HollesleyPrimary School

Newsletter October 2013

Harvest

Thank you to everyone who supported our harvest festival it was lovely to see the church so full. It was also great that so many came back for refreshments afterwards; thanks to Friends for organising this.

Thank you also for the gifts you provided which were gratefully received by the residents of the MaryWarnerHomes.

Sport and PE

We are extremely lucky to have such fabulous grounds which the children can learn and play in and we try to make full use of them. We have been delighted to receive, along with all other schools, additional Government funding to encourage the take up of sport and active lifestyles in the children. This funding has enabled us to increase the range of provision that we offer to all pupils.

All children have two hours of PE lessons led by qualified sports instructors from Premier Sport, and Y4/5 and 6 swim at Deben Pool each week. In addition to this Premier Sport are providing sports activities every lunchtime at no charge to the children; currently playground games; parachute games; cricket; cross-country; football.

We are also working with Premier Sport in an exciting new programme where as sports specialists they work alongside our teachers to deliver a lesson outside with lots of physical activities built in. This half term the youngest two classes are doing “Active English” and getting fit while they learn phonics etc in a new and engaging way. Next half term will be maths and the older classes will have their turn in the spring term. Do ask your child what (and how) they have been learning!

Because of the increased range of physical activity that we are now offering it is essential that children have their PE kit in school all the time and as the weather gets colder they will need tracksuits or similar to wear.

Please make sure all uniform is named so that mislaid items can be easily returned.

Invitation to Lunch

Those of you who have had children at the school for several years will know that we have invited parents to join their children for lunch on a number of occasions. As our school has become larger and space more limited we are adopting a different approach this year. Each term we will invite parents of children in particular year groups to join their child for a special lunch.

This term we would like the parents of children in YR and 1 (Miss Pickering’s class) to have a school dinner with their child on 22nd October (more details in separate letter).

In the spring term we will invite parents of children in Y2 and 3 and in the summer term parents of Y4, 5 and 6.

Menu change

There will be a menu change because of the parents’ lunch with roast gammon being served on Tuesday 22nd October and macaroni cheese on Thursday 24th instead.

Music

For many years all the children in years 5 and 6 have learnt to play the trumpet and more recently we have been able to extend this to include year 4 as well. Last year we were able to increase the range of instruments to include euphonium and trombone making an impressive brass group.

We believe that the co-operation engendered as the children make music together contributes to the positive ethos which we value in our school.

Brass instruments are, of course, too difficult for our youngest children to play so in order to spread music throughout the school we are introducing recorder lessons.

We look forward to some exciting results!

Tide Mill

Following our visit to Woodbridge Tide Mill as part of our summer term topic, we are pleased to be developing further links this year. Bee Farrell from the Tide Mill worked with YR/1 making the harvest loaves which you may have seen in church at our harvest festival. Later in the term she will be working with another class starting a project growing our own grain which we hope to take to the Tide Mill to be ground in the summer.

Earrings

There are an increasing number of children wearing potentially dangerous earrings to school. For safety reasons only sleepers should be worn in school and these should be removed for PE lessons, swimming and sports activities both at lunchtime and after-school as serious injury can occur if a child falls on their ear.

Please ensure that your child is able to remove their earrings for sports activities or that they do not wear them to school on days when they are participating in sports.

In exceptional circumstances, for example if a child’s ears have just been pierced, a parent may request that their child is allowed to put tape over the earring providing some protection, however this is not as safe as removing them completely.

Thank you for supporting us in keeping your child safe.

Friends

It was good to see some new faces at the AGM last month and the first event of the academic year is already being planned. If you were unable to make the meeting but are interested in helping, any member of the Friends committee would be pleased to hear from you. Caroline Haylett, who is joint chair with Bill Thompson, is in school every day so can easily be contacted via the school office, if you can’t put names to faces yet!

Halloween

Friends are arranging a spooktacular event,similar to last year, during the half-term holiday which I am sure many of you will be taking part in. This is a safe way to mark this occasion; we have, however, been asked by police to include the following information about keeping safe at Halloween.
Advice for parents

Suffolk Police ask that if your children are to go out ‘trick or treating’ you, and they, abide by these simple guidelines:
· Do not visit the elderly or other vulnerable members of your community - especially those displaying “Sorry, NO trick or treat” posters
· You should know where they are at all times
· Knocking on strangers doors is unwise and could put them at risk
· Do not let them go trick or treating alone,organise a party with your neighbours and friends

Dates for your diary

3rd OctoberY6 visit to Crucial Crew

17th OctoberY5/6 Tag Rugby Woodbridge

22nd OctoberYR/1 lunch for parents

23rd OctoberGovernors’ Meeting

24th October Y2/3 sowing grain

Y5/6 Cross Country,Ipswich

28thOctober – 1st November Half term

5th NovemberParents’ Consultation Evening

18thNovember Tempest taking family and

individual photo

22nd November Non pupil day

25th November Tudor Day

9th December English open afternoon
14th December Friends Christmas Fair

23rd December – 3rd January Christmas holiday

6th and 7th January Non pupil days