Welcome back!

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! Suddenly we are at the beginning of another academic year wondering where the summer holidays went!

The Autumn term is traditionally a very busy one for us in school and we are looking forward to welcoming you all into school. I would also like to welcome Mrs Fiona Waite, as our teacher for Class 3, Mr Perry Maranian, as our new Class 1/2 teacher, Mrs Lara Mitchell, as our new Support Teacher and Mrs Fiona Halliwell as our new Teaching Assistant. I am sure you will join me in welcoming them all to William Ransom.

Just to let you know, Mrs Towler and Mrs Hall will no longer be teaching their small groups, these have all been handed over to Mrs Mitchell. Both teachers remain working with the Year 5/6 classes.

During this week we will be sending home a list of known dates for this academic year. Please keep it handy. We make every endeavour not to change dates once they have been set, but there are times when this is inevitable, however we will try to give as much notice as possible.

Please remember that we have been advised by County that we are to avoid granting permission for pupils to be absent during term time. The law is quite specific about this and allows for parents to apply for permission for their child to be absent, for UNAVOIDABLE reasons only. It is only the School that can authorise an absence. Attendance Inspection Officers visit all schools regularly to enquire about attendance and inspect registers and letters about absence. This happens once every half term. Therefore I would ask that all requests for absences are made in writing to me and if you are requesting an absence for longer than 2 days please make an appointment to see me so we can discuss the situation. Where possible, doctor and dentist appointments should be arranged for times outside the school day. All holidays should be taken during the official school closures. Could I also share with you that 3 absences every month equals a whole year missed over 5 years!

If your child is ill and unable to come to school:

• Please telephone school and leave a message on option 1 before 9.00am

• Alternatively you can email any information to the school office on admin@wransom.herts.sch.uk

• Please phone each day to keep us informed of their progress.

• Once your child returns to school please send a letter explaining their absence

• In the case of long term absences we will assume the pupil will be off school unless you tell us otherwise.

• Any unexplained absences will be followed up with a phone call before 9.30am.

All of these procedures are intended to keep your child safe, please help us by keeping us informed. I hope these arrangements are clear but if you do have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

I am sure you will all be delighted to learn that Mrs Wheat is expecting a baby at the start of 2015! We will be advertising for a teacher to cover her maternity leave and as soon as there is any news I will, of course, let you know. I am sure you will all join me in congratulating Mr & Mrs Wheat.

The first uniform shop of the year will be Monday 15th September

I look forward to seeing you in school in the very near future.

Yours sincerely

Mary Driver