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Hillside Avenue

Primary and Nursery School

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  • Newsletter Issue 15

    Thu 24 Apr 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers,
    In my very first newsletter at this school, I expressed my desire ‘to help every child
    to achieve their best everyday and to flourish throughout their lives’ and I also
    wrote, ‘I believe that feedback is a gift, and I invite you to give generously and
    with kindness to help me and the staff to guide the school towards excellence
    every day.’ I hope that you have seen me stick to this vision and intent since
    September through the decisions that I have made, the approaches that I have
    taken in difficult situations and the opportunities that I have sought to provide
    for all of the children in the school. Throughout this time I have continuously
    asked for your viewpoints and these have been feedback to me regularly. Thank
    you.
    The current educational climate is particularly challenging for all schools, with
    school funding constraints being front and centre in the minds of all
    headteachers and school leaders. It is for this reason that the work of The
    Friends of Hillside Avenue is so important. Since joining the school I have
    been continuously impressed by the levels of organisation and energy that this
    group of parents and staff have brought to the various events during the year,
    from discos and bingo nights to flower sales and the upcoming Hillfest in June.
    As a result of these fundraising efforts (and your support of them), the Friends
    have committed to donating £15,000 pounds to the school to fund renovations
    to the library, new play equipment in Nursery and the installation of a sensory
    room too! All things that will make a big difference to the children of Hillside
    Avenue.
    In the spirit of seeking feedback, they have told me that they would like to
    have a big-ticket project to aim for in the near future. Whilst I have shared my
    desire for a school minibus, I am not sure that it is possible just yet, but if you
    have any suggestions for us to focus future fundraising at, please let them
    know (chair@hillsidefriends.com). They are also looking for new committee
    members too, so please get in touch if you are interested.

    All of their work and your support really helps every child to flourish at Hillside
    Avenue. Thank you.

    Mr Hutchinson

     

    Update on The Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
    This academic year has been a period of significant change throughout the school.
    Whilst we appreciate that change can be challenging, and sometimes upsetting, it is
    also the process that we all need to go through to develop and grow, and this relates
    to the Senior Leadership Team of the school too. As of the start of this term, there
    have been a few changes to the roles and responsibilities held by members of the SLT
    and the key points of contact for parents for specific discussions they might need to
    have.
    Two teachers that you will all know very well are now Assistant Headteachers; Mrs
    Wilkinson and Miss Pendleton. As part of this new role, Mrs Wilkinson will be the main
    point of contact for Key Stage 2 as well as having a keen focus on curriculum
    development and standards through the school. Miss Pendleton will be the main point
    of contact for Early Years and Key Stage 1 as well as being the named SENCo with
    responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in school (SEND). This is a
    significant change and therefore she will be supported through this transition by Mrs
    Bristow and Mr Hutchinson as required. Both will retain their current teaching
    commitments.
    I am sure that you will join us in wishing them all the best in their new roles.

     

    General News
    Important information from The Friends:
    The parent browser view of Classlist is being retired and soon you will only be able to access Classlist via
    the mobile app.
    The app is already available to download from the App Store and Google Play.
    Tickets for the summer disco (Friday 16th May) will be going on sale via Classlist today so please download the app prior to buying tickets - hopefully this will avoid any 'glitches' and make the switch to using the app as smooth as possible.


    Summer School Disco is on Friday 16th May with the same session times as before:
    Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 - 15:15-16:15
    Years 3 & 4 - 16:45-17:45
    Years 5 & 6 - 18:00-19:00
    Tickets remain £3.50 each and will be on sale via Classlist only.
    Thank you.
    The Friends

     


    Year 6 Leavers Hoodies
    A reminder that Year 6 Leavers hoodies are now available to order on the Hoodie Hut online shop via this link
    https://www.hoodiehut.co.uk/leavers-hoodies/hillside-avenue-primary-school-2025/
    The deadline for orders is Wednesday 14th May. We have one sample hoodie in the school office in size age
    12/13 if your child would like to try for size.

     


    Wimbledon
    Thank you to everyone who entered for a chance to get a Wimbledon ticket. The ballot is now closed and the 8 lucky winners will be notified via email by the end of the week.

     

    Dates for the Diary
    May
    Monday 5th - Bank holiday
    Tues 6th - class photos
    Mon 12th to Thurs 16th - Yr6 SATS
    Friday 16th - School disco
    Thursday 22nd - RSPCA visit in school
    Fri 23rd - Finish for half term break
    June
    Tuesday 17th - EYFS sports day
    Tuesday 24th - KS1 sports day
    Thursday 26th - KS2 sports day

     

     

     

     

  • The Hillside Singers Unison Choir

    Tue 22 Apr 2025

    Our Hillside Singers recently took part in the Norfolk County Music Festival.  To see their performance please click on this link Hillside Performance Video

  • Newsletter Issue 14

    Thu 27 Mar 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers,
    Last week was a particularly busy one in school. This is a list of the additional things
    that took place over those 5 days:
    Y3 activity day at Eaton Vale, KS1 cricket event at the UEA, Bikeability training
    for Y6, a Y4 visit to West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, the boys in the school
    football team won their last league game and the league too, the girls’ team
    played in the semi-final of the cup, Reception visited Gressenhall Farm and Y2
    had a whole day of Great Fire of London activities.
    I am almost out of breath writing about it all!
    In assembly on Friday I said thank you to all of the children who participated in these
    events for the way that they represented the school so well. Their behaviour was
    fantastic and so was their engagement too. They really are a credit to the school. I also
    expressed my thanks to the staff who made all of these events possible. The teachers
    and support staff planned and organised these events are the ones who are making
    the magic happen every day in school. They work tirelessly to give the children what
    they need in lessons and then go the extra mile to arrange things like the events from
    last week. I am sure that you will join me in saying a massive THANK YOU to each and
    every one of them.

     

    Mr Hutchinson

     


    General News
    Arbor
    We have added an additional ‘consent’ option in Arbor which covers photographs to be
    used for social media purposes, ie. Hillside facebook page, Instagram and X. Please can
    we ask you to log-in and consent/decline accordingly. Thank you

     

    School Uniform Orders
    We will be adding new uniform stock to Arbor next week. Please note there will be a small
    price increase on all items from the 1st April.


    Online safety

    It has been brought to our attention that some children are misusing online chat forums
    and sending inappropriate or unkind comments. It would be helpful if you could speak
    with your child/ren and reinforce the importance of online safety. Here is a useful link for
    families to get tips and guidance. 

     

    Eco Council Update: Working Towards Our Bronze Award!
    Eco council is made up of twelve children, two from each year group 1-6.
    We are excited to share that our school’s Eco Council is working towards achieving the
    Eco-Schools Bronze Award! As part of this, we have chosen three key projects to focus on:
    1. Healthy Living - We are encouraging everyone to make healthier choices,
    such as eating nutritious food, staying active and promoting well-being
    across the school.
    2. Litter - We are working to reduce litter in our school by organising litter picks
    and raising awareness about keeping our environment clean.
    3. School Grounds - We want to improve our outdoor spaces by planting more
    greenery, creating wildlife-friendly areas, and making our school a better
    place for pupils and nature.

    We will be sharing updates on our progress and ways that you can get involved. Thank
    you for supporting our journey towards a greener, healthier school!
    Look out for details about our parent/child workshops coming up in July. One is about
    Norfolk Wildlife and the other is about Climate Change.

     

    School Play Equipment
    A reminder that the play equipment (Trim Trail) is for use during school time only. It is
    not to be used by families before or after school. Thank you for your cooperation.


    PAV Sport
    PAV Sport are running football activities as part of the Big Norfolk Holiday Programme
    this Easter. (The activities are FREE for all children receiving free school meals)
    https://www.pavfunballacademy.co.uk/big-norfolk-holiday-fun-programme/
    For families with children who may be interested in a variety of activities not just
    football they need to visit: https://www.everymove.uk/ click on programmes & then
    Big Norfolk Holiday Fun.

     

    Healthcare Advice & Treatment - Pharmacy First for parents/carers
    Did you know you can get healthcare advice and treatment for common illnesses without
    needing a GP appointment? Pharmacy First services allow you to visit your local pharmacy
    for expert help with a range of minor health concerns—so you can get the right treatment,
    faster.
    Please click here for a poster for details on the services Pharmacy First provides (PDF, 1
    MB).
    Simply click the link below to find your nearest pharmacy:
    Find your pharmacy first

     

    Dates for the Diary
    April
    Wednesday 2nd - Spring Music Recital
    Friday 4th - School closes for Easter Break
    Wednesday 23rd - Start of Summer Term
    May
    Monday 5th - Bank holiday
    Tues 6th - Class photos
    Fri 23rd - Finish for half term break

     

  • Newsletter Issue 13

    Thu 13 Mar 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

    Dear parents and carers, 

     

    At Hillside Avenue, our intention is to help every child to flourish through meeting individual needs and challenging them to achieve their best every day. In the school and Nursery, we have 396 children (at the time of writing) and this means that there are 396 young people with very different life stories and learning needs. As a mainstream school we have a general offer that is everybody learning together in the classroom and this is where we put the majority of our energy to make the lessons as effective as possible.

     

    The behaviours and levels of need in schools has changed quite dramatically over the last 10 years or so, and especially since the Covid pandemic. Our renewed behaviour practice document and increased consistency in the way that we deal with behaviours in school have led to incidents of challenging behaviour reducing over time and any consequences being more effectively used too. All of this is helping to make the school a calm and purposeful place for all children to learn. 

     

    This week we received some additional support from an Inclusion Advisor from the Local Authority. She reinforced that we are doing everything that we can to support every child at Hillside Avenue. Even though challenging situations will continue to happen in every school, you can be assured that at Hillside Avenue we have a robust and consistent approach to supporting and managing behaviour in school that has been externally validated. 

     

    Feedback from the recent parent consultations showed that the majority of parents are seeing their child(ren) making great progress in their learning and that they can see the positive direction that the school is heading in. 

     

    Thank you all for your support as we help every child to flourish at Hillside Avenue Primary and Nursery School. 

    Mr Hutchinson

     

    From the school log:

    On 15th March 1951 there were two education visits that took place. One was to the power station, and the other was to the general post office. 

    Whilst I am sure that they were very interesting at the time, I am pretty certain that Year 4’s upcoming visit to West Stow, Year 3’s day at Eaton Vale and Year 2’s Great Fire of London day should be pretty interesting too. I hope that they all have a great time and thank you to the staff for organising them. 

     

     

    Red Nose Day  - Friday 21st March is Red Nose Day. Children are invited to wear red on this day (red noses can be worn) to celebrate 40 years of Comic Relief.  Donations are to be made via the usual Red Nose donation page donationcomic relief

     

    SCHOOL UNIFORM - We are aware some items/sizes of uniform are sold out and currently unavailable to order on Arbor.  We will be receiving some new stock of uniforms before Easter. Due to supplier costs going up, there will be a small price increase on all items.  Please make any uniform orders by the end of March to order at the current price.  

     

    Dates for the Diary

    March 

    Wednesday 19th - S&CT Parent Cafe (dyslexia,   dyscalculia and sleep)

    Thursday 20th - Year 5 Science Bus

                           - Hillside Singers Norfolk Music Festival

    Friday 21st - Red Nose Day 

    Monday 24th - Yr3 Eaton Vale

              - Yr6 Bikeability 

    Wednesday 24th - Yr4 West Stow Trip

    Friday 28th - Reception visit to Gresenhall

                       - Great Fire of London activity day

    Monday 31st - REC Vision & Hearing Screening

    April

    Wednesday 2nd - Spring Music Recital

    Friday 4th - School closes for Easter Break

    Wednesday 23rd - Start of Summer Term 

     

         

    Advertisements 

    Norfolk County Council - Big Norfolk Holiday Fun during the Easter Holidays.  Please click the link for more information https://www.activenorfolk.org/public/bignorfolkholidayfun/  (free to pupils who receive free school meals)

     

    ESKA Karate - see attached flyer for information on their Easter Karate Camp as part of the NCC Big Norfolk Holiday Fun. ESKA Karate - bookings now open!

     

    DT12 RUGBY Easter Camp - click here for more information DT Rugby Easter Camp

     

    Mini Moons are now also opening up for Reception! For more information, please see the link below. https://minimoonsco.com/collections/after-school-clubs

     

     

  • World Book Day 2025

    Thu 06 Mar 2025

    World Book Day 2025 

     

    We've had some amazing 'words', characters and costumes across the school today in support of World Book Day.  Did you spot the dinosaur at the school gate this morning?!

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Newsletter Issue 12

    Thu 27 Feb 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers, 

     

    A key priority for me since becoming Headteacher in September has been to increase the visibility of the school in the local community and more widely. The main pillars of this have been engagement in social media, which is why I have started the Facebook and Instagram pages to share updates and photos of events in school. Our following is growing on each platform so please get involved with liking and sharing our posts when we do them. Links to the pages are below the diary dates in this newsletter.

     

    To spread the Hillside Avenue name we are also increasingly involved in sporting events such as boys and girls football, basketball and one-off events as well - experiencing a good level of success. In music we sang at the Cathedral, performed 13 further times to the community before Christmas (in and out of school) and will be participating in two events this term too. 

     

    The next stage will be the branding of the school through use of the circle logo on letters and school documents as well as some new signs that are on the way. They will hopefully help everyone who passes by the school to know who we are, where we are and to the Hillside Avenue logo when they see it. All of this will hopefully raise our profile, attract families to be part of the school community and make sure that Hillside Avenue is the school of choice on this side of Norwich. 

     

    Thank you for your support in helping every child to flourish at Hillside Avenue.

    Mr Hutchinson

     

    From the school log:

    Between 24th and 28th February 1941, the school was closed for ‘Alerts’ eight times over the five days. These were due to bombing raids during the second world war. On at least two of these days, the whole day was ‘disregarded’ due to the alert not being lifted in time. 

    This is a sobering entry to read at a time when children in other parts of the world are experiencing such things today. We are lucky to be able to attend school every day in safety. 

     

    Parking on local roads - We know that parking close to schools at the beginning and the end of the school day is a problem at most primary schools. Hillside Avenue and School Avenue are fairly narrow roads with lots of houses on, and therefore there are lots of driveways too. 

    When parking in the local area, could all parents please consider the access needs of local residents as having your driveway blocked - if only for a moment - can be a cause of frustration and upset. 

    Thank you for your support with an almost unsolvable problem. 

     

    Red Nose Day  - Friday 21st March is Red Nose Day. Children are invited to wear red on this day (red noses can be worn) to celebrate 40 years of Comic Relief.  Donations are to be made via the usual Red noses donation page donationcomic relief

     

    Dates for the Diary

    March 

    Tuesday 4th - Parent Consultations 3:30-7pm

    Thursday 6th - World Book Day

    Thursday 6th - Year 5 Science bus

    Thursday 6th - Parent Consultations 3:30-5pm

    Tuesday 11th - Hillside Singers @CASMA event

    Wednesday 19th - S&CT Parent Cafe 

    Friday 21st - Red Nose Day 

    Monday 24th - Yr3 Eaton Vale

              - Yr6 Bikeability 

    Wednesday 24th - Yr4 West Stow Trip

    Monday 31st - REC Vision & Hearing Screening

    April

    Wednesday 2nd - Spring Music Recital

    Friday 4th - School closes for Easter Break

    Wednesday 23rd - Start of Summer Term 

     

    Advertisements 

     

    Cello Lessons - We have a new cello teacher - Mrs Bunn.  She has spaces available from the summer term (after Easter holiday).  Please click here for details Cello lessons at HAP school

     

    Mini Moons now also opening up for Reception! For more information, please see the link below. https://minimoonsco.com/collections/after-school-clubs

     

    British Sign Language -  a local company who run BSL classes for children 8-11 on a Tuesday evening in Thorpe St Andrew.  Please click on the link for further details BSL Classes

     

    'Inspiring Imaginations' are running some fun events over the next few weeks and they have weekly themes for their regular weekly sessions too.  Currently they run 10-11.30am, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and Friday afternoon, 12.30-2pm. They will be starting Wednesday afternoon sessions too, 1-2.30pm. All cost £8 for 1 adult and 1 child, with a discount of 20% for parents and carers with children at our school, just contact Isabel on 07760604440 or email: inspiringimaginations@outlook.com to let her know and she can arrange your discounted price.

    The sessions and events are relaxed and friendly and include activities and play set ups for families with babies, toddlers and children up to 8 years old.  Isabel changes the theme weekly and builds on the interests of the children attending to ensure everyone has the best time.  Discounted flexi- block bookings are available plus PAYG individual sessions and everything is on the booking site:

    https:bookwhen.com/inspiringimaginations.

    If you are interested in more information, take a look at their facebook and instagram pages or contact Isabel. 

     

    Local charity LEGO event - Open Academy displaying LEGO builds and running LEGO activities to raise money for a couple of charities in May this year.  

    Details

    Location: Open Academy, Norwich

    Date: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May 2025

    Ticket Prices: £5 (Under 3s free)

    Book tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/norwichbrickshow

     

  • Newsletter Issue 11

    Thu 06 Feb 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers, 

     

    In this newsletter I would like to focus on the importance of the school community, with particular focus on parental engagement and the role of The Friends of Hillside. 

     

    I have been delighted to see the positive engagement of the parents who have attended the maths sessions that have been taking place on Wednesday afternoons over the last three weeks. We are very aware that many adults will have had a less than ideal experience of learning maths in their school years and therefore it is vitally important that their children have a more positive one. Making sure that you are confident and informed is a great way to help your child to be confident and informed too. If you have a child in Year 2, please sign up for a research trial from the DfE that we are engaging to address this particular topic. 

     

    The Friends of Hillside perform a vital role in making Hillside Avenue the school that it is. When I do a tour of the school for prospective parents, I joke that if they see something new and wooden in the school, it has probably been bought by the Friends, and it is mostly true. In these times of reducing school budgets and increased levels of need, the donations that the Friends make to the school are often the ones that make something feel special in school. Since September, such things have included; the climbing frame and markings in Reception, transport to sport and music events and resources for cooking activities too. I know that they have also committed to supporting redevelopment of the school library and we are exploring the installation of a sensory room too. All things that make the school feel a little special. Thank you to the Friends committee and everyone who has helped at an event or supported it with their attendance and/or donations. Please look out for more events through the rest of the year. 

     

    I am proud to be part of the Hillside Avenue community and the wonderful things that are happening here. #itshappeningathillside. 

    Mr Hutchinson

     

    From the school log:

    Between 31st January and 1st March 1974, most of the accounts in the school log refer to sickness of children and adults in school. Either nothing else was happening in school or it was a particular problem at the time. 

    51 years later in 2025, we are noticing a high number of children and adults being off school due to illness. We are encouraging increased handwashing, we have windows open and the cleaners have increased their efforts on touch points around the school. If your child is showing any signs of sickness or symptoms of a flu like illness, please keep them at home to help prevent the spread in school. 

    Whilst school attendance is always important, being healthy and preventing the spread of illness is crucial too. Thank you for your support. 

     

    Dates for the Diary

    February 

    Friday 14th - finish for half term break

    Monday 24th - Year 6 residential trip

    Friday 28th - Year 3 and 4 - Bikeability 

    March 

    Tuesday 4th - Parent Consultations 3:30-5pm

    Thursday 6th - Year 5 Science bus

    Thursday 6th - Parent Consultations 3:30-6:30pm

    Tuesday 11th - Hillside singers @CASMA event

    Wednesday 19th - S&CT Parent Cafe 

    Monday 24th - Yr3 Eaton Vale

                 - Yr6 Bikeability 

              Please follow us on Facebook. (and now on Instagram too! )

                  

                                                           #itshappeningathillside 

     

          Link for facebook page Facebook page       Link for Instagram page  Instagram page

     

    SEND

    Norfolk County Council would like to hear your views on SEND. Their special educational needs and disability (SEND) survey 2025 is open Monday 13 January - Sunday 23 February 2025. 

    The survey is for parents, carers, professionals who work with children and young people with SEND and their families, and young people with SEND who are aged 25 or younger. https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/40969/Norfolk-SEND-survey-2025

    Advertisements 

    Inspiring Imaginations' are offering parents and carers of children at our school a discount of 20% on any individual 'play and learn together session', block booking or event, up until Easter 2025.

    Their sessions are friendly and welcoming and fit well into the school runs!  Suitable for babies, toddlers and older siblings, sessions include free play, themed activities and play set ups, inside and out, and end with bubbles and music or a story, or parachute games.  Take a look at the Saturday events, mum's afternoons and half term specials and they also offer parties!

    Isabel can be contacted on 07760604440 or email: inspiringimaginations@outlook.com to claim your 20% discount.

    Bookings can always be made at https://bookwhen.com/inspiringimaginations

     

    Mini Moons now also opening up for Reception! For more information, please see the link below. https://minimoonsco.com/collections/after-school-clubs

    Family Voice Norfolk -  January 2025 newsletter family voice norfolk

    FOTSAS flyer - please see the attachment.

     

    Scouts Jumble Sale - please see the attachment for details.

     

    Broadland Big Norfolk Holiday Fun - FREE activity for parents & carers and their children/young people to take part in during the February half term as a part of the Big Norfolk Holiday Fun.

     

    When: Friday 21st February from 12.30pm

    Where: Hellesdon Community Centre (Majorie Lewis room, main hall), Middletons Lane, NR6 5SR

    There will be a range of free taster sessions and lunch included for 5-16 year olds to take part in including Mad Science and Karate.

     

    Booking is essential as places are limited to 30 children plus 30 adults (all children/young people must be accompanied by an adult).

    To book: Email cspartnercommunitybroadland@norfolk.gov.uk and inform us of any allergies.

     

  • Newsletter Issue 10

    Thu 23 Jan 2025

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers, 

     

    I would like to focus on the importance of pride and the importance of being proud of yourself and the school in this newsletter. 

     

    On Tuesday, I was fortunate to accompany the Year 6 Sports Leaders to their training day at the University of East Anglia. (I am also the only person who is old enough and qualified to drive the minibus too! - We are training more people though.) Throughout the day I was continually impressed by the way that the children conducted themselves. This was demonstrated in the way that they communicated with each other, children from other schools and the adults who were running the sessions too. They were excellent ambassadors for the school and we should be very proud of them.

     

    Since September there has been a relentless drive in school to raise expectations and celebrate where things are going well. Thank you to the staff who have come with me on this journey and continue to work hard in this area. And thank you to the children who have also put in a tremendous amount of effort into their learning and are seeing that they are capable of more than they previously thought. This is leading to improved outcomes that they are rightly proud of, as are their teachers and TAs too. 

     

    I am so proud of what we have achieved so far, let’s keep working to help every child to flourish at Hillside Avenue.

    Mr Hutchinson

     

    From the school log:

    January 1995:  Legendary former teacher Mr Colin Roy listed all of the sporting achievements that the children of Hillside Avenue had enjoyed over the previous 10 years.  These included many championships at county regional and even national level in cricket as well as tennis and table tennis too. Hillside won the Norfolk softball cricket championships 14 times in 28 years. Amazing!  

    Whilst I can’t promise that level of success, I can confirm that I will be starting a cricket club this year and we will try to start rebuilding Hillside Avenue’s sporting reputation. Thank you Colin Roy, we have something to aim for. 

     


     

     

    Dates for the Diary

    January 

    Tuesday 28th - Year 2 Sealife Centre trip

    Wednesday 29th - KS2 maths workshop

    Wednesday 29th - neurodiversity workshop



     

    February 

    Wednesday 5th - KS2 maths workshop

    Friday 14th - finish for half term break

    Monday 24th - Year 6 residential trip

    Friday 28th - Year 3 and 4 - Bikeability 

     

              Please follow us on Facebook. (and now on Instagram too! )

                  

                                                           #itshappeningathillside 

     

          Link for facebook page Facebook page       Link for Instagram page  Instagram page

     

    Advertisements 

    Just One Norfolk - Carers Matter supports children with any additional needs, they are running some information sessions.  Please click the links below for further information. 

    SENDIASS                 Kooth                   Just One Norfolk                                Fiona Springall


     

    Help Our Charity Reach Future Foster Carers - Foster with Break

    Do you have space in your home and heart to foster a child? 

    As a not-for profit, we reinvest in our foster carers, providing full training, a dedicated social worker, monthly funding and all the support you need so you're never alone on this incredible journey

    Find out more at: break-charity.org/foster 

     

    Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus Concert - on Saturday 22nd March in Norwich.  More information can be found in this link Children's Concert

     

    Broadland District Council Tots2Teens February half term sessions - see link for further details Tots2Teens

     

  • Newsletter Issue 6

    Thu 21 Nov 2024
  • Newsletter Issue 5

    Thu 07 Nov 2024

    Hillside Avenue Highlights

     

    Dear parents and carers,
    I am sure many of you will have questions and concerns about the letter from our
    CEO Owen Jenkins yesterday regarding the tough decisions that we need to take
    regarding staffing this year. I hope that his letter was easy to understand and
    conveyed the tough financial landscape that all schools are facing at the moment.
    I can assure you that any decision that I make during this time, will have the
    interests of all children in mind, and particularly those who are most vulnerable. It
    is a difficult time for everyone and I am working hard to make sure that we can do
    the best that we can for every child with the capacity that is available to us in
    school.
    Next week is Parents’ Evening week. I hope that you have been able to secure an
    appointment to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss their attainment and
    progress so far. Their books will also be available for you to look at too. If you
    have had any problems with the booking process or finding a suitable time, please
    contact the school office and we will see what we can do to make it work for you.
    When it comes to the meeting itself, I have always been a fan of the child being in
    the room so that they can hear what is being said and therefore be part of the
    conversation. If this is not your preferred approach, it will be important that they
    are able to sit patiently outside of the room. Mrs Smith has said that there will be a
    prize for any child spotted reading whilst they are waiting (rather than being on an
    electrical device!) This is a lovely idea as reading is so important. Good readers
    become good writers, and as writing is a priority for the school this year, it is
    something to promote whenever we can.
    I look forward to seeing lots of children reading whilst waiting on Tuesday and
    Thursday next week.
    Mr Hutchinson

     


    From the School Log
    On 7th November 1978 the entry reads:
    ‘School re-opened [after half-term holiday] and the number of children on roll = 587.’ In the
    current times of smaller class sizes, I can’t believe that there would be space for that many children!

     

    News
    Cross Country - On Tuesday 5th November, 21 children went to the qualifying event for the
    Norfolk School Games Cross Country Final. These children, from years 3, 4, 5 and 6, ran at the
    UEA Sportspark track, competing against children from 11 other Norwich schools.
    Not only did they all race brilliantly, their support towards each other and those from different
    schools was outstanding - a true credit to Hillside! We are enormously proud of all of them.
    A particular well done to Maddie, Syvlia, Alfie, Thomas, Tomas, Betsy, Sienna, Ellie, Alex and Noah
    who have all qualified to go through to the finals in a few weeks time!
    These are the result placings from the races:
    Y3 Girls Y3 Boys
    Maddie (1), Sylvia (5), Grace (14)

    Y3 Boys

    Alfie (2), Thomas (5), Tomas (7)


    Y4 Girls 
    Bethany (14), Evie (20)

    Y4 Boys

    George C (18), George H (28), Tom(30)


    Y5 Girls 
    Betsy (5), Sienna (9), Ellie (10)

    Y5 Boys

    Jesse (20), Jenson (30)


    Y6 Girls 
    Lilah (16), Florence (20)

    Y6 Boys

    Alex (1), Noah (4), Jet (14)


    Music Achievements - Joshua in Yr4 passed his grade 4 ABRSM exam over half term. This is
    such a fantastic achievement in someone so young, Well done!

     

    Dates for the Diary
    November
    Tuesday 12th 3:30-5pm - parent consultations within school
    Thursday 14th 3:30- 6:30pm - parent consultations within school
    Friday 15th - Children in Need Day, children are welcome to come into school wearing something
    spotty or yellow. As we are a cashless school, any donations to the charity can be made online via
    https://donate.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/
    Wednesday 20th - flu vaccinations (please consent online before 18th
    November)
    Wednesday 20th - Friday 22nd - year 5 Hautbois trip
    Wednesday 20th - Wednesday 27th - Scholastic book fair (see separate email
    for details)
    Friday 22nd November - The Mental Health Support Team will be holding a workshop on
    ‘Understanding your Child’s Emotions & Behaviours’. Please could you let the office know if you are
    interested in attending. (see attached flyer with further info)
    Saturday 30th - Holly Jolly Hillfest (11am-2pm) within school

     

    December
    Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th - Yr1,2,3 Nativity (1:45-3:15pm)
    Friday 6th - Yr1,2,3 Nativity (6-7pm)
    Tuesday 10th - Nursery Christmas Play (9:30-10:30am)
    Reception Christmas Play (9:30-10:30am) & Wednesday 11th (2:30-3:30pm)
    Wednesday 11th - Christmas Lunch Day (children are welcome to wear something festive)
    Monday 16th - KS2 Performance (1:30-3pm)
    Tuesday 17th - KS2 Performance (6:30-7:30pm)
    Wednesday 18th - Carols in the Quad (3:30-4:30pm)

     

     

    After School Clubs
    Mondays - Minimoons have a new club ‘Creative Writing’ - please click on the link for further details and to book online. https://minimoonsco.com/collections/after-school-clubs

     

    Please follow us on Facebook. (and now on Instagram too! )
    I have kept my posts fairly simple so far. Mostly celebrating sporting achievements and in-school
    events, such as the Harvest Festival. I hope that they are helpful and are communicating the positive
    things that are happening in school. I have started to use the hash-tag #itshappening@hillside to
    highlight the positive things happening in school.
    I am working on linking to two accounts so that you don’t have to look twice. If you have any
    suggestions or tips in this area, I’d love to talk to you about it. We really want to get everyone talking about what is happening at Hillside Avenue.
    #itshappening@hillside


    Link for facebook page Facebook page Link for Instagram page Instagram page

     


    Additional Advertisements
    ● FOTSAS Friends of Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form - Christmas Fayre Saturday 9th November

    ● Family Voice Norfolk October 2024 Newsletter -
    http://account.epromailer.com/t/r-l-tdkdhjg-nhytiidhlh-t/

     

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