Firstly, thank you to all staff, parents and students for your quick action and flexibility today with the unplanned school closure due to snow conditions.

Work for each lesson will have been uploaded onto Google Classroom for secondary aged pupils.

Home learning comes in the form of the discovery education platform, home-reading, and oxford owl e-books for Reception pupils. Today we have tweeted extra learning ideas for children to explore whilst learning at home.

This week has seen our second festival celebration of the year, Gaura Purnima. Gaura Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day on which Lord Chaitanya appeared on Earth. Sri Chaitanya advanced and popularised the collective recitation and singing of the holy names. All students enjoyed a specially prepared festival lunch and as year groups attended the worship hall to participate in the ceremonial bathing of Sri Chaitanya along with kirtan, stories and meditation on the significance of the day.

In our primary phase students also learnt about Holi, but due to the weather, were unfortunately unable to participate in the planned paint and colour event. This aspect of the Holi celebration, the throwing of paint, celebrates a story about Radha and Krishna which describes Krishna taking great delight in applying colour to Radha and other gopis.

Gaurapurnima Special Feast:

Last night we welcomed Year 9 students and their families to the school as part of the Year 9 GCSE Options process. Students were able to speak with subject leads to find out more information about particular GCSE subjects to support their decision making for the next steps of their educational journey. And finally, our Year 11 pupils have begun their final round of mock examinations in preparation for the school’s first set of GCSE examinations. The next phase will be targeted revision prior to them sitting the real thing!

Industrial Action – Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March

Please be reminded that the final planned days for industrial action by NEU members will be on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March.

The school will be partially opening on both days. Year 8 and 9 students are asked to remain at home. Parents will have to make alternative arrangements for their children.

The school will remain open for Nursery, Reception, Year 7, Year 10 and Year 11 students.

We will also remain open for a small number of identified students, including students with SEND, Pupil Premium or other identified vulnerable students. in Year 8 and 9. If the school has identified your child to be within this group you will receive an email before the end of Monday to provide you with details of the arrangements.

Should any family have concerns with accommodating siblings being mixed between attending school or asked to remain at home, please email Miss Bigginton, [email protected], by 12pm on Monday 13th March to organise arrangements for your children.

For Primary students, our provision will remain unchanged, including provision for breakfast clubs and after school activities. Lunch and snacks will be provided as usual.

For Year 7, 10 and 11 students there may be some changes to their provision.

• If your child’s teacher is not striking, they will attend their regular, timetabled lessons.
• If your child’s teacher is striking, they will be supervised by a member of staff or a teaching assistant. Appropriate subject work will be provided during their timetabled lesson.
• Lunch will be provided as per usual, however lunch timings will change to allow all students to eat in the first lunch sitting.

For Year 8 and 9 students remaining at home, general revision and online resources have already been shared via Google Classroom for you child to complete during each day. There will not be any remote teaching provided on the day. Students are encouraged to follow their normal timetable and engage in subject related independent work.

Secondary Calendar

• Friday 10th  – 17th March: British Science Week
• Monday 13th March: Year 9 Parent Consultation Evening (early finish for secondary pupils at 12:50pm)
• Monday 13th March-17th March: National career week 2023
• Thursday 16th March: Year 9 Final Options form deadline
• Friday 17th March: Big Bang (Science Workshop)
• Monday 20th – Friday 24th March: Year 10 Avanti Quest (Belgium)

Concerts – Bhavik Haria

Dear Parents, Carers & Staff

Just over two weeks to go for our Bhavik Haria concerts. It’s the first time we’ve put on events of this type and scale, and we’re really excited about the interest it’s already generating among the school and wider community.

Ticket sales have been brisk, with our Bhajans event on Friday 24th more than 80% sold out, while Bollywood Mehfil Evening on Saturday 25th is 70% sold.   

Please book your tickets if you haven’t already done so, as we cannot guarantee there’ll be tickets available to buy nearer to the time or on the day.

http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/avanti-fields-ptfa

And please also spread the word to your friends and family, encourage them to attend and support the school and PTFA.

Dear Primary Parents and Carers,

What a fabulous week it has been. Storytelling, competitions, workshops and even a book sale! A huge well done to all the children who participated in the competitions.

House Points:

In Primary the house points system is physical where children receive stickers (5 stickers) which they earn as house points. We do not use online points sincere apology for any system error please ignore it.

EXAM INVIGILATORS: GCSE Summer 2023 examinations

The summer GCSE examinations for our Year 11 students will begin at the end of March starting with the art exam, followed by the Spanish speaking exams in April and the full exam timetable from 15^th May – 21^st June.

We are seeking to appoint a team of invigilators during the GCSE examination period to support our staff. Invigilators should be available for either an AM, PM or full day sessions and should have availability across the examination season. Invigilators will be paid £10.50 / hour. If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete this form: https://avanti.wufoo.com/forms/afs-recruitment-pool/

National Careers Week 2023

Dear Parents, this week pupils have had access to careers information via virtual careers fairs, tutor time activities and the opportunity to enter competitions. Please use this Parents guide attached to continue these important conversations at home.

https://nationalcareersweek.com/download/27878/?tmstv=1675429521&utm_content=buffer7c3ed&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Thank You

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.