Ark Oval Primary Academy: News of the Week 1st-5th November

Monday 08 November 2021

Principal's Summary

There has been a school on the Oval site nearly continuously from 1873 to today. The community may have changed significantly. Even the school's face, values, and colours will have changed, but not the mission.
The school opened as part of the 1870 Elementary Education Act. This brought the first genuinely free and universally accessible primary education to the people; Oval was intended to bring the light of education for all regardless of background.

We still strive for this daily 148 years later; this week, we acknowledge a massive point in the school's history. Of those initial cohorts from 1873 – 1914 who came to a school where previously they had no opportunity, 67 names mark that they gave the ultimate sacrifice that this prevented them from reaching their potential – not a lack of education.

We remember those names, names shared with staff and pupils of today, the multiple sets of siblings, and the faces we see on the lunch hall and library walls. Most importantly we this week, remember beyond these 67 – the people they left behind and the countless similar stories across the world that unite us in our moment of respect.

This week as a network, we will come together to remember the sacrifice of those beyond Britain, the 100,000s that came from across the world to fight or fought in less well know fronts in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. As well as those who sacrificed beyond front line duties – the men, women and children of all colours, ethnicities and religions who toiled, suffered and sacrificed.

We will pay them their due respect this week.

APPEAL - we are struggling to find external club operators keen to offer an extracurricular clubs at Oval. If anyone has any contacts or recommendations, we would be more than happy to have the information; please email t.martlew@arkovalprimary.org directly with any information.

LINE ETIQUETTE - Please respect each other and the requests of the school

Would you please use the entirety of the arrival window DONT all arrive at 1530 - we have cleared the line every day by 1535 - if you arrive at 1540, there is no line!

Respect the line - don't push in - if you are causing an issue in the line, you are compromising the safety of the academy community. We will take the matter seriously.

Please move through the site quickly and not stop for social reasons or provide snacks or adjust clothing for your child. They can wait the 3 minutes until you are offsite; the people are waiting behind you in the line can not.

COVID Plans:

Please ensure you inform us as quickly as possible if you keep your child out of school with suspected symptoms. Check with the school office if you are in any doubt about the new restrictions.

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