Newsletter | Oct 2018
A very warm welcome to the autumn newsletter. I am sure you will agree we all felt a little apprehensive about coming back in September. However, we have been thrilled and proud to see pupils across both sites settle into their new environments and cope with the transition with courage and resilience. On a daily basis we have seen the positive impact the changes have made and the buzz of laughter evidences how well pupils have adapted and are enjoying their new challenges.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for continuing to support our journey of school transformation, all feedback is welcome.
Lisa Leonard | Headteacher
Help raise £1000 to help fund new equipment for the children at The Chiltern School
Two members of staff, Belinda and Sherry, will be raising money for the school by jumping out of an aeroplane, they will have parachutes attached!
They are jumping from 15,000 feet; neither of them has done this before so it will be a thrilling experience, equally courageous. Please help raise money by sponsoring them.
Disability Resource Centre Open Day
Benito, John, Jamie, Callum, Olivia, George
We went to the open day at the Disability Resource Centre on the Monday 1st October 2018. We met the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and Deputy Lord Lieutenant. We enjoyed looking at and trying out the different equipment. We also enjoyed doing some activities and learning new things.
Horticulture projects this Autumn term by Cath Kerr, Lead Teacher of Horticulture
We have been busy with lots of Autumn projects both at the school and with Silsoe allotment.
Firstly we are very proud to announce that the Post 16 allotment team won the sunflower competition at Silsoe. Our sunflowers measured over 7 feet and had the largest flower heads. Sunflower seeds from these prize winning flowers will be available in late spring. Why not get involved with our own completion in 2019!
We had a bumper harvest both at school and from the Silsoe allotment. Butternut squashes, pumpkins, courgettes potatoes, chard, runner beans, onions. All of the produce was given to the Café and have been used in dishes and chutneys.
The Silsoe groups have been preparing for the winter – digging over the soil and covering our plot to keep out the weeds. We have the large poly tunnel too where we are sowing seeds to harvest all year round. Lettuce and winter vegetables.
Primary and secondary horticulture groups have been busy planting for the spring. We are looking forward to swaths of daffodils in the sensory garden at school and a bounty of onions, shallots and garlic in the school allotment.
As Halloween approaches Bedfordshire Police is reminding parents and guardians to keep their children safe
If possible, parents and guardians should go out trick or treating with their children, sticking to well-lit areas and only knocking on the doors of people they know. Some people may have 'No trick or treat' posters up at their doors and we ask that these are respected.
Bedfordshire Police is also reminding children and parents to be mindful that some of the more vulnerable or elderly members of the community may feel intimidated by people calling at their doors and appeals to all residents to look out for their neighbours who may feel frightened during this time.
Extra patrols will be on hand over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period to ensure that the evenings can be enjoyed safely If you do have any concerns during Halloween, it's important that you call 101 in order to keep 999 free for genuine emergencies - 31 October is one of the police's busiest nights of the year!
Well done Lavender class
Here are some photos of Lavender class developing their independence through feeding, standing, sitting and walking. They are working really hard on these PLP targets and all the staff team are very proud of their progress in this area over the half term.
Well done Lavender class!
Design & Technology
All pupils in Design & Technology have worked really well this half term and should be proud of their efforts and work produced.
Using a combination square to carefully mark out timber and then constructing a corner halving joint. Pupils on this pathway have been getting used to using carpentry hand tools.
Other pathways have been busy building Aztec temples, painting them with a base and then top coat. Pupils then added lots of detail to their models including, stairs, windows and Aztec patterns.
Using a range of carpentry hand tools to produce a very high quality bird house. This Post 16 group has really begun to flourish.
Harvest Assembly 19th October 2018
Post 16 pupils helped to set up the assembly for the Harvest festival. We are thankful to all the pupils and parents for their contribution of food. All the food will be going to the foodbank, helping the homeless, old and needy in Dunstable and Houghton Regis.
Working in Partnership
We are committed to working in partnership with our parents and carers and try to be proactive in making sure parents are aware of any issues or concerns at an early stage.
We hope that parents/carers will do the same and let us know straight away if there are any worries you may have. If you have any concerns please talk in the first instance to your child’s class teacher but if you have any further concerns you should contact the Pathway Leader.
Family Forum
Please find below the upcoming family forum dates. This is an opportunity for parents and carers to come into school for a tea, coffee and a chat. Our November dates will include a uniform amnesty (please bring in the old Chiltern Uniform for us to donate) and school tour options across both sites.
- Tuesday 13th November: 10-12pm Beech Road
- Wednesday 14th November: 10-12pm Kingsland
- Tuesday 20th November: 5 - 7pm Beech Road
- Wednesday 21st November: 5 -7pm Kingsland
Staff Changes
In September we had a number of new staff joins us, we are glad to report they have all survived the first half term and already making a positive contribution to the staff team.
- Abbie Crowley - Teacher in Joyce Class
- Jeralee Eckelt - Teacher in Kahlo Class
- Ellen Watson - Teacher in Sunflower Class
- Bev McKenzie Teacher in Crocodile Class
- Aaron Hellings - Gleghorn Artist in Residence
- Kelsey Bradley Level 3 Apprentice
- Sascha Paton Level 3 Apprentice
- Lauren Reynolds TA1
- Natalie Young TA1
- Gemma Brown TA2 Elephant Class
- Maria Izzard TA2 Bears Class
- Sam Breese TA1
Congratulations
I would also like to congratulate 3 members of staff who have been promoted internally. Following a restructuring of our Middle Leadership as a result of the introduction of Learning Pathways, we have appointed 3 new Pathway Leaders.
- Lauren Wilson is our Pathway Leader for Physical and multi-sensory Impairments Learning Pathway.
- Louise Clarke is our Pathway Leader for Communication and Sensory Learning Pathway.
- Kasia Stern is our Pathway Leader for Early Transitions.
Sad to Say Goodbye
Sadly, we are also saying goodbye to 2 members of staff who have had a significant impact on the school in their time here and many of you will have had a lot of contact with.
Barbara Hagger is retiring after over 25 years of service at the school and Sue Smith is moving to a new job following her passion of working more locally with PMLD/SLD pupils. We wish them both every success for the future and thank them for their commitment to the school.
Dates for your Diary
- 6th November SNAP coffee morning
- 16th November Children In Need
- 27th November A Celebration of Christmas at The Grove Theatre 8th December SOCS Christmas Bazaar
- 11th December SNAP Coffee Morning
- 13th December Christmas Lunch and Celebrations, Beech Road
- 14th December The Christmas Clock, Beech Road
- 14th December Christmas Concert, Kingsland Campus
- 18th December Christmas Dinner, Kingsland Campus
- 19th December School break for Christmas
- 7th January Pupils start back at school
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
