Children’s problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making and understanding are developed by learning amounts, sizes, textures, numbers, counting, position of food items and tableware.

  Other benefits:

  • Increased supervision when eating resulting in less food waste and more attention to individual needs

  • A calmer environment with known seating arrangements through a shared & dedicated time to eat, reduced anxiety

  • Uninterrupted play, no more bells!

  • We will be able to maximise use of play equipment and playground zones, and the new playworker roles,

  • Children will spend more time on doing the things they like doing

  Increased supervision

  From September we have four new dedicated dining room supervisors, they will

  • Supervise in the dining room, offering care guidance and support.

  • Select the table who demonstrate school values and good table manners to sit at the outside reward space on a Friday

  • Check the children have everything they need by keeping water and cutlery topped up on each table.

  The Harrison's team will make sure we are ready for service by:

  • Setting up tables  ready for start of service

  • Providing food in ‘family style’ serving containers, 

  • Making sure each table has the required food at the set time slot

  • Keeping jacket potato, vegetarian and salad and bread bars topped up

  • Clean up during service as needed and after service

  What will the food service look like?

  • ‘Family Style’ served in shared containers at table,

  • Cutlery, plates, cups and water at table

  • Salad and bread bar, self-service

  • Jacket potato and vegetarian station, self service

  • Allergy board for the day’s menu clearly displayed, chalkboard/easel 

  • Children take it in turns to lay table, serve and clear away

  • Classes eat together at two tables, all children in class sit and leave together

  Increased responsibility for children

  As the service develops children will be given the following responsibilities:

  • Server 

  • Table layer, 

  • Plate clearer 

  • Water pourer 

  • Collect desert 

  Once the service is embedded for the younger years  we hope to role it out to key-stage 2 children.

  Food allergies

  Please can you make sure your child's health care plan is up-to-date on Laser, including any food allergies as this information is shared with the Harrison's and dining room staff.

• Academisation, consultation period extended.

  Tue 18 Jul 2017

  Consultation closes 29th September 2017

  Yesterday at the Summer Term meeting of the Governing Body, the parent and staff request to extend the consultation period was discussed. It was agreed that the consultation period would be extended until midday on the 29th September. All responses to the online survey and those received by email will be considered at a Governing Body meeting on the 2nd October.

  During this extended period there will be two further parents information, Q&A sessions:

  • Wednesday 13th September, 9am-10.30am
  • Wednesday 13th September, 7pm-8.30pm.

• Choir List

  Mon 17 Jul 2017 Michael Mappin

  The Choir list for September 2017 has been compiled.  You can view it ON THE MUSIC PAGE (CLICK).  There is also an explanation about how children are chosen.

   

  The first Choir meeting will be on Tuesday 12th September at 3:30 in the Music Room.

• Conversion to Academy status, Parent Consultation

  Fri 14 Jul 2017

  Today we held our first parent question and answer session, the session was very well attended. 17 parents submitted questions in advance of the meeting, these are published below. The school Leadership Team and Governing Body presented the answers to the majority of questions asked. Other questions were of a more technical nature and can be answered through the academy handbook.

  • Academies Financial Handbook 2016

  Given then length of the meeting, it is likely that the next meeting on Wednesday 19th at 8pm is likely to go on longer than the advertised 9pm finish. 

  Extension of consultation period

  Parents have asked that the consultation period can be extended; this will be considered by the Governing Body on Monday 17th July.

  Parents also asked for clarity around  the purpose of the consultation. The resolution to convert to academy status has been taken by the Governing Body, however what the Trust will look like has not been finalised. The purpose of the consultation, is to hear parents views to help us shape and define the structure and ethos of the Trust. Please use the link emailed to you last week to complete the online survey, all comments in the 'free-text' box will be considered by the Governing Body. If you no longer have your link, please contact the school office via email: admin@fielding.ealing.sch.uk.

  • Academy Consultation Presentation, Parents, 14th July 2017
  • Consultation Questions received by 3pm, 13th July 2017