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.

• Reminder - Wednesday, industrial action - main school closed

  Tue 31 Jan 2023 Peter Dunmall

  Industrial action by teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU) means that the school is closed on Wednesday 1st February:

  • main school, Reception - year 6, closed to all pupils.
  • ARP, closed to all pupils.
  • Nursery, open as usual. Children to attend and wear Nursery uniform as usual.
  • childcare, Breakfast & After-School Clubs, and specialist clubs are open as usual. Pupils may attend and wear clothes of their choice.

   

  In school, teachers hold mixed views. Some, including very experienced class teachers, say that they are taking industrial action for the first time because they feel so strongly. Others say that they are torn between a loss of pay, not wanting to be on strike but rather teaching and supporting pupils in school.

   

  Some teachers may attend picket lines at the Wyndham Road and/or Coombe Road entrances. Access for pupils and parents should not be restricted by any picket lines.

   

  The NEU is taking industrial action because it says:

  • in July, the government offered most teachers a pay rise of 5% - set against rising inflation, adding up to a pay cut,
  • the 5% pay rise is not fully funded which means schools had to pay for it from existing funds and budget,
  • nationally, teachers and support staff are leaving for jobs with comparable salaries but without the stress and workload,
  • almost a third fewer trainees began teacher training than are needed.

  Read more from the NEU:

  • Pay Up! A message to parents, carers and grandparents from the NEU

   

  Further industrial action by the NEU is planned. There is a risk that the main school will close to pupils. Parents may wish to make contingency arrangements:

  • Thursday 2 March 2023: all eligible members in London, South East & South West regions.
  • Wednesday 15 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.
  • Thursday 16 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.

  We will confirm any closure w/c 20th February for 2nd March.

• Values Baccalaureate leaderboards, hall of fame and new task cards! ⭐

  Tue 31 Jan 2023 Clare Haines

  Pupils in Year 4,5 and 6 have been working hard towards their bronze, silver, gold and platinum values baccalaureates. We have updated our 'hall of fame' and 'leaderboard' for you to view.

  • Hall of fame
  • Leaderboard
  • Values baccalaureate 

  This week we will also introduce the new and improved task cards - children can collect one from their class teacher or from the noticeboard on the Year 4 stairwell.

   

  The first three awards: bronze, silver and gold are now on one card. Once completed, the children can then move on to the platinum tasks. All tasks need to be completed for the children to achieve each award.

   

  Each award included are some new tasks as well as some that are more flexible. The tasks are even more closely related to our core values of respect, resilience, reflection and empathy.

  Pupils who are already working towards an award on the old style task card should continue until they have achieved the award they are working on. They can then collect the new card. 

  All evidence towards the awards should be presented in a portfolio of work, it could include photographs, writing, drawing or a witness statement.

  • Bronze, silver and gold
  • Platinum 

• Let's Connect: Children's mental health week and safer internet day

  Mon 30 Jan 2023 Clare Haines

  Next week school's across the UK will be taking part in activities linked to Children's Mental Health Week and Safer Internet Day. In our curriculum we focus on both of these things through out the year, especially in computing, RSHE and Mindup lessons.  Find out more here:

  • Curriculum 

  Next week our assemblies will focus on the theme of 'Let's Connect'. We will be thinking about how we connect with one another both on and off line,

  Both Place2Be and Childnet have produced some useful guides for parents about how you can connect with your child and keep them safe when they are online. Take a look at the links below.

  • Safer internet day, film for parents: 90 second video
  • Place2Be, Children's mental health week, Tips for Parents

  Many more resources for online safety can be found here

  • Online Safety, Fielding

• Annual parent survey closes 20th February

  Mon 30 Jan 2023 Clare Haines

  We'd love to hear your views - click here to complete our annual survey. We have had 108 responses so far. Please remember to complete one per child. 

  More information: Share your views with us news article 

• 3rd Place for Year 6 Hockey Team

  Fri 27 Jan 2023 Natasha Pasha

  This year was our first year entering the Year 6 Quicksticks Hockey Tournament with the Featherstone Partnership. We conducted Hockey trials and chose our best players.  We selected four boys and four girls to form two teams. Every game our teams needed to be rotated which made it difficult to change the team formations. Before the tournament started the team discussed tactics on how we could beat our opponents. If we faced a tough team it was agreed to use a 3-1 formation otherwise when attacking we would use 2-1-1 to help drive the ball forward. Once we arrived, we were given our fixtures. Our first game was against North Primary B which we won 3-0. A special shout out to Arthur (6S) for scoring a hat trick in this game. This brought confidence into the team then we played Three Bridges Primary and scored two early goals. Unfortunately, we became complacent and Three Bridges brought it back and ended up beating us 3-2. Next, we were due to play John Perryn Primary and again we won 4-0. Yet another hat trick was scored by Arthur (6S) and a great goal by Hector (6S). Our final game in the group stages was against St Marks B Primary which we beat 2-0 with goals from Flo H (6H) and Emma (6F). Due to the fact, we won all our games except one we were through to the Quarterfinals. We had to face our St Marks A who we beat 3-1 Thanks to Arthur (6S) and Hector (6S). Now we were in the semi-finals against our rivals Three Bridges Primary who unfortunately beat us 4-0. Therefore, we came third place overall out of 12 schools.

  Thank you to our defence George (6P), Lana (6F) and Emma (6F) or else we could have lost the games badly. Great passing between Hector (6S) and Arthur (6S) to score. Theo (6S), Flo H (6H) and Ruth (6S) all worked well driving the ball towards the goal and adding pace to the game.

   

  3rd place

   

  Special thanks to …

  Hector (6S), Arthur (6S), Theo(6S), George (6P), Theo (6S), Lana (6F), Flo H (6H), Emma (6F), Ruth (6P)

  

• This week's Reading Celebrations

  Fri 27 Jan 2023 Philippa Whaley

  It has been a pleasure to visit classes already this year and see so many pupils reading books for pleasure from the recommended reading lists and completing reading response activities in their pink book to achieve bronze, silver, gold and even platinum certificates! The options for these activities can be found in your child's reading record or on their year group noticeboard on the website. We look forward to celebrating further reading achievements next week!

   

  “Reading is an exercise in empathy. An exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” – Malorie Blackman

  Reading daily improves vocabulary and language skills.

  Children learn new words as they read. Subconsciously, they absorb information on how to structure sentences and how to use words and other language features effectively in their writing and speaking. 

   

  All pupils who attend Fielding are expected to read for 20 minutes at home every day. This may be to a parent, other adult or independently, if able. Teachers will be checking pupils' reading records every day and signing them weekly to ensure that this is happening and will be following up with pupils and parents when it is not. 

   

  As well as signing their reading record every day and writing the name of the book and pages they've read, pupils and parents are encouraged to record new words they come across and discuss the meanings of these together.

   

  With the support of our Junior and Senior Librarians, we are currently working on extending our recommended reading lists to 50 books for each year group and making our final decisions on how we celebrate World Book Day this year. Please look out for further details on this next week!

   

   

  

• Pupils achieve high outcomes

  Thu 26 Jan 2023 Peter Dunmall

  Assessment information indicates that nearly all pupils are working at the expected standard for their age with up to half working beyond this. Teachers are now focusing on stretching the most able pupils.

   

  Teacher assessment of pupils' writing and test results for reading and mathematics show that most pupils in most age groups are working at the expected standard for their age. In some age groups, some pupils with the highest starting points are not making enough progress in reading and mathematics, yet. This can be 

  • partially due to the time of the school year where pupils have not yet had enough time to deepen their understanding and knowledge; and/or,
  • teachers focusing on getting as many pupils as possible to the expected standard before stretching  them further.

   

  This term, teachers are now thinking about adding more challenge into our lessons by teaching to the top and providing support or scaffolds to help pupils reach their high expectations.

   

  Whilst test results are a useful indicator of a child's achievement, teachers' knowledge of each pupil and what they know and remember is equally important. 

   

  Assistant Head teachers and Year Leaders are working with individual teachers to look at next steps for classes and individual pupils.

• Parent governor needed

  Thu 26 Jan 2023 Peter Dunmall

  The Governing Board is seeking nominations from parents to fill a parent governor vacancy.  Caspar Mason, parent governor, has stepped down from his role. The Board thanks him for his contribution to the school.

   

  The Governing Board holds school leaders to account, providing support and challenge whilst setting the strategic direction of the school.  Interested parents will need to:

  • have a long-term commitment to the school and Board. Parent governors are appointed for a period of 4 years;
  • attend 4 full governing board meetings each year, usually held in the evening (6.30-8.30pm), face-to-face at the school;
  • become an active member of at least 1 committee which each meet 6 times each year, alternating breakfast (8-10am) and evening (6.30-8.30pm) meetings, sometimes by video conference and sometimes face-to-face at the school;
  • visit the school during the day at least 3 times a year, to gain first-hand knowledge of the school by working with leaders, meeting staff and pupils.

   

  An interest in children’s education, especially in English and maths, is preferred. No knowledge or experience of education is required. A willingness to be curious about the work of the school and attend courses about governance is needed.

   

  Find out more about the role of school governors and the skills required:

  • National Governance Association, What do governors do? 
  • Governance skills

  Every governor is not required to have competence in every skill.

   

  If you wish to be nominated or nominate another parent, please print the Nomination Form and return to the school office by Monday 20th February, 10am. Nominations will not be accepted after this time. Electronic nominations or emails cannot be accepted. Please check you are eligible to nominate or be nominated as a Parent Governor, Election of Parent Governors.

   

  Please contact Carl Pheasey, Alisa Voznaya (Co-Chairs), or Peter Dunmall (Head teacher), for an informal discussion about being a parent governor, if you wish.

   

  If more nominations are received than vacancies available, then a ballot will be organised to select the new governor.

   

  All governors are subject to an enhanced check by the Criminal Records Bureau and other suitability checks, including providing an enhanced DBS certificate. 

• Staff update

  Thu 26 Jan 2023 Peter Dunmall

  Some members of staff are promoted and/or move into new roles. We also welcome new joiners to our team.

  • Sonal Manani, is promoted to Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) for years 3 & 4, leaving a vacancy in Reception for an Early Years Practitioner.
  • Geeti Mirbaz, moves to Early Years Practitioner in Reception, from Nursery, to further her career. She brings her excellent practice from Nursery into Reception. We will recruit to Geeti's vacant post next.
  • Amanda Gleeson, HLTA for years 3 & 4, will continue to work with year 3 & 4 pupils, part-time. She moves into a new post, leading training and induction for teaching assistants with a focus on supporting pupils with speech, language and communication needs. This is an area of expertise for Amanda and increasing need for some of our pupils after the pandemic.

  These changes will take place over the next few weeks.

   

  Our childcare team grows to meet a sustained increase in pupils using After-school Club and to better support pupils with special educational needs (SEND) who go to After-school Club. We welcome 3 new playworkers:

  • Anne Benkau,
  • Emily Bower,
  • Natalia Meduna.

  Eun Kim, Playworker, leaves at the end of the month after working with us for many years. We wish her well. 

   

  For years 5 & 6, Victoria Furzer-Pickett joins us after half-term as HLTA to help pupils keep-up and catch-up, including work before and/or after school. Victoria fills the vacancy left by Agnes Krawiec.

   

  Filling vacancies left by our last round of recruitment and promotions, new lunchtime supervisors join us:

  • Elza Amirazashvili,
  • Harriette Baisden,
  • Sarah Bittar,
  • Adriana Radojevic.

   

  Anton Lieggi, Site Assistant, has joined our site team.

   

  Florence Armitage joins us as our next teacher in the ARP. Florence has substantial experience teaching pupils with special education needs. Florence starts after Easter to open the next class of 9 pupils.

• Industrial action: school closed, childcare and Nursery open

  Tue 24 Jan 2023 Peter Dunmall

  The National Education Union (NEU) is taking industrial action on Wednesday 1st February. As a result of this action, for the core school day:

  • Nursery - open to children, as usual,
    • parent consultation meetings planned for this day are postponed to 21st February;
  • main school, Reception - Year 6 - closed to all pupils;
  • ARP - closed to all pupils.

   

  We thought about all the ways that we could stay open to pupils, including being partially open to vulnerable children and children of key-workers. The risk of not having enough staff to teach pupils in school, including the risk of a picket line and staff not wishing to cross any picket line, means that the main school and ARP are closed to all pupils.

   

  Wrap around childcare - Breakfast and After-School Clubs - are open. If parents wish to cancel a booking, we will issue a credit to your child's childcare account. We are trying to be flexible to support any essential childcare needs at times we would usually be open while giving parents the flexibility to cancel if a booking no longer suits your arrangements.

   

  Specialist clubs - before and after school - will run as scheduled. If your child does not attend we will offer a refund, on request to the clubs email address. 

   

  Music lesson arrangements are not known. We are working with Ealing Music Service for options. If lessons are cancelled, or do not take place, we will re-arrange.

   

  Pupils who receive a benefits-related free school meal may collect a packed-lunch from the school office on Wednesday morning.

   

  We are not providing remote education because we want to maintain harmonious employee relationships and do not expect teachers who are taking strike action to plan and prepare lessons in advance or teachers who are not taking strike action to cover for their colleagues. 

   

  Whilst parents will, inevitably, experience some inconvenience, please remember that this industrial action has met all legal requirements and that teachers do not take the decision to strike lightly.

   

  Further industrial action is planned. Our arrangements for further strike days may change.