May 2025 - Summer Term

When summer half term arrives it always feels like the beginning of the end of the school year. I know your minds will be turning to next year (despite feeling like they’ve only just started in the year they are in) and who their teachers will be. Things are being finalised now so we will be on schedule to yet you know in plenty of time and with the end of year reports as usual.

Reports

Speaking of school reports, we have changed the way they look. The data part (how your child is doing academically in all of their subjects and how well they are attending) will be transferred straight off the central database. This mean teachers can concentrate on the written report which will be focused on exactly the information you tell us you want to hear - their general attitude to school life, their social development as well as their particular curriculum strengths and interests. The idea is you get a more rounded understanding of what your child’s year has looked like. 

School Budget 

I am sure you have heard that school costs are significantly higher than they were. You may also have heard that national birth rates are down - fewer children are being born. We are being told by Manchester Local Authority that this is particularly true for our city with pupil numbers dropping in schools across our region. It is certainly for us at Medlock. As schools are funded by the number of pupils who attend, not the number of classrooms, we are getting less money in this way as well. As a result we are currently looking at where we can combine year groups in a way that means the curriculum is unaffected and maximises the number of staff we can deploy in each class. Whatever happens financially for the school, we will continue to put the children’s needs first. If you have any questions about this, please do ask me and I will let you know where we are up to.  The upshot of this is we will have to change how things work. I’ll let you know more about this as we finalise the plans. And please let families who move into the area know just how good we are! The more children join us, the more money we have to spend on your children’s education!

Year Six SATs Tests

Quick shout out to the children in year 6. The SATs exams happened last week and all the children should feel very proud of themselves. In the test rooms they really demonstrated the ways of being, ‘Succeed together’ and ‘Do what matters most’ by ensuring the spaces were calm and purposeful and by using the time really well to push right up until it ran out. Fabulous stuff. Thank you year 6!

Year 4 Multiplication Tests

The Multiplications tests are just around the corner for year 4 

We are continuing to look at ways of making the road safe around school. I have spoken to many of you about your concerns around dangerous driving and inconsiderate parking; all of which impacts on the children’s safety. As part of this we have joined Manchester’s Safer Streets initiative, in fact 3AAB went to an event just last week to learn more about it and how their voices can be heard to shape what their streets look and feel like in the future. I know you will continue to do your bit by only using your cars when you need to and thinking ‘safety first’ in your choice of parking spaces. 

Lastly we have a good bye to make. Mrs Williams will be joining the team at Co-op Academy New Islington as Deputy Headteacher. I am sure you will join me in thanking her for the hard work and dedication she has shown to our community over the years she has been here (I won’t say how many as it will make any of us who have known her over this time feel far too old!). Please make sure you say goodbye to her this week.  

Diary dates

Sports Day 

Early Years - Monday 9th June - 9:30am

Years 1 & 2 - Wednesday 11th June - 9:30am

Years 3& 4 - Friday 13th June - 9:30am

Years 5& 6 - Friday 13th June - 1:30pm

Culture day

Friday 11th July

Wear your traditional clothes 

Activities will be going on around the school during the school day

End of Year Assemblies 

Year 6 leavers assembly -  Thursday 17th July at 2pm

Reception Celebration Assembly - Thursday 10th July at 9:15am