On Wednesday I had the pleasure of delivering an All About Australia assembly to our two Reception classes, Buttercup and Daisy. The assembly links in with the Understanding the World early learning goal and it was lovely to be back in the classroom with young people again.

Members from our School Stakeholder Committee (SSC) we are looking to form a Business Collaboration Committee with the aim of developing closer links between businesses and the school.

We would welcome your thoughts to add to the list of benefits this could bring and objectives we can achieve:

• Work Experience Opportunities
• Guest Speakers for Careers Events
• Participation in careers events
• Donations & Sponsorship – Awards, Hardship Fund, Breakfast Club, Youth Club,  Sports teams, Sports Club (please add more you can think of)
• Hiring of our facilities for Events & Meetings

If you would like to join the committee please let us know, we want a committee that not only represents stakeholders of the school but also external members that can help us achieve our objectives. Please complete this expression of interest form: https://avanti.wufoo.com/forms/afs-business-collaboration-committee/

Advance Notice

The final INSET day for Avanti Fields will be on Friday 24th May. Please be reminded that the school will be closed for staff training.

Secondary Calendar

• Tuesday 7th May – 26th June GCSE Exams
• Wednesday 22nd May: Final Y11 assembly
• Friday 24th May: INSET day (school will be closed for students)
• Monday 27th May – Friday 31st May: Half term (School will be closed)

Primary Calendar

• Tuesday 21st May: Pre-school: Sports Day
• Wednesday 22nd May: Reception: Sports Day
• Thursday 23rd May: Year 1 : Sports Day
• Friday 24th May: INSET day (school will be closed for students)
• Monday 27th May – 31st May: Half term (School will be closed)

National Thank A Teacher Day

National Thank a Teacher Day is fast approaching on Wednesday 19th June!

As always, we will be celebrating all the amazing teaching and support staff in our schools – from the lunch supervisors to the classroom assistants and librarians. They deserve the spotlight for everything they do to keep the school running smoothly.

Why not show your appreciation via our Thank A Teacher form. We will share your kind words with staff on the day: https://avanti.wufoo.com/forms/afs-thank-a-teacher-day/

Alternatively, you could send them a free personalised limited edition e-card. Simply visit the Thank a Teacher UK website to send one for free.

Sports day

A reminder to all parents that next week pupils will have their class sport day events. Please ensure your child comes to school in their P.E uniform for that day.

Please sign in at the school office 5 minutes prior to your child’s sports day event to come and join in the fun!

21^st May- Nursery Sports day 2.00pm- 3.00pm

22^nd May- Reception Sports day 1.45pm- 2.45pm

23^rd May– Year 1 Sports day 1.45pm- 2.45pm

Visit to the temple

Year 1  visited the ISKON temple over two weeks to learn more about Hinduism and a way of life. What a fun day they had!

RRSA Article of the Week: Article 24

Every child has the right to the best possible health. Governments must provide good quality health care, clean water, nutritious food, and a clean environment and education on health and well-being so that children can stay healthy. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.

The focus surrounding this Article is Mental Health Awareness Week, which occurs every year in May. It is an ideal time for us all to think about mental health, tackle stigma, and discuss how we can create school environments that protect our mental wellbeing. I will specifically be focusing on the core principle – we are incredible human beings- and how we can nurture all parts of ourselves to live our greater purpose.

You may want to talk about how we look after our physical, social, emotional and intellectual wellbeing e.g. by partaking in hobbies, spending time with our friends, doing things with our family etc.

Here is an activity you can do at home. Watch this video then make a poster to give people ideas of who they could talk to if they are feeling worried. Link this to Articles 12 and 24.

Article of the Week – Rights Respecting Schools Award (unicef.org.uk)

Primary School Calendar

May

21st- Nursery Sports day 2.00pm- 3.00pm

22nd- Reception Sports day 1.45pm- 2.45pm

23^rd – Year 1 Sports day 1.45pm- 2.45pm

24^th – Staff Training day, school closed

27^th– 31^st – Half Term

June

27^th– Reception parent/ carer workshop 1.30pm- 2.45pm

-End of Year reports

July

4^th– Nursery Graduation 5.00pm- 6.00pm

17^th– End of Term

We have an abundance of exciting events taking place throughout the academic year. Please ensure you keep up to date with the Primary school calendar to ensure you do not miss out on anything: Calendar – Avanti Fields School

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week has started this Monday, the 13^th and is taking place till 19^th May 2024. The theme is Movement: Moving more for our mental health.

• Regular physical activity can make us happier and healthier.
• When we’re active, our bodies release feel-good hormones, which can reduce anxiety and stress and help us sleep better.
• By building movement into our working day, we can positively impact productivity and focus.

Please see “Empower half hour “poster with suggested activities attached and “10 keys to happier living” with some simple great tips for improving your mental health.

Additionally, to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, MHFA England has been launching a new podcast, ‘Off the Top of Your Head’ during this week.

• their Chief Executive, Simon Blake has been having conversations about wellbeing and mental health in the workplace and beyond.
• Across the week, they will be broadcasting a series of podcasts about the importance of movement for our mental health giving up practical tips
• Guests including Gem Tylor, Disabled Content Creator, Dr. Julia Jones, Neuroscientist and author, and Michael Gunning, Professional athlete and Stonewell Ambassador
• Tune in from Friday 10 May on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts for expert insights on enhancing mental health through movement. For more information, please see the link: New podcast!  · MHFA England

MHFA England have been uploading new episode to their website, which you can access for free. Keep an eye out for new episodes by checking the link below

MHFA England launches the Off the top of your head podcast  · MHFA England

Summer Term Parent / Carer webinar Information

Please see link below for further information on Summer Term Parents/Carers Webinar.

Summer-Term-Parent-and-Carer-Webinar-Information

Brigade Uniforms

Date:     Saturday 1^st June – Midnight Monday 3^rd June

Offer:    15% Discount on all orders

Code:    FINAL24

For further information please see link below:

Parents Direct Ordering Web 2024

‘Community Activities @ Avanti Fields

We are continuing to increase and replace our Community Activities at the school and have some exciting classes starting soon. Many are free or £1 for your first class. To find out more, register for an existing class or register an interest in upcoming classes please email [email protected].’

PTFA Community Garden

As you know, the PTFA secured more than £27,000 of external funding from Severn Trent to create a dedicated community garden space at the school that can be enjoyed by all – pupils, families, staff and local communities too.  It’s a haven not just for wildlife, but a space where people of all walks of life and gather and enjoy our natural environment.

But the work doesn’t stop at the awarded cash.  We now need to make our community garden looking as beautiful and populated as possible.

And that’s where we need your help!

We’re inviting anyone and everyone to join us for a special session on Sunday 19th May at 10am till 1pm – and help us plant our produce, flowers and herbs.

We want to get it all spruced up and make it a fun and energetic morning for all ages and of all abilities.

Please do join us at this exciting event – we’ll even provide some delicious light refreshments for all volunteers on the day. And don’t forget to tell your family and friends too – all are welcome!

Let’s grow together!’

Summer Mela 

‘PTFA are organising a Summer Mela on the 23^rd June, it is a free event with lots of activities and will be held outside this year (weather permitting), Hot Potato Food Truck will also be there to provide tasty food for you to buy, please Save the date. If you are interested in a stall at the Mela or want to help the PTFA on the day please email [email protected].

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.