Rights Respecting Gold Party!

This afternoon, we’ll be celebrating our Rights Respecting Gold Award with a very special Gold Party!

Pupils will be taking part in a range of gold-themed activities, including decorating cakes and biscuits, creating artwork, enjoying dance sessions, and joining in with our gold-themed karaoke. The hall is looking suitably golden for the occasion, and we're looking forward to a fun-filled afternoon celebrating this fantastic achievement together.

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this prestigious award. We are incredibly proud of our pupils and staff for their commitment to ensuring children's rights are at the heart of everything we do at Fountaindale. We are the first school in Nottinghamshire to ever achieve Gold!

Parental Communication:

We hope that parents and carers continue to find Seesaw a valuable tool for seeing what pupils have been learning, celebrating achievements, and sharing in the experiences they take part in throughout the school day.

We would kindly ask everyone to be mindful of both the timing and frequency of messages sent to staff through Seesaw. Notifications can be received via email and other devices, which can make it difficult for staff to fully switch off outside of working hours. Supporting staff wellbeing is important, and allowing them time to rest and recharge helps ensure they can continue providing the best possible support for all of our pupils.

Monster Design Project:

This afternoon, our amazing monster designs are heading off to West Notts College, and wow, we have been blown away by the creativity, imagination and effort that has gone into them! The pupils have produced some fantastic characters, and we can't wait to see them brought to life.

We are looking forward to sharing the finished animations with you later in the school year when we hold our special premiere event. Watch this space!

Wednesday Assemblies:

Each Wednesday, pupils take part in our whole-school assembly programme. To ensure assemblies are meaningful, engaging and accessible for all learners, we deliver them in two groups: Pre-Formal and Semi-Formal learners, and Formal and Post-16 learners. While many themes are shared, assemblies are adapted to meet the needs and developmental stages of each group.

This half term, our assembly topics have included:

• New Beginnings and Welcome Back
• Kind Hands, Kind Words (Friendships)
• Respect and Celebrating Differences (linked to the European Day of Languages)
• Seasons Changing – Hello Autumn
• World Mental Health Day
• Harvest and Being Thankful

These assemblies provide opportunities for pupils to explore important values, celebrate key events and develop their understanding of themselves and the world around them.

HI/VI Support:

We would like to remind parents and carers to let us know if there are any issues with your child's hearing aids or glasses. Sharing this information helps ensure that class teams are aware and can support your child effectively throughout the school day.

If you require any additional support with hearing aids, Cheryl may be able to provide advice and assistance, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.

If you are sending hearing aid batteries into school, please ensure they are contained in a secure storage box and are not loose in bags. We also ask that you inform your child's class team when batteries are being sent in so that they can be stored safely within school.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Boccia Fixture Update:

On Wednesday afternoon, our Boccia team will take part in their first fixture of the year, with Dawn House School coming to Fountaindale for a friendly competition. We hope all of the hard work and practice during lunch club sessions pays off, and we are looking forward to seeing the pupils showcase their skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. Good luck to everyone involved!

World Cerebral Palsy Day - 6th October:

On 6th October, we will be recognising World Cerebral Palsy Day, a global awareness day that celebrates the achievements of people with cerebral palsy and promotes greater understanding, inclusion and accessibility. As a school, we are proud to support and celebrate the unique strengths, talents and successes of all our pupils, while continuing to champion a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and be included.

Weekly Safeguarding Update:

At Fountaindale, we recognise that emotional wellbeing is a key part of safeguarding. We are fortunate to have Cherryl, our trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), who works with pupils to help them develop emotional awareness, resilience, confidence and strategies to manage worries or challenges they may face.

If you have concerns about your child's emotional wellbeing or would like to discuss how school may be able to support them, please speak to a member of the school team. Working together helps us ensure that every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn.

Have a great weekend!

Ben Norman

Headteacher