Newsletter No 6 / 8th October 2010

We are pleased to welcome Miss Chelsea Stratton, a BA student teacher at Oxford Brookes University, to Stadhampton School. Miss Stratton will be us for eight weeks, mainly working in Class 2 under the guidance of Mrs Garrard and Mrs Turner.

Extra INSET Day
We have recently been advised that the new coalition Government has allocated all primary schools an additional INSET Day (In-Service Training Day where teachers are available for work but the school is closed to pupils) this school year. Please note that we will be taking this additional day on Wednesday 5th January 2011 (and will use it to review our assessment procedures) and that Term 3 will now begin on Thursday 6th January.

Internet Safety
Safeguarding pupils is of paramount importance to us and parents are reminded that our school Internet access is filtered, thus protecting pupils from inappropriate and potentially harmful material. We also teach pupils about safe use of the Internet. Each family will have made their own domestic arrangements for their child/ren’s access to the Internet but I would like to draw your attention to an Internet Safeguarding website recommended by Local Authority Safeguarding Officers. The site is www.thinkuknow.co.uk which has useful pages for both pupils and parents. Unfortunately Internet and mobile phone abuse are both on the increase and pupil access to mobile phones with an Internet facility can make them vunerable.

Collecting children at the end of the school day
We have noticed that the car park is becoming increasingly congested at the end of the school day. Congestion would be eased and child safety improved if parents found alternatives to using the car park. The congestion is partly due to two taxis on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays collecting children from school and one taxi on Thursdays and Fridays. As it is our duty to make sure that the right pupils go into the right taxi at the end of the day, it is important that the taxis are able to collect pupils from immediately outside the main school entrance/exit.
We therefore politely request that all parents please park in designated car park spaces only within the car park and not alongside the kerb outside the main entrance/exit. If the car park is already full, then please park safely in Cratlands Close, being of course, mindful not to block the driveways of residents of Cratlands Close. In the interest of the safety of all pupils the access to the car park will be monitored and reviewed by the Governing Body.
Teaching staff have also been reminded that the end of the school day is 3.15pm and that pupils should leave promptly at that time.

Learning Platform
We have posted some pictures of the Harvest Service onto the Learning Platform this week.

Potholes in Cratlands Close
We are grateful to Richard Freeth, (a school governor who lives in Cratlands Close) for addressing the potholes situation in Cratlands Close with the Highways Department at Oxfordshire County Council. Richard sent them pictures of the potholes and they have given the school assurance that the problems will be dealt with in the near future. The reference number for this query should anyone else need it is 359422.

Free Booktime Book Packs
We were pleased to be able to pass onto each child in the Foundation Class earlier this week, a pack of books, posters and bookmark provided by the Book Trust.

Watlington Partnership Family Learning Workshop
We are pleased to be able to let families know about an opportunity to attend a family learning workshop on Friday 22nd October at Watlington School between 10am and 12 noon. (Stadhampton School is closed to pupils on that day as it is an INSET Day for teaching staff). The cost is £2 per family and children are able to create a Halloween costume. Childrem must be accompanied by an adult. Please collect a booking form from the school office to take part in this session or e-mail Elly.Baskerville@Oxfordshire.gov.uk

Little Bears News
We welcome two new children this week, Harvey Saunders and Angus Stewart. We hope they settle well and enjoy their time at Little Bears. Many of the children have made Flapjacks this week, they looked yummy with the choice of chocolate chips & raisins if desired.The rhyme of the week is 1,2,3,4 5. The room is definitely looking ‘Fishy’!

DIARY DATES:
Wednesday 13th October
Open Morning at school and at Little Bears
Friday 15th October
PTA Quiz Night
Thursday 21st October
Term 1 finishes at 3.15pm
Monday 1st November
Term 2 starts for all pupils
Mon 15th Nov & Weds 17th November
Parents’ Evenings