Contents

• Acting Headteacher update.
• Mental Health Awareness Week.
• Relaxation and sensory room.
• School Uniform Provider.
• Swinton History and Heritage Display.
• Diary dates.

We have once again reached the end of another week at SQP – and what a week! I’m particularly thinking about the weather and the storm on Wednesday night. Our thoughts are with anyone who was affected by this event. Hopefully, we will see the blue skies return soon as we begin to welcome the summer.

We are very excited to have had our sensory room installed in school this week – you may have seen the photos on our Twitter account and there is more information about the purpose of the room in this newsletter. We can’t wait for our children to use this space….I suspect we may find the staff sneaking in too!

We have been fortunate to be able to have our class photos taken this week in a covid safe way. We have re arranged for the photographer to come to school next Thursday (20th May) to take Class 2’s class photo as the children and staff in this bubble will return on Monday.

Please continue to follow the current requirements of social distancing and face coverings. Whilst the Government have announced some changes from May 17th, we have not yet received any further guidance from the DfE and until we do, we will continue to implement what we have been asked to do by the Government . Please continue to wear face coverings for the school pick up and drop off and avoid congregating in larger groups outside the premises. My continued thanks to those of you who are fully respectful and support the school to implement our risk assessment.

Mrs Cunningham

As this week is officially Mental Health Awareness week here is a link for you to explore. This year's theme is all about nature and how this can have a positive impact on our mental health and well-being.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

As part of helping us all to think positively and manage our mental health and wellbeing effectively, Action for Happiness have created a calendar for 'Meaningful May' to help us to reflect on the things that give our lives meaning.

This week has seen the installation of our relaxation and multi-sensory room and we are delighted that we are able to provide such a fantastic resource for our children. We would also like to thank the Local Authority for their financial contributions towards this.

Our multi-sensory room offers a safe and comfortable environment where children can explore and develop their senses and skills, our room offers many different features ranging from interactive equipment which make dramatic changes to the sensory environment using sound and lighting. Our sensory room will engage children to learn through play, from following bright light, shapes and patterns with their eyes to making sounds with musical instruments, learning about touch by examining a variety of textures. The overactive will feel calm, the inactive stimulated. Our multi-sensory room offers a constantly changing environment to relax, learn new skills, make and listen to music, play and have FUN. .

In addition to the above it also offers a 'safe and quiet' sanctuary for children from the outside world. A space where any child experiencing difficulties, stress or anxiety can access either simply for some time out or as a space to talk to staff.

Following on from the parent survey and feedback we have moved to a new supplier. This company take online orders (as well as order forms that will be sent to school in the next few weeks and then circulated to families) that are then delivered to school. These orders come every 2nd Wednesday and will be handed out to children to bring home.

https://www.vortexschoolwear.co.uk/Primary-Schools/Swinton-Queen-Primary-School/

As a school we are incredibly proud of our community and want all pupils to wear their uniform with pride. You may have seen that staff also wear either a hoodie or fleece with the school logo on.

As a school we would ask that all new uniform with logos are ordered only through Vortex as we have updated the school logo and other companies do not have this. We are more than happy for children to continue wearing any uniform that has the previous logo on as well as any clothing in school colours without the logo.

Please note that we will only allow hoodies with the school logo on to be worn in school. Any other hoodie must be hung up in the cloakroom.

At this point please do not order any P.E tops as we are busy sorting all children into the various 'houses' and we would not want you to purchase the wrong colour top. Plain white P.E tops are also fine for children to wear in the meantime.

As we continue to develop our outdoor spaces we are aiming to create a large display that covers the history of our local community.

We have been able to source some information about the area, and Mr Allen has be doing some research already for this, but WE NEED YOUR HELP!

If you know any interest facts about Swinton and its history (dates of significant events, important buildings, industry, famous people from the area) please can you email these to enquiries@sqp.wwpat.org so we can include them.

20th May - Class 2 photo.

Spring Bank – School closes on Friday, 28th May 2021 and re-opens on Tuesday, 8th June 2021. The 7th June is an INSET day.

Summer – School closes on Tuesday, 20th July 2021.