Monday 12 September-Sunday 18 September 2011

ISSUED Friday 9 September 2011

ALL

Our new Sundial is now installed on the field by the car park. Do take a look. We are very grateful for this gift from our outgoing Year 8 parents and children. Children will be able to try it out at break times during the day.

There will be a school photograph of all those who are wearing their new house heraldic T shirts (first worn for Sports Day) on Monday 12 September. The photograph will then be published in last year’s edition of the school magazine, the Oracle which is due to be printed within the next few weeks.

If you have not yet taken a look at our website, http://www.dolphinschool.net/ we hope you will do so. This site is an important source of information. The username and password details can be obtained from the office. The weekly newsletter can be viewed here.

May we remind parents that the children from Year 4 up should have all the necessary equipment for lessons in their pencil cases. The contents of these should include a fountain pen or other handwriting pen (not a biro), pencils, sharpener, rubber, colouring pencils and ruler. A glue stick is useful and children in Years 7 & 8 should also have a scientific calculator.

FunRaisers would like to invite you all to the Welcome BBQ next Friday 16 September, 4.30 – 7.00pm. This has been a popular event for the last two years and enjoyed by both children and adults. There will be a cash bar/BBQ, but please pick up an entrance ticket from the school office beforehand. In the event of wet weather the car parking will be limited to 100 cars only.

TheFunRaisers AGM will be held on Wednesday 28 September, 7.30pm in the History Room. Please would all clippers try to attend. Thank you.

The club list is on the club board in Reception for the next week, and then will be in the blue folder behind the Weekly Updates on the Reception desk. Please check carefully which clubs your child will be going to and the days. If you wish to make changes or have any problems, please see Vivien in the office rather than the teacher who is running the club. Whilst we make every effort to run the clubs we have offered, sometimes unforeseen circumstances oblige us to make changes.

Judo will recommence on Tuesday 13 September and Choir on 27 September.

Singing Lessons: All present and new singing pupils please note that singing lessons will begin on Monday 12 September. Please remember to bring a notebook to use as your practice books.

We are pleased that Lucy Head has taken over the administration of music lessons and running of the choir. Please leave information for her regarding music lesson queries and requests to start an instrument at the school office and we will put them in her pigeon hole.

Lucy is away at the moment so there will not be any brass lessons next week. There will be a lesson on Friday 23 September. Thereafter lessons will resume as usual on Tuesdays.

The second hand PE kit sale will be on Tuesday 20 September.

In an effort to get more boys and girls playing rugby, here are some useful contacts. All these clubs run junior teams on Sunday mornings. Practices start in September.

- Reading RFC (U6 – U17) Amanda Newman 0118 969 6592 youthchairman@Readingrfc.co.uk

- Maidenhead RFC (U7 – U17) Julian Rainford 07787 993733 julian.rainford@btinternet.com

- Henley RFC (U7 – U17) Martin Leach 01491 571847 mleach@aol.com

- Redingensians RFC 0118 969 5259

Year 6, 7 and 8 girls are now allowed to wear a navy skort in PE lessons. The PE Department hold a stock of these to buy at a cost of £13 (this is cost price straight from the manufacturer). A Base Layer (long sleeved, navy top) is also available for all pupils to buy if they wish. These cost £14. Samples and order forms for both items are available in Reception.

Opro Mouthguards are coming into school on Tuesday 27 September. These mouthguards are fitted by a qualified dentist. Pupils will be given brochures about Opro soon.

NURSERY

Forest School Trip on Thursday 15 September. Please ensure your child is wearing long trousers and long sleeves, wellies and a waterproof coat.

YEARS 1 &2

Gardening Club with Chantal will be after school on Mondays. If you would like to join please see Vivien in the School Office. The first club starts on 19 September since Chantal will be away on 12 September, for which she apologies.

YEARS 3 & 4

Football and Netball clubs: Some matches are played on Fridays. If your child has not been picked for the match team he/she should go to the other sports clubs

YEAR 3 & 4 Boys

All boys in Year 3 and 4 need to have football boots, shin pads, blue socks and white shorts for football matches (Friday 16) and games lessons.

GIRLS YEARS 3-8

Just a reminder that Mouthguards need to be worn for hockey and we have matches coming up soon! Girls will not be able to play if they do not have a mouthguard. Mouthguards are available from sports shops and places like Decathlon in Reading.

YEAR 4

Year Four will be visiting Andover Iron Age Museum and Danebury Hill Fort on Tuesday 13 September. They will need waterproof clothing, sturdy footwear and a picnic lunch in a disposable carrier. We are leaving early and all children should be in the Hall by 7.50am ready to depart. Return time: 4.00pm

YEAR 6

North Wales Trip Meeting on Tuesday 13 September, 7.30 – 8.30pm in the History Room. At least one parent needs to attend the meeting in order to give informed consent.

The art trip will now be on Tuesday 13 December to The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford (not the Ashmolean on 7 November).

YEAR 7

Unfortunately, the theatre company has had to cancel its performance of The Terrible Infants on 4 October. We will now be going to see the production on Monday 3 October. Please let Judy know if your child is unable to make it. We will leave Dolphin at 6.00pm and return to school by approximately 10.00pm, but I will confirm our return time once I know the running times of the show. They should eat supper before we leave school and are welcome to bring no more than £7.50 to buy an ice cream and a theatre programme. Judy

YEARS 7 & 8

The English department has entered a team of four into a national children’s literature completion. If you would like to be considered for the team please tell Judy by Tuesday by 13 September at the latest.

YEAR 8

Judy would appreciate it if all the Oscar statuettes could be returned to the drama department as soon as possible. Thank you.

Monday 12 September School photo of all in their new heraldic T shirts - see above

Tuesday 13 September

TRIP Year 4 Andover (Classics) 7.50am – 4.00pm- note early departure and late return

MEETING Year 6 North Wales Trip Meeting 7.30 – 8.30pm History Room

Wednesday 14 September

SPORT Senior, U11 & U10 Netball v St. Neot's (A) 1.30 – 4.30pm

U10 6-a-side Football v St Marys (H) 2.30 – 3.45pm

Thursday 15 September

TRIP Nursery Forest School Trip 9.00am – 12.00pm

Friday 15 September

SPORT U9 A&B Netball v St Neot's (H) 2.00 – 4.00pm

U9 Football v St Marys Six a side Home

U8 Football A&B v Daneshill Six a side Home

BBQ FunRaisers BBQ

TERMLY INFORMATION AND REMINDERS FOR PARENTS AND DOLPHIN COMMUNITY.

(Much of the information in this section is either statutory or is passed on to you at the request of our insurers/other advisors)

After School Care : Will all parents please note that if for any reason you cannot collect your children on time, they must go to After School Care (Reception to Year 5) or Homework Club (Years 6 – 8).

Parental Supervision: Please remember that once children pass out of the school grounds (through the gate at the Meadow Reception) with their parents they become their parents’ responsibility. Whilst doing our best to ensure safe practice in the school car park, we cannot be responsible for the children in that area. Parents of younger children, that is Nursery and Reception classes, whose children are delivered to them by the school staff are responsible for them from then onwards. Any subsequent play in the climbing frame area must be supervised by parents. The Sky scales are out of bounds before and after school.

Would all parents please note: if you bring non-Dolphin children into school, those children must be supervised by you at all times.

Visas: Please note that all visa arrangements are the responsibility of a child’s parents or guardians. Parents of children with non-EU passports must ensure that their children can exit from and re-enter the UK. If the above assurance is not in place your child may be prevented from travelling with the school group. If you are in any doubt that your child can travel you must notify the school and contact the trip leader or Linda Charlesworth. We will then be able to apply to use the List of Travelers Visa Waiver Scheme.

We write to all families each January regarding Travel cover for schools and enclose a copy of the policy summary. The full policy document is held in Linda Charlesworth’s office for inspection whenever you wish. Our insurers request that we termly draw your attention to the exclusions (which are listed on the summary document). Should you have any queries please contact Veronica Gibbs or Linda Charlesworth.

Insurance: We would like to make it clear to parents that pupils’ possessions are not insured whilst they are on the school premises (they are insured whilst they are on trips). Your household insurer will be able to advise you whether your policy covers loss of items whilst at school and, if not, whether such cover could be made available on your existing policy. Our Insurance Brokers, HSBC, can provide you with an annual policy if you wish. If you would like further details, please contact Linda Charlesworth.

Mobile phones: Please note that Dolphin pupils are not allowed to bring mobile phones to school. Special circumstances will need to be discussed with Chris Leakey and phones left with Vivien Bowyer.

Illness :If your child is absent due to illness, please telephone or e-mail the school office on the morning of the first day of absence. If you need to take your child out of school for any other reason, please drop a note in to the school office. For your children’s safety we need to know where they are during term time.

If your child needs to take medicine during the school day, please bring it to the school reception with your written permission and the dates and times it should be given. Dolphin staff will do their very best to ensure that medicines you bring in to school are administered to pupils. Because of the nature of school life we cannot make an absolute guarantee.

Please note that Children suffering from Diarrhea and Vomiting should stay away from school for 48 hours from the last episode.

Drop off times: May we remind everyone bringing children to school in the morning that they cannot be dropped off until 07.45am. Before that time there are no staff available to be responsible for the children (unless part of a trip arrangement).

Cloakrooms :We appreciate your continuing support in keeping parent visits to the school cloakrooms within the time restrictions below:

Whole school –before 8.00am

Year 1-before 8.45 am

Clubs: Please support staff by informing the school in writing if your child is stopping a club. We need to know where children are at all times.

School Bags: Children are reminded in assembly to keep their school bags as light in weight as possible. May we ask parents to help children to select only the books and equipment required for the current day.

Driving Speed: Would all drivers entering the school car park please note that their speed should be limited to a walking pace. All drivers should also be aware that children from a very young age (albeit under their parents’ responsibility) may be in the car park area. Please note that drivers reversing out of parking spaces should do so with extreme care.

Disabled Bay: Please do not park in the disabled space in the school car park unless you hold a disabled badge. It is very difficult for drivers with disabled family members to park at a greater distance from the school entrance.

Car Park Safety: May we remind parents that it is never safe to leave children or valuables in cars in the car park. The school car park is unfortunately, as are many other car parks, constantly being watched by thieves. The police and our security company are aware of this and do make spot checks. We also have periodic meetings with the crime prevention staff from the Berkshire Police Force. May we therefore please ask you to heed the notices in the school car park and our security reminders.

Photographs: If you wish to take photographs of your children involving any school/trip based activity, which may include other children, we strongly request that they are only sent to your direct contacts and/or to the school. They will then be available to post onto the School's official areas.

Children’s bags for trips must weigh no more than 20 Kgs to ensure safe loading onto school vehicles

Electrical Appliances: Please remember that electrical appliances should not be brought into school. All electrical appliances used on the premises must have passed a Portable Appliance Test.

Library: To simplify the procedure for the late return of library books, children will now be given two reminders then the cost of the book will be added to the next bill. We are keen to promote reading and so the simpler the procedure of dealing with late books the better.

Dogs: May we please remind everyone that dogs are not allowed on the School Grounds

Billing and Payments: To increase the efficiency of our banking process, please, wherever possible, make payments to us via Internet Banking. Our account details are on our fee letter, and are available on request. Alternatively, please make payments on one cheque. If you are paying more than one bill, the inclusion of your remittance advices will enable us to allocate your payments correctly.

We regret that in future we are unable to give refunds for portions of trip costs, when parents have had to cancel for their own social reasons. Often at the time of such requests, Youth Hostels have been paid for including the cost of food, which is the cost element passed on to the parents. When children are unable to attend due to illness the school will consider refunds on a case by case basis. The school will have to pay the cost for the unoccupied beds. As we have to pay for all beds in a dorm, we often have to pay for empty beds. The withdrawal of one child can mean we are liable for a whole room we do not use.

School Common Room: Please may we remind parents that the School Common is an area for Staff only. We are sure that you are aware that for staff this is the only area where they can discuss school matters privately and be sure that they will not be disturbed; it is also an area for them to enjoy some relaxation. In the unlikely event that the School reception area is not manned and if the matter is urgent any member of school staff on the premises in the School areas will assist you.

Travel Plan: As part of the condition of Dolphin’s planning permission we are required to produce a travel plan. We have assured the Local Authority that we will promote car sharing and encourage walking or cycling to school wherever possible. The roads and paths around Hurst will only enable parents to allow children to travel in this way where they feel that the route is completely safe.