Newsletter for week ending 21 November 2014

Annual Questionnaire for Parents/Carers from the Governing Body
We regularly ask all of our parents and carers to complete a questionnaire and these have gone home today in book bags. The results from the questionnaire are used by the Governing Body to help to; inform its strategy, ensure the sustainability of the school and improve achievement. We would be grateful if you could return completed forms to the school office by Friday the 5th of December.
Thank you.

Children in Need Day – Friday 14th November
Thank you to everyone who paid £1 to wear ‘something spotty’ for Children in Need day. We were pleased to collect £103 which has already been sent to the charity.


Parents’ Evenings
Thank you to parents and carers for the usual very high turn out to our parents’ evenings this week. These occasions offer important opportunities for us to work closely together in the best interests of each pupil.
Appointments with Mrs Garrard and Mrs Turner, which were postponed from Monday evening, will now take place on Monday 24th November at the same time as allocated on Monday 17th November. If this time is not convenient, please contact Mrs Garrard to reschedule the appointment. Thank you.

New Play Equipment
We hope everyone likes the new addition to our play equipment, which was installed this week!

Coats and Wellies
Please could all pupils have coats and wellies in school every day now that the weather has turned colder and wetter.

Emergency Closure Procedures
If the weather is particularly bad or there are power cuts in the village and the decision is made to close the school, the information is given to parents through BBC Radio Oxford, Jack FM and Heart FM. Parents are advised to tune into these local radio stations and also check their websites if there is a possibility that the school could be closed. We will also do our best to put a message onto the school website if there is power!

Christmas Productions
Outline details of this year’s Christmas Productions have been in the Diary Dates section of the newsletter for some weeks. Please find further details below:

Monday 8 December
at 10am KS2 Dress Rehearsal Little Bears, Reception and Class 1 pupils will watch this performance
Tuesday 9 December
at 10am

Tuesday 9 December
at 1.45pm

Tuesday 9 December
6.30pm KS1/Reception Dress Rehearsal

KS2 Matinee Performance

KS2 Evening Performance (PTA serving refreshments afterwards) Classes 2 and 3 will watch this performance


Parents/carers/younger siblings – tickets required £2 each (limit is 2 per family)

Parents/carers (no pre-school aged children please) – tickets required £2 each (limit is 2 per family)
Wednesday 10 December
at 2.15pm KS1 /Reception Performance Parents/carers/younger siblings – tickets required £2 each (limit is 2 per family, with a limited amount of spare tickets)

Tickets are required for all performances of the KS1 and KS2 school plays. They will be on sale from the school office priced at £2 each from Tuesday 25 November. All profits from the sale of tickets this year will be donated to MacMillan Cancer Support. We are very grateful to the PTA who will be supplying refreshments at the end of the KS2 evening performance.

Activities/events for week commencing Monday 15 December

Tuesday 16 December from 2pm (2.15pm start)

Tuesday 16 December at 7.30pm Nativity Service in Church

PTA wreath making evening Everyone is welcome to join us for this special service

£15 a ticket
Wednesday 17 December
at 1.30pm School Christmas Party School & PTA will supply food, drink and prizes
Children may bring in party clothes to change into after lunch if they wish. Normal school lunch or a packed lunch will still be required.
Thursday 18 December at 12 noon


Christmas Disco to raise funds for the continuance of Forest Schools from 6pm to 7.30pm Whole-school Christmas lunch


Mr & Mrs Bowerman & Mrs Hopkins With crackers and napkins. Cost is £2.10. Children will make their place mat in the morning and be served by staff. We hope that all children will have a school meal instead of a packed lunch please!

Tickets are £3 each which will include snacks and drinks. Raffle tickets are also on sale to win prizes which will be drawn at the event - 50p each.
Friday 19 December at 9.05am
Friday 19 December at 1.30pm End of term assembly

School finishes at 1.30pm Everyone welcome to join us

PTA NEWS:
Disco Night - thank you to everyone who came along on Saturday night. It was a fantastic night and raised over £300!
Lots of people are keen to do it again, so if anyone has an idea for a themed night, please let us know as we are always open to new ideas.

Wreath Evening - Tuesday 16th December, School Hall, 7.30pm - a returning favourite! Spaces are still available but be quick as tickets are limited. Please see Georgina Wiggins or any PTA committee member. Tickets are £15 each.

Winter Fair - Friday 28th November 6-8pm – with only a week to go, we are looking forward to the Winter Fair. To help us make this the best one yet, we still need more donations. Please search through your cupboards or think about us when you are shopping this weekend.

Donations wanted are:
Chocolate, sweets, tins, bottle bags, gift sets, nearly new toys, party bag leftovers. We desperately need more bottles of any kind – soft drinks, bubble bath, alcohol, squash, ketchup, sauces, water…

Also:
• Every year we have a cake stall at the Winter Fair so please if you can make some cakes for next Friday then we would be very grateful. All cake donations to be left in the hall after 2pm or if you prefer at morning drop off.
• Please note there is not a white elephant stall but toys in a very good condition will be ok for the toy tombola.
• Volunteers for clearing up afterwards are needed. The more volunteers we have the less time it will take, so please, if you can spare an hour see Sue Bowerman.
• Raffle tickets for the Winter Fair need to be returned to the school office no later then Wednesday 26th November, so we can sell all unwanted tickets on the night.
Our next meeting is Tuesday 13th January, 8pm, The Crown.

Thank you for your continued support of the PTA.

Friday Cake Club
Congratulations to Betsy Elliott, the lucky winner of last week’s cake, kindly donated by Anna Harries. A reminder to Harriet Fletcher that she is on the rota for Friday 28 November.


DIARY DATES:
Tuesday 9 December KS2 Christmas Play performances at 1.45pm & 6.30pm – see detail above
Wednesday 10 December KS1 & FS Christmas Play performance at 2.15pm – see detail above
Mobile Library
Tuesday 16 December Nativity Performance at St John’s Church from 2pm
Thursday 18 December Forest School disco – 6.00-7.30pm. Tickets on sale from Tuesday
Monday 22 December & Tuesday 23 December Two day Christmas Sports Course at Stadhampton School led by Michael Hopkins and supported by Jordan Piper. Please see attached flyer for details.
Monday 5 January INSET Day – teaching staff and Mrs Hopkins only
Tuesday 6 January Pupils return to school for the start of Term 3


LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Next week Little Bears will continue to look at their experiment of using light sources and plants. We are also hoping to get our ‘dark den’ out and children may like to bring in a light source this week for show and tell; please ensure all items are named. We are also looking forward to our Gruffalo Winter Walk on Friday 28th November. There may be a few surprises on the way!

Community News:
• Flyer from the Chalgrove and Watlington Children’s Centre about a job vacancy.