Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Minutes from Parent / Carer Forum on Monday 2nd December

  Fri 06 Dec 2024

  Parent/Carer Forum

  Monday 2nd December 

  6pm-7:30pm

  Upper School Hall

   

  Parents of pupils in:

  Bumblebees, Otters, Nightingales, Nursery, Oaks Hedgehogs and Owls.

   

  Agenda

  1. Typical school day
  2. Staffing and SEND support
  3. Uniform

   

  1) Typical School Day

  • School opens at 5am to be cleaned
  • Greswold Greyhounds starts at 7.45am.
  • Walking Bus starts at 8.05am
  • Some children may have a soft start through the Nest.
  • Morning work during registration allows children to access a range of activities or interventions prior to starting their main lessons. Calming music often played to create a positive and settling atmosphere for children to enter.
  • Clarification about lunch choices in KS2 – children can bring packed lunches from home but they can also choose to have a school dinner or a combination of both.
  • Nursery and Reception Rhythm of the Day
  • KS1 and KS2 Monday assemblies led by Mr Hornsey and Mrs Woodcock including Picture News – a current affairs resource
  • Reception Celebration Assembly
  • Lunchtimes: Every day a member of SLT is on duty and we have Lunchtime Supervisors (a lot of whom are parents) as well as Play Leaders (often our TAs).
  • Reception use the playground outside the Lower School Hall, KS1 have their own playground and field, as do KS2. KS2 have access to a range of activities (quadrants) on different days including: football, ball games, gym equipment and free play. Children in KS2 can also access the Library. Year 6 monitors also escort Y2 children down to the playground. Year 6 Play Leaders offer activities in both the KS2 and 1 play grounds. At the end of lunchtime, children in Y6 listen to Y2 readers and support children in Y1 with phonics.
  • TAs leave after lunchtime with teachers and LSAs remaining.
  • In KS1/2 children learn foundation subjects (any subjects that are not English, Maths and Science).
  • There are no breaks in the afternoon but staff are attuned to their class and may offer brain breaks as needed.
  • At the end of the day, any attending Greswold Greyhounds will be escorted down to the Lower School Hall/Rainbow Room (Greyhounds finishes at 6pm). The Walking Bus departs school at 3.20.  

   

  2) Staffing and SEND support

  • Over 100 staff in total.
  • SLT: include Mrs Scott (Headteacher), Mr Hornsey and Mrs Woodcock (Deputy Headteachers), Mrs Glover (Designated Safeguarding Lead, DSL), Miss Carpenter (Finance and Business Manager)
  • Over 30 class teachers in school, some full time, some job shares and some who cover PPA (planning preparation and assessment time) and management time.
  • Teaching Assistants (TAs) support whole classes. In KS1/2 they work part-time in the mornings but in Early Years they work full time.
  • Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) work with specific children or groups of children.
  • SENDCo
  • Office Team
  • Greyhounds
  • Lunchtime Supervisors
  • Site Managers
  • Walking Bus Leaders

   

   

  Children’s needs may not present the moment they start school and it can appear as they progress through school.  Once a need has been identified, with parents’ permission, they are added to the SEND register and adaptations/support will be put in place. However, children will still be supported in class without a diagnosis. Some children will require additional support above SEND support and assessments will be carried out to determine if they require an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan). Children may access either the Hive, the Den or the Nest but they will still be in class, attend assemblies etc.

   

  Inclusion covers SEND, PP (Pupil Premium), EAL (English as an additional language), Young Carers and children with medical needs (particularly life-threatening conditions e.g. asthma, allergies that could trigger anaphylaxis, diabetes, epilepsy).

   

  Staff receive annual training on asthma, anaphylaxis and epilepsy. We have a number of staff who are first aid trained.  When pupils go on visits, we ensure that sufficient first aiders attend to support pupils’ needs.

  Children who have significant medical needs will have a care plan which is kept in 3 key locations across school.  Medication is kept in each classroom and spares are kept in the main office.

   

  A pupil in Y5 informed their parent that a child had brought in Nutella in their sandwiches.

  Smaller charities have been set up by parents who have lost children due to anaphylaxis, (Benedict Blythe Foundation charity set up after a child died in school), advocate staff training on anaphylaxis, allergy policy, spare epipens in school. Question around how clear the procedures and rules/responsibilities around allergies are within the Medical Conditions in School Policy.

   

  Inclusion – Allergy policy

  Concerns around junk modelling and play dough (containing wheat)

   

  AOB

  • Infant gate much better and children actually telling their parents not to cross the line and to stand back.
  • What is the role of governors in the school?
  • It’s a voluntary role but governors are very pro-active in our school, weekly meetings with different boards: inclusion, curriculum, personnel, finance. Governors support SLT but SLT are accountable to governors.
  • Governors have that strategic view and oversight of the overall aims and vision of the school. They provide challenge and support with the ultimate aim of improving the school.
  • Parent volunteers: is that something we’re still interested in? Yes, and we do have a steady stream of volunteers, with a particular focus on reading but we don’t have a limit and support is always welcomed.
  • Discrepancy in cost of uniform for boys/girls. The skirts and pinafores are only available from specialist suppliers which cost a lot more.
  • Question around Lego therapy, Forest School and if there was a section on the website which explains what they involve. MH to check. AW suggested that information could be included on the invite letter e.g. what it involves and what the aims are.

  

• Look who's back!!!!

  Fri 06 Dec 2024

  This time last year, Mr Hornsey was visited by a very cheeky Elf on the Shelf, each day in December, who got up to all sorts of mischief in his office.  Guess what?  The elf is back again! 

   

  Keep checking in on Latest News to see what else the elf gets up to! 

  

• Thank you to Metrobank for helping our Y6 pupils to learn about money!

  Thu 05 Dec 2024

  This term, year 6 have been learning all about money and finances!

   

  Each class have received 3 visits from representatives from Metro Bank, where they have learned about investments, savings, banking, and budgeting. 

   

  They were then invited to visit Metro Bank in Solihull centre this week, where they saw how an ATM worked, learned about banking terminology and even got to look inside the bank's vaults and learn about safety deposit boxes.

   

  All classes very much enjoyed this real-life experience and received a money box to start their savings now. Metro Bank offers accounts to children from age 11.

   

  Year 6 represented Greswold with both maturity and curiosity. Well done Year 6!

  

• Another successful and memorable PTA Christmas Fayre

  Mon 02 Dec 2024

  We would like to extend a massive thank you to our wonderful PTA and our very generous parent community for making Saturday's Christmas Fayre another fantastic success. 

   

  The Santa discos were very much enjoyed by all the children, wonderfully hosted by our resident DJ Mr Chater and, as always, the Greswold face painting team were again incredibly busy while the new games introduced this year were very much appreciated by children and families,

   

  Although we don't have a final total yet, it appears from early estimates that the PTA raised in excess of £5,000 which is a magnificent effort.

   

  Thank you for everyone involved in organising and attend the fayre, it's these types of community events which not only help to enhance the children's opportunities, with the money raised, but also live long in the memory. 

  

• PTA Christmas Decoration Competition winners announced!

  Fri 29 Nov 2024

  Thank you to all the pupils who entered our PTA Christmas decoration competition.  It was incredibly difficult to pick just two winners from each class. 

   

  This morning in assembly, the winners were announced and awarded their prizes.  There were some fabulously creative ideas with all of the entries being used to decorate our school Christmas trees just in time for the PTA Christmas Fayre tomorrow. 

   

  Here's a sneak peek of a selection of the winners below. 

  

• Girls' school football team continue their brilliant start to new season!

  Wed 27 Nov 2024

  Yesterday evening, the girls' school football team attempted to continue the positive start they've made to the new football league season.  However, they had the very difficult challenge of playing two consecutive matches against very tough opposition with the venue being Old Silhillians on a very cold night. 

   

  First up was a match against Dicken's Heath which was a very close and tense affair with chances at both ends of the pitch.  A wonderful save by goalkeeper Lana, near the end of the match, helped the team to earn a very credible 0-0 draw.

   

  However, there was no time to rest as their next match against Shirley Heath took place immediately afterwards.  The first match had obviously prepared them well as Greswold raced into a 3-1 half time lead. 

   

  Despite not being able to add to their tally in the second half and having to contend with some pressure from Shirley Heath after they scored, the team ran out eventual winners 3-2.

   

  The successful evening means that Greswold have now won two out of their three games this season and drawn the other, a really pleasing start. 

   

  Next up are two more matches against Knowle and Eversfield on Tuesday 10th December, again at Old Silhillians on the Warwick Road on the way to Knowle centre.  Why not come along and lend your support! 

  

• Another successful coffee morning here at Greswold

  Wed 27 Nov 2024

  This morning, Mrs Woodcock and Mrs Beddow welcomed a number of parents into school for a special coffee morning.  It was a chance to celebrate just how diverse our school community is as parents who's first language isn't English had a chance to meet with each other.  It was also a chance to raise awareness amongst our EAL (English as an additional language) community of the approaches and resources we use to help transition new pupils into school.   

   

  Thank you to everyone who attended and to school staff for organising such a worthwhile event, helping to solidify the working relationship between school and home.  Our aim is to repeat these types of coffee mornings in the future. 

  

• Christmas decoration entries light up our main school corridor!

  Tue 26 Nov 2024

  The main school corridor is now adorned with all of the fabulous Christmas decorations created by our pupils for the annual PTA competition, just in time for our Christmas Fayre on Saturday. 

   

  The decorations will be judged this week with two winners being chosen from each class.  We don't envy the job of Mr Hornsey who has the incredibly difficult task of picking just two winners from each class.  

   

  Well done children.  They are absolutely fabulous and will look wonderful on our Christmas trees for this year. 

  

• Our annual advent writing week launched by Miss Nock in assembly this morning

  Mon 25 Nov 2024

  This morning, Miss Nock launched our annual advent writing week.  The week involves themed writing lessons about the subject of winter, which culminates in each class creating a window for our large advent calendar display in the upper school hall. 

   

  From December 1st, whoever takes assembly will open a window to unveil a class's piece of winter writing.  We can't wait to see the children's work! 

  

• Remembrance Day poppy photos from St Alphege Church

  Mon 25 Nov 2024

  During the recent Remembrance events at school, a number of poppy creations were made by Greswold pupils and passed onto St Alphege Church in Solihull centre.  This helped to decorate the church in time for the Remembrance service at the war memorial directly outside.

   

  Below are a number of photos shared by St Alphege which included contributions from a range of schools including Greswold.