Newsletter for week ending 23 May 2014

Visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor Hindu Temple – report by Ella Lavene and Ella Gravett
“Class 2 went to Bhaktivedanta Manor and we tried on some Indian clothes, jewellery and bindies. The food we ate was cheese and vegetable curry, rice, popadoms, chips, chipati and cookies. It was delicious. We also went on an ox cart ride and all the pupils enjoyed it, it was a very nicely decorated carriage. We had face paint but it wasn’t butterflies and pirates, it was Indian patterns and flames, and lots of lovely flowers. Some people got birthday presents and they got a flute, bindi pack and a friendship bracelet. Altogether it was a brilliant day!”

Swimming at the Abbey Sports Centre, Berinsfield
Swimming continues for Class 2 pupils on Monday 2nd and Monday 9th June. Thank you to everyone who has already made a ‘voluntary contribution’ of £2 per swimming session towards the cost of the transport. Any further contributions would be warmly welcomed. Swimming sessions will begin for Class 3 pupils on Monday 16th June. They will have 5 sessions in total. As always, we hope that parents will support the cost of the transport to the Abbey Sports Centre with a ‘voluntary contribution’ of £2 per child per swimming session. Payments of £10 for the 5 sessions can be made by cheque (made payable to Stadhampton Primary School please.) Alternatively we are very happy to receive a cash payment of £2 on a weekly basis. Thank you.

Swimming in the School Pool – please get ready!
After the May Holiday, Mr Short and Mrs Shortman will be preparing our school pool for use. We will also be following OCC regulations and have our pool inspected and water samples taken and sent off for analysis before pupils are allowed in to the pool. The school pool, once ready, will be used by all pupils throughout the school (including Reception pupils). Please could all parents now start to prepare a ‘swimming bag’ so that it is ready for use. All pupils will need a towel, swimming hat (boys and girls), boys need tight fitting (not baggy) swimming trunks and girls need a one-piece swimming costume (no bikinis or tankinis please). It is much easier if each child has their own swimming hat rather than families try to share one between them. Once the pool comes into use, (we will let you know in the newsletter or by e-mail when this happens) the onus will be on families to ensure that swimming kit is in school each day, otherwise pupils will miss out on opportunities to swim. Pupils who do not have their swimming kit in school will sit and observe the swimming session when their class has their turn in the school pool. Thank you.

Clarinet Performance on 8th July 2014
Pupils in Years 5 and 6 will be demonstrating their clarinet skills in a performance for parents on Tuesday 8th July from 2.45 to 3.15pm. All parents are welcome but we especially hope that as many parents of pupils in Classes 2 and 3 will be able to come along as possible.

Sunhats and Sunscreen Lotion
A reminder that all pupils should have sun hats available in school after the May Holiday. Parents may also wish to apply sunscreen to pupils before they come to school if the weather is going to be particularly sunny.

PTA News
Boogie Bingo - what a fantastic evening! Thank you to everyone who came along and a massive thank you to Gareth and Rowena Dobson for providing such a fun evening and for all their hard work. Thank you also to Kevin Bowerman for looking after the bar.

Spring Cleaning Day Saturday 14th June - we would love lots of parents, other family members and friends (anyone good with a paintbrush!) to come down to the school from 10am to help us paint fences, do some weeding and have a general clean up. Even if you can only spare an hour or two, everything helps! We know how lucky we are to have our school so any help to give it a mini facelift would be fantastic! Your reward ....... Bacon Butties and lots of tea and coffee.

There is a sign up sheet in the office, so if you are able to help, please put your names down to give us a rough estimate of how many volunteers we have for the day.

Please note it won't be possible to bring children into the school grounds on the day. However, Little Bears has kindly offered to open its grounds should families wish to coordinate childcare there, while other family members volunteer at the school. Parents will remain responsible for their children and will need to ensure they are supervised at all times.

Summertime Funtime - Saturday 21st June - a fun filled afternoon from 2pm until 4pm for all the family with a summer theme and lots of competitions to enter. Please note this date as it promises to be fun fun fun!!!

Have you got any questions or ideas? Join the PTA! Our next meeting is at The Crown on Tuesday 3rd June at 8pm; new and old members always welcome.

Cake Club
Congratulations to Mrs Shortman, the lucky winner of last week’s cake, kindly donated by Mrs Cove, who made it late at night after an evening at the hospital with Owen! A reminder to Mrs Marshall that she is on the rota for 6 June, the first Friday after half term.

DIARY DATES:
Wednesday 4 June Reception and Class 1 Visit to Outlook Discovery Centre
Thursday 12th June School Lunch - Brazilian World Cup Feast – Brazilian chicken or sticky quorn (v) with salsa and rice, followed by coconut and pineapple glazed sponge - £2. Please order on Monday 9th June if your child would like this lunch.
Wednesday 18 June Year 5 Visit to ICC for Humanities, Science and PE lessons – please remember to take your PE kit!
Wednesday 25 June Festival of Voices at Dorchester Abbey
23 May, 6 June
Friday 13 June
Friday 20 June Cycling sessions for Year 6 pupils

Cycle Theory Test
Cycle Test
Monday 11 – Friday 15 August Summer Sports Course at Stadhampton School. Please see posters on each classroom door and in the entrance foyer for details of how to book.

LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Little Bears last day of Term 5 is Friday 23rd May at 3pm returning on 2nd June at 9am to the topic of "The Circus". We hope everyone has a wonderful half term break and the sun shines for us all.

Community News:
• The village bus shelter in Stadhampton is getting a face lift and you’re invited to come and ‘lend us a hand!’
The time has come for the bus shelter in Stadhampton to have a new lease of life. At the beginning of July all the hard work of sweeping out the shelter and repainting of the walls and ceiling will be underway. On Sat 5th & Sun 6th of July 2014 from 11.00am - 4.00pm all members of the community, young and old, are then welcome to come and make their mark and be part of the ‘future history of the village’. So make a note in your diaries, take a trip to the bus shelter for a friendly chat and place your handprints on the walls, to build a new picture for the village, made by the village! Feel free to spread the word to friends and neighbours to help this worthy cause. (Please see attached poster!)

• River Thame Conservation Trust have organised a brilliant day of activities, including river walks, focused on the River Thame at Stadhampton, to take place on Saturday, 7th June 2014.
Please see attached flyer

• Please see three flyers from the Chalgrove and Watlington’s Children’s Centre with details of their forthcoming events.