Newsletters

Belmont School 8th September 2023 Newsletter

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Global Goal 4 – Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been a delight to welcome all of our children back into school this week. The positive, vibrant way in which the children have approached their return has been greatly encouraging for the year ahead and the shared sense of optimism and opportunity feels especially strong across the school. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our new children who have started in Reception and across the school!

I would also like to welcome all of our parents, carers, other family members, partners, and friends back into our school community and our Belmont Family! We look forward to our continued partnership to enhance learning across the school year. 

We hope that you find this first newsletter of the year to be both useful and fun to read through. A range of information is included, which will work in tandem with that already available through our school website.

This week was the first week for our new catering provider, HCL, who have provided amazing lunches for pupils and staff!

All Families Entitled To Free School Meals - School Grid

All children at Belmont School are entitled to a free school lunch for the academic year, and HCL will deliver healthy meals for all our pupils.

Booking lunches is now completed via SchoolGrid.  All lunches must be booked by 8 a.m. HCL has a very comprehensive allergy management system and can deal with most special diets. A reminder that If there is any reason why you do not want your child to have a school meal, please email the school office with details, decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A polite reminder - please do not send your child to school with any nuts or nut-based products. Your children will only be allowed water to school. 

Arbor - Our New Communication System 

All parents/carers need to download and log into the Arbor app to ensure that you get the most up-to-date information. If you need help, please do not hesitate to see Mr Baig, who will support you with downloading and signing you in. He will be available at drop-offs and pick-ups every day, except Wednesdays. 

The School Day

A reminder of the new school timings:

  • Start the school day at 8.35 am, instead of 8.40 am.
  • Nursery AM to start at 8.35 am and finish at 11.35 am.
  • Families with children in different Key Stages will be able to pick up all siblings at 3:15 pm.

If you only have children in Key Stage 2, you will be expected to collect your child/ren at the normal time of 3.05 pm. We will be closing the gate at 3.10 pm, to allow the older siblings to move to their younger siblings' class, where you will pick them all up. 

Please note that any children who are not collected at the designated end times of the session will be escorted to the after-school club (Be Active) which will result in a charge for this service for parents.

Medical Tracker

As you will be aware, we use a system called Medical Tracker to record any welfare or medical incidents that occur during the school day.  Please do not be alarmed if you receive one of these alerts, it’s simply to let you know what has happened during the day and what action has been taken.   If it is a more serious incident then you will be contacted by a member of the school team to let you know.

School uniform Reminders

Pupils at Belmont are extremely proud of their school, the school badge, and their uniform.  To maintain this pride and high standards the children are required to wear the correct uniform.  The current uniform policy is outlined below. 

Year 5 and 6 pupils must come into school on Monday 11th September wearing the school tie.

All pupils must come to school wearing the correct uniform including PE days. We will be monitoring pupils’ presentation and expect all children to be wearing the correct uniform from the first day of school, with all black shoes and trainers. Pupils must come into school wearing their PE kit on PE days.

Curriculum Mornings

At the beginning of every term, we invite parents to meet and greet the new staff. We also would like for you to meet the HCL Team and sample some of the fabulous food on offer. Please do attend the relevant workshop for your child/ren:

  • Year 1 and 2 Phase Curriculum Morning - Tuesday 12th September at 9 am
  • Year 5 and 6 Phase Curriculum Morning - Wednesday 13th September at 9 am 
  • Year 3 and 4 Phase Curriculum Morning - Thursday 14h September at 9 am 
  • Nursery and Reception Curriculum Morning - Tuesday 19th September at 9 am

We look forward to seeing you all there! 

Communication

A reminder to all parents/carers, that if you have any issues or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to any member of staff on duty or email the school office via office@belmont.harrow.sch.uk or by submitting your query on our virtual form found on our website (https://www.belmont.harrow.sch.uk/contact-us-form). We aim to respond to queries within 10 working days as outlined in our Positive Communication Policy which can be found in the policy section on our website, where you will also find:

  • Community Behaviour Policy 
  • Complaints Policy and Procedure 
  • Managing Serial and Unreasonable Complaints Policy

We are looking forward to yet another exciting term of learning and working in partnership with you.

We hope you have a restful and reflective weekend, and we look forward to seeing you all on Monday 11th September!

Yours sincerely,

Mrs P Aggarwall

Headteacher 

Young Harrow Foundation

Young Harrow Foundation have developed a new hub for cost of living support on their website: www.youngharrowfoundation.org/cost-of-living-support

This hub aims to signpost people to local services from the voluntary sector and local authority - and is particularly aimed at families or carers that have children and young people in their household.

The online hub, developed by Young Harrow Foundation, lists services that can help with things like, mental health and wellbeing, warm hubs in the borough, help with accessing food, housing support and low cost furniture providers.

Early Support in Harrow 

For all Harrow residents, Harrow Early Support Services provide families with strategies and advice groups to help you with your children, wellbeing and health. Please click the links for the timetables and further information:

https://www.facebook.com/harrowcc/?locale=en_GB

https://www.harrow.gov.uk/downloads/download/12765/childrens-centres-timetables

https://www.harrow.gov.uk/childrenscentres

PE KIT days

Below are the days that pupils will be coming into school wearing their PE Kit:

  • Reception - Friday
  • Y1 - Monday & Wednesday
  • Y2 - Monday & Thursday
  • Y3 - Tuesday & Friday
  • Y4 - Tuesday & Friday
  • Y5 - Monday & Thursday
  • Y6 - Thursday (swimming on Wednesday)

The PE kit worn into school must be as follows:

  • Black or white trainers with plain laces. (No brightly coloured trainers please)
  • Black/Grey PE shorts, jogging bottoms (when it gets colder) or skorts – with no logo.
  • Plain white T-shirt or polo shirt (with no logo)
  • Pupils wear their purple school sweatshirt.

Please note that children should not be wearing any branded clothing or jewellery. They must only wear what is stated above. 

Be Active Breakfast and After school Club

Dear Parent/Carer,

As you may have seen Be Active are our new provider for Breakfast and After school clubs, if you would like your child to attend any these then you MUST book online prior to attendance at https://www.beactivesportsandclubs.co.uk/book-online otherwise your child will not be able to attend, this MUST be done to attend.

Please book directly on the Be Active website:

 https://www.beactivesportsandclubs.co.uk/book-online?category=63a1cf71-22a1-490d-b7c9-234b714c799b

Our new provider is ‘Be Active’. They will initially be running the breakfast club from 7.30am to start of the school day and from end of school day, until either 4.30pm or 5.15pm. Please find booking information below:

Please note that any children who are not collected at the designated end times of the session will be escorted to the after school club (Be Active) which will result in a charge for this service for parents.

Attendance

School attendance is mandatory for all pupils.

If your child is ill, please notify the school office on 0208 427 0903. You can now leave a voicemail to report your child's absence.

Punctuality

All pupils must in school and collected at their designated time:

Key Stage 

Start of School time

End of School time 

Reception 

8.35am

3.15pm

Key Stage 1

8.35am

3.15pm

Key Stage 2

8.35am

3.05pm

Nursery am

8.35am

11.35am

Nursery pm 

12.15am

3.15pm

It is important that your child starts school with their peers as this will help them to get ready for the amazing learning planned. It is your responsibility to ensure that your child is in school at their designated times. Repeated lateness means that your child is losing out on valuable learning, therefore the school’s safeguarding procedures will be followed and referrals will be made to external agencies where necessary.

Attendance and Punctuality Updates 

Parents, it is important that you drop your children at the correct time and pick them up at their designated collection times, Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 at 3.05pm and Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and 2 at 3.15pm. A reminder that any child/ren not collected at their designated time will be escorted to the after-school club (ACE), which will result in a charge for this service. If you would like your child to attend any these then you MUST book online prior to attendance at https://www.beactivesportsandclubs.co.uk/book-online, who will provide you with the price and other information. 

Pupils who are not collected at the designated times at the end of the day will be escorted to the afterschool club (Be Active) which will result in a charge for this service for parents.

 

Online Learning Expectations and Support 

We continue to set online weekly home learning online via 'Microsoft My Teams'. Staff will review what has been completed and leave feedback on the pupil’s page.

We are digitising the way the school operates, this means you will have access to all of the pupils daily learning so that pupils can review what they have learnt during the school day at home.

Please focus on reading with your child every day for at least 20 minutes, help them to learn their times tables and spellings and talk to them about their learning in school.

If you need help or support with online home learning, Mr Baig, our Computing Technician will be available to support you every morning from 8.30am to 9am. You will need to complete the following form to let us know what you need help with:

https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/ComputingSupport@belmont.harrow.sch.uk/bookings/ 

 

Uniform Reminders

As mentioned in the final letter before the summer break, we have decided to keep the rules on wearing PE kit on PE days and wearing trainers the same. However, please read the changes below very carefully as we want to maintain the high standards that Belmont has:

1. All children will be allowed to wear black shoes or black trainers. The black trainers must have no

White/coloured soles or laces. If there are logos, these must be black (see pictures below):

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSCEPqzaQMIGZHyx6XorNbbxpFZcQBqgWTCD9gOk8HwMFx_lIy99nQJFQCk_l6cBWI5N-5AXHPE&usqp=CAc

2. The PE kit worn into school must be as follows:

  • Black or white trainers with plain laces. (No brightly coloured trainers please)
  • Black/Grey PE shorts, jogging bottoms (when it gets colder) or skorts – with no logo.
  • Plain white T-shirt or polo shirt (with no logo)
  • Pupils wear their purple school sweatshirt.

Please note that children should not be wearing any branded clothing and must only wear what is stated above.

Children in Year 6 will be expected to wear a school tie that can be bought from Teeny Wear in Harrow Weald. They must come to school wearing it on the first day back.

Long hair must be tied up. Hair accessories are not allowed and hijabs worn must be white.

We will be monitoring pupils’ presentation and expect all children to be wearing the correct uniform from the first day of school.

Health & Safety and general reminders - 08/09/23

To ensure that we are following safeguarding measures, we ask you to continue to help us by:

  • Ensure that you come to school at the allocated time
  • Please all follow the 1-way system to help you move around the site safely.
  • Ensuring that you are joining the queueing system and not pushing in.
  • Wash your hands regularly with soap.
  • Cover your face when coughing and sneezing, dispose of any tissues immediately. 

Safeguarding remains ‘EVERYONE’S BUSINESS AT BELMONT SCHOOL.’

Harrow Children Services’ Golden Number is available to everyone, and gives people one number to call for information or advice on services for children, young people and their families.

Golden Number: 020 8901 2690.

A person points to themselves within a circle of black dots.

UNCRC Article 19
I have the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated

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KS1 Phase Curriculum Morning
until 9:30am
12
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Years 5 and 6 - Curriculum Morning
until 9:30am
13
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Years 3 and 4 - Curriculum Morning
until 9:30am
14
September
National Coding Week
All Day
From 18 Sep until 22 Sep
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Art Day - Express Yourself
All Day
18
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