Parent Bulletin 13th October

Unbelievably we are approaching the end of the first half-term of our fourth year.  Pupils have done us proud with the 8s and 9s surging forwards in their academic and extra-curricular activities.  I am particularly proud of our Y7s for whom the transition from primary is becoming a distant memory as they show ever-greater maturity and independence and of our Y10s who are flourishing under the increased demands of their GCSE courses.

Ark INSET: A reminder that this Friday is an INSET day and school will be closed for all pupils.  Homework that is normally due on Friday will be collected in the next lesson.

Ad Hoc Meetings:  School life is exceptionally busy as we support 720 pupils and their families.  Please be reminded that, as a result, it is not possible for staff to meet with parents without an appointment.  If you would like to discuss an issue either by phone or in person then please contact reception at info@arksoane.org or in person and we will get back to you within 48 hours.  We are very grateful for your support with this.

I look forward to seeing your child tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Mr Neuberger

Despite being half way through the term, our pupils have been putting in an enormous amount of effort. The quality of extension work has been excellent this week, some particular shoutouts going to Joana, Lea, and Iman (7 Cleopatra), Darko and Omar (10 Cicero), and Gabriel (9 Cleopatra). 

Preparations for this year's production of The Lion King are also in full swing, with students leaping into character. 

There were similarly high levels of creativity being demonstrated in the Art classrooms, too! Ms Back was hugely impressed by the progress of her Year 10s, who have come such a long way since Year 7. Massive shoutout to Abdullah and Naya for their incredible hard work! 

Finally, it was another big week for Soane's sports department, who saw the Year 8 boys field a 3-2 win over The Heathland on Monday. The MUGA was also open to use this week, and the Year 10 boys showed some great sportmanship whilst enjoying some basketball in the sun. 

Please find attached below the E-consent letter for your child's upcoming flu vaccination this winter. 

You have the option to consent to either the flu nasal spray or the non-gelatin intramuscular flu vaccine. We kindly ask that you complete the online form at your earliest convenience, as the portal will close 48 hours prior to the flu session.

It is important to note that influenza can be quite uncomfortable for children and may lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia. Additionally, children can easily catch and transmit the virus, so vaccinating them not only protects their health but also safeguards those at higher risk, including infants and the elderly.

All Soane students are provided with a laptop upon entry to the school. This is to facilitate students completing their school work, and ensure that all students are able to access any online programmes or websites that we use for homework. There are protections on these devices to keep students safe: inappropriate content is blocked and devices are monitored for safeguarding concerns which are reported to the school.

Please be aware that not all non-educational content can be blocked on these devices (for example YouTube is accessible) and parents/carers should still monitor usage. Just because they are on their school laptop does not mean that they must be doing productive schoolwork! If you have concerns that sites are accessible which should be blocked then please flag this up to info@arksoane.org so that we can address with our providers. 

As you may be aware from the news, attendance at school is the predominant focus of all professionals. We know that for your child(ren) to have the education and character to go on to live happy, fulfilled lives as the drivers of their own destinies they MUST be in school. It is widely evidenced that students who frequently miss days at school significantly underperform and achieve lower grades than those pupils who attend every day.

Additionally, a change in guidance from the government means that any students that are late to school after the registers have closed will impact their attendance percentage. This could be coded as unauthorised and could result in local authority action.

Please see reminders of actions you can take to support your child(ren)’s attendance and progress at school, we really appreciate your support and are dedicated in working together to achieve the best outcomes for your child(ren):

• Support with an evening/morning routine to ensure they are prepared and organised for school the next day – this is a message we narrate in school.
• If your child needs/has a medical appointment please try and arrange these outside of school hours (we appreciate this is challenging). If you are not able to do this, please inform school in advance of the appointment and provide evidence (appointment cards/letters/emails).
• If you are not sure whether your child is well enough to attend school, send them in anyway as they often perk up on arrival. We will contact you if they are too ill to continue.
• If your child is ill, please telephone the school before 8.25am each day of your child’s absence.
• Have a backup plan for if your child misses transport, call on a family member, neighbour or friend.
• If you and your child are experiencing difficulties with school attendance then talk to us as a first step so we can help!

If you have any questions or concerns please email info@arksoane.org.

All pupils have access to the Unifrog platform to support in researching future careers and recording their growing aspirations. We encourage you to explore the website together with your child to research careers and future study options of interest to them.

We are always on the lookout for volunteers to give inspirational careers talks to our pupils. If you or someone you know would be interested in speaking to our pupils, please complete this form.

A reminder that pupils should bring their PE kit to school in a navy Ark Soane branded PE bag. They are available from our uniform supplier here.

The lost property box in the reception area of the school is full of unclaimed items. Please ask your child to go to reception to check the box if necessary, and you are also welcome to pop into reception to check it yourself if you would like. Please may we also remind you to label your child's school uniform and belongings with their name.

Please note that chewing gum is prohibited at Soane. Please reiterate this with your child as possession of chewing gum will result in behaviour sanctions.

If you would like to get involved then please email soanepta@gmail.com.

If you need face-to-face assistance then the school office is open during term-time from 8am-4pm. So that we can deal with email enquiries promptly please see the school email addresses below:

• General Enquiries – info@arksoane.org
• Attendance - absence@arksoane.org
• Free School Meals - fsm@arksoane.org