Newsletter for week ending 7 March 2014

Happy MARCH Birthday to: Maggie Almeida, Jem Burnell, Darcy Crook, Emily Drake, Daniel Ellis, Hannah Lansley, Greg Madry, Benjamin Walker and Naomi Woodwards.

During MARCH we are focusing on the core value of TRUST

World Book Day
Thursday 6th March was World Book Day and we decided to do something a bit different this year! Instead of dressing up as a book character, all classes made their own hats or masks to represent their chosen book character. Some children also made masks and hats at home. We used a variety of materials and they all looked fantastic! Characters ranged from Willy Wonka to the Lorax to the tiger (from ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’). The classes also enjoyed sharing books with children in different year groups and lots of interesting ‘book talk’ was overheard by the staff.
Well done to all the children for making such a good effort today and making it a very enjoyable morning of book celebration!

Gardening Club – Friday lunchtimes
We are grateful to Mr and Mrs Burnell for offering to resurrect the gardening club on Friday lunchtimes. Please could any pupils from Classes 2 and 3 who would like to attend the club put their names down with Mrs Hopkins. The club will start on Friday 14th March. If any other parents would like to also offer their help at this club, please let us know.

School Council Flag and Language Competition!
The School Council is running a competition, with an international theme, as a part of our continuing focus on maintaining international links as a school. All pupils at school are invited to take part and families at home too! The task is to identify twelve different flags on the competition sheet. Having done that you will also have a greeting, written in one of the main languages spoken in each country - however some of the letters will be missing! You will need to try and work out what the greeting should be in that language.
Once the competition sheet is completed, you will need to write your name and class on the back of the sheets. Finished entries can then be put in a labelled box outside Class 1. There is no charge for taking part in this competition. The competition sheets will be given to classes on Friday 7th March and need to be in by Friday 21st March. Entries with all the answers correct will be then entered into a prize draw and then one winner will be picked out at random and will receive an international-themed prize!

Advance Warning of Sporting Events
To link in with Commonwealth Day (on Monday 10th March), we have planned an exciting sports day on Wednesday 19th March when we look forward to welcoming a sports leader from Kidz Fit into school. Pupils will take part in interactive sessions to help them to learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle, physical fitness and personal wellbeing. Please ensure that ALL pupils have their PE kit in school!

We will also be taking part in activities for Sports Relief around 21st March. Further details to follow nearer the time.

Cycle Safety Training
We are hoping to be able to run cycle training sessions before the end of the summer term for Year 6 pupils who have not as yet, taken a cycle safety training test and would like to do so. Mrs Cove, Mrs Ellis and Mrs Green were involved in this last year and in order for this training to be available to pupils we really need additional volunteers to help with this activity. We all know how busy the road is through Stadhampton and therefore need a good number of adults to ensure that pupils are closely supervised in this activity. Please let Mrs Hopkins know if you would be willing to help.

Out-grown school shoes
Helen Moss-Black has asked us to circulate to parents details of the UK based charity, Osiligi (www.osiligi.org) which helps to relieve poverty in the Maasai area of Kenya. Helen collects out grown school shoes (particularly sizes 10-3 in both boys and girls) and passes them on to the charity who take them out to Kenya every three months or so. Next time you buy new school shoes, please think about whether the old ones might be suitable for a second life in Africa. Thank you.

PTA News
Tomorrow is Bingo Night! Please could parents be prompt in dropping/collecting their children. If any parent can stay and help clear up at the end of the evening, it would be greatly appreciated. Please let a PTA member know if you can help. It should be a great night for the children!


Individual and table tickets for the Quiz Night on Friday 21st March are available priced at £5 each or £40 for a table of up to 8. It promises to be a great evening, so please get involved and buy your tickets from Georgina Wiggins as soon as possible. This will allow us to make sure there is plenty of wine stocked up at the bar!


Once again, thank you for your continued support of the PTA.


Cake Club
Congratulations to Ella Perring, the lucky winner of the cake kindly donated by Mrs Lansley. A reminder to Mrs Eaton that she is on the rota for 14 March.

DIARY DATES:
3rd-14th March Story telling fortnight – please come in and read a story!
Monday 10 March Governing Body meeting at 7pm
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 at Little Bears we will continue to explore the topic of ‘mini beasts’ and ‘the life cycle of a frog’. The Little Bears have worked hard making frog spawn, tadpoles and frogs and learning songs about frogs.

If anyone would like donate some paper plates to Little Bears, this would be very much appreciated.