Newsletter for week ending 14 March 2014

Gardening Club – Friday Lunchtimes
There are still spaces available for pupils in Classes 2 and 3 to join the Gardening Club. Please let Mrs Hopkins know if you would like to be involved.

Storytelling Fortnight
Many, many thanks to all the adults (parents, carers and governors) who came in and read stories in each of the classes over the last two weeks. We have been entertained by a wide range of stories and poems, including Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’, Shirley Hughes ‘Dogger’, Roald Dahl’s ‘Revolting Rhymes’ and ‘Dirty Beasts’, Julia Donaldson’s ‘Room on the Broom’ and ‘What the Ladybird Heard’ John Burningham’s ‘Would You Rather’and George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ as well as several stories by Dr Seuss, traditional tales such as ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, ‘The Dragon of Krakow’, ‘Le Petit Chaperon Rouge’ and poetry by Kit Wright. We were treated to stories read to us not only in English but also French, Spanish, German, Hungarian, Swedish, Bulgarian and Yorkshire! These stories have all contributed to enabling our pupils to experience the rich variety of stories and the culture of storytelling in English and other languages. Thank you all for your involvement and support (and bravery!), it is greatly appreciated.

Youth Club in Stadhampton – Message from Debbie Bradford
“We have recently had discussions with an organisation called OAYP, (Oxfordshire Association for Young People) regarding the possibility of joining their community link up project, which will assist us in setting up a Youth Club in Stadhampton. This would be a great opportunity for the young people in the village to experience and get involved in. However, before we are able to move the project forward we need to gauge the level of interest and available support.

We have invited Adam French, a project worker from OAYP, to come and talk about his organisation and what services they can offer us.

This meeting will take place on Thursday 27th March at 7.45pm in the church hall. Please come along to show your support, and share your views on the subject.”

Cycle Safety Training
We are very grateful to Mrs Cove, Mrs Green, Mrs Ellis, Miss Moss-Black (Helen) and Mr Matthews (Dave) for offering to provide cycle safety training in the summer term for any Year 6 pupils who have not already passed the test and would like to have a go. Please could those pupils confirm with Mrs Hopkins whether they would like to do this, by Monday next week. In order for pupils to put their names forward it is essential that they have an appropriately sized roadworthy cycle and a cycle helmet which conforms to British Standards and fits correctly. We hope to be able to extend this opportunity to the present Year 5 pupils during the next academic year.

PTA News
Thank you to everyone who supported the Bingo night last Friday. It was a great success and all the children seemed to have a good time. Thank you to all the PTA members and parents who stayed to help and to all those who stayed to clear up at the end of the evening. Thanks also to Miss Mould for coming and to Guy Holmes for being our bingo caller.

Tickets are still available for the quiz night on Friday 21st March, priced at £5 each or £40 for a team of up to 8 people. Georgina Wiggins will be selling tickets outside Class 1 each morning, so please see her if you would like to buy any. It promises to be a great evening so please support this event if you can.

The next PTA meeting will be on Tuesday 25th March in The Crown at 8pm.
All welcome!


Cake Club
Congratulations to Daniel Ellis, the lucky winner of the cake kindly donated by Mrs Jones. A reminder to Mrs Hindmarch that she is on the rota for 21 March.

DIARY DATES:
Wednesday 19 March Sports Activities Day – please bring PE kit!
Monday 24 March Work viewing evening – teachers available for informal chat if required whilst you look at your child’s work - no appointments necessary - 3.15 to 6pm.
Friday 4 April Break up for Easter Holiday. School finishes at 1.30pm
Monday 14 – Thursday 17 April Sports course at Stadhampton School led by Mr Hopkins. See posters in each cloakroom entrance or book via Mrs Hopkins.
Tuesday 22 April Pupils and staff return to school for the start of Term 5


LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Next week Little Bears will be talking about growing food and where our food comes from. We will be looking at healthy foods and what's good for us.
A huge thank you to Anna Harris and Carol Holmes for their toy donations.

Community News:
Attachments to this newsletter:
• Brookes Science Bazaar – Free fun for the family on Saturday 22nd March from 11am to 4pm at Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane. No booking required but please note that no parking is available for this event.
• Two flyers about RAF Benson Holiday course from 7th -11th April and Making Connections Day on 15th April.
• Lambing Weekends at Earth Trust, Little Wittenham
• Food technician job vacancy at Icknield Community College