Newsletter for week ending 28 June 2013

Consultation on the provision of home to school transport
We would like to bring to your attention the consultation that Oxfordshire is conducting regarding the provision of home to school transport. Families with pupils in Years 3-6 received this information earlier this week, however we feel that we should also share this important information with all parents via the newsletter. Currently if a child lives over 3 miles from Icknield Community College and is within their official catchment area, they receive free travel.

The proposal states that from September 2014 students will only get free transport to the secondary school which is nearest to their home address. They will not necessarily get free transport to Icknield Community College even though for most parents, it is their catchment school. Attached to this newsletter are three documents from Icknield Community College about this. Some of the parents from Stadhampton School will be asking parents to sign a petition at the school gate, the petition will then be sent to OCC.

Big Science Event
Yesterday Jake, Hannah, Owen, Ruby and Amy went to the Big Science Event final at Science Oxford. They had to present their investigation to four judges (as well as the other groups) and answer questions about their investigations. You can find out more about our investigation and the other schools’ experiments here:
http://www.playforce.co.uk/#the-big-science-event-the-final-presentations/

Unfortunately we didn’t win but we all feel pleased about how far we got in the competition. This year 6000 children, from over 40 different schools took part and we did extremely well to get into the final 12 groups. West Oxford School won and we all agreed that their investigation into popping bubbles with sound was fascinating. The standard of investigations was high this year and we are even more inspired about entering next year! We also got the opportunity to explore the Discovery Zone at Science Oxford and watch an exciting Science Show involving dynamite!

Bus Opening Event and Summer Fete
We understand that an article about the bus, and accompanying photos, is in the Oxford Mail today, Friday 28th June.

Mr Jason Pearce
Congratulations to Mr Pearce, an Oxford Brookes PGCE student who this week completed his final placement with us. Mr Pearce has been offered a teaching post at a primary school in Oxford and we wish him well there.

Maths Talk for Parents – 01.07.2013
A reminder that we are holding an information session for parents entitled “Playing with Numbers” from 2.15 to 3.15 next Monday. Details were sent out by letter last week. The session, which is suitable for parents/carers of pupils across the primary age-range, will be led by Mrs Linda Hull. All parents/carers are welcome but, if you haven’t already returned a reply slip, it would be helpful to let the office know your intentions so that we can provide sufficient seating.


Swimming Matters:

Class 3 Swimming Sessions at Berinsfield:
As part of the lifesaving element of their swimming sessions all pupils in Class 3 will require a pair of old pyjamas, as well as their normal swimming kit, to take with them on Monday.

Swimming Contributions:
We are most grateful to those families who have already made a contribution towards the cost of the swimming transport to the Abbey Sports Centre. Any further contributions of £14 per child for Term 6 would be appreciated. Cheques to be made payable to Stadhampton Primary School please. Thank you.

Swimming in the School Pool:
With the possibility of drier and warmer weather we hope to make use of the school pool when circumstances allow. We would like to remind parents/carers that it would be helpful if all parents have their swimming kit in school. In order to comply with OCC regulations this comprises a one-piece swimming costume for girls, close-fitting trunks for boys (these can be cycling short style), a swimming hat and a swimming towel. Goggles are not required in the school pool.

School Gardening Club Needs You!
As our girls are moving on to secondary school in September, we need a group of willing volunteers to take up the running of the school's weekly gardening club (currently one lunchtime a week). We have an extremely enthusiastic group of young gardeners who are keen to plant, weed, collect bugs and make compost! They have all the necessary tools, a super new greenhouse to start off seedlings and raised beds to plant into. The children get so much enjoyment from it and love to see their efforts rewarded with the flowers and vegetables they harvest. If you are interested in taking on this incredibly rewarding club, please speak to Mrs Tombling or Mrs Birtles who can give you further information.

PTA News

Friday Cake Club
Mrs Hopkins and Archie Dickens were joint winners of the cakes last week, kindly provided by Mrs Tombling. A reminder to Mrs Buckner that she is on the rota for 5 July.

Sports Night BBQ & Bar - Friday 12th July
As usual we will be running a BBQ and Bar at Sports Night. We will be selling good quality handmade burgers and sausages at the BBQ, as per previous years you will need to buy any food tickets in advance of Sports Night. Burger and Sausage tickets will be £2.50 each, and will go on sale next week, all orders will need to be in by Mon 8th July. Please see Diana Woodwards in the School Hall in the mornings to get yours.

End of Year Disco - Thursday 18th July, 6 - 7.30pm
Get your glad rags and dancing shoes on - it's time to celebrate the end of the School Year with a Disco! Permission slips will be in book bags next week - look out for yours and and bring it in with £3 to get your name down for the disco. Please see Diana Woodwards & Rowena Dobson in the School Hall.


LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Next week at Little Bears we will be making a holiday art gallery, so please send in some of your holiday snaps. Please feel free to bring in some books to support out topic of ‘Holidays.’A flyer is attached to this newsletter about the Little Bears Fair on Friday.


DIARY DATES:
Monday 1st July Playing with Numbers talk 2.15-3.15pm
Tuesday 2nd July Class 2 visit to the Ashmolean Museum
Tuesday 9 July Summer Concert
Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th & Friday 12th July Moving up days; Reception pupils starting in September join us in school; Year 6 pupils spend three days at ICC; all other pupils move up to the year group/class they will be in from September.
Friday 12th July EYFS/Reception meeting with parents in School Hall at 2.50pm
Sports Evening
Monday 15th – Friday 19th July No afterschool clubs in the final week of the school term
Tuesday 16th July Daylight Theatre performance
Thursday 18 July School disco 6 – 7.30pm
Friday 19th July Leavers assembly 09.05am
School finishes for Summer holidays at 1.30pm
Wednesday 4th September Pupils return to school for the start of the new academic year