Newsletters

✨Head of School Review of the Week ✨

It has been a very productive week in school, with a real buzz of learning across all year groups.

This week marked our phonics assessment week, and it has been fantastic to see so many children learning new sounds, growing in confidence, and moving on within their phonics groups. The progress being made is a real credit to the hard work of both the children and staff.

We were also pleased to welcome a highly experienced and knowledgeable educational consultant into school this week. They spent time with us showcasing our writing curriculum and our Early Years provision. It was a valuable opportunity to reflect on the strengths of our approach and celebrate the positive practice taking place across the school.

Across all classes, there continues to be a strong and consistent focus on the teaching of handwriting and the deliberate development of vocabulary. This work supports children to communicate their ideas more confidently and with increasing clarity. 

There has been some fantastic work taking place in Early Years this week, with children sequencing the story of The Three Little Pigs and confidently practising retelling the story in their own words. In Year 1, children have been focusing on writing full sentences using our Hi-Five Peacock:

1. Capital letters
2. Finger spaces
3. Full stops
4. Independent Fred Talk spelling
5. Kinetic Letters

These are the essential nuts and bolts for building strong and successful sentences.

Year 2 have been thoroughly enjoying their artwork, painting background scenes in the style of Gakonga. Children used watercolours to create beautiful sunset-faded backgrounds, demonstrating creativity and care in their work.

Across the school, there continues to be a strong and consistent focus on the teaching of handwriting and vocabulary, supporting all children to express their ideas clearly and confidently.

Thank you, as always, to our staff for their dedication and to our children for their enthusiasm and hard work.

It has been wonderful to see Numbers Day being celebrated today in school. Children have been focusing on the importance of developing strong arithmetic skills and have enjoyed creating their very own Mathematical Crowns — reminding us that we are all mathematical royalty!

Please do take some time to talk to your child about Numbers Day and continue to support them at home by practising quick maths facts whenever possible.

Illness and Persistent Absence

Did you know that if your child has 2 days off this term, they will be considered as persistently absent?

Persistently absent is where your child’s attendance falls below 96%.

Attendance to school has a significant impact on your child’s success in life. In many cases where attendance is lower, this can negatively impact a child both academically and socially and emotionally. By missing school, children can miss key learning and opportunities to socialise and build friendships with their peers.

As a school, we understand that at this time of year, there are many illnesses going around and appreciate that keeping children well and healthy during the winter months can be a challenge. However, as a school, we have a duty of care to inform you of concerns regarding your child’s attendance. New legislation in place for schools, means that we have a legal obligation to report cases of persistent absence from school to the local authority, which may result in a fine or meetings with the local authority attendance officer.

Your child's attendance impacts progress academically, as well as socially; it is our shared priority.

• 95% attendance = 9 days of missed learning
• 90% attendance = 19 days of missed learning
• 85% attendance = 28 days of missed learning
• 80% attendance = 38 days of missed learning

We guide you to refer to the NHS illness information if you are unsure whether you should send your child to school or speak to a member of the attendance team, who will be more than happy to work with you to ensure your child is best supported and happily attending school.

NHS illness information: Is My Child Too Ill For School?

Attendance Reminder

We kindly ask all parents/carers to please make contact with the school as early as possible if your child is going to be absent from school. You can notify us by telephone (01327 702878), email (admin@fhis.inmat.org.uk) or Seesaw.

Early communication helps us keep our attendance records accurate and supports wellbeing for all students.

Thank you for your support & cooperation 

Respectful Language & Behaviour on School Grounds

We kindly remind parents, carers, and visitors to use kind and respectful language at all times on the school site. Swearing, hand gestures or unkind words are not appropriate, as we aim to set a positive example for our children and maintain a caring, welcoming environment for everyone.

Safer Internet Day – Tuesday 10th February
Focus: AI Safety

In preparation for Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 10th February, we would like to share important guidance for families to help support children in staying safe online. This year, our focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety, helping pupils understand how AI tools work, how to use them responsibly, and how to stay safe in an increasingly digital world.

We encourage parents and carers to take an active role in supporting their child’s online safety at home. Simple steps such as using parental controls, enabling safe search settings, agreeing clear boundaries around internet use, and talking regularly with your child about their online activity can make a significant difference. It is also important to remind children not to share personal information online and to speak to a trusted adult if they ever feel worried or unsure.

Attached is a helpful E-Safety Tips for Families guide, which includes practical advice, conversation starters, and useful resources such as internetmatters.org, where you can find further support and information.

Thank you for working with us to help keep our children safe, confident, and responsible online.

Online Safety Reminder

👀 What we’re noticing

Some children are talking about playing online games such as Roblox and Fortnite. While these games may seem fun and familiar, they are not age-appropriate for young children.

⚠️ Why this matters

🔹 Online chat and contact with strangers
🔹 Language, themes or behaviours unsuitable for young children
🔹 Children may repeat words or ideas they don’t yet understand
🔹 Potential safeguarding risks

✅ How families can help

✔ Check age ratings before downloading games.
✔ Set up parental controls on consoles, tablets and devices
✔ Supervise online play and limit screen time
✔ Talk regularly about online safety
✔ Choose games designed for Early Years and Primary-aged children

💛 Working together to keep children safe

Keeping children safe online is a shared responsibility.
Thank you for supporting safe, positive and age-appropriate use of technology.

                                                  

 How to Ensure Your Children Stay Safe While Playing Online Games | NSPCC

Parent Useful Resources Padlet

FHIS Parent Resources Padlet

Polite Reminder – School Office Foyer

If you are in the school office foyer, we kindly ask that you do not let other visitors in.

This is an important part of keeping everyone safe and maintaining privacy within our school.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.