Welcome
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to parents and carers, old and new and of course, to
our wonderful children here at Atwood.
Last week we heard the news of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen and as such decided to
postpone our first newsletter of this academic year to this week.
It seems as if we have been back at Atwood for a whole term already but in reality, it is only for a
fortnight. You will all know by now that we have changed back to being known as Atwood
Primary School as all of the new signage attests. This is because we are now beginning the exciting
journey of being part of a larger family of schools, the Pegasus Academy Trust. I know that Mr
Roberts has written a piece for our newsletter in which he highlights some of the key ‘summer
works’ that have taken place. Many of you have commented favourably on the new tarmac section
and agree that it is a much safer entrance to Atwood, as the children and their families no longer
need to pass through the car park.
Atwood being part of Pegasus is certainly not all about capital works projects, although this is an
important part of being part of a larger organisation – the ability to access group funding, bid for funding
from central government and tender for projects that provide better value for money. However,
the most important aspect of school life is the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
As such, Mr Simons as our English leader, is working alongside Ms Byrne from the Trust, to look
at the strengths and areas for development with our reading curriculum. I look forward to letting
you know how we will be developing reading across the school in due course.
New Start to the School Day
Many thanks for your feedback about the entrance to the school (as well as picking up at the end
of the day). Many of you are now well into the swing of the morning routine and have noted that
it is better to arrive towards 8.45am rather than automatically coming onto the grounds at
8.30am. This has certainly lessened the congestion.
To note, the classroo doors will open at 8.45am. Those teachers who are upstairs or have to
collect their classes will come out at 8.45am.
In terms of the register, this will open at 8.45am as the children come into class. The register will
close at 8.55am sharp. The first formal lesson will commence at 9.00am.
Therefore, you should aim to have your child IN CLASS no later than 8.45am. Any children
coming in after 8.55am at either the Tandridge Gate or the Main Gate will be deemed LATE and
will need to sign in at the office.
I am very pleased to note that the slightly later opening of the classrooms at 8.45am has reduced
even further the incidences of children being late, but there are still some families that this sadly
applies to. Please can I ask that you ensure that your child is in school by no later than 8.45am?
