Newsletter for week ending 8 February 2013

UNICEF Collection
Thank you to everyone who sent pupils into school with change for the UNICEF Day for Change last Friday. We are pleased to announce that £82.20 was raised. Please have a look at the photographs we have uploaded onto the School Website under the ‘Events’ section.

Work Viewing Evening- Monday 11 March 2013
Our annual Work-Viewing Evening, when parents and carers are welcome to look at their child/ren’s work, will take place between 3.15pm and 6.00pm on Monday 11th March. Pupils are very welcome to accompany their parents/carers and show them their work. Teaching staff will be in their classrooms from 3.30pm and are available for brief, informal consultation but there is no appointment system and parents/carers should be aware that any conversations are unlikely to be private. Mid-Year Summary reports for all pupils will be sent home during the previous week.

Green Energy Bus
Photographs have now been uploaded onto the School Website of the visit by the ‘green’ bus to Stadhampton School.

Message from the Governing Body
Dear Parents/Carers,
At the last full Governing Body meeting we discussed the feedback you provided in the annual parents questionnaire. As you may remember from a previous newsletter your feedback was very positive with 92% of responses in Agree or Strongly Agree and there were no (0%) Strongly Disagree responses to any of the statements. The proportion of returned questionnaires was lower than in previous years.

In analysing your feedback some contradictions came to light. While the 3rd and 4th best scoring statements were "This school helps my child to develop skills in communication, reading, writing and mathematics" and "My child is taught well at this school" respectively, one of the lower scoring statements was "My child is making good progress at this school".
What was clearer was that the statement "This school keeps me well informed" attracted the least positive response with 11% (5 responses out of 42) disagreeing with the statement, while 40% strongly agreed and 49% agreed with the statement.

In order to better understand how the school could improve in informing you, we would like to offer parents/carers an opportunity to follow-up and clarify your thoughts, and suggestions to the Governing Body by providing a comment to the school. Any comment you make can be anonymous and should be left in a comments box that will be available at the Work Viewing Evening in March.

Regards
Jason Hector
Chair of Governors.

Music Lessons for the week 25th February to 1st March
As Class 3 pupils will be on their residential visit to Woodlands Outdoor Education Centre for the week of 25th Febraury to 1st March, there are some changes to the extra-curricular music lessions that some children participate in. We understand that arrangements are as follows:
Clarinet (Miss Howell) – there will be no lesson for any pupils and the missed lesson will be added to the lessons received in Terms 5 & 6.
Guitar (Mr Payne) – there will be no lesson for any pupils (including those in Class 2) and, the lesson missed will be added to the lessons received in Terms 5 & 6.
Piano (Mrs Drake) – there will be no lesson for pupils in Class 3 that week but pupils in Class 2 will receive their lesson as usual.

If any parents wish to receive any further information please contact your child’s music teacher. Thank you.

Sainsbury Vouchers
“I'm passionate about inspiring kids to try a new sport. And that's exactly what Active Kids is all about - encouraging kids to try, and hopefully really enjoy something new.”
David Beckham - Active Kids Ambassador

Please collect Active Kids vouchers when you shop at Sainsbury's between 30th January and 22nd May and donate them to us so that we can then redeem them for sports equipment. Thank you.

After School Clubs
Letters about the after school school clubs available in Term 4 should be in book bags today.
On offer in Term 4 are:
• Tag Rugby and Netball Club on Mondays – maximum of 16 pupils in Years 3-6.
• Multisports Club on Wednesdays – maximum of 25 pupils in Years 2-6.
• Gymnastics Club for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils on Thursdays - maximum attendance is 20 pupils.

PTA News
Friday Cake Club
Well done to Miss Shah for winning the cake last week, kindly made by Mrs Diment. A reminder to Mrs Bradford that she is on the rota for 22nd February, the first Friday after half term.

Children's Bingo
Have you any 'good as new' items that you could donate as prizes for the children's bingo - if so, please put them in the red PTA box in the school hall. Thank you.

Swimming at Berinsfield
To clarify the arrangements for swimming in Term 4:
• Class 2 will have their last ‘normal’ swimming session on Monday 18th February. This is the last week of the sessions paid for in Term 3.
• Class 2 will have an additional swimming opportunity on Monday 25th February as Class 3 are away on their residential visit. As we are aware that Class 2 pupils went on a trip to Sulgrave Manor quite recently, we shall not charge parents for the transport for this extra session.
• Class 3 pupils begin their 4 swimming sessions from Monday 4th March until Monday 25th March. We hope that parents will be willing to contribute to the cost of the swimming transport for these sessions, which equates to £2 per pupil. Cheques for swimming contributions should be made payable to Stadhampton Primary School. Thank you.

Half Term Archery Sessions
Mr Ken Chrisp, who has been giving archery lessons at school recently, has asked me to let you know that he is running two archery sessions at the Abbey Sports Centre during half term. They are from 10:30 to 12:00pm on Tuesday 12th February and Friday 15th February. The sessions are restricted to children who are over 8 years old. Anyone interested in booking a place should contact the Abbey Sports Centre on 01865 341035.


LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Little Bears are returning to the topic of ‘Superheroes’ on the 18th February which should prove to be popular with the children.
Have a great break everyone and see you in a week’s time.

DIARY DATES:
Monday 18 February Return to school for the start of Term 4
Tuesday 19 February Reception pupils eye checks
Friday 22 February Children’s Bingo 5.30 to 7pm
Monday 25 February – Friday 1 March Class 3 Residential Visit to Woodlands Outdoor Education Centre accompanied by Miss Shah, Mrs Scragg and Mr Hazeldine.
Extra swimming opportunity at Abbey Sports Centre for Class 2 pupils on Monday 25 February.
Monday 4 March Mid-Year Summary Reports sent home this week
Friday 8 March Adult Boogie Bingo at 7.30pm
Monday 11 March Work Viewing Evening (all classes) 3.15-6.00pm
8th -12th April Holiday Course at Stadhampton School
Thursday 2 May School closed to pupils for County Council Elections

Have a great February Holiday!