YEAR 5 | Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School

YEAR 5

FRENCH TRIP UPDATE

Dear Year 5 Parents,

After some recent discussions with PGL I can confirm that we have successfully moved the French Trip to Monday 24th May - Friday 28th May 2021. My respectful apologies to anybody who doesn't agree, but we are delighted with this change for a number of reasons:

1) Health - whilst we cannot be sure of the global health situation next May, it appears highly likely that the risks of travelling in May 2021 will be lower than in October 2020. I know that many of you would have faced yet another difficult decision in the coming months if we had agreed to travel in October...fingers crossed that this will feel like an easy decision to make in the new year.

2) Finances - this change opens up a significant period of time before payments need to be completed. The peak season dates do result in the trip costing more money BUT the school will be paying the difference so that you can stick to the original payment amount. A full payment plan will be shared with you in due course, but our initial thinking is that we will ask for instalments in September, October, November, January, February and March. As ever, this is an attempt to help you spread the payments out rather than a series of absolute deadlines. We do realise that individual financial circumstances may be more varied and challenging that ever during the coming months - we will discuss any issues around payments as and when required.

3) Tests - it seems possible that the Kent Test could have been close to (or even clashed with) our original October date. The SATS will be completed just a week before we travel and so this will be an ideal reward for the children's patience and hard work!

I really hope that you consider this to be excellent news during a time when that has been all too rare! I will be in touch with more information about the trip in due course. In the meantime, if you have any questions then please do email me at r.pomfrett@ladyj.kent.sch.uk

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Year Five and Six Parents and Carers,

The following is a quick update relating to secondary transfer this September (current Year Six) and in September 2021 (current Year Five).

Year Six

The Department for Education rightly listened to the overwhelming number of headteachers who saw Year Six as a priority for any expansion of numbers. The transition into Secondary School is a right of passage that can be very emotional for all pupils and their families. A lot of our current attention and certainly that of Year Six staff is to support this transition through communication with the schools that our pupils are due to attend in September.

In previous years, transition events take place that give our children a taster of their destination schools. It is hard to imagine how this could happen this year, however various scenarios are being considered and we will update you if plans are firmed up. Similarly, in-school events like the Year Six production or the leavers' assembly are unlikely to proceed as usual, but we will do everything that we can to focus on the wellbeing of this cohort in preparation for their journey into their new schools.

Year Five

A number of events relating to decision making for our Year Fives' transition to secondary are also, of course, on hold. We would hope that Secondary Open Evenings and taster days will be on the menu for the autumn term. I spoke to Kent Admissions, again, yesterday and they confirmed that no decision has been made relating to the Kent Test. It is important to note that key decisions relating to the Kent Test are not made by schools but are taken by KCC. As a result, it is likely that parents may be aware of decisions around the test before schools. We will, however, update you if plans are firmed up.

Many thanks for your understanding at this stressful time. Rest assured that pupil wellbeing will continue to be at the heart of our decision making.

Yours Phil

Phil Chantler