Newsletter No 6 - 15th July 2011

Absence in this school year
Thank you to all parents for their support in trying to reduce the number of days pupils are absent from school. Absence figures relate to both sickness and holidays taken during term-time. In the present academic year, which is almost at an end, we have managed to reduce our absence figures from 3.3% to 3.2%. Our target for the academic year beginning in September is to reduce absence to 3% in total.

Fruit and Vegetables for breaktime
Just a general reminder that all pupils are welcome to have some fruit or vegetable at morning break. Pupils in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (Class 1) currently have fruit already available at school through a government funded scheme. Unfortunately this does not extend to pupils in Years 3-6 but pupils are welcome to bring their own in from home and keep it in their lunch bag or their drawer. As a health issue we request that other forms of snacks at breaktime (ie chewy bars/biscuits) are avoided.

Class 3 involvement in reading research for the University of Oxford PhD
Year 5 and Year 6 pupils were recently due to work with a PhD student from the University of Oxford. Unfortunately this has not been able to go ahead at this time due to reasons out of our control. There are plans for this to take place with Year 6 pupils next year.

Cycling Safely Training
Congratulations to the following pupils who have successfully passed their cycle training test: Alice Madry, Amy Akers, Andrew Oakley, Chloe Brown, Benedict Diment, Tom Leighfield, Ben Drake, Amber Tomkins and Pola Onopiuk. We are extremely grateful to Eileen Birtles, Sarah Green, Elaine Leighfield, Lisa Scragg and Emma Vale for giving up their time to provide pupils with their training.

Tuesday 19th July
All pupils are going to be treated to a day off timetable next Tuesday. There will be a morning of PE/outdoor activities after assembly followed by a Daylight Theatre performance of Robin Hood in the afternoon. Please ensure that all pupils have PE kit and plimsolls or trainers in school.

Premier Sports Holiday Course at Stadhampton School
Booking forms are now available for the sports course being held at Stadhampton School from 25th – 29th July from the school office. Please note that the cost of the course is now £6 a day for 9-3pm.

P.T.A.
Thank you so much to all families who have purchased food tickets in advance of tonight’s sports night. If the rain can hold off until at least 8.00pm then it should promise to be a great, fun filled evening! The P.T.A. would like to remind everyone to bring their food tickets along tonight to claim their burgers or hotdogs please. You will need them for proof of purchase and it will help us to give you the correct orders. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you on the school field from 6.00pm, when the bar should be open and the food ready to serve from this time onwards. Races will start promptly at 6.30pm.

Our collection of CD’s, DVD’s and computer games has grown to 70 plus! Thanks go to everyone who has already donated. Keep collecting over the holidays and the P.T.A. will remind you again in the new school year to bring any items into school to help raise extra funds and to get a free football kit for the school.

This is a plea from the P.T.A. to all strong, willing volunteers, who would like to do “their bit” for their child’s school! We have now managed to clear the site where the old equipment used to stand and are desperately in need of just a few more helping hands to rake, clear roots and weeds and make good the ground for sowing some grass seed. Bob Stewart has very kindly offered to lead a working party of willing volunteers for a couple of hours on Saturday 16th July from 10am–12pm. In the interest of health and safety, it would be easier if pupils were not on the school site at this time.

Chalgrove and Watlington Children’s Centre
“Promoting positive behaviour in children 0-12 years” at the Chalgrove Site on Tuesday 27th September 9.15-11.30am. For more information contact Jane Bellars on 07719 736673.

New After-School Club at Stadhampton School
Mrs Shortman has kindly offered to run an after-school cooking club from September 2011. The opportunity will be offered to a year group at a time and will run for 5 weeks. Places will be limited to ten pupils, offered on a first come-first served basis. The cost for the 5 sessions will be £20 in total which will also cover the cost of the ingredients. The emphasis of the club is to have fun and share in the enjoyment of preparing, cooking and presenting good home-made food whilst learning the importance of food and personal hygiene, basic knife skills, i.e. chopping, slicing and peeling. Pupils will learn some simple cooking techniques relating to pastries, cakes, soups and sauces.

Year 6 pupils will have the first opportunity, so look out for the letters in the first week of September.

Banbury Museum Visit – Report by Alice
“On Wednesday 11th July Class 3 went to Banbury Museum. When we first got there we went in to a room and talked about the Civil War. After that we all went upstairs and looked at the Civil War artefacts and then did some acting. It was quite strange pretending to be people back in those times! We then had lunch and had one last look around the museum before we left.”


Little Bears News
We are busy practicing for our sports day on Friday 22nd July at 11am. All parents are reminded to bring something to sit on and a picnic. We are also looking forward to having our reward from Elmer the Elephant!


DIARY DATES:

Wednesday 20th July Mobile Library. All books to be returned please.
Friday 22nd July End of school year assembly at 9.05am in hall. All welcome.
Term 6 ends at 1.30pm
25th – 29th July Holiday course run by Premier Sports Group


Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th September Teacher INSET Days
Wednesday 7th September Pupils return to school
Wednesday 21st September School photographs