We have arrived at the penultimate week of the academic year, and I can honestly say that Avanti Fields has had an exceptional year in our forever site! This week’s bulletin will have a focus on ensuring all parents and students are prepared for next year and understand the arrangements for the end of this academic year. Next week’s bulletin will be published on Thursday and will be a celebration of all that we have achieved this year.  

Please find below the confirmed end of term arrangements for Friday 08.06.22: 

• Students will be dismissed at 12.50 pm and escorted to the gates / buses. 
• Buses will arrive at an earlier time of 1 pm. 
• The day will comprise of tutor time, P1-3 and then P4 will be in tutor groups with form tutors to reflect on the year and thinking about getting ready for next academic year. 
• All lockers will need to be emptied and padlocks removed and taken home. Students will require a padlock for their new allocated lockers at the start of next academic year. 
• As students will finish as 12.50 pm, no lunch will be provided. 
• If your child is entitled to free school meals, please ask your child to inform Mrs Kurth if they would like a packed lunch to take with them on that day. 

• Tuesday 5th– Friday 8th July: Year 7 Avanti Quest 
• Friday 8th July: Last day of academic year (half day – students will finish at 12.50 pm). 

There have been a small number of changes to the academic calendar for 2022-23 as AST INSET Days have been redistributed throughout the year. Please click below to see the calendar for 2022-23 

AFS Term Dates 2022 to 2023

We have prepared an academic and term dates letter for each year group for 2022-23. Each letter outlines the term dates, INSET days, festival days, assessment windows and other key information events planned for that year group, including Parent Consultation Evenings.  

2022-23 Academic and Term Dates – Year 7

2022-23 Academic and Term Dates – Year 8

2022-23 Academic and Term Dates – Year 9

2022-23 Academic and Term Dates – Year 10

2022-23 Academic and Term Dates – Year 11

As the secondary phase of the school is nearly full, we will be trialling a different format for Parent Consultation Evenings (PCEs). There will be 5 early finish days throughout the year, where students will finish lessons at 12:45pm, which will allow staff to begin the PCE at 2pm. All PCE early finishes have been included in the term dates letters. The school will continue to host PCEs online using video conferencing, but will only have one evening per year group, rather than the two that we currently have in place.  

As the year progresses, there will continue to be a variety of enrichment and super-curricular activities, including the Avanti Quest retreats, that will be communicated to parents via our parent bulletin and Arbor emails. We anticipate that after school clubs will begin by no later than Monday 12th September, but are hopeful for these to begin by Monday 5th September.  

You will see from the academic and term date letters that we have planned the individual student photographs for Monday 5th September. It is therefore important that students have their full and correct uniform by this date.  

Uniform and achievement are a high priority at Avanti Fields School; we believe the way in which student wear their school uniform reflects the importance which is placed on attention to detail and pride in the school.  

• Blazers: Blazers and jumpers must have the school’s logo. Blazers are compulsory and must be worn at all times.  
• Jumpers: Only V-neck jumpers with the school logo are allowed. Jumpers will not be permitted without a blazer.  
• Ties: All students will be expected to wear a tie. These should be worn with a traditional knot; large knots or short ties are not acceptable.  
• Shirts: A white school shirt must be worn with a top button, which is fastened at the neck. The shirt should be long enough to be tucked in at all times. Blouse style shirts with rounded collars are not allowed and no visibly coloured clothing should show through.  

• Skirts: Girls may wear a grey skirt, which has two inverted kick pleats and no splits. It is important to ensure that the skirt is knee-length and not made of stretchy material. Students will be asked to replace skirts which no longer comply with the length requirements.  
• Trousers: Trousers must be grey (not black or charcoal) and of a classic wider style: straight, with no visible zips, studs or buckles and which do not fit closely on any part of the leg.  
• Shoes: Shoes should be plain black leather or leather-type, with plain black soles and black laces. Black suede, fabric or canvas type shoes, boots or trainer type shoes are not permitted. Shoes need to be comfortable enough to walk to school in and suitable to wear in wet weather. In winter, student may walk to school in boots, but these should be changed upon arrival at school.  
• Socks and tights: Socks should be plain black; tights should be plain black.  
• Piercings: Only one small, plain silver or gold-coloured stud in the bottom of each ear lobe is permitted.  

• Jewellery: Only religious bracelets and/or necklaces will be allowed and with the exception of a pair of earrings no other jewellery will be permitted. Religious necklaces should be worn inside the shirt for safety reasons.  
• Make-up: Make-up, including tinted moisturiser or concealer, is not allowed.  
• False nails: Excessively long nails are not suitable for school as they have been known to cause injuries to the student, if they become caught or bent backwards during sporting activities. Only natural looking non-coloured false nails are permitted.  
• Hair: Extreme hairstyles are not allowed. Unnatural hair colours are not permitted. Boarders and patterns, including a shaved parting, must not be shaved into the hair or eyebrows.  
• Hoodies: Hoodies are not allowed to be worn in, or on the way to school and will be confiscated.  

• PE Kit (boys): Avanti School shorts, polo shirt, tracksuit bottoms (optional). Avanti School football socks and sweatshirt. White ankle length socks and sports trainers (not plimsoles). Appropriate blue or black waterproof, plain thermal base layer (in winter, optional), sweatbands (to cover any religious bracelets, bands that cannot be removed).  
• PE Kit (girls): Avanti PE skirt, polo shirt, tracksuit bottoms (optional). White ankle length socks and Avanti sweatshirt. Sport trainers (not plimsoles). Appropriate blue or black waterproof, plain thermal base layer (in winter, optional), sweatbands (to cover any religious bracelets, bands that cannot be removed). Hair ties where required.  

Students should arrive at school each day ready to learn and engage in their lessons. As a minimum requirement, students should have the following items for next academic year: 

• Pens (black and a purple pen for feedback) 
• Pencils and other writing equipment  
• Scientific calculator, protractor, compass 
• Ruler, eraser, sharpener 
• School planner (this will be provided by the school, replacements will be chargeable) 
• Water bottle 
• Lock for issued school locker (recommend that the lock has a key, not a pin code, and the spare key to be stored with the form tutor)

Please note that Tipex and other correction fluids are not permitted. 

Avanti Fields School will be introducing a second -hand uniform shop from next academic year to assist parents with the cost of uniform.  

In support of this we are asking for donations of outgrown and unused uniform items.  

We kindly ask that all items are in good condition washed and laundered . Uniform can be handed in at reception  

Thank you for your kind donations  

 We are nourished by personal relationships that fulfil our need to love and be loved, encouraging us to be the best we can be. 

 A brief reminder about the school behaviour systems, should behaviour not be meeting our high expectations. The behaviour policy can be found here.  

• C1: A chance – first warning given about the behaviour  
• C2: Time to change – second warning given, asked to move seats, 10-minute break/lunch detention  
• C3: Accept the consequence – possible removal to another classroom, 30-minute detention after school, notification sent home via Arbor to parents  
• C4 – one off or serious incident, either a seclusion or suspension, notification sent home via Arbor to parents.  

We aim to enable all students to be the best version of themselves and believe that restorative practices support student development. There will be instances where a more restorative approach will be taken with students to ensure they have time to reflect on their behaviour, accept the consequences for their actions and how it has affected others, and to make amends with any other students. We believe that a balance between sanctions and restoration are important in building positive behaviour across the school.   

In conjunction with the behaviour policy, the school has an expectation that parents will work alongside staff to ensure a consistent message regarding behaviour. Staff will communicate with parents if a serious incident has occurred and will seek to explain what actions the school has taken to resolve the matter. Staff are never able to indicate the sanction issued to another student but can reassure other students/parents that an appropriate one has been issued.   

Student attendance this year has continued to be impacted by COVID-19, however all education research highlights how crucial it is to a child’s academic progress and wellbeing they attend school , on time, all of the time. Therefore, a reminder that it is important that families organise events or holidays outside of school time to ensure that their child is at school as often as possible.   

The school works closely with the Education Welfare Officer at LCC, and we do seek to ensure that any requests for authorised absence are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, in a sensitive manner. However, the school can never authorise a family holiday or a trip abroad to visit family members during term time.   

Next academic year, families will have two weeks at the October half-term, three weeks at Christmas and two weeks at Easter for extended family holidays. Please do ensure that if booking holidays, they fall within the holiday periods. 

Students must ensure that they keep their lunch cards for the new academic year as the School will not be issuing new cards. The cost for a replacement lunch card is £5. 

Yours sincerely

Miss Bardsley

Acting Principal