Newsletter No 1 / 5th June 2009

Happy JUNE Birthday to: Megan Barber, Olivia Dallimore, Betsy Elliott, Chloe Hindmarch, Joshua Matthews and Georgia Valentine.

During June we are focusing on the core value of HONESTY

After School Club
There are still places available at the after school club held in the portacabin until 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please contact Nikki Howlett to obtain a form for this, if you do not have one already.

Swimming in the School Pool
As Mr Pattisson has kindly prepared the school pool for use and it has passed the bacteriological tests carried out by SMS Environmental, pupils should all make sure that they have swimming kit available in school each day. This should consist of a one-piece swimming costume for girls, swimming trunks for boys (not baggy please), a swimming hat (for all pool users), and a towel. Pupils who have stud earrings which cannot be removed by the pupil themselves, must have their own supply of tape available which they must use to cover over the earrings in order to comply with health and safety requirements.


Learning Platform
Each family should have received earlier this week details of parents’ usernames and passwords in order to access the Interest Space for Parents on the Learning Platform. Please let Mrs Hopkins know if you experience difficulties in accessing this area of the LP or if you are unable to see information relating to your child.

Message from the PTA Committee
The Stadhampton Steamers will be running this Sunday in the Chiltern Chase to raise money for the school. If you are not running please instead sponsor the team and come along to support us on the day. Sponsorship money may be given until 29th June; please leave with Mrs Hopkins at school in an envelope explaining what the money is for.
For those who are running there will be a prize donated by ‘Up & Running’ in Headington for the person who collects the most sponsorship. Good luck everyone and see you on Sunday.

School “Themed Weeks” during June
We are very pleased to have arranged two ‘themed weeks’ in June which we are all looking forward to:

‘Focus on Africa’ Week – 8th – 12th June 2009
During this week we have some exciting events planned and welcome several parents into school to share a personal insight into aspects of life in Africa. These events include a dance workshop, African Art activities, a selection of African animals visiting with their carer, a taste of African Food – courtesy of Food with Thought, and talks on Uganda & Ghana as well as the work of Christian Aid in Africa. On Friday 12th June we will have a non-uniform day, requesting a voluntary contribution of £1 per pupil, to support the work of Christian Aid. We hope some pupils may be sufficiently inspired to wear an African outfit!

“Healthy Week” – 15th – 19th June 2009
As part of our commitment to the Healthy Schools initiative we have also organised a Healthy Week with a range of activities and events for all pupils. These include an athletics tournament, a “Skip-Hop” workshop where we shall be joined by a sports specialist to help us develop a range of skipping skills (and improve our fitness!), a talk on “Rainbow Food” and the importance of a balanced diet, opportunities to prepare (and eat!) a healthy snack, a Premier Sports led basketball based fundraising event and a design a healthy lunchbox competition.

The “Skip-Hop” session includes a whole-school demonstration at 2.30pm on Tuesday 16th June to which parents are invited. The “Skip-Hop” coach will have a supply of “Skip-Hop” skipping ropes available for sale (at £3.50 each) at the end of the day. There is no obligation to buy and we are not specifically promoting them but we are advised that they are popular at other schools and enable pupils to perform certain “tricks” that are not possible with an ordinary handle-less skipping rope.

The Premier Sports basketball fundraising event will be held during the morning of Thursday 18th June. This is a sponsored event in which all pupils will take part in a class basketball session, led by a specialist coach, and will learn and develop five new skills. Pupils are invited to seek sponsorship for this event and further details are given on a sponsorship form which will be sent home on Friday. Please note that these forms must be brought in to school on Thursday 18th June in order for the coach to complete and sign. Funds raised from this event will be channeled into developing playtime equipment facilities, some of which our pupils have suggested. Thank you.

Sunhats and Sunscreen
Pupils are reminded to bring in and wear sunhats during the sunny weather. Sunscreen is best applied before school but pupils may re-apply their own sunscreen, under supervision, just before lunch, if necessary. Sunscreen containers should be named and left with the class teacher. Unfortunately we are not allowed to assist with the application of sunscreen.

School Council
On Monday 15th June, the School Council will be selling cartoon templates on which to create a cartoon about the summer holidays. It will be a competition with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for each class. It will cost 50p to enter. Closing date for entries is Monday 6th July.

Planned Comenius visit to Hazlach, Poland for older pupils and their parents, April 2010
All pupils currently in Years 4 and 5 should have received a letter about this visit earlier this week. Thank you for all the responses so far. If you have not received this letter please contact Mrs Turner.

Little Bears News
This week Little Bears enjoyed making sandwiches and spending a lot of time outdoors in the lovely sunshine. Nikki has started an Early Language Lead Practioners training course this week which has entitled Little Bears to receive some lovely new resources to do with language, e.g. story sack, voice recorder, listening games, etc. We are fortunate that Nikki is able to undertake this training as there are only 20 settings in Oxfordshire who are able to take up this opportunity.
Race Night tickets for the 27th June are now available, priced at £12.50 including supper.

DIARY DATES:

Sunday 7th June Chiltern Chase
Monday 8th June Class 3 start 6 sessions of swimming
Start of “Focus on Africa” Week
Tuesday 9th June Jonathan’s Jungle Roadshow for pupils
PTA Meeting at 8pm
Wednesday 10th June Mobile Library
Monday 15th June Start of “Healthy Week”
Wednesday 17th June Creative arts lesson for Year 5 pupils at ICC
Tuesday 23rd June “Orinoco” Family Learning Workshop 3.15-4.15pm
Tuesday 30th June Class 1 visit to Beale Park
Class 2 visit to the Reading Museum
Wednesday 1st July Mobile Library
Tuesday 7th July Concert for Classes 2 & 3 at Harris Manchester College
Friday 10th July Sports Evening – weather permitting!
Tuesday 14th July Daylight Theatre performance
Friday 17th July End of school year assembly at 9.00am
School finishes at 1.30pm for the summer break
1st & 2nd September Staff INSET Days
Thursday 3rd September Pupils return to school