Kingsway Villagers

Hi all,

I have just been reading your posts on here with regard to ‘what to do with your toddlers’…

We are a SureStart Children’s Centre based at Kingsway. We are currently running from a classroom in the School, while our actual centre is being built (on the school site).
We are hoping to be open in Jan 2011.

In the meantime we run a Stay & Play session which is a drop in session for 0-4 year olds and their parents/carers every Thursday from 1.30pm – 3pm.

The cost of the Stay & Play session is £2.00 per family. This includes a drink and snack for your child.

This  group is supported by Community Family Workers who are on hand for advice and support (if required).  

Why not come along and meet new friends and have fun!

We also support  a Kingsway Health/Baby Clinic, on a Thursday morning from 9.15am – 11am where you can have your baby weighed, breast feeding support/advice where a Health Visitor Nursery Nurse is on hand for advice and support.

Sessions are open this Thursday and ongoing.

Please contact Jodie or Debby for more information if required on 01452 526856.

Hope to see you all there and hope the above has helped with ‘what to do with your toddlers’  – obviously when we open the Centre in Jan 2011 we will have a more extensive programme to offer.

Kind Regards
Jodie

Dear Kingsway,

It is a little while since I have added news about the school, but the thread about difficulty getting a child into the school has prompted me to provide some guidance.

Kingsway Primary School admissions have shown unprecedented growth over the last 18 months as shown below:

• September 2008  – 30 pupils on roll in one class
• November 2008  – 108 pupils in 4 classes
• January 2009 – 122 pupils in 6 classes
• July 2009  – 137 pupils in 6 classes
• September 2009 – 182 pupils on roll in 8 classes
• April 2010 – 220 pupils on roll in 8 classes
• September 2010 – we will be 279 pupils on roll at least and be at least 10 classes.

This has led to confusion over spaces available at the school, because at times we are full in some year groups, until sufficient admission appeals necessitate another class being opened. This then releases more places for pupils.

Gloucestershire County Council keeps our allowed admission numbers low so that we are not swamped by people who would like to attend GCC’s ‘Flagship’ school and who do not live locally. While this may appear frustrating for local parents, it is actually a helpful system and stops more distant pupils blocking out local children moving onto the estate at a later time.

At the moment, we have lots of spaces across the school for September 2010 because larger numbers in each year group are moving up the school releasing spare capacity in classes, BUT these spaces are going very very fast. If you register your interest with us for September 2010 before 1st July, myself – as Headteacher, will deal with admissions but after 1st July 2010, this control will return to GCC. Do not miss this final opportunity for spaces!

If you want a place in your local primary school then apply to us and we will do all we can to get you in.

Although there are plans for a second school on Kingsway, this is once again governed by completed house purchases and is sometime in the future. In the interim period, more and more Kingsway pupils will be referred to places in other local schools, necessitating travel and isolation from friends. The more parents who appeal to Kingsway Primary school, the more we can open up to accomodate your wishes.

Our contacts:
Tel: 01452 881800
Email: admin@kingsway.gloucs.sch.uk
Website:  www.kingsway.gloucs.sch.uk

Mrs Needham

Headteacher

Hello,

I have been having a look around your site, it is great I am so glad I found it, everyone seems so friendly.

I move to the area in 2 weeks and have been living out in Europe for the last 3 years so I know absolutely nothing about any of the surrounding area or schools etc, and have been unable to find the street we will be living in on any maps online (I’m assuming its because its a new build)! The street name is Goose Bay Drive.

Can anyone tell me how far Beaufort School is from here?
Is there access through the wooded area, as I dont drive?

Also has anyone else has any problems getting their children into Kingsway School? I love the sound of the school but as of yet have been refused a place on the grounds its full to its limit …but have been told to appeal.

It has been a long time in the discussion, but Kingsway is about to get its very own Children’s Centre. This will be based in the grounds of Kingsway Primary School and together these two organisations will offer much needed services for children and families, in your community.

On Wednesday 3rd February from 5.00 – 7.00pm, the plans will be on display at Kingsway Primary School for any interested residents to view. Key personnel will also be present for any of your questions and for hearing your ideas for shaping our services to your community. We will also invite you to have a look around the school and to meet the Headteacher too.

Without the support of this community, others will shape the services that are offered which may not be what you would choose. Please do come along and help us get this right. Please pass the message on to any residents you think will be interested in this event.

Thank you,

Mrs Needham (Headteacher of Kingsway Primary School)

Year 6 pupils from Kingsway School are getting together with the year 10 pupils from Beaufort School in a joint project to produce a "News Program" about Kingsway School & Kingsway Village.

The program will feature children and staff from the school as well as local parents and residents, and Mrs Bennett has asked me to invite local residents to take part, saying:

"We’re looking for input and opinions from anybody interested in giving positive feedback about the village and local area, and how we can work together to improve the local community."

If you’re interested, please call Kingsway School on 01452-881800 and let them know that you’d like to be involved.

As of 23 September 2009 Community Governor Jan Mabson is the new Chair of Governors of Kingsway Primary School.

Much to my disappointment I have had to stand down. I am working away part of the week and cannot do the Chairman’s role effectively. I will remain as an ordinary school governor and give whatever help I can. Parent Governor, Tracey Longden-Thurgood is the new Vice Chair.

I am happy to still talk to parents but am no longer the Chairman. The easiest way to contact the school is via the School website.

I knew the temporary Governing Body was going to be a lot of work when I took it on the year before the school was officially created. Since then it has been whirlwind of activity for the school, we now have more than three times the number of pupils originally predicted by the County Council.

The children from Kingsway and Copeland Park come from a huge range of backgrounds. In the past, some have been better served by the education system than others, and the staff are working very hard to try to get everybody to reach their full potential. We hope we may gain a large number of children from families moving to the area to work for Nato in the near future, and this will add another dimension to the school.

So I predict another very interesting, exhausting, but rewarding year for Kingsway Primary School, and offer my best wishes and support to Jan and Tracey, Headteacher Paula Needham and her staff.