Dear Parents/Carers,
Advent- A time to Prepare
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear about John the Baptist calling people to prepare themselves for Christ’s arrival. John alerted the people of the need to change some of their ways and to the fact that Jesus was coming.
This Gospel can serve to remind us about the importance of preparing ourselves as Christmas approaches: to repent (to look into our hearts and see if there are any ways that we could make a change for the better), and to be busy doing the things that Jesus told us to do, loving God and loving one another through our words and through our deeds. In these ways we prepare our hearts to be filled with a joy that lasts long after the Christmas festivities have passed.
Please take the time to read through the newsletter this week as we inform you of what the next two weeks will look like as a school this Christmas time.
Annual Fun Christmas Challenge
This year’s challenge has now been set by the Chair of Governors. We would like children to design and make their very own candle holder. All entries will need to be in by Monday 13th December where they will be judged by the Chair of Governors at the Christmas Lunch on Tuesday 14th December. Have fun and good luck.
Christmas Crafts
All the Christmas Crafts that the children would have sold at the Christmas Fair are now available to buy on the ParentPay website. Please give generously and thank you for your support.
Leading Lights Christmas Hamper Collection Starts- Monday 6th December
Christmas is always a wonderful time to think of others who are not as fortunate as ourselves. The annual collection of food products begins next week with all donations to be given to the local Foodbank via the school. I know that in the past you have been most generous with this so we look forward to your donations. Y6 will be sorting out a collection area in the hall and we will share some photos of the donations when they have all been collected.
Christmas Story Books- Next Week
Children can bring a Christmas Story into school on Monday 6th December. These will then be shared on Christmas story day on Friday 10th December. On Friday 10th December children can wear PJs or Christmas jumpers for the story day. We will share the stories safely together and hopefully the smell of Hot Chocolate will fill the air.
FS and Key Stage 1 Christmas Parties Monday 13th December
Children can wear their party clothes and party!! Please can we make sure footwear is appropriate to wear all day at school.
Christmas Lunch Tuesday 14th December
Yum yum!! After filling ourselves the Christmas Challenge will be judged today.
Christmas Pantomime Wednesday 15th December
Dick Whittington will be performed in the school hall for all children. Oh no it isn’t, I can assure you it definitely is! Children can wear Christmas Jumpers this day to enter into the festive spirit if they want to.
Key Stage 2 Christmas Parties Thursday 16th December
Children can wear their party clothes and party!! Please can we make sure footwear is appropriate to wear all day at school.
Last Day of Term- Friday 17th December
Christmas films in classrooms and also we are hopefully planning to sing some carols either in school or Church or possibly both. Please watch out for more information on this early next week.
As a parent of two children myself I know just how busy this time of year is. For those who like a simple calendar table to help keep organised see below.
| Date | Event | Remember |
| Ongoing | Christmas Challenge | Candle holders in by Monday 13th December |
| Ongoing | Christmas Hamper Collection | Food products into school. |
| Monday 6th December | Christmas Story Books | Christmas Story Book into school |
| Friday 10th December | Story Book Day | Christmas Jumpers/PJs |
| Mon 13th December | FS/KS1 Parties | Party Clothes |
| Mon 13th December | Christmas Challenge | All entries in by today |
| Tues 14th December | Christmas Lunch | |
| Weds 15th December | Christmas Panto | Christmas Jumpers |
| Thurs 16th December | KS2 Parties | Party Clothes |
| Friday 17th December | Last Day of term |
COVID 19- Please keep following the guidelines.
We are all wondering what the next few weeks will bring with the new variant and cases locally still high.
Currently in school we only have 1 positive case amongst children and staff so let us pray this continues to be the case.
Please support the school by wearing a face covering at drop off and pick up time. If you do need to come to the school office you must wear a face covering. Staff are also wearing face coverings when moving around the school and we have Carbon Dioxide monitors in all classrooms to help monitor the flow of air in classrooms. We are opening windows and doors periodically during the school day so please can all children wear jumpers and cardigans every day.
It is imperative that as a school community we do everything we can to follow the current guidelines. We do still have cases within the school and local community. Please let the school know ASAP if your child tests positive for COVID or if they have symptoms and you are waiting for a PCR Test result. If it is out of hours please email [email protected]
If a child has symptoms please make sure that you arrange for a PCR Test as soon as possible. If a child develops symptoms at school we will ask you to come and collect your child straightaway and arrange for a PCR Test. If the result of the PCR test is negative then the child can return to school, unless they are too poorly to attend.
Individuals are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, and any of the following apply:
- they are fully vaccinated
- they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
- they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
- they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons
Instead, NHS Test and Trace will inform affected individuals, children or their parents or carers that they have been in close contact with a positive case, and advise them to take a PCR test. We would encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so.
For further clarification then please check the DFE website:
Stars of the Week:
This week certificates have been awarded to children who have worked in well in their P.E. sessions.
- Little Joey’- Thomas
- FS1- Jack & Hazel
- FS2- Stanley & Rory
- Y1- Jack & Aurora
- Y2- Oskar & Jacob
- Y3- Dexter & Lucy
- Y4- Megan & Mason
- Y5- Sofia & Conrad
- Y6 –Holly & James
Attendance
Thank you for your continuing support with ensuring that your child is punctual to School on a morning and that they attend School, should they be well enough to do so.
Reception Applications
We still have a limited number of places still available for next year’s Reception (FS2) class. We encourage you to let your families and friends know should they wish to apply. We are happy to show prospective parents around our School so please encourage anyone who may be interested in sending their child to our School know and Mr Geaves or Miss Wright will happily show them around.
You can apply for a primary school reception place online and the website is now open for applications.
Children who are due to start reception class in September 2022 and who were born between 1st September 2017 and 31st August 2018 are eligible to apply now. Parents will be invited to submit their preference for the primary school that they would like their child to attend. Specific places are only allocated once the application form has been filled. Please click on the following link to access the application:
We also still have some places available in our current Nursery (FS1) class. Contact school for further
information. We are more than happy to show parents around our school and discuss our values, aims and curriculum further.
Final Thoughts
What a week we have had at the school!!
On Monday we arrived to find the front office covered in water. The storm last weekend took its toll on the roof and sadly we have some damage to the front office which will need repairing.
Then on Tuesday the heating decided to stop. I have to say the decision to partially close the school on Wednesday was a difficult one but it did enable us to get the necessary maintenance work carried out quickly and safely and minimise the impact on all the children.
I would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding with this matter and also thank the amazing staff for adapting to the circumstances so quickly.
On the subject of thanking staff, for those of you who do not know, Mrs O’Hara will be retiring at Christmas. I have only worked with her for a term but she has worked with generations of children at the school for 36 years. She is quite simply a legend and I can see that not only will we miss her brilliant work ethic but more importantly miss her warm and beautiful caring personality. We wish her well on her new adventure and many years of happy retirement. Thank you, Mrs O’Hara, we will miss you.
I hope that is the last of the drama and we can enjoy a busy festive last two weeks at school.
Take care everyone, keep yourself safe and thanks you for reading this week’s newsletter.
Mr Geaves
Executive Head Teacher
