A big thank you to everyone who has helped throughout the year to organise funds for the school. The fair was a big success as was the summer disco, the children really enjoyed it.

Year 2 would also like to say thank you for their dictionaries. They will be very useful throughout their school years.

Thank you once again to everyone who has supported the school with fund raising events. The children benefit greatly from the money raised. We hope to have to new outdoor play equipment in the Autumn

We would like to thank everyone who came into school to make the kites and to be with us on Thursday 15th July to fly them down on the field. Thankfully the weather was on our side. It was lovely to see so many people there celebrating this special birthday.

A special thank you to our local MP Dave Anderson for sending such a lovely letter to wish us a Happy Birthday.

We would also like to thank everyone who wrote a special memory on a kite. They are now on display in the hall with other memorabilia.

Please have a look at the Gallery to see the photos of the day.

On Wednesday morning Mrs Geddes got an emergency call from Mrs Cowings at 7am to say the bulb had gone out on the brooder and she feared the chicks had died. Mrs Geddes rushed to school and thankfully played mother hen and snuggled them down into her lovely warm jumper (whilst wearing it of course) and they all cuddled up near the heater.

We are happy to say both chicks are doing well and are now running about and snuggling up to a surrogate cuddly hen.

Last summer Year 2 started a garden at the side of the Nursery. This was specifically for bees and other wildlife.We had been finding out about the decline in the bee population and how this would have detrimental effect on food production and wildlife in general.Letters were written to our local M.P.for questions to be asked in parliament for more money to be put into research. We were awarded £1000 by ESH to spend on the garden. With the help of Gateshead Council gardeners the children planted trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers that would attract bees. We are hoping to work in the garden in the spring. Further updates in the future.

We had a lovely day dressed up as pirates and princesses.

Please take some time out to view some of the recent video created by our school...

Remembrance Day 2009

Nativity 2009

You can see the full Ofsted report, following their inspection in March 2008, on the Ofsted website.

Meals are provided by the award winning Gateshead School Meals Service which holds the contract. Our cook prepares healthy meals on the premises. Children can choose from a selection of items on offer, including a vegetarian option. Special diets can be catered for. The cost of a meal is £1.70 per day (at the time of publication). You may choose to send your child to school with a healthy packed lunch. (Fizzy sugary drinks and sweets should not be included.) Free fruit is provided at break time by the National School Fruit Scheme. Subsidised milk is also available.

The school has an optional school uniform that has the same colour scheme as the junior school (maroon and pale blue). The children may wear a maroon sweatshirt or jumper with grey or black trousers, shorts or skirt. Shirts, t-shirts and polo shirts are pale blue. Details of the items available through school and their approximate cost can be found in Appendix 2. It reduces the amount of lost property in school and the expense to you if all your child’s clothing is marked with their name in some form. (It is possible to order nametapes through school).

For safety reasons the children should not wear jewellery at all. This is now LEA policy.
Children undertake most indoor PE work in bare feet but a pair of sandshoes is required for outdoor work. These should be kept with any PE kit in a named PE bag.

Please let us know if your child must be absent to attend a hospital or clinic appointment. If you have to take your child to such an appointment during the school day please call at the school office first to sign them out. It is best if you are able to take your annual holiday in vacation time. If you find that you must take your annual holiday during term time please ask at the school office for a holiday form. Children cannot be authorised to take any more than two weeks holiday in this way. If your child is ill please let us know as quickly as possible. We are required to keep records of all absences and will contact you if you do not send a message. Absences will have to be designated as unauthorised if no reasonable explanation can be given.
In the school year 2006/7, percentage attendance was 95.4% and authorised absence was 4.6%. There was no unauthorised absences in that period.

If your child has to spend time in hospital, school has a duty to liaise with the hospital tutoring service.

Infants should always come and go with a responsible adult who is at least 18 years old. Please let the office know if someone different is meeting your child.

All staff members hope to work with parents and guardians to solve behavioural problems in a constructive atmosphere. The issue of Bullying is taken seriously. The school seeks to create a listening culture where incidents are swiftly dealt with and where children may observe justice and fairness and a right use of power.
Children are praised whenever possible and examples of caring and good behaviour are rewarded and encouraged. Sanctions such as deprivation of privileges may be used for some offences. Corporal punishment will not be administered under any circumstances as stated in Education (No. 2) Act 1986.

Parents are notified of the school rules through the prospectus, circulars and newsletters, meetings for new entrants and the like. The children have the rules drawn to their attention in class and during plenary gatherings and discussions. Parents and pupils help to set the rules. Parents will be asked to sign a Home and School Agreement that stresses school and home are involved in partnership. The school behaviour and discipline policy is sent out to parents and further copies are available from the office. Parents will be consulted on its content on an annual basis.

Head teacher:
Mrs.J.V.Porter

Deputy Head teacher:
Mrs.H.M.Rowlands

Teaching staff
Mrs.J.Coatsworth
Mrs.F.Geddes
Mrs.A.Howdon
Mrs.P.Walker
Mrs M Hocking (ppa cover)

School Clerks:
Ms.E.Gilholm
Mrs D.Lowther

Teaching Assistants:
Mrs.S.Borrowdale
Mrs.J.Mackay
Mrs.A.Martin
Mrs.S.O’Neill (Nursery)
Mrs T Schofield
Mrs S McLellan
Mrs D McDonald

Caretaker
Shared with Ryton Comprehensive School.

Copy of the school prospectus can be downloaded, which includes all of the crucial school information for this academic year.

School Prospectus - Word Doc: 1.29MB

The Governing Body:

Mr.P.Dixon - Community (Chair)
Mr.J.Bailey - LEA
Mrs G Briggs - Parent Governor
Mrs l Gammell - Community
Mrs E Hall - Community
Mrs D McDonald - Parent Governor
Cllr.C.McHatton - LEA
Mrs.J.MacKay - Non-Teaching Staff
Mrs.J.Porter - Headteacher
Mrs J Totton - Parent Governor
Mrs P Walker - Teacher
Vacancy - Community