What an accolade for Maryland! We received news from the office of the Schools Minister, that Maryland has been selected as one of 12 schools in the country to appear in the 2017/18 publicaon, The Parliamentary Review. The publicaon comes out in September and is a report to the public and educaon profession on educaon maers in the last year. Schools are selected to be profiled if they stand out as beacons of best pracce. To get an idea of the Review, please go online to look at the 2016/17 version at www.theparliamentaryreview.co.uk click on Primary Educaon, click on the image (see right). Safeguarding alert – dangerous website, Roblox. We have been alerted to the virtual reality game and instant messaging site, ROBLOX, which is unmanned and where children can interact with strangers. News arcles have highlighted the danger of this forum being used by paedophiles to groom young children. This site is accessible to children of any age and as some are young and naïve, they lack the ability to comprehend when another player is making inappropriate requests of them. We appeal to all our parents and carers to be aware of the websites their children are gaming on. Christmas events you won’t want to miss FRIDAY 8th DEC Family disco Junior hall 6 - 8 pm. Parking in playground Tickets on sale from the Children’s Centre. Our ever-popular DJ, Mr.Bee, keeps you dancing, taking part in games and compeons … and that includes the adults, so put on those dancing shoes and dress to party, party, party! TUESDAY 12th DEC Bake ‘n take -Junior hall and Projects exhibition– Infant hall MONDAY 18th DEC 11am and 2:30pm Nursery nativity plays THURSDAY 14th DEC Infant nativity play 2pm FRIDAY 15th DEC 2pm Farewell assembly PLUS raffle, (free) aſternoon tea & mince pies for parents/carers. Prompt start at 2pm in the Junior hall. Parking in playground. Farewell to Mr. Arthur and best wishes for his retirement Mr Arthur, our Site Supervisor, has been caring for our school premises since 2010. Originally from Ghana, he spent 29 years in Germany where his adult children sll live. His plans for the future include volunteer work in care homes and of course frequent family trips to Germany. Mr Arthur has shown the school great loyalty and dedicaon over the years, never complaining about those difficult parts of the job, for example when the alarm goes off at 3am! We have much to be grateful to him for. I’m sure you will join us in wishing him a happy and fulfilling rerement. We shall all miss you very much, including the ladies in Cluckingham Palace to whom you have shown so much love and aenon! This year’s annual pantomime performance- ‘Aladdin’ 19th December is the day we shall welcome a theatre company to perform a pantomime version of the enduring tale, ‘Aladdin.’ We have to ask parents for a contribuon of £2 per child to cover the cost of the professional producon. When you send your contribuon in, please place the money in an envelope, with your child’s name and class number wrien on it. Growth Mindset update This is our new atude to learning where we ensure the children have a posive mindset towards learning. We are already seeing success in how children are more movated, persistent, pung more effort into their work and not giving up. They understand that mistakes are nothing to be ashamed of (they are ‘mini lessons’) and you will hear children around the school talk about not being able to do something...YET. Back in September we gave each family a bulb to plant and we are pleased to say that some children have reported that their bulb has started to grow. The bulb is a reminder that persistence and paence will pay off in our learning. Has yours started to grow? IN THIS ISSUE: - Don’t miss any of our December events MARYLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL DECEMBER 2017 NEWSLETTER Gurney Road, Straord, E15 1SL www.maryland.newham.sch.uk 020 8534 8135 Fax: 020 8534 4426 E-mail: [email protected] @MarylandPrimary Message from Mrs Jackson Headteacher Dear Parents and Carers Apart from wishing you all a Happy Christmas I just want to say a big THANK YOU AND FAREWELL to two wonderful staff members who are leaving us. Good luck and enjoy your rerement Mrs.Cooper and Mr.Arthur. We will miss you so much. Message from Mrs Cooper Deputy Headteacher As I shall be rering from school life at the end of term, I wanted to take this opportunity to say goodbye to our community and to thank you for con- tribung to what has been a most fulfilling phase of my life, here at Maryland. Staff, pupils, parents and carers have put their confidence in me and sup- ported my day-to-day work and the many iniaves it has been my pleas- ure and privilege to be a part of. I am aware that none of those could suc- ceed without your encouragement and co-operaon. For this I am most grateful to you all. I shall miss you all more than I can express, but I have every confidence in the talented, energec team that takes my place under the inspiraonal leadership of Mrs Jackson. I know Maryland will connue to be an outstanding school where people are proud to work and where children thrive.