This week we have welcomed the final groups of parents onsite for start of year information sessions and parent evenings. On Monday evening, Year 11 parents attended an information evening with a real focus on how they can support their children with their GCSE examinations and planning their next steps to sixth forms, colleges, training or apprentices. I would like to thank Ms Kholia, Mrs Kurth and Miss Bigginton for leading the information sessions.

Our primary parents had the opportunity this week to attend the first of three face-to-face parent evenings where they are able to learn more about how their children are progressing. It was lovely to see the learning logs of our youngest pupils and I am delighted of the progress they have made  in their learning so far. They are off to a wonderful start!

We are very excited to announce that our student council representatives have been shortlisted for the three roles within the student council. The candidates will be giving speeches in assemblies this week and up to next Wednesday. After their presentations the secondary school will hold a vote for each position. Please join me in wishing the candidates good luck in their campaigns.

Chairperson:

• Hosam M
• Vanshikha S
• Ashna A

Vice Chairperson:

• Anshh D
• Anaya D
• Shreya R

Secretary:

• Dev S
• Jush B
• Prisha P

Finally, next week on Thursday we have our Diwali Festival Day. For our primary students, we have invited Nursery parents to attend a Diwali themed workshop on Tuesday, and Reception parents will have the opportunity to attend on Wednesday. The whole school will then celebrate on our Diwali Festival Day on Thursday 13th October. Students can come to school in either traditional dress or their school uniform. Secondary students will be having a partial drop down day with Diwali themed activities and the entire school community will enjoy a Diwali celebratory lunch service.

In addition to this, as we are approaching the longer, colder months, we often think about harvest and supporting those in need. Linking to one of our core principles “We serve a higher purpose by living a meaningful and satisfying life of contribution”, we are doing a food collection. Food will go to the charity FareShare FareShare Midlands | Fighting hunger, tackling food waste in the UK. If you have any long-dated cans / food that are cupboard based and you would like to donate them, please send them in by Wednesday 12th October. Primary parents can give donations directly to their child’s class teacher or to the office. Secondary students can bring their donations to the school office.

Miss V Bardsley

Many of you will have already seen the posters and social media posts about our upcoming major event – Hanuman Chalisa & Bhajans on Saturday 5th November 2022.

It’s arguably our biggest annual function in the PTFA Calendar and brings together the entire school community for an afternoon of devotion, fun and fund-raising. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there. The programme starts promptly at 1pm, and Prashad (lunch) will be served from 12.30pm onwards.

ATTENDANCE – Please click here to use the online form to register your attendance.
While entry is FREE, we need to have names and guest numbers registered in advance due to school and PTFA policies and
procedures. This also helps us in catering for the right amount of people on the day. Please use the main school entrance.

Hanuman Chalisa Letter 2022

Hanuman chalisa poster

Year 9 Netball

Our year 9s are the highest number of students attending netball club. With such a keen interest we had two teams playing. Our Team A won 2 games and our Team B won one game and this was a fantastic achievement as the teams have developed and improved since last year. Our passing and movement around the court was excellent, we just need to improve certain aspects of the game and I am sure we will have two very strong teams going into our next tournament. Well done girls.

Year 10 Netball

A strong start to the season for our year 10 netballers who won two out of their four games. The girls have really come together as a team and now know and play their positions very well and this showed in their winning games. We just need to work on our game play under pressure a little more as sometimes the defence got the better of us. I am sure that over the weeks of training and further competition we will do well. Well done girls.

Sports Leaders

Also a huge thank you and mention to our amazing year 10 sports leaders who impressed the organisers of the tournament too, with their excellent leadership skills and Avanti values being displayed. They commented on how impressed they were with their willingness to help and learn. Thank you to the sports leaders for coaching, scoring and helping to officiate the games – your help was much appreciated.

The city council is again working with Samworth Brothers to support families with food over the October half term.  There will be six pop up venues across the city that will give parents of free school meal children and those needing additional support, the opportunity to collect food for the half term. 

If you believe that you are entitled to access the October half term food support please read the following information sheet and visit the website October half term food offer – Leicester City Council. To be eligible for the food support you must meet the criteria below: 

• receive benefits-related free school meals 
• who are in full time school (4 to 16 years) 
• live in Leicester City or attend a city school if they live outside of Leicester 
• those families needing additional support i.e. vulnerable children 

 Parents must register for a venue by Tuesday 4 October, using the online form found within the information sheet.   The registration window closes early to allow Samworth Brothers enough time to arrange supplies for the events.  

Places at the food pop up shops are limited and will be offered on a first come first served basis.  

Food vouchers will not be issued for free school meal children this half term. 

The Pupil Premium is additional funding the government gives to schools to raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. The amount of funding a school receives depends on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals. Parents are encouraged to register their children even if they do not want to eat school meals or they already receive universal infant free school meals. This is in order to raise extra money for the school which can be used towards extra tuition, learning assistants, after school clubs or uniform/enrichment activity contributions.  

Families that have no recourse to public funds are also eligible to apply but will need to complete a separate application and meet different criteria.  

Please use the following links to access the free school meals application form or the free school meals for families with no recourse to public funds application form.  

A reminder that the school runs a continuous uniform drive to collect and redistribute uniform items to some of our more vulnerable families. If you have any ties, blazers or pieces of PE kit that no longer fit your child, please donate them to the school. Our admin office staff would be happy to collect items bought into the school by students.  

Communications – Wherever possible please use the contact form on our website to get in touch. This is detailed on the website at https://avanti.org.uk/avantifields/contact-us/. The appropriate member of staff will pick up the message and get back to you as soon as possible.

Absence

To report an absence to the school, parents should contact us by 8:00am (primary) and 8.30am (secondary) 

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0116 326 6813 (Option 1 to leave a voicemail) 

Please remember to state your child’s full name, tutor group and reason for absence. If your child is unwell, please could you give a brief description of the symptoms. 

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.   

This 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.