Please read the below letter and also the attachment which explains the ofsted procedure. Thank you

07 November 2023

Dear parent or carer

Inspection of Cockfield Primary School by Ofsted

We have just told your child’s school that we will inspect it on 08 November 2023. The lead inspector will be Richard Beadnall, HMI. We are writing to you because we would like to know what you think about the school. Please take a few minutes to read the leaflet that came with this letter. It explains why we inspect schools and what happens during an inspection.

Your views about the school are important to us

If you are a registered parent or carer of a pupil at the school (including pupils on sick leave or who are temporarily excluded), you can tell us your views about the school by completing Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, at: https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk.

Ofsted Parent View asks for your opinion on some aspects of your child’s school, including the progress made by your child, the quality of teaching, how the school deals with bullying and poor behaviour. It also provides a free-text box for you to make additional comments, if you wish. The inspectors will use the online survey responses when inspecting your child’s school. Written comments can also be sent to the school in a sealed envelope, marked confidential and addressed to the inspection team.

To register your views, you will need to provide your email address, which will be held securely. It will not be used for any purpose other than providing access to the online survey. Neither schools nor Ofsted will have access to any email addresses.

Please complete the online survey by 11am on 08 November 2023 as this will give the inspection team more time to consider your views. However, we will consider all online responses that are completed during the inspection, although the free-text box facility will not be available after noon on 13 November 2023.

Speaking to an inspector

If you are unable to complete the online survey, it may be possible to speak to an inspector during the inspection, for instance at the start of the school day, or to pass on messages to the inspectors if you are unable to speak to them in person. Inspection administrators will be happy to make the necessary arrangements. If concerns are raised about child protection, we may have to pass the information we receive to social services or the police. You can contact the administrators on 03000130867. Inspectors will be pleased to receive your comments, but cannot deal with complaints about individual pupils or settle disputes between you and the school.

Gathering personal information on inspection

Inspectors will gather any personal information necessary to assist them in inspecting a school. Our privacy policy sets out what personal information we collect, what we do with it, how long we keep it and individuals’ rights under data protection legislation. The contact details for Ofsted’s Data Protection Officer are: Email – informationrequest@ofsted.gov.uk; Post – Information management team, Ofsted, 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the online survey.

Yours faithfully

Chris Hallam

Inspection support administrator

School inspections – a guide for parents

Welcome to Dottie

We have some really exciting news to share with you all. As of next term we will have a new member of our school community. We have decided to bring a dog into school as part of our on-going commitment to improving pupil and staff wellbeing and mental health.

Dottie belongs to Mrs Harrison our Senior Mental Health Lead. Mrs Harrison owns Dottie and is responsible for her care and wellbeing. As a school, we have taken out additional public liability insurance to ensure we are covered for the dog being on the premises.

To begin with, Dottie will visit school for one or two afternoons a week. There will be a long period of integration into the school, with the children taught how to act near the dog, as well as the dog developing its understanding of school.

We plan to share information about Dottie’s time in school on our website and social media channels.

There are many benefits of having a school dog, some are detailed below –

• A calming effect on pupils;
• Improved behaviour and concentration, reduced stress and improved self-esteem;
• Encouraging expression, participation and confidence for all children;
• Fostering a sense of responsibility;
• Motivating pupils to think and to learn;
• Developing an enthusiasm for and enjoyment of animals;
• Encouraging respect and thereby improving pupils’ relationships with each other, parents and teachers;
• Teaching children to nurture and respect life;
• Helping work undertaken with the most vulnerable children;
• Helping children build confidence in reading;
• Improving attendance;
• Helping overcome a fear of dogs;
• Developing the understanding of unconditional love;
• Supporting with the development of cooperative play;
• Supporting children to develop empathy;
• Further promote our Wellbeing agenda for pupils.

How has the school planned for this?

• Rigorous research has been carried out;
• A full risk assessment and policy has been written and is available on the website;
• All contact will be carefully planned and children will not be left unsupervised with the dog;
• When not working, the dog will have a place to rest away from the children.

What about allergies?

• All areas of the school are vacuumed and surfaces are wiped down daily;
• Movement around the school will be controlled and the dog will primarily be based in one area;
• The dog will be regularly groomed;
• Any child working with the dog will thoroughly wash their hands after contact.

What if my child has a fear of dogs?

We are very aware that some children are scared of dogs. Often this stems from one bad experience or from a fear held by a family member which has passed to them. We are very keen to work with fearful children in a controlled way to try and help them overcome their fear should you wish this to happen. Equally, if you would rather your child does not have contact, you can indicate this on the form below.

In the future we may look to increase the amount of time that Dottie is in school, the decision will always be carefully considered and risk assessed from the point of view of both the dog and the staff and children.

I know there will be lots of parents and carers who support the new addition to our school, however if there are any further questions please talk to a member of the Senior Leadership team or write to us by email. Before any child is allowed to have contact with Dottie the letter that came home has a consent form attached and must be returned to school.

There is the full risk assesment that has been completed for Dottie available to view on our key info page under policies.

October Half Term

Please see attached the information leaflet for Halloween Half-Term Family Fun Activities at Raby Castle and High Force Waterfall.

Raby Estates_October Half Term Fun

They are treating families to an added extra this Half-Term with the ‘Kids Go Free’ offer into Raby Castle with a valid Plotters’ Forest ticket, so children can enjoy the *NEW* Castle Quest trail

www.raby.co.uk/whatson | admin@raby.co.uk | 01833 660202
Raby Estates

New Autumn Winter Menu Monday 6th November 2023

Chartwells, our school meal provider, will be launching their exciting new Autumn/Winter menu after the half term holiday. Full of hearty, flavoursome recipes that have been lovingly created by a team of chefs and nutritionists, these dishes are packed with all the things children need to grow strong and healthy. Plus, they have been given the thumbs up by children so are really tasty too.

Click the link for the menu Chartwells North Eats AW23 Menu

School Meals FAQ

What is included in a school meal?

Every day, you can be assured that a school meal will offer:

• At least two portions of fruit and vegetables

• Dairy food items rich in calcium for strong bones and teeth

• Starchy carbohydrates to provide energy

• A protein source to support the body’s growth and repair.

Can a cold lunch be provided instead of a hot meal?

Absolutely! Our cold lunches are made fresh each day and are designed to be both tasty and nutritious, ensuring that children enjoy a balanced and satisfying meal.

How do I order and pay for school meals?

All children in the UK in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 are entitled to a delicious hot or cold meal for FREE. From Year 3 (KS2), your child may still be eligible for free school meals, simply visit www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals to check. Schools may have an online facility that allows you to order your children’s meals. If your child is in KS2 and above, then the portal will allow you to order and pay for meals.

What if my child has an allergy or special diet?

Our primary objective is to keep our pupils – your children – safe every day when enjoying their school meals. We take allergies very seriously and, supported by our robust Medical Diet Policy, we’ve taken every step to ensure that as many children as possible living with food allergies and intolerance can eat safely at school with their friends. To find out more please email: chartwells.medicaldiets@compass-group.co.uk

Teaching Assistant

We are advertising for the following position on the North East jobs website. Please share if you know anyone who may be interested.

Grade 3 £21,189 – £21,968 pro rata, pay award pending
Temporary – Required as soon as possible until 31st July 2024

The Governors of Cockfield Primary School and Nursery wish to appoint an enthusiastic and caring experienced Teaching Assistant to join this popular and successful primary school. The post is to provide support for children across school, particularly focussed in EYFS

To work under the instruction/guidance of senior/teaching staff to support the delivery of quality learning and teaching and to help raise standards of achievement for all pupils;

To encourage the participation of pupils in the social and academic processes of the school, and enable pupils to become more independent learners.

To undertake work/care/support programmes to enable access to learning for pupils and to assist the teacher in the management of pupils and the classroom.

We are a happy school where alongside the requirements of the National Curriculum we provide many other experiences and opportunities for the children to broaden their horizons. Our aim is to help children become good people who achieve great things and leave us with a life-long love of learning.
We welcome everyone into our school, we value diversity and we promote an understanding that everyone is equally important and special.

We are looking for a teaching assistant who:
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Is full of enthusiasm with a passion for supporting children’s learning
• Is a good or outstanding practitioner with a drive to improve
• Can support the school’s ethos of care and become a full member of our team

The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Closing date: 19th October 2023 at 12 noon
Interview date: 25th October 2023

Please return completed applications to the school.

Please click the link to see the news report from our surprise visitor from Friday 🙂

Penguin at Cockfield.mp4

Important dates for Autumn 1 half term….

We will share further details nearer the time

September

Tuesday 26^th – Emile World Cup (online maths competition) starts for KS2

Thursday 28th – Class 3 parents/carers invited in for Stone age crafts (PM)

October

16th and 19th—Parents/Carers meetings with class teachers (after school)

17th—EYFS Phonics meeting for parents (after school)

18th—Tag Rugby competition (Class 3)

18th—Whole school Harvest Festival assembly (PM)

19th—Class 2 trip to Durham Cathedral

20th—Y1 parents invited in for phonics session with children (9am)

23rd—Y2 parents invited in for phonics session with children (9am)

24th—Make a poppy crafts (parent/carer session) – bring a plastic bottle and lid for each poppy (after school)

26th October—Class 4 parents invited in to make Viking Longboats (PM)

25th—Halloween Disco (after school)

27th—Spelling Bee—this will not be an event for families to attend, but we wanted you to be aware that spellings from Spelling Shed this half term will be used in the Spelling Bee—get practicing!!

Here is this weeks bulletin from Mrs Wright containing all the important diarys dates for this term 🙂

Bulletin 3 15_9_23

Open evening for year 6 pupils : Wednesday 4th October 5pm – 7.30 pm