It has been another fantastic week at Hoyland Common Primary School and some of the highlights have been – a ‘night camp’ for Y2 children who thoroughly enjoyed their search for the ‘Beast of Hoyland’ and other nocturnal creatures and ended with them all being warmed up with a nice mug of hot chocolate. I’m very much looking forward to seeing their writing about the experience!
We also had “Go Fence” the British Fencing Association in on Wednesday showing Years 1 and 2 how they could be budding musketeers! And today we have the pleasure of having the Northern Ballet Company in working with Year 1 pupils developing an “Elves and the Shoe Maker” routine to be performed later at the Civic in Barnsley.

It has also been assessment week this week and the chance for children to show just how much progress they have made in reading, writing, maths, SPAG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar) and phonics. It was great to hear great reports of children putting incredible effort into their assessments and I am sure they will get the outcomes they deserve. Parents will be able to discuss the attainment and progress of their children further at parent’s evenings on the 16th and 17th of March.

Stars of the week this week were selected for demonstrating the school rule ‘Show good manners and be polite and caring to everyone and treat others as you wish to be treated.’ And throughout school we saw endless examples of children being polite having good manners and been kind to others. Well done to all of you who were selected to dine with the stars. Alongside the new school rules developed by the school council, are ‘chance cards’. Whenever a child is seen to be demonstrating one of the school rules to a high standard by a member of staff they receive a ‘chance card’ and are entered into a prize draw for some great rewards at the end of the term and I’m sure there will be hundreds in the box by the end of the each term.

There has also been a huge improvement in attendance this week at 96.9%, well done to everyone involved but please do endeavour to ensure that Mondays and Fridays are also attended as well as the rest of the week and let’s try to keep up the high percentages for the rest of the year! As ever if you wish to discuss anything about your child’s education please do not hesitate to discuss it with me or one of the HCPS team.