January 2009 Newsletter
Welcome back to the start of a new year.
Nursery consultation feedback
Thank you for responding to our questionnaire. We had 33 replies and these now have to be considered by the Local Authority to take the matter forward. I will report back in more detail after the LA meeting.
Pottery Club
Mrs Lloyd will be continuing her pottery and ceramics club on a Thursday after school from 3.30 – 4.30 pm. We thank her very much for running this.
Congratulations!
Mrs Barr has had a little baby girl, Jasmine Eve. She was born last week and everyone is fine.
Dance Club
Miss Clark has started a new club in school on Wednesdays from 3.30 – 4.30 pm. This includes the younger children in response to parental requests for extra-curricular activities aimed at Class 2 upwards
Music
Well done to all those children who are doing so well on their musical instruments. There are now four recorder groups! Please remember that fees for this term’s lessons of keyboard, flute and violin are payable directly to the County or Musicworks for the guitar. The only money we collect in school is the £7.50 rental each term. If any child would like to start in the beginner group for flute, one instrument has become available as parents have decided to buy their child their own flute. In response to the questionnaire about the teaching of brass in school, three children were interested but they were still too young. Thank you.
Water Bottles: another reminder!
Please remember to wash out your child’s water bottle regularly and send it back into school. Every child was given a water bottle and it is much more hygienic for them always to use their own bottles rather than use plastic cups which can spread germs quickly.
Contact details
Thank you very much for providing all your updated details for our records Circumstances do arise in school and we must be able to inform you quickly.
Multi-faith education
Every year, we study the culture and faith of other religions as part of our multi-faith curriculum. This year we are looking at Islam in Key Stage 2 and Hinduism at Key Stage 1 This gives the children an overall picture of how other people worship, their beliefs and their culture. We have had an excellent art day run by Mrs Connolly which focussed on the patterns found in Islamic art and the shape and colours representing the Hindu god Ganesh. The older children will be visiting a Mosque and, on Thursday, 5th February, they will have an afternoon of different workshops looking at the customs and beliefs of the Islam faith. The children from Manfield School will join us for these activities.
St Peter’s Church
Mothering Sunday this year falls on Sunday 22nd March so the monthly Family Service will be on that date. All families are welcome and children will take part in singing, reading and prayers and will give flowers to Mums!
Out of School Club AGM
This will be held in the Out of School Club at 6 pm on 24th February 2009 at 6 pm. Everyone is welcome.
Governors
Last term the governors reviewed many policies and were involved with the appointment of Miss Clark. A number of governors with subject responsibilities watched lessons throughout the school and reported back to the Full Governing Body. This term we will continue to review the school budget and set next year’s budget. Governors will also be involved in the allocation of places in Pre-Reception to start after the Easter holidays.
Sri Lanka
We are absolutely delighted that the British Council have approved our forging of a link with Sri Lanka and have granted us funding for two members of staff to go out there and visit our partner school in Colombo. Mrs Leggott and Mrs Parker will be leaving on the Wednesday before half term and staying for just over a week. They will be back to tell us all about it after half term and we are hoping to have a wine and cheese evening when the Sri Lankan teachers visit here. Our two schools are looking at the different ways of life and how they impact on our environment.
Topics for this term
Reception: Nursery Rhymes, Dinosaurs, Wood and Fabric, Springtime
Year1/2: Push and Pull, Forces and Movement, Toys
Year 3/4 Light and Shadows, Circuits and Conductors, Village in India
Year 5/6: Victorians, Life Cycles, Shelters
Art
Miss Clark is co-ordinating our art in school this year. Our whole school topic this term is Salvador Dali and we are going to have an exhibition of every child’s work, open to everyone, on Wednesday 11th March from 4 – 6 pm. The work is being framed professionally and there will be a chance to purchase your child’s picture if you would like to. This was last run very successfully by Mrs Huddleston four years ago.
Climate Cops
After a very successful sale of their recycled briquettes at the Christmas Fair, this term the Climate Cops are working hard to enter an environmentally themed art competition run by Polam Hall School. It will be exhibited publicly at Polam Hall on Saturday, 7th February and you are all very welcome to go along and see all the entries.
Two of our children, Alex and Harry Chapman, have won prizes in the online Generation Green program and earned us 200 points. Well done. We are still collecting points so please fill in energy savers’ reports on-line and donate the leaves to us.
Indoor shoes
As the weather is so wet and our playground often covered in leaves and mud (we have had it cleaned last week!), please could you ensure your child has some well fitting indoor shoes. If your child wants to wear proper shoes indoors rather than plimsolls, that is fine but please ensure that footwear is safe and doesn’t easily slide off.
