Newsletter for week ending 30th November 2012

Annual Questionnaire for Parents and Carers,
A reminder that the deadline for returning completed forms is Friday 7th December. Thank you to the families who have already completed and returned the annual parents questionnaire, recently distributed by the Governing Body, back to the school office. The Governing Body are keen to hear your views of how well the school is meeting your expectations. The questionnaire is confidential. Thank you.

Winter Fair and Car Parking - Friday 30th November
The netball court will be opened up for use as a car park for the Winter Fair. We hope this will alleviate congestion in the school car park and in Cratlands Close. We respectfully remind families who need to drive to the event to be mindful of the needs of the residents of Cratlands Close and avoid blocking driveway access or parking on the pavement.

Maths Booklets
‘Support your child at home’ Maths booklets for pupils in Years 1 to 6 were sent home via book bags earlier this week. These booklets, which are year group specific, provide ideas for home-based activities that can help support your child’s learning in school. Pupils in Year 2 should have also received a second leaflet entitled ‘Helping your child with maths’, which gives ideas to use at home and also outlines some of the key methods currently used in mathematical calculations. This leaflet is routinely given to families of Year 2 pupils but can be a helpful reference from Year 2 up to Year 6. If any families of older children have misplaced their copy and would like another one, please ask your child’s class teacher. We hope you find these booklets helpful. Children in Reception received a separate leaflet earlier in the school year and haven’t been forgotten!

Tickets for the Christmas Performances
Tickets will be available from Monday onwards from the school office for the three Christmas performances priced at £2 each:
• Reception and Class 1’s production will be held on Wednesday 12th December, 2pm for a 2.15pm performance. Everyone is welcome to attend this performance and a maximum of 3 tickets per family are available. Tickets are not required for younger siblings.
• Class 2 and Class 3’s matinee production will be held on Tuesday 11th December, 1.30pm for a 1.40pm performance. Everyone is welcome to attend this performance and a maximum of 3 tickets per family are available. Tickets are not required for younger siblings.
• Class 2 and Class 3’s evening production will also be held on Tuesday 11th December 6pm for a 6.30pm performance. A maximum of 3 tickets per family are available for this performance. We respectfully request that parents do not bring children who are under school age to this performance please.
This year, the money raised through selling tickets for the school Christmas productions will be donated to Footsteps Foundation, a local charity based in Dorchester which offers intensive rehabilitation for children and young adults with neurological disorders. Refreshments will be served by the PTA after the evening performance on Tuesday 11th December, with any profits they make going to PTA funds!

School Christmas Lunch
Once a year, Mrs Shortman takes on the mammoth task of cooking a Christmas lunch for the whole school. We ask that all pupils and staff have a school dinner that day. This year the date is Thursday 20th December. We try to make it a special occasion with serviettes and crackers, each child makes their own place mat (in school) and the staff serve the children with their lunch. The cost is £2 (the same price as a normal school meal) and the menu will be roast turkey and all the trimmings or cheese and vegetable goujons with vegetarian sausages. There is no requirement to pay for the meal before Monday 17th December, although you may do so if you wish. Cheques for school meals are made payable to OCC with Stadhampton School written on the back of the cheque please.

The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Poppy Appeal. We raised £39.05.

Footsteps road-safety awareness leaflets
Footsteps guides for parents have been sent home, via book bags, for all pupils in Years 1 and 2. These booklets, which are distributed on behalf of the Footsteps initiative, are designed to help parents help their children develop their road-safety awareness.

PTA NEWS
Winter Fair
We're all ready for a great evening and looking forward to seeing you there. Come and visit Santa for £2, have a go on the chocolate tombola for 30p, the toy tombola, have your nails painted for £1, and lots more.

Friday Cake Club
Last week’s lucky winner of the cake was Hannah Lansley, kindly donated by Mrs Holmes. Thomas Cove and Ellie Wiggins both had their names pulled first, but very kindly said to dip again as they had won before! A reminder to Mrs Woodwards that she is on the rota for 7th December.


LITTLE BEARS NEWS
Next week we will be looking at the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah. We are going to make a large Menorah and play with some Dreidels as well as looking at Hebrew writing.

DIARY DATES:
Friday 30 November TONIGHT! Winter Fair 6-8pm
Sunday 2 December Christingle Service at St John’s Church, Stadhampton at 9.30am
Wednesday 5 December Mobile Library
Tuesday 11 December Matinee and evening performances of KS2 Christmas Production
Wednesday 12 December Matinee performance of FS/KS1 Christmas Production at 2.15pm. The Oxford Mail may take a photograph of this performance for their Christmas feature. Please let us know if you have any objections.
Monday 17th December Wreath-making evening
Tuesday 18th December School Christmas Party pm
Wednesday 19th December Nativity Service in Church at 2.15pm. Reception children will be actively involved in this service. All welcome to join us.
Thursday 20th December Whole-school Christmas lunch
Friday 21st December
End of term assembly at 9.05am. All welcome to join us.
School finishes at 1.30pm.
Monday 7th January Staff INSET Day – no pupils!
Tuesday 8th January Pupils return to school for the start of Term 3

Newsletter for week ending 23rd November 2012

Annual Questionnaire for Parents and Carers
The annual questionnaire for parents and carers, compiled and analysed by the Governing Body, along with a covering letter, has been sent home via book bags today. In response to feedback from parents and carers last year, we have provided a form for each child rather than each family and an envelope for the return of each form.

Class 3 Woodlands Outdoor Education Centre Residential Visit
It was good to see so many parents at the presentations about the Woodlands Residential visit, to hear questions from pupils and parents and to be able to provide everyone with an opportunity to meet Mr Chris Pearce, Head of Centre. A leaflet summarising much of this information has been sent home via bookbags today – please see Miss Shah if you haven’t received one. Further information will be sent to families in the near future.

School Admission Appeal Panels
When the Local Authority has refused a child a place at the parents’ preferred school, the parents have a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. In accordance with Regulations, OCC must make arrangements for parents to appeal and part of that duty is to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of people to serve on these appeal panels. If anyone is interested in being on an appeal panel please contact Mrs Sheila Sturgeon Education Appeals Officer on 01865 810180 or
e -mail schoolappeals@oxfordshire.gov.uk by Monday 10th December 2012.

Detoxing Childhood books available to parents and carers
Earlier this week Mrs Turner attended a training session entitled ‘21st Century Children: Language, Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum’. The session, which was both fascinating and constructive, was led by Sue Palmer. Sue Palmer is well known to teachers as a writer, broadcaster and consultant on child education, particularly literacy, and is an independent advisor to the Department of Education and the BBC. She may be known to some parents as the author of the book ‘Toxic Childhood’. More recently she has written another book ‘Detoxing Childhood’ in which she provides a guide on how parents can help today’s children grow up healthy, happy and resilient, despite the pressures of the ‘toxic’ world. We have bought two copies of this book for school and if any parents/carers are interested in borrowing a copy you would be most welcome to do so – please see either Mrs Turner or Mrs Hopkins.

Children in Need
It was wonderful to see so many children and school staff wearing ‘something spotty’ last Friday. Thank you to all parents and carers for helping their children by creating a range of spotty outfits and supporting this cause. We managed to raise an amazing £100 for this worthy cause. Thank you.

Seasonal Illness and School Absence
The colder, damper weather seems to have brought with it the usual seasonal illnesses with pupils, parents and staff succumbing to a range of conditions. In assembly we have reminded pupils about the NHS ‘Catch It, Bin It, Kill It’ campaign and to help offer guidance to parents we have distributed a leaflet from Oxfordshire County Council about sickness absence which we hope you will find useful. This leaflet has also been uploaded onto the school website (Links section).

Bottle Tops Collection
Thank you for continuing to collect these for us. Mrs Leiper will be taking a huge parcel of them to the collection point in Swindon at the weekend to support the Thames Valley Air Ambulance collection. We have been advised that milk bottle tops, Robinsons and Innocent tops and anything with a triangle inside the top may be recycled but tops off fizzy drinks bottles cannot be recycled.

The Oxford Owl – www.oxfordowl.co.uk
Parents may already be aware of this useful website but, if not, this website is free and has been designed by teachers and parents specifically to help parents support their children’s reading and maths at home. We will also put a link to it on our own website.

Winter Fair – Friday 30th November
A reminder (for anyone who missed it!) that the PTA Winter Fair is in school next Friday, 30th November, from 6.00-8.00pm. This is a popular and major fund-raising event and we look forward to seeing you there!

PTA News

Raffle Tickets
Please return your raffle tickets (with your name on the back) and payment by next Thursday to be included in the raffle draw at the Winter Fair next Friday. Remember to keep the duplicate set of tickets for Friday.

Winter Fair
It's one week to the Winter Fair - and we would love any donations of good quality items that you can give us - how about you "Phil a bag" over the weekend with any of the following: chocolates, sweets, biscuits, cakes, mince pies, books, CDs & DVDs, beauty products, toys or bottles, unwanted gifts or any other items that may be suitable for the raffle - and put it in our red box in the hall on Monday.

Friday Cake Club
Well done Thomas Cove on winning the cake last Friday, donated by Mrs Duke. A reminder to Mrs Hursey who is on the rota for the 30th November.


LITTLE BEARS NEWS
Next week we are looking at colours light and dark. We will also be looking at a colour wheel and talking about colour mixing.

DIARY DATES:
Friday 30 November Winter Fair 6-8pm
Sunday 2 December Christingle Service at St John’s Church, Stadhampton at 9.30am
Wednesday 5 December Mobile Library
Tuesday 11 December Matinee and evening performances of KS2 Christmas Production
Wednesday 12 December Matinee performance of FS/KS1 Christmas Production at 2.15pm. The Oxford Mail may take a photograph of this performance for their Christmas feature. Please let us know if you have any objections.
Monday 17th December Wreath-making evening
Tuesday 18th December School Christmas Party pm
Wednesday 19th December Nativity Service in Church at 2.15pm. All welcome to join us.
Thursday 20th December Whole-school Christmas lunch
Friday 21st December
End of term assembly at 9.05am. All welcome to join us.
School finishes at 1.30pm.
Monday 7th January Staff INSET Day – no pupils!
Tuesday 8th January Pupils return to school for the start of Term 3

Newsletter for week ending 9th November 2012

Happy NOVEMBER Birthday to: Juliana Browning, Beau Burnell, Jacob Day, Amy Freeman, Max Jones, Max Lansley, Lola Odell and Ella Perring.

During NOVEMBER we are focusing on the core value of PEACE

Act of Remembrance
We held our school Act of Remembrance at 11am on Friday 9th November. Prayers and poems were read by pupils in Class 3 which was particularly poignant as they have been studying the book War Horse as their Literacy text.

Book Fair
Thank you to everyone who supported our school Book Fair last week, purchasing books and stationery items. Sales totalled £438, which has enabled us to receive books to the value of £203 for the class libraries. Thank you to everyone who made a purchase.

Recorders
A reminder that recorders started this week for all pupils in Years 3-6 and will continue during terms 2, 4 and 6. For hygiene reasons, pupils should have their own named recorder. Recorder and books are available from the school office if anyone should need them. Recorders are on sale for £6.50 and books for £4.80 each (the price we pay for them). Apologies that the price of the recorder books was mis-typed in last week’s newsletter. The correct price for recorder books is £4.80, i.e.£11.30 for a recorder and a book. Children will have been advised which book is appropriate.

Parents’ Consultation Evenings
Slips giving details of the date and time of consultations were put in book bags earlier this week.

Class 2 Visit to Woodstock
A big thank you to all Class 2 pupils for being such a pleasure to take and to all families for providing the ‘evacuee outfits’ which helped to make this visit so meaningful. Some photographs taken before they set off, and of the visit, will shortly be on display in the classroom and on the school website.

Here is a report from Emily and Jamie:
“Class Two went on a trip to The Oxfordshire Museum, in Woodstock. We dressed up and even had a World War Two lunch. Class 2 made rag rugs. Most people said it was easy. We had a pretend air raid and wore gas marks. After that we went to the cemetery and looked at World War 1 and 2 soldiers’ graves. Class 2 thought it was an extremely amazing day and hope they can go again!.

School Council and Children in Need “Show your spots, let’s raise lots!”
Friday 16th November is “Children in Need” day and this year the School Council are planning the findraising for this charity. Pupils may pay £1 to wear non-uniform but should make sure that their outfit includes something spotty!



Mr Jamie Hazeldine
We welcome Mr Jamie Hazeldine, a local youth leader and sports coach, as a volunteer in school over the next few months. Mr Hazeldine is intending to train to be a teacher and will be a regular visitor, gaining experience throughout the school.

Christmas Events – Dates for your Diary!
Dates of the Christmas plays, Nativity Service in Church, and other festive activities, are all in the Diary Dates section of this newsletter.

PTA News
Winter Fair - Friday 30th November
We would be very grateful for donations of items for the Winter Fair; bottles, tins, jars and chocolate for the tombola’s, raffle prizes, toys, books, CDs & DVDs. Please drop your donations into school the week commencing the 19th November or give them to a member of the PTA for safe-keeping. Thank you.
Friday Cake Club
Hannah Tombling was the lucky winner of the cake on the Friday before half term, kindly donated by Mrs Jones. A reminder to Mrs Duke that she is on the rota for 16 November.

Fund raising amounts
A spookily great time was had by all the children at the Halloween Disco - we raised a fantastic £250.01.
Thanks to everyone who paid for their coaster and placed orders with Funmats - we've raised another £121.45.


LITTLE BEARS NEWS
Next week we are celebrating Divali at Little Bears. We will be making small clay candle holders and tasting some of the foods that would be enjoyed during this Hindu festival.
Thank you to Lucy Ellis who donated some great books to Little Bears.

DIARY DATES:
Thursday 15th November School used as a Polling Station – closed to pupils
Friday 16th November Children in Need Day. Pupils may pay £1 to come to school in their own clothes, but must be wearing something spotty!
Netball and Rugby tournaments at ICC for participating pupils
Monday 19th November Parents Evening: 3.30 – 4.30pm and 5.00-7.00pm Class 1
4.00 - 7.00pm – Reception, Class 2 and Class 3
Wednesday 21st November Parents Evening: 4.00 – 6.00pm – all classes
Friday 30th November Winter Fair 6-8pm
Tuesday 11th December Matinee and Evening performances of KS2 Christmas Production
Wednesday 12th December Matinee performance of FS/KS1 Christmas Production
Monday 17th December Wreath-making evening
Tuesday 18th December School Christmas Party pm
Wednesday 19th December Nativity Service in Church at 2.15pm. All welcome to join us.
Thursday 20th December Whole-school Christmas lunch
Friday 21st December
End of term assembly at 9.05am. All welcome to join us.
School finishes at 1.30pm.
Monday 7th January Staff INSET Day – no pupils!
Tuesday 8th January Pupils return to school for the start of Term 3