It was great to welcome everyone back to Sunny Bank for the start of the Academic Year 2024 to 2025. The children had a fantastic first day back and we are really looking forward to this academic year and working with parents for better outcomes for our pupils. As the school moves from strength to strength, we have lots of plans to make this year even better than last year, for our whole community and I have highlighted some of these below.  

 

Yearly Planner  

It is important for children’s success that they attend school regularly. If they miss a day of learning this creates gaps in their knowledge and can turn children off of learning. We always work hard to make sure that our curriculum is exciting. Our Yearly calendar can be found on our website so that parents can see all of the exciting curriculum, learning and fun events that we have planned this year.  

 

School Homework Planners 

We have redesigned and relaunched our homework planners to improve children’s home learning. The planners include information for parents and children about homework expectations, our new home school agreement, our Values and Pupil Character Super Powers and a place for parents to tick that the children:

 

• Have read 30 minutes daily (or read their phonics book daily) 

• Have completed timestables/or (Numbots for Year 1) daily (6 minutes a day or 30 minutes a week) 

• Practiced spellings daily  

• Completed some work towards a home learning project or any extra home learning that they have done. 

 

There is also a section each week for parents to grade their children’s homework, effort and behaviour for the week.  

 

If we want our children to be successful and really be the best that they can be it is vitally important that they complete this homework everyday and bring in their reading book and homework diaries in everyday.  

 

PTA (Friends of Sunny Bank) 

I know that most of you will be aware that we have launched a PTA and have our first Annual General Meeting on Thursday 12th September straight after school. All parents are welcome. This is a great opportunity for us to work together, build a fantastic PTA and to raise money to improve our children’s education. I hope to see as many parents as possible at the AGM and to build a strong PTA.  

 

Library Book Charges  

As you will know we are a reading school and we invest heavily in high quality books for our children. Unfortunately, last year we had over £2000 of unreturned library books. Going forward we are going to have to charge for books that have been damaged and or have not been returned. I know that parents and carers will be able to support us with this and if you need any help or suggestions for supporting our children in looking after these our books at home please do let us know. We will communicate further with parents about how this will work. 

 

We are really looking forward to working with you this year and I thank you in advance as always for your support as partners in our children’s education.  

 

Kind regards  

Mr Allen