Friday 22nd September 2023
Dear Links Families,
Another Friday has come around very quickly and I hope you have had a good week. It’s been a relatively normal weekend, if such a thing exists.
We’ve been considering attendance this week, and already this year our attendance has improved compared with this time last year. Thank you for supporting this.
However, there are still too many children missing too much school. Of course if children are unwell then they shouldn’t attend school, but every day is important at school as the learning from one day leads on to the next and so for some children it can be quite a challenge to catch up if they have been absent. Equally the beginning of the school day is a crucial time for setting up the children’s learning for the day so please ensure that your children are in the classroom ready to start their day by 8.50am at the latest.
Friendship groups are also a very important part of school life and it can sometimes be difficult for children to maintain friendships if they are too often absent or late for school.
Thanks again for supporting your children in this way.
Meet our new SENCo
Dear Families,
It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself. I am Kirsten Slinger the new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENCo) here at Links Primary School. I am excited to be joining the Links family and working with you to ensure the best possible educational experience for all of our SEN children.
As SENCo, my primary goal is to ensure that each and every child with special educational needs or disabilities receives the necessary support to achieve their full potential. Whether your child requires additional support in the classroom, specialised interventions or adjustments or even an Education and Health Care Plan, I am here to collaborate with teachers, staff, and external professionals to tailor individualised plans that meet their unique needs. Open communication is of paramount importance to me. I encourage you to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or insights you may have about your child's educational journey. By working together, we can create a strong partnership that nurtures a positive and inclusive learning environment.
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your children. Together, we can ensure that Links Primary School remains a place where every student's unique abilities and potential are celebrated and nurtured.
Please feel free to contact me at senco@links.merton.sch.uk or 020 8769 4587 or catch me in the playground, if you have any questions or if you would like to set up a meeting to discuss your child's individual needs.
Merton’s Big Sports Day
- Merton’s BIG Sports Day (Poster attached):
- Date: Sunday 24 September 2023
- Time: 10am - 4pm
- Location: Canons House and Grounds, Mitcham CR4 4HD
- Free to attend, no ticket required.
Merton’s ambition is to become London’s Borough of Sport - by creating more low-cost and free opportunities for residents to get active, by celebrating the area’s sporting heritage and by investing in sport to ensure opportunity for all.
This September is the chance for all residents to get involved at our first ever borough-wide Big Sports Day to showcase all the fantastic facilities, organisations and opportunities in Merton.
- PRIZES: children and young people will receive a stamp card – with prizes to be won if they complete 6 activities across the day.
- FREE SWIMMING ALL DAY: at the canons leisure centre, alongside 30+ other free activities
- POP UP VELODROME: arrive on your bike to try it out, or borrow one from the providers.
- HEALTH SUPPORT: Tons of public health information stalls giving out information for families and CYP
- MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES: Music all day with performances and demo on the stage, including the summer reading challenge prize giving!
- SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: all activities suitable for adults too with adapted activities for those less mobile or with disabilities.
Links Values Award
This week’s Values Awards go to Maya (3P), Enzo (4M), Athis (4T) and Nashaad (6M) for demonstrating our Links Values. We are very proud of you!
House Points
Congratulations again to Red House who accrued the most house points this week.
- Red - 264
- Yellow- 212
- Blue - 192
- Green 183
Weekly Attendance
Here are this week’s attendance figures for each class.
- Rainbow- 95.5%
- Sunshine- 94.3%
- 1EJ- 92.9%
- 1W- 82.5%
- 2B- 97.8%
- 2T- 96.7%
- 3B- 94.8%
- 3P- 92.7%
- 4M- 94.8%
- 4T- 92.1%
- 5KG- 94%
- 5M- 98.9%
- 6G- 88.2%
- 6M - 95.2%
Congratulations to 5M for achieving a fantastic 98.9% attendance this week! Lincoln will be spending the next week with 5M on the top floor.
Nursery Places
We have places available in our nursery for 3 and 4 year olds.
Morning and full time sessions, Monday to Friday term time only.
- Morning sessions are 8:30am – 11:30am (15 hours)
- All day sessions are 8.30am - 15.30pm - These sessions are for children who are entitled to 30 hours government funding or at an additional top up fee.
Please use the following link to see if you are eligible childcarechoices.gov.uk
If you would like further information on applying for nursery. Please contact the school office on Phone: 0208 504 7301 Email: office@links.merton.sch.uk
MacMillan Coffee Morning - A reminder
We will be hosting a MacMillan coffee morning to raise money for those living with cancer. We would like to invite you to ‘Cafe Links’ at 9:00am on Friday 29th September. Join us for coffee and cake!
On the subject of cake, we would love all you bakers to donate any cakes, biscuits and wonderful creations for this event. Please could all delicious treats be dropped into school first thing on Friday morning.
If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Anderson.
