Good Morning, Please see a reminder of the two huge car parks that are safer, quicker and easier to park in.

Please keep our children safe by parking in these spaces.

Bottom gate Main gate parking.pdf

Information to add to schools website & correspondence regarding leave in term time
From August 19th 2024 the Government have introduced a new ‘national framework for Penalty Notices’. (in Telford & Wrekin the changes apply from 1st September 2024).
There are significant changes that parents need to be aware of:

• If your child has 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10 school week rolling period, you may be issued with a Penalty Notice. These 10 sessions may include any unauthorised absence, including leave in term time and do not have to be consecutive.
• Penalty Notices are increasing to £160 from September 2024. This can be reduced to £80 but only for the first Penalty Notice issued, if paid within 21 days – this reduction does not apply to any subsequent Penalty Notice.
• Any 2nd Penalty Notice, to the same parent for the same child, issued within three years of the date of the first Penalty Notice will be charged at a flat rate of £160
• A third Penalty Notice will not be issued within a three year rolling period, to the same parent for the unauthorised absence of the same child, – alternative action or legal measures will be utilised for subsequent offences.
• If in an individual case the local authority believes a Penalty Notice would be appropriate, they retain the discretion to issue one before the threshold is met. For example, when a parent purposefully tries to avoid a Penalty Notice by taking their child out of school when there is only four pupil days in school and the fifth day is for example a PD day or bank holiday attached to that week.
• In some circumstances a ‘Notice to Improve’ may be issued – However, a Notice to Improve will only be used in cases where support is appropriate. They will not be issued in cases of unauthorised leave in term time for holidays, where information for parents is included on school’s website or a simple warning by the school that a Penalty Notice could be issued if unauthorised leave in term time is taken will suffice.

‘Parents should always apply to the Headteacher for any request for leave in term time by completing a request form available from school. (DfE guidance states schools should not authorise leave retrospectively so any leave in term time taken without a request being submitted will be unauthorised absence)’.
In developing and publishing the new national framework, the Government has renewed appeals to parents not to take their children out of school during term time. The Governors and Headteacher of this school support this and students will only be given permission to take leave in term time if there are exceptional circumstances. The DfE Guidance Working Together to Improve School Attendance (Aug 2024) states that: Generally, the DfE does not consider the need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance. (Paragraph 38.)

Each application for leave in term time will be considered and if it is agreed and authorised the Headteacher will determine the duration of any leave. However, if the application is not agreed and the absence occurs the dates will be unauthorised. Parents will be notified of any decision in writing. This notification may be hand delivered directly to the parent or posted to the parents’ home address.

As a school we are asked to inform you that in line with Telford and Wrekin Council Policy, if your child is absent for 10 school sessions within a 10 week rolling period and that absence is unauthorised, you may be subject to a Penalty Notice fine, criteria is as detailed above.

We are holding a Macmillan Coffee afternoon in school on Friday 27th September from 2pm.  Please come along and join us!

McMillan.pdf

Haberdashers’ Adams have partnered with Atom Learning to provide children who are eligible for pupil premium with a free Atom Home learning account (usual cost £575 per year!). Atom Home covers all KS2 topics in maths, English and science. The account also includes access to personalised SATs resources and 11+ practice for children who are planning to take the grammar school entrance test.

If your child is currently in years 3-6 and has been eligible for income-based free school meals at any point in the last six years, please register via the link below (you do not need to be planning to apply to Haberdashers’ Adams to be eligible). Your child’s primary school will be required to provide proof of eligibility for pupil premium as part of this process.
Registration link: https://atomlearning.com/pupil-premium/adamsgs

Please email Kate Hibbs, Head of Outreach – outreach with any questions.

Hi, my name is Kerry Debenham and I am happy to say I have been approved as a new foundation governor for the next term.

I am a licensed Reader for the Church of England and am based at Holy Trinity Church Wrockwardine Wood, were amongst other things I undertake the role of Administrator for six churches.  In my working life previous to this I spent 16 years working for the post office, finishing my time as Manager of the office in Donnington.

I have management and admin skills from my working life but also bring some theological thinking from my role at the Church.  I look forward to working alongside the staff at the school and supporting them and the children over the coming months and years. Encouraging them to finding new ways to live the values of the school.

Kerry

We are here!

Please see updated Policy

Behaviour policy 2024-25.pdf

6th September 2024

Dear Parents/Carers,

Department for Education’s new attendance and punctuality regulations

I hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you of important changes in attendance regulations as per the new Department for Education (DFE) guidance, effective from the beginning of this academic year. The guidance can be found here: Parent Guide. Two very important changes include regulations around issuing fixed penalty notices for regular unauthorised absences and punctuality to school. These changes are national and apply to all schools, including Donnington Wood CE Junior. It is crucial that you are fully aware of these new policies, as they directly impact our pupils and families.

Unauthorised Absences and Penalty Notices

A fixed penalty notice can be issued if a pupil accrues 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a window of 10 school weeks (a school day contains two sessions, morning and afternoon). This can be any combination of unauthorised absences. The 10-week period can span different terms or even different school years.

Penalty Notice Limits and Legal Intervention

A maximum of two penalty notices can be issued within a three-year period. If a third penalty notice is necessary within the same three-year period, legal intervention will take place.

Penalty Notice Charges

First penalty notices are charged at £160 per parent, per child. This amount is reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. Second penalty notices are charged at a flat rate of £180 per parent, per child.

Punctuality and Its Impact

If a child is not registered before 8:30 it must be marked as an unauthorised absence for the morning session. Repeated lateness after 9:00 can therefore very quickly lead to penalty notices being issued, something we would like our families to avoid.

We understand that changes to attendance regulations can cause concern, but it is important to stress that these are national changes mandated by the DFE, not initiatives specific to Donnington Wood CE Junior. We are committed to working with you to ensure the best educational outcomes for your children and to support their regular and punctual attendance.

Please contact us at the earliest opportunity if you require and support or guidance in relation to your child’s attendance or punctuality. Should you have any questions or require further clarification regarding these changes, please contact Miss. Ganderton Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child’s attendance and punctuality, which are vital to their development and success.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Fox

Headteacher

Dear Parent or Carer
PEDESTRIAN TRAINING

We have arranged for your child’s class to take part in a Pedestrian Training scheme. The scheme is delivered by Telford & Wrekin Council’s Road Safety Education team.

The programme involves classroom work and an accompanied walk. The training covers many aspects of road safety including; pavement behaviour, the Green Cross Code and safe places to cross.

Year 3: 7th & 8th October

Year 4: 14th & 15th October

This is covered by our general risk assessment.