October 2009 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

The children have settled into the new term very well and September has been a very busy month for everyone.

It was lovely to see so many of you at the MacMillan cancer charity / Breast Cancer awareness coffee morning organised by the P.T.A.. You generously raised £200 for these two charities.

The school has just bought £1000 of new reading books from some of the money raised by the P.T.A. last year. Thank you to everyone who has helped to raise this amount of money. The children will enjoy the new books which include sets specifically written to encourage our boys to read.

A big thank you to every one who organised & attended the P.T.A. Barn Dance. Sadly there were not a lot of people there but those who came had a lovely evening.

Last year parents asked us to buy a bike shed. We have done this and at the moment there are spaces for 6 bicycles which are now ready to use. If your child bikes to school on a regular basis and you would like to be able to leave the bike at school please contact the school office in order to book a space.

We do like to keep you as up to date as possible with new things happening in school and we do value your ideas and opinions. Therefore we have put a suggestions box in the entrance hall for any ideas which you think may improve anything at our school for either the children or yourselves. These ideas will be discussed by staff and governors. If you would like a personal reply to your comment or suggestion please include your contact details.

We have also created a display called “Every Child Matters” in the entrance hall. We have divided this into the 5 “ECM” statements which are the basis for everything that we try to do in school for our children and their families. These are “Be Healthy”, “Stay safe”, “Enjoy & Achieve” Make a Positive Contribution” & “Achieve Economic Well–Being”. The photographs & comments show how we fulfil these criteria and highlight new things that we have put in place during the last year. We do hope you will take the time to come and look at the display. It will be changing continually as new things happen.

For some time, as part of our inclusive agenda, we have been aware that we needed to build a disabled toilet which could be used by children or adults who spend time in our school. During the summer holidays we finally had one installed in the Year R. corridor and we feel we have added yet another facility for our families if needed.

The breakfast club and the new after school club are well attended and the children are very happy with their extended day routine. If you are interested in a place in either of these clubs please let Mrs. Baker, Mrs Twaites or Mrs Harding know. They can be contacted through the school office.

As part of our “Extended School Agenda” we have organised 3 programmes of activities for parents this year.

• Media & Literacy club is for parents of our Foundation Stage children. We are working with the Children Centre, Waltham Abbey Library & the Family Learning Team to deliver these sessions. This is a 3 part course that will take place over 3 terms. It starts with a Film Club, then Story sack sessions and finally time at Waltham Abbey Library. This starts on 7th October.

• First Aid is a short 4 week course directed at first aid & home safety in the home with particular relevance to children. This will be led by a member of the Family Learning Team. This starts on 3rd November.

• Maths through Cookery is another 3 term programme which is being led by the Family Learning Team. This will cover budgeting ideas, practical cookery and ideas for healthy eating and starts on 9th November. Further details about this programme will be sent out shortly.

Details will be sent out to parents but further information can be obtained from the school office.

We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these sessions.

With best wishes to you all
Mrs. Mooney and all the staff

Diary dates

Please note that Gold Award assembly dates have been provisionally booked and may be subject to change. You will receive an invitation confirming these dates nearer the time.

October
1st - Book fair arrives and opens after school
2nd - Gold Award assembly - Mrs Cuncarr’s class, Jeans for Genes day – children bring in 20p if they wear jeans to school
5th - Mrs McVie’s class parents invited in to lunch all week, Individual pupil photos
6th - School nurse working with Year R – general hygiene & handwashing
7th - 1.45 p.m. Harvest Festival service in Waltham Abbey church, Media & Literacy Club for Foundation Stage Parents & Pupils
8th - National Poetry Day, School Nurse working with Years 1 & 2-general hygiene & handwashing
9th - Gold Award assembly – Mrs McVie’s class
12th - Mrs. Huckett’s class parents invited in to lunch all week, The Nursery - Open mornings all week, 2.00 pm Introduction to Maths & Healthy Eating course – Bob Crosby
14th - National Fire Safety Day – Fire engine in school
16th - Gold Award assembly – Mrs. Huckett’s class
19th - Mrs Calitz’s class parents invited in to lunch all week
22nd - Open evening – 3.15-5.00 & 6.00-8.00 – school hall
23th - Gold Award assembly – Mrs Calitz’s class

School closes Friday 23rd October for half term

November
2nd - INSET day
3rd - School reopens, Miss Topliss’s class parents invited in to lunch all week, First Aid course for parents – 1.00-3.00 for 4 weeks in the Nursery
5th - Year 1 – Lego Day
6th - Gold Award assembly – Miss Topliss’s class
9th - Mrs Kemp’s class parents invited in to lunch all week, Year R open mornings for parents all week except Thursday, Maths through Cookery – 6 week course for parents
13th - Gold Award assembly – Mrs Kemp’s class
24th - Year R trip to Royal Gunpowder Mills – Victorian Christmas


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