Kings Academy Ringmer - KAR Newsletter

King's Academy Ringmer weekly newsletter 01/12/22

This week's message from our principal, Mrs Williams.

Whenever I am feeling a little fed up or overwhelmed, and yes it happens to me, I go for a walk around the school during lessons. Being a part of this academy is always inspiring but watching the students learn and the teachers sharing their skills and knowledge is all I need to revive me. Today I came across Year 7 creatively writing to Vincent van Gogh’s Starry night - in the room next door they were constructing sentences with technical terminology that I was never taught when I was at school. I wandered down the corridor to Science and came across the year 11s calculating formula mass-the class next door was missing, and I found them on the stairs being fractionally distilled at different heights based on their boiling point (I will let you decide which step your child was on if you are a parent of Year 11). It was a joy to see and has set me up for a training day tomorrow - don't forget please it is INSET tomorrow, and we will see you all on Monday!

Christmas Tree Appeal

Our usual artificial christmas tree is damaged. We are asking kindly if you or anyone you know is able to donate a 7ft Christmas Tree for the reception to our lovely school. The staff and students will be incredibly grateful, telling everyone about your kindness and we will post a thank you to the donor. Please email ringmer.reception@kingsacademies.uk if you are able to help, thank you.

Absence

We are still on a drive to reduce absence; which has risen to 15% of the school this week. It hasn't been that low since Covid was at its height. One tutor told me that his whole tutor group would be sacked if they were in the workplace because they were taking ‘on average’ nearly one day off a week. So thank you to all of you who are supporting our attendance drive and please encourage your child to try to come in if it’s possible!

Flu Immunisations

We have had approximately 2/3s of parents respond to the request to register their child as YES or NO for the influenza (flu) nasal spray vaccine on Tuesday 6th December, thank you.

Online registration is now closed, however preferences may still be given over the phone to the Immunisation Team on 01273 696011 ext.4931

ECO News

The Eco Reps have been working hard on the forthcoming Eco Newsletter, to be ready for the end of term. Full of facts and information about everything Eco, useful dates and recycling locations, it's certain to come in handy.

Meanwhile, Mrs Teague is setting up dates for gardening in the Eco Hub in the new year, hopefully the weather will be kind to us. Once everything is confirmed, she will notify the Reps and also publish the dates in this newsletter. Permission letters to parent/carers will be sent home for those students who wish to help return the Eco Hub garden to its former glory, before nettles and weeds took over.

Student Sickness / medical / dental Appointments etc – notifying reception

Reminder to all parents/carers to call the school as soon as possible every day of your child's absence from school. It will not be assumed that because they are ill one day that they are absent the following day because of the same illness. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Christmas Jumper Day

Will be the last day of term. Christmas jumpers to be worn with uniform please. Blazers and ties are not required and hoodies are not permitted. The link to the reason behind Christmas Jumper Day is below and as you can see you can have Christmas Jumpers Day on any day that suits you. Donations of £2 -£5 through Parent Pay Please

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day/about

Christmas Lunch – 14th December 2022

The traditional Christmas lunch will return this year and will be available on Wednesday 14th December 2022. The price of this 2-course roast turkey meal, or vegetarian alternative, will be £2.55. The dining room is accepting bookings which will close on Friday 9th December 2022.

Tickets are now on sale in the dining room. All students must book directly with the dining room staff; payment will be deducted from students’ accounts at the time of booking, so please ensure accounts are topped up.

Students will be provided with a ticket at the time of purchase. Students on Free School Meals must also book directly with the dining room staff and payment will be taken on 14th December 2022 so as not to affect their daily allowance. There will also be hot roast meat baguettes, pizza and sandwiches available on this day. Please see the attached flyers.

Christmas Wreath Making

The Christmas Wreath making Workshop is full. You will receive an email about payment in the next few days if you successfully got a space. Thank you, we are all looking forward to it.

Buses for Early finish Friday 16th December 2022

The school buses will be at school to collect students at 12.15pm with the exception of the 125 bus, route details for the 125 are as below

125 Bus route

The bus does not cover the school on the route earlier in the day, therefore on the last day of term when we finish at 12.15pm the bus will not be at school to collect the students who would normally catch that bus home. We have spoken to the bus company and the bus has a stop at the junction of Gote lane and New Road in Ringmer. There is a grassed island and wide verge there where the students can wait for the bus. There is a bus that leaves Lewes at 12.30pm and so the students would have enough time to walk from the school to this stop in time to pick up the bus to get home.

Please note that this lunchtime bus does not run via Berwick Station. The afternoon journey will serve the College as normal.

For further information please see the attached route map and timetable, further bus details can be found on the Compass bus website https://www.compass-travel.co.uk/compass-timetables/bus-timetables/

Holiday activities and food (HAF) programme

The December school holidays are approaching! The Government’s Holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funds a range of exciting activities for young people. The activity sessions are free to children who receive benefits-related free school meals. Parents and carers can check if they qualify by reading the East Sussex County Council website Free school meals page.

All HAF sessions include a healthy meal and are free to those on benefit-related free school meals. A smaller number of places will also be available to children and young people who:

Referred to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Disabled, those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), those with other special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or on the disability register.
Young Carers
Have a disabled sibling
Referred to the School Mental Health Teams
Gypsy, Roma & Traveller
Supported by “Family Focus”/“Troubled Families” services
Children in Need (CiN), children on a Child Protection Plan (CP) and Looked After Children (LAC)
LGBTQ+
Ukrainian Guests

There is a great range of clubs spread across multiple venues in East Sussex. They all offer a free healthy meal. Activities include sport, art, theatre, forest school, animation, music, computer coding and crafts.

You can find out what’s available and book a place on the HAF booking website.

Also available: Active primary Sports – book via their own website.

Thank you for helping us to ensure that as many young people as possible take part. Like you, we want them to have a great winter holiday.

You will find more information about the programme on the ESCC Holiday Food and Fun webpage.

Kind regards

The East Sussex HAF Team

Holiday Activities and Food programme

Equality and Participation Team

Children’s Services

Safeguarding

Child to Parent Violence and Abuse (CPVA) Resources

Although there is no 'official' definition, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, says that CPVA is 'CAPVA is a form of family abuse where children/adolescents use a range of harmful behaviours towards parents/caregivers in an attempt to get their own way, hurt or punish, communicate distress and/or control their environment.'

Here are some resources you might find useful:

Website: PAC-UK | Child to Parent Violence Services

Website: Child on parent violence | Reducing the Risk

Booklet: Child to Parent Violence - a practical guide

(Many versions of this with different organisation logos)

https://www.proceduresonline.com/nesubregion/files/southtyne_cpv.pdf