Bulletin February 2012

I would like to start this Bulletin by thanking you for being so helpful and supportive over the change of the time at the start of the school day. We have been able to work together to iron out any problems. The start of the day is much calmer and we have been able to make the transition into school safer.

Our new lunchtime clubs are going well. I have joined the Secondary students for some of their Aqua–Fit classes. Lee and Faye certainly make us work hard! Secondary choir and Primary Sing-Up Club are also going well, with the club members showing great enthusiasm for their singing.

 

We are currently waiting to hear from the DFE to see if we have been accepted to begin the process of exploration and consultation into Academy status. If we are accepted we will have a grant of £25,000 that we can use to find out all the information we need to help us decide whether to become an Academy. Your views are very important in this process and will involve meetings and many opportunities for you to ask questions and have your say. If approved, we will begin this consultation in the summer term.

We will be saying two “goodbyes” at the end of this term. David Lloyd is leaving after 14 years teaching at Bettridge. We are very grateful for all he has contributed and wish him well for the future.

It is with great sadness that we have accepted the retirement of Charles Tedstone from our Governing Body. Charles has given many years of service to the school and his knowledge, experience and sound judgement will be greatly missed. We are very grateful for all he has done. We now do need to recruit at least one new Community Governor.

Thank you for those who stood for election and voted for our new Parent Governor. We can announce that Becky Martin is your new Parent Governor.

Bettridge Special School has secured an allocation of at least 6 free tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games through the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative. Jane Brown has the difficult task of deciding which pupils and staff will go!

Mandy Roberts

School finishes Friday 10th February
Pupils return Monday 20th February

Early Years

We have been finding out about animals in Early Years. We were so excited when Lee brought his puppy in to show us. We enjoyed stroking her fur and playing chase with her in our play area! It was so much fun!

Squirrels

Squirrels have had another busy term. We have had more PE with our friends from Dean Close learning how to safely use the small apparatus, climbing up, sliding along and jumping down which has been such fun. We made new friends from Class 1 from Belmont School too who come over to see us on Mondays and we play nicely together in soft play. We have also had another very successful coffee morning for all the squirrels parents where we get together for support, help, advice and a chat (with biscuits and tea/coffee too.)

Foxes

Foxes class have been "going 'round the bend" as they have learnt to program Beebot floor robots to turn corners!

Rabbits

This term Rabbits class have been making cakes and biscuits in D&T

Toads

Toads received another visit from Fire Fighter Adrian! This time we talked about fire safety in the home and water safety! We tried on his special life jacket that helps you to float in the water!
In maths this term we have been learning about capacity – this has meant lots of activities using different sized jugs and water. We talked about the jugs being full, half-full and empty.

Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs have had lots of fun looking at the Chinese New Year. They have looked at the different animals of the Zodiac signs, tasted lots of Chinese food and dressed up in Chinese clothes in preparation for a Chinese banquet lunch.

S1

S1 celebrated Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon. They made a vegetable noodle dish flavoured with hoi sin sauce and made good attempts at eating with chopsticks. They also drank Chinese jasmine tea. They dressed up in some Chinese clothes and put up red Chinese lanterns and good luck hangings in the classroom.
They looked at photographs of places and events in China in books and some pupils wrote numbers in Mandarin Chinese. Others coloured in the Chinese word for tea, (cha). While this was going on they listened to traditional Chinese music and had incense burning.

S2

S2 have been busy this term using the whiteboard. We have also enjoyed cooking and painting

S3

S3 have been enjoying cooking their own dinner this term and especially liked their beans on toast. Dinner was delicious.

 

We have also been to Oxtalls with lots of other Special Schools and we had the chance to join in lots of different sports and dancing. At the end we all received a medal.

 

 

 

 

S4

S4 walked to Bath Road to see some of the specialist shops they have to offer such as the green grocer, butcher etc. They bought S4's food tech ingredients whilst they were there.

S5

"S5" have been really enjoying using the swimming pool at Brockworth; using a much bigger and deeper pool, swimming lots of lengths, improving their strokes and taking part in races and games so lots of good exercise and fun as well!! It is also very important for the students to be out in the community using these types of facilities

S6

S6 have been enjoying lots of time using the new sensory equipment in the dark room. We have also begun to get out and about (before the cold snap) and are looking forward to more visits as it get warmer towards the spring and summer. We have also begun our latest book 'Charlie and The Chocolate Factory' which we are all enjoying very much!!

 

Post 16

This is the term that Post 16 takes part in their mini-enterprise. Each week we make soup and then sell it to staff in order to raise money towards the trip to Lourdes at Easter.
Students go around the school visiting other classes to ask who wants the soup and then have great fun when everyone comes to our class Tuesday lunchtimes to buy the soup.

Swimming

January Swimming: This month we have introduced our new senior Aqua Fit Club where pupils have the opportunity to take part in a lunch time fitness session. It has started off really well and pupils seem to be having great fun; even the Headteacher took part in a session saying she enjoyed it (although she was slightly red faced and out of breath when she left!) We still have some spaces left. If any senior pupil would like to take part please speak to the Swimming Dept.

 

Charity Donations

£71.18 was collected at our Carol Service in December. Following a suggestion from a pupil and subsequent vote from the School Council, it was decided to send the money to Cheltenham Animal Shelter.