Headteacher's Newsletter 04/11/2025

Dear Parents and Carers,
I trust you had a good half term break and that the children are now refreshed and ready for the return to school.  We are looking forward to another exciting half term of learning at Norbury Hall.

Welcome to Mrs Flannery
If you visited the school office in the week before the half term break, you may have met Mrs Flannery who has joined our office team.  Mrs Flannery joins Mrs Travis and Mrs Campbell and her appointment ensures that our office is always staffed from 8:15 am to 4 pm.  Please be patient as Mrs Flannery gets to know the school and the processes and procedures within our school office.​

I would like to thank Mrs Travis and Mrs Campbell as they have kept our office running efficiently over the last 18 months with varying staff changes and changes to the way things run now we are part of a trust. ​

Parent / Teacher Consultations
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at parent / teacher meetings.  The booking system is now closed.  If you have missed the opportunity to meet with your child’s class teacher, please feel free to contact the teacher directly or via the school office to make an appointment at a mutually agreeable time.

Attendance – Fixed Term Penalty Notices
The governing board of the school met recently to discuss attendance and the use of fixed term penalty notices (fines) for holidays taken in school time.  Until now the board felt that this wasn’t something the school wanted to pursue.  However, with the current emphasis on attendance and the number of families who are choosing to take term time absences for the purposes of a holiday, the board felt this must be something we would now consider.  I need to stress that each request is based on a case by case decision as to whether or not the absence is authorised or not and the school is still compassionate to the need that sometimes arises to take a child out of school in term time.  However, a cheaper holiday or a holiday booked for convenience are not legitimate reasons for taking a child out of school. 
A link to the attendance policy can be found on the website
https://www.norburyhall.stockport.sch.uk/attendance-policy.html
If you refer to section 15 (Penalty Notices and Legal Intervention) you will find more information about this.

I need to stress that all requests already submitted will not be subject to the consideration of a penalty notice.

Food for thought regarding school attendance:
Statistics show a strong link between absence and lower academic achievement, with primary school children who attend 95-100% of the time being 30% more likely to reach the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths compared to those with 90-95% attendance. Absence is also linked to a higher risk of poor mental health, creating a "vicious cycle" where each can worsen the other. 
 
The probability of a child experiencing mental ill health increases with higher absence rates: it rises from 1.82% with no absence to 3.7% with 20% absence and 5.2% with 30% absence.
 
Playground Equipment
I recently wrote to parents asking that children do not use the play equipment either before or after school.  It is important that it is only used in the school day and is supervised by school staff.  We will speak to the children about this as well but ask that you support us in this way.

Christmas 2025
All dates are now finalised for Christmas events.  Please see below for dates and further information.
​
Best wishes
Becky Wood

Dates for your diary

​AUTUMN TERM 2025
Monday 3rd November
INSET day – children not in school

Tuesday 4th November
Children return to school

Tuesday 4th November and Thursday 6th November
Parent teacher meetings

Friday 28th November
PA Christmas Fair

Monday 8th December
Year 1 and Year 2 Nativity performance – 2 pm

Tuesday 9th December
Year 1 and Year 2 Nativity performance – 6 pm

Wednesday 10th December
9:15 am and 2 pm –
Nursery and Reception Christmas Singalong

Wednesday 17th December
Nursery Christmas Parties

Thursday 18th December
PM - Carol Service at Norbury Church for KS2 children
​and parents

Monday 22nd December
Christmas Parties for children in Reception to Year 6
School finishes for the Christmas break
 
SPRING TERM 2025
Monday 5th January
Return to school