Kingsway Villagers

The first Kingsway School Play went ahead yesterday.

Angelina and I took my son Michael along to watch the fun.

Not wishing to spoil things for others in the audience (nor to distract the performers), I snapped a few quick pictures from my seat (when Phoenix was on stage along with the “Kingfisher Angels”), the best of which is this one:

Filled with song, dance, fun and festive facts, the play – which was entirely put together during the last six weeks – was wonderful to see, and the children were very enthusiastic.

Teachers and staff did a fabulous job in such a short time (thank you all), producing a polished performance which lasted for just over an hour.

Finally a word of thanks to Chinnick Theatre Services (Stroud), who supplied a temporary stage – with sound and lighting equipment – at very short notice.

The School has launched it’s own website at www.kingsway.gloucs.sch.uk

Having said that, the web site is already out of date and we are having trouble updating it as BT can’t – for some complicated reason – provide us with a broadband line at the moment.

Still, check back when you can, the site name is permanent and the content will change from time to time.

Julian Powell
Chair of Governors

We received the following letter from Kingsway Primary School:

Dear Parents,

We are delighted to announce that Kingsway Primary School has now been completed and we can start the process of moving over to the School site (Hooray)! This news has been eagerly awaited since September and we know that you will share our excitement at this time. It has certainly been the biggest guessing game for many months!

The school building and land will be handed over to Gloucestershire County Council at noon on Monday 13th October 2008. The staff and myself can then start the complicated task of furnishing the building and establishing the policies that will prepare the way for pupils to join us.

Over the last two days, we have been contacting all our suppliers to give them the go ahead to start deliveries from Tuesday 14th October. This is the point where I see if I have forgotten anything! All services and commisioning of the building etc will take place prior to Monday 13th October.

The staff and governors want to enable the Reception pupils to move over into their new school BEFORE half term. We want them to have the privilege of being first and to be settled and sorted before the other years are admitted. Their furniture etc is all as you see it over at Beech Green so it is a simple matter of packing up and moving over to the new room. To achieve this, the governors have decided to close the school for the day on Friday 17th October. This "School Closure Day" is a normal occurence when a school is moving and we do hope you can appreciate that to provide you with the school asap, we need to take one day to move the contents of our accomodation at Beech Green Primary. (Most schools close for two days). I appreciate that for some of you, this may involve changes to childcare arrangements and I do apologise for this.

Please read the following carefully:

Monday 13^th Oct’ To Thursday 16^th Oct’ (inc’):
School over at Beech Green as normal (9:20am to 3:15pm). Coach collection and delivery as normal.

Friday 17^th Oct’:
School closed for pupils. No coach collections. School Office closed and neither the teachers, Mrs Needham or the Secretary can be contacted.

Monday 20^th Oct’ To Fri 24^th Oct’ (inc’) – (End of Term):
School over at Kiingsay Primary School. School starts at 8:45am and finishes at 3:15pm. No hot school meals yet or free school meals so please send your child with sandwiches.

School closed for half-term: Monday 27^th to Fri’ 31^st Oct’ (inc’).

School closed on Monday 3^rd and Tuesday 4^th November for staff training.

School reopens over at Kingsway Primary School on Wednesday 5^th Nov’.
School starts 8:45am and finishes at 3:15pm. Hot dinners are now being provided daily.
More details to follow before the end of this half-term.

The letter included much more information about other year groups, teachers, admission times, playgrounds, gates and entrances, car parking, collection points, speaking to teachers, breakfast clubs, afterschool care, holiday cover, teaching assistants etc and a map/drawing of the pick-up and drop-off points.

If you are interested in any of these points and haven’t had the letter, please comment on this post and I will post the information for you.

September’s here and the kids are back at school… Yippeeeeee

Kingsway School children also started today.

Phoenix was keen to go and I couldn’t resist snapping a quick picture of her in the new Kingsway School Uniform.

Click to enlarge…

The coach picked up from the school at 9:15 and – despite the weather – the children were all very excited.

The trip to and from Beeches Green (temporary school accomodation) went quickly enough and the coach driver (a very nice man) said that – starting tomorrow – he will pick-up and drop-off at any point along the route (Woodvale – Thatcham Avenue).

Phoenix came home full of beans and ate her way through her lunch and mine – lol…
A small price to pay for a quiet morning

With the school building (obviously) unavailable at the moment, the staff of Kingsway School have come up with a few other ways for pupils and parents to meet before the start of the new school year.

On Tuesday July 1st, we went along to the Quedgeley Library for a story session hosted by Mrs Warren, the reception year teacher. Mrs Needham was there with the new school uniforms. Phoenix had a great time and we came home loaded with books!

On Thursday July 10th, Phoenix and I went along to a second meeting at Go Bananas in (Ebley) Stroud, a fabulous indoor softplay centre. Phoenix was nervous to begin with but ended up scaring me half to death by climbing right up to the top level and hurtling down the largest slide – lol – I wish I’d taken my camera.
All the children seemed to have great fun and – if they were as exhausted as Phoenix – the parents should have had a nice quiet evening!

There was a tour of the school (parents only) on Friday 11th. Sadly I was unable to go as I had Phoenix with me and children weren’t allowed (Health & Safety reasons). I’m dying to see inside the school

On Monday at 4.15pm we will get to see the part of Beech Green Primary School where the children will be spending the first few months.

Adverts are out for more jobs at the new school

When we fully open we will need a total of four Midday Supervisors, and as soon as possible a Clerk to the Governors.

From 1 January 2009 we need three Teaching Assistants, the closing date for these is 25 July 2008:
Post One: Foundation Stage Teaching Assistant.
Post Two: SEN focused Teaching Assistant.
Post Three: Teaching Assistant to work with an individual statemented pupil for 10 hours per week

Further details are available from the Headteacher, Mrs Needham, at Kingsway Primary School, c/o Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester. GL1 2TP. Tel 01452 425077 or email: paula.needham@gloucestershire.gov.uk

The jobs adverts are: here.