Howley Grange Newsletter
27th October 2023
Welcome to our latest issue, aiming to keep you informed about what is going on in school, what is coming soon and other information which we hope will be useful.
Keep scrolling down to the end for articles including dates for the diary, poppies, reading inspiration, harvest, online safety, bonfire & fireworks safety, free oral health resources and cost of living support for families.
Dear Howley families,
Goodness me, where has that half term gone! It has certainly been a busy one full of hard work and fun. I cannot praise our children and staff enough for their positive attitudes and superb effort over the last 8 weeks. Together, they have achieved so much. It was lovely to see and hear from so many of you at our recent Parents’ Evenings. We do hope you found them informative and useful.
It is our intention this year to provide as many opportunities as possible for you to join us in school to share activities with your children. In the last few weeks, we have welcomed Reception families to a Christmas card making workshop, the families of our choir have been treated to a lovely performance and Year One families came and helped us with a walk to our local park. Just this week, our Year 6 families came into school to help create poppies for our Remembrance installation which will be placed by the front of our school very soon. We hope those of you who were able to join us enjoyed your time in school and thank you for your time. Don’t worry if you have not yet had the chance to visit us, opportunities for other year groups are being planned as I write!
I cannot finish this newsletter without taking a moment to pay tribute to a very special member of our Howley family who recently passed away. I know many of our current and past pupils, and perhaps even some of our parents who came here when they were younger, will remember our inimitable Mrs Warburton. Hazel was inextricably linked to Howley for over 50 years, firstly as pupil, then as a cleaner, lunchtime supervisor and teaching assistant-there was many a time that Howley wouldn’t have run without her. Hazel was so much more than a pupil or colleague, she was a true legend who touched many, many lives with the kindness and care she showed to everyone over the years. I’m sure you will join me in sending our deepest sympathies to Hazel’s family and friends. She was one of a kind and will forever be a part of our Howley family.
Wishing our staff, children and their families a happy half term.
Take care,
Miss Lewis
Dates for the Diary
30th October - 3rd November Half term
Thursday 9th November 2pm - Reception Harvest Celebration with parents
Friday 10th November - PTA Quiz Night
Monday 13th November - Odd Socks Day
Friday 24th November - PTA Cinema Night (Years 3, 4, 5 & 6)
Saturday 2nd December - PTA Magical Adventure (Reception, Years 1 & 2)
Tuesday 12th December - Year 1 trip
Wednesday 13th December 2.30pm - Years 2 - 6 Christmas Singalong with parents
Monday 18th December 2pm - Reception & Year 1 Christmas play for 1KW & RCS parents
Tuesday 19th December 2pm - Reception & Year 1 Christmas play for 1MR & RWA parents
Wednesday 20th December - Christmas lunch
Thursday 21st December - Last day of term (3.15pm finish as usual)
Friday 22nd December - INSET day, school closed to children
Monday 8th January - Spring term begins
Parking/scooting and everyone's safety
Last week, the police visited school to discuss parking issues around the school. They will be coming back to carry out spot checks and take appropriate enforcement action for those drivers who compromise everyone's safety by parking illegally.
Yesterday, we were informed of the chaos on Howley Grange Road caused by parents' cars trying to leave the staff car park and pull out across the busy pavements into traffic with double parking. No one should be using the staff car park without Miss Lewis's permission.
If your child comes to school on a bike or scooter, please could we ask for your support in not letting them ride them on school grounds so that we can try to avoid accidents in the busy drop off and pick up times when there are a lot of people on site.
Remembrance Day
From Monday 6th - Friday 10th November, we will be selling poppies and other merchandise on behalf of the Royal British Legion to support the valuable work this charity does for members of the armed forces.
There is no minimum donation for poppies but the badges, bracelets and snap bands will cost between 20p and £1. We have a limited supply of items and when they are gone, they are gone!
Reading around Howley
No Shelf Control
The September issue of No Shelf Control has been added to our website and can be found by clicking here.
This edition is full of information for parents, children and teachers about new releases and recommended reads that you might want to try this month.
Previous issues can be found on the English page on our school website.
Supporting Reading at home
The poster below gives ideas of how to support and inspire your child to reading at home.
Harvest
Many thanks for all your support for our Harvest table!
All donations will be donated to Manna House Pantry, a local pantry, located in Blackheath, which has already helped over 300 members living in the local area save money on their weekly food bill and was hugely appreciated last year. Something which I’m sure we could all benefit from given the current cost of living. For further information, please click on the following link: https://www.yourlocalpantry.co.uk/pantry-listings/sandwell-manna-house-pantry/ .
We can still take donations on the first day back after half term, Monday 6th November, if you would like to contribute.
Online Safety
Please see below for another useful guide from National Online Safety. This one focuses on online content: 10 tips to keep your children safe online.
Please visit www.nationalonlinesafety.com for further guides, hints and tips.
Bonfire & Firework Safety
Between 2014 and 2019, West Midlands firefighters responded to some 1,760 bonfire and fireworks-related incidents.
During the same period, there were more than 1,000 severe burn injuries involving fireworks in England and Wales, with 38% of these involving under-15s and the majority being male.
Users often forget that fireworks are explosives and burn at high temperatures, so they need careful handling and storage.
If you do have your own fireworks display, follow these safety tips and guides below.
- keep pets indoors – animals can get scared by the lights and noise from fireworks
- never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
- never throw used fireworks on a bonfire
- take care around bonfires – all clothes, even those labelled ‘low flammability’, can catch fire
Lighting fireworks
- only one person should be responsible for letting off fireworks
- don’t drink alcohol if you’re setting off fireworks
- light them at arm’s length, using a taper
- make sure everyone stands well back
- never go back to a firework that has been lit – even if it hasn’t gone off it could still explode without warning.
What you'll need on the night
- a metal box with a lid to store the fireworks – take them out one at a time
- a bucket of water – to cool sparklers and put out any small fires
- eye protection and gloves
- a bucket of earth to stick fireworks in.
More Winter Safety information can be found at this link: https://www.wmfs.net/safety-categories/seasonal-safety/winter-safety/
Dudley’s Community Toothbrush Scheme.
After half term, every child in Reception & KS1 will receive a free toothbrush pack and and the Healthy Lunchbox Resource which promotes healthy eating and making tooth friendly food swaps.
Families in need can also receive FREE toothbrush packs*, including a toothbrush, fluoride toothbrush and oral health information leaflet, for themselves and their family, but be quick as stocks are limited.
Through Dudley’s Community Toothbrush Scheme, many organisations across the borough have been provided with free toothbrush packs to give to residents. Please see the participating organisations here.
For more information about the scheme, please go to: https://lets-get.com/dudleys-community-toothbrush-scheme/
Tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in England, yet it is largely preventable. Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is so important to protect both children and adult’s teeth.
In difficult financial times, taking care of your teeth may slip down the list of priorities when compared with food and warmth through this scheme we can provide toothbrush packs locally and support families in taking care of their teeth from as soon as a child has their first tooth.
Cost of Living Support
Scroll down for information from Citizens Advice Dudley and Wolverhampton for families needing help with the rising cost of living, and iCare Blackheath Food Hub will be distributing food parcels on Saturday 28th October from 11am - 12pm.
There are lots of resources, including places where children can eat free or at a reduced price, at this link:
Dudley Cost of Living News Round Up (govdelivery.com)
