Newsletter for week ending 22nd May 2015

Congratulations
Congratulations to our former pupils at Icknield Community College; Benedict Diment for being elected as Deputy-Head Boy for 2015/16 and to Ben Drake, Andrew Oakley and Chloe Brown as prefects for the year. That’s 50% of the Year 6 pupils from Stadhampton School being elected to a responsible post! We wish them all well throughout the year.

Swimming at the Abbey Sports Centre
Class 2 pupils will have ONE swimming session at the Abbey Sports Centre on Monday 8th June as Class 3 pupils are at Woodlands. Swimming sessions for Class 3 pupils will begin on Monday 15th June. They will have a further 4 sessions on 22nd & 29th June, and 6th & 13th July. As always, we are most grateful to receive a ‘voluntary contribution’ towards the cost of the swimming transport of £2 per swimming session. Cheques for swimming contributions should be made payable to Stadhampton Primary School, please. Thank you.

Important information about swimming in the school pool – please get ready!
After the May Holiday, Mrs Shortman and Mrs Singleton will be preparing our school pool for use. We will be following OCC regulations which includes having our pool inspected and water samples taken by an external company which are then sent off for analysis. A clear result must be obtained 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 in the pool area and read when their class has their turn in the school pool. Thank you.

School Council ‘Danceathon’
A reminder that the School Council are holding a ‘Danceathon’ to help raise money for the Nepal Earthquake appeal on Wednesday 3rd June. All children participating in the half an hour ‘Danceathon’ are asked to bring in a donation or alternatively seek sponsorship to raise money. Sponsorship forms are available from Miss Mould, if anyone would like one. All monies raised will be sent to the UNICEF Nepal appeal.
We collected £46 from the ‘UNICEF Bring a Pound Day.’ Thank you to everyone who contributed to this collection.


School Meals Menu
A reminder that we switch to the new Bronze Summer Menu on our return to school after the May Holiday (please find it attached to this Newsletter). It has already been uploaded to the School Website.

Class Trips this week:
On Wednesday the 20th May, Class 3 went on a fantastic school trip to Ewelme Park Estate – report by James, Alex and Leo
We had lots of fun and had a brilliant day. In the morning, we were taken round the farm by Philip. We were taken into the fields and we learnt lots about the different crops and what they were used for. We then went down to the stables and we learnt about horses, we took part in a quiz and it became competitive as the prize for the winning team was a horse shoe!! Everyone loved stroking Max the horse who was rather cuddly!
After that the estate owner Michael took us on a history trail and we learnt about Henry VIII’s connection with Ewelme Park.
Cathy taught us about Red Kites - how they build nests, hunt for prey and protect their babies all at once (now we know how parents feel!)
We spent the afternoon on a tractor with Ian the gamekeeper and his dog! He taught us about trees and we were shown a newly dug pond with tadpoles swimming around. We had a lovely time at Ewelme Park Estate and we are grateful we had the opportunity to go.

On Tuesday 19th May, Class 2 visited Sulgrave Manor - Report by Ellie W & Ella G
When we got there we got straight in to our Tudor costumes for the day. We acted out Henry VIII and his six wives. We then learnt about Tudor instruments. The English bagpipe was very interesting.
After lunch, we went outside and saw the blacksmith’s (where he works and sleeps and his family sleeps). We saw the front of the house belonging to Lawrence Washington. In the Dining Room, we found out that locked in the salt cupboard were spices, salt and sugar. In the kitchen the bottom of the bread was covered in ashes so the poor people got the nickname “upper crust”! The bed chamber was amazing because it had curtains for privacy and heat.

PLANT SALE – TOMORROW at 3.15pm
The Gardening Club will have a stall outside school at 3.15pm tomorrow for the sale of their surplus plants. Donations would be welcomed in order to help with the cost of buying potting compost, seeds, etc. Thank you.

PTA NEWS:
The sponsored Family Fun Run is on Saturday 13th June from 2-4pm and sponsorship forms have been put into book-bags. If you are taking part please return the slip at the bottom of the letter to the office by Friday 5th June. Please speak to a committee member if you have any questions.

A PTA coffee morning will be held on Thursday 9th July between 9-10am in the school hall. We are delighted to be holding another coffee morning and all parents/carers are invited to come along. If you are interested in joining the PTA committee, members will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. New reception class and other new parents are also invited so it will be a good chance for them to get to know a few faces before September. We hope to see you there.


The Giving Machine
This is a great opportunity to raise extra money for the school without costing you anymore, please read the link below or visitthegivingmachine.co.uk to sign up, our cause is stadhampton primary school, an easy way to raise extra money without costing you a penny
https://www.thegivingmachine.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Acrobat-Document2.pdf

Dates for your diaries:
Sports Night is on Friday 10th July and the End of Term Disco is on Thursday 16th July.

Thank you for your continued support of the PTA.

Friday Cake Club
Congratulations to Jemima O'Brien, the lucky winner of last week's cake, kindly donated by Mrs Hackett. A reminder to Mrs Drake that she is on the rota for 5 June, the first Friday after half term.

DIARY DATES:
Monday 1 June INSET DAY – Teachers and Mrs Hopkins only in school
Tuesday 2 June Pupils return to school for the start of Term 6
Wednesday 3 June First ‘Buddying’ session for Y6 pupils after school
W/C 8th June Class 3 at Woodlands
Monday 15 June Mobile Library visit
Tuesday 30 June African Dance Workshop
Friday 10th July Whole School Sports Evening

LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
The Little Bears have enjoyed exploring the topic of ‘Space’ and creating lots of wonderful spaceships. Our favourite was definitely the life-size craft which we enjoyed decorating.
Little Bears hope everyone enjoys the half term break. We return on Monday 1 June to the topic of ‘Seasides and Holidays’.