Long Whatton CE Primary
NEWSLETTER
AutumnTerm 2016 ‘Cultivating Great Futures’ No.34 ______Dear Parents and Pupils,
Well, here we are at the end of another amazing term at Long Whatton CE Primary School. Earlier in the term the children in years 2,3,4 and 5 all enjoyed residential visits and I know that lots of them were able to do things they had never done before, especially at Cefn Lea in Mid-Wales. We have had some extraordinary PTA events, including last Saturday’s Santa Run, which we think has raised over £1000 towards building Eric’s Lodge, our planned Forest School shelter. The children alone ran 100km within the hour and as well as raising funds it was another great social event that brought children, parents and friends of the school together. This will certainly become an annual event and we have plans for a slightly less grueling, sponsored walk and picnic for the summer. The finale of the term was our Christmas production of ‘The Mid-wife Crisis’, in which your children performed superbly. My thanks to all of them and to their Teachers for entertaining us so wonderfully, we just have so much joy in our school and long may it continue. From all of us at school, we hope that Christmas is all that you hope it will be for you and your family. We will see the children back here on Wednesday 4th January as their learning adventure continues into a brand new year.
Merry Christmas!
Simon Perkins
Headteacher
‘We believe that childhood should be an adventure during which every child climbs a tree, climbs a mountain, sharing the struggle and the view and spends a night under the stars…’
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Club / Notes / Cost / Dates
Mondays
3.30 to 4.30 / Dodge Ball Club
Clubs Complete / Year 1 to year 5 children
20 places
Cheques payable to Long Whatton CE Primary School / £3 per session
(£36) / 9 16 23 30th Jan
6 20 27th Feb
6 13 20 27th Mar
3rd Apr
Tuesdays
3.30 to 4.30 / Cookery Club Clubs Complete / All children welcome
20 places
Cheques payable to school please / £4 per session
(£48) / 10 17 24 31st Jan
7 21 28th Feb
7 14 21 28th Mar
4th Apr
Thursdays
3.30 to 4.30 / Board Games Club
Mr Perkins / All children welcome
20 places / Free / 12 19 26th Jan
2 9 23rd Feb
2 9 16 23 30th Mar
6th Apr
Rainbows
Run by Susie Ashcroft – all help welcome! / Held at the Friendship Centre
Girls aged 5-7 Register on line
We will walk children across to the
Friendship Centre to help parents. / See Susie’s separate flyer for details / 12 19 26th Jan
2 9 23rd Feb
2 9 16 23 30th Mar
6th Apr
Fridays
3.20 to 4.30 / Fun Builders
Lego Club / All children welcome.
12 places unless
Julie can find more helpers. / £4.75
(£57) / 13 20 27th Jan
3 10 24th Feb
2 10 17 24 31st Mar
PTA Extra News Bulletin
LONG WHATTON SCHOOL’S FIRST EVER
SUMMER BALL
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE PTA WILL BE HOSTING A GREAT EVENING FOR ALL PARENTS, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS OF LONG WHATTON SCHOOL.
TICKETS WILL INCLUDE A HOT AND COLD BUFFET AND DISCO.
MORE DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON!
PUT THE DATE IN YOUR DIARY, ORGANISE A BABY SITTER, BRUSH OFF YOUR GLADRAGS & BE READY TO PARTY!
DISCOUNTED BEDROOMS ARE AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE HOTEL
IT MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO ORGANISE A MINIBUS TO AND FROM KEGWORTH
DATE: SATURDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2016
LOCATION: YEW LODGE, KEGWORTH
PRICE: £25 per head
PTA Extra Extra News Bulletin
PTA POSTERITY PROJECT
As you may remember, last year we asked parents about the types of projects they would like to see the PTA supporting in school. The overwhelming view was for some sort of shelter that would last for many years to be built in our Forest School. We have been busy as you can imagine, and we have a craftsman who has designed a bespoke timber framed shelter with a seeded roof .This is a real George Clarke’s Amazing Space! The pictures above give you some idea of what we are aiming for.
The PTA have already raised around £2500 towards the project, and the school received a very kind donation of £500 from the late Eric …, a well-known character from our village.
So, we are well on the way to our £10,000 target. While we will still be supporting the usual things in school, the majority of our (and your) efforts will be to make this project a reality, so that children for generations to come can enjoy our Forest School to the full, learn all the outdoor skills that are taught and of course enjoy many nights under the stars.
We will be showing off the drawings so that everyone has clear understanding of just how special this shelter will be. It will have a seeded roof and be made from rough-hewn timber, chosen for the shapes and form it creates. It should have a clay oven and a chimney for outdoor cooking and for keeping children warm when we sleep out. It will be roughly octagonal, with broad steps leading inside, with a wide, open front. The walls will be straw bale and lime rendered, creating smooth rounded shapes that fit in well to our forest environment.
Once building starts, hopefully sometime next year, we hope to get the children involved with the craftsman for some of the building stages. It will be wonderful to have a shelter made out of natural materials in our own bit of paradise.
Although all the children have enjoyed the Forest School experience, it is one of those things that parents find a bit mysterious and know very little about what goes on and why the school think it is important for children to experience this type of outdoor learning.
To try and dispel some of the myths and to spread the Forest School message, at the Camp Out parents and children will be able to visit our Forest and have a go at some of the activities and learn some of the skills that are taught. You might even get to toast a marshmallow on your home made toasting fork.
The school believes that learning in a natural outdoor environment helps children to build better relationships, develop personal resilience and to understand there is a life beyond screens. We look forward to your support as we bring this project to life.
Many Thanks Your PTA