Latest News
Keep up to date with all the news happening in school at the moment.
Please click a headline to read more.
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Hope School, Amman, Jordan
Sat 27 Apr 2019Last year, our Global Ambassadors organised a fund raising event and sent the proceeds to Hope School in Jordan.
Jordan is a country in the Middle East that has welcomed millions of refugees from its neighbouring countries over the past few decades. The recent war in Syria has led to 600,000 people having to leave and move to Jordan.
Hope School supports about 75 children who have had to flee to Jordan.
I was lucky enough to visit Hope School as I was visiting Amman in the Easter holidays. I met some of the children and was able to tell them about Newlands School and how our pupils had been finding out about their school.
I was very impressed with the work that Hope School is doing and how smiling and welcoming the staff and pupils were.
We will continue to have links with Hope School this year and our Global Ambassadors will be looking at ways that this could be developed.
Stephen West
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Thank you
Tue 23 Apr 2019Dear Parent/Carer,
Many thanks for your support and kind words around the sad loss of Mrs Orton. It is lovely to see how much she meant to all of the staff, children and families and to be able to pass on to her family what a tremendous difference she made to the lives of our children at Newlands. We have put a Book of Condolence in the office area and invite you all to pop in when convenient and leave a message or memory if you so wish.
Staff have been speaking with the children about Mrs Orton today. They have had the chance to talk, share memories and complete activities if they wished. Continued support will be offered to children as and when required so please let us know if you feel your child needs any additional support at this difficult time.
We will be coming together as a whole school on Friday 26th April in a special assembly to share our memories and to celebrate Mrs Orton’s life by singing some of her favourite songs. We would like to extend this invitation to any parents who may wish to join us. The special assembly will take place in the hall starting at 2.30pm. Please note the hall will be very full so it may be standing room only but you are more than welcome to share this time with us (no prams or young children please).
Just as a reminder, staff will have the opportunity to attend a service of remembrance with Mrs Orton’s family. In order to facilitate this to happen, we will be closing the school early at 2:30pm on Friday 3rd May. We will appreciate your support in collecting the children early so that staff are able to pay their respects to a much loved colleague. We will be making plans for a longer-term memorial for Mrs Orton in the future. We are keen to work with her family and the children on a fitting tribute and will share these plans with you all once they are ready.
Thanks again for your support for our school community at this sad time.
Karen Mellor
Headteacher
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Very Sad News
Thu 18 Apr 201918th April 2019
Dear Parent/Carer,
A very sad thing has happened in our school community during the holiday break. Last week, one of our teachers, Mrs Fiona Orton, our music leader passed away peacefully with her family. Mrs Orton had been fighting a very personal battle with cancer for some time. Mrs Orton was a well-respected teacher and colleague. She was so very passionate about teaching music to young people and she has left a lasting legacy in the school. As a school community, we will all be deeply affected by news of her death and I am sure that you will wish to join me and my staff in offering our condolences and sympathy to her family at this sad time.
As a parent, you may want to talk to your child about death because it impacts on each person in different ways. How children react will depend on the relationships they had with the person who died, their age, level of development, and their prior experience with death. Your child may appear unaffected, ask questions about the death repeatedly, be angry or aggressive, be withdrawn or moody, be sad or depressed, become fearful or scared, or have difficulty sleeping or eating. We suggest that you listen to your children. If they want to talk, answer their questions simply, honestly and be prepared to answer the same questions repeatedly. Links to support information for parents:
https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/for-parents
https://childbereavementuk.org/
Staff will also be speaking with the children about Mrs Orton on Tuesday morning when they return to school. We will be supporting them and carrying out activities to allow the children to share their memories and questions. We will then be coming together as a whole school on Friday 26th April in a special assembly to share our memories and to celebrate Mrs Orton’s life by singing some of her favourite songs.
The family have requested a private funeral on Friday 3rd May. Staff will have the opportunity to attend a service of remembrance during the afternoon of that day. In order to facilitate this to happen, we will closing the school early at 2:30pm on Friday 3rd May. We will appreciate your support in collecting the children early so that staff are able to pay their respects to a much loved colleague.
Thanks again for your support for our school community at this sad time.
Karen Mellor
Headteacher -
Newlands winner in Saints book cover competition
Fri 22 Mar 2019As part of World Book Day celebrations, Southampton Football Team held a competition across Southampton Schools. The pupils had to design a cover for a book that they would like to see published.
One of our pupils, Ruby, in Year 6, won first prize for her book cover and was presented with her prize in school.
Newlands also won an additional prize of a selection of books as we were the school that submitted the most entries.
Well done to Ruby and all the children who entered and also Mrs Bloomfield who organised such a brilliant day.
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World Book Day Fun
Mon 11 Mar 2019Wow! What a wonderful collection of characters turned up at school. Here are a few pictures.
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A Surprise Donation!
Wed 06 Mar 2019Many thanks to Canute Lodge who have raised £300 for Newlands Primary in order to help to enrich the experiences of our children.
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Keeping Safe Online
Tue 12 Feb 2019This is our new 'Pledge Board' created by Year 5 & 6 pupils following our online safety discussions with staff and the local police. Children have made promises to themselves to improve or continue to keep themselves safe online.
Parents & carers - you can help us with this by monitoring your children's use of the internet and mobile tablets and devices to ensure they are keeping themselves safe online.
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MarvellousMe App Launched at Newlands
Wed 16 Jan 2019We are launching a new App that will communicate directly with parents about your child's day in school. This new App will let teachers tell you when your child gets a merit badge, a brilliant blue award or has done something wonderful that they would like to share with you. An alert will come through on your device if you have the App downloaded and you will be able to ask your child about it when they get home. Sign up with the joining code you will find in your personal letter!
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Newlands Pupils contribute to Amnesty International Children's Rights Research
Fri 11 Jan 2019Daisy, Josh, Aleksandra and Isshak carried out research projects with groups of pupils from across the school to compile data that will contribute to a book being put together by Amnesty International on Children's Rights.
At a special assembly this week, the four researchers presented their findings to KS2 pupils, staff, invited parents and representatives from Amnesty International. We were told that Angelina Jolie, who is an ambassador for Amnesty International and has made a video for children (see link) had sent her best wishes and said she would have attended if she could.
Mrs Jones, teacher at Newlands, who has been leading the project in school in conjunction with Liz from the Children's Research Project, has received an email from the visitors:
This is a huge thank you from me and Alice on many counts – firstly, for supporting the child rights research so enthusiastically, but also for inviting us to the assembly yesterday. It was thoroughly enjoyable, interesting and stimulating and we left with a much better understanding of what lies behind the data that the Open Uni will send to us. And we were so impressed – not just with the four brilliant students – but with all of those who sat so quietly and seemed so engaged. What a wonderful school you have! Nicky Parker, Amnesty International.
Well done Newlands!
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Extremely Sad News
Mon 07 Jan 20197th January 2019
Dear Parents and Carers
I am writing to update you on a desperately sad incident for our school family.
Over the Christmas holiday, we learned that Lilian-May Mayhew, one of our former pupils, unexpectedly died at home on 23rd December. I wanted to share this tragic news with you as many will know Lili or her family, and this will of course be a sad time for us all.
I am sure you will wish to join me and my staff in offering our sincere condolences and sympathy to Lili’s family. As a school, we have been in contact with them to offer our support, and we are liaising with all the appropriate external agencies to ensure that they are cared for during this extremely difficult time.
Staff have today spoken with children about Lili’s death. Specially trained staff are on hand to support the children and will continue to be available in the coming weeks.
I think it is very important that we all take the time to talk with and reassure children about what has happened if you feel they have been affected by the event. Children respond in different ways to difficult situations. You may see a range of responses in your child or seemingly no response at all, any of which is normal. If you have ongoing concerns about how your child is coping please speak to school staff.
From Tuesday 8th - Friday 11th January, there will be a Book of Condolence in the school office for anyone to write their messages of condolence to the family. Please feel free to drop in and do this. We will also give staff and any children who knew Lili the opportunity to do this as well.
It goes without saying that this is a desperately sad and challenging time for all of us. I would like to thank you for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely
Karen Mellor
Headteacher
