Funding to help your child and the school
Schools get extra funding, known as the ‘Pupil Premium’, for every child registered as eligible for a free school meal if their parents are receiving benefits.
Schools use this money for activities such as art therapy, booster classes, educational trips, and after-school clubs.
To qualify, your child must be in school and you must be receiving one of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance
- NASS support
- Guarantee element of State Pension
- Child Tax Credit, provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit for the four weeks after employment ends
- Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400
If this applies to you but your child isn’t registered for free school meals, complete a form and return it to your child school.
Download the form and apply for Free School Meals on Wokingham Borough Council’s website.
FACE Family Advice
FACE Family Advice are running two online talks – ‘Anxiety Explained’ and ‘Supporting Healthy Sleep’. To find out more and to read a copy of their newsletter go to our website here.
Knife and Fork Usage
NHS guidelines suggest that between 3 and 5 years of age children will be learning how to spread and cut with a knife but it is often not until around 7 years of age that children can use a knife and fork completely independently to cut up and eat all by themselves.
Some children are struggling to eat their lunch because they have not yet mastered the use of a knife. We would therefore ask our parents/carers if they can help their children master this life skill to enable them to cut up their lunch in school.
Temporary Traffic Lights on New Wokingham Road
A section of gas pipe work along New Wokingham Road will soon be starting. To safely complete this work, SGN will need to install temporary traffic lights in New Wokingham Road on 3 March for approximately seven weeks. Consequently, you may need to plan additional time for your journey into school.
PTA Easter Egg Raffle – Thursday 28th March
Our PTA are collecting Easter eggs (no nuts please) to raise much needed funds for Oaklands Schools.
If you are able to help by supplying one or two, please do send these into the Infant or Junior offices by Tuesday 26th March and the PTA will collect from there. All donations will be very gratefully received.
Other PTA Dates for Your Diaries
Wednesday 6th March 6.00pm PTA AGM (held in Elm Class in the Infant School)
Friday 8th March – PTA Disco – Infants 4:30-5:30pm / Juniors 6:00-7:30pm (held in the Junior School Hall)
Friday 15th March – Pre-loved uniform sale after school in the Junior playground
Local Community Information
Sandhurst Gardening Club
Sandhurst Gardening Club is looking to involve more children in gardening (and their parents) and to this end have planned some family-friendly activities for Good Friday details of which can be found on our website here.
If you, or anyone else, would like to know more about the club or their activities please feel free to contact them: secretary@sandhurstgardeningclub.co.uk
More information can also be found on their website: http://www.sandhurstgardeningclub.co.uk/
Kind regards,
Oaklands Junior School Office