Ulcombe Weekly news

24/04/17 – 28/04/17

NOTES FOR PARENTS/CARERS

Mon
24/04/17 / 12:15 – 12:40 / Gardening Club (Y5 & 6 boys only)
Tues 25/04/17 / 12:15 – 12:40
15:15 – 16:15 / Cross Stitch Club (Y3 – Y6)
Cross Stitch Club (Y3 – Y6)
Wed 26/04/17 / 12:15 – 12:40 / Gardening Club (Y5 & 6 boys only)
Thurs
27/04/17 / 12:15 – 12:40
09:00 – 12:00 / Cross Stitch Club (Y3 – Y6)
Tawny Owls’ Maths Workshop at Otterden
Fri
28/04/17 / 12:15 – 12:40
14:50 – 15:10
15:15 – 17:00 / Gardening Club (Y5 & 6 boys only)
Celebration Assembly
Film Club (YR – Y6)

Clubs

Please note that not all clubs will be running next week. Once they have been finalised, you will receive a letter listing the clubs that will be offered for Terms 5 and 6, which year groups can join them and when they start.

Ice Lollies!

This term Owlets will be selling ice lollies every Friday lunchtime for 50p each. This will help towards their fundraising target of £200 to purchase a new outdoor display board for the school.

Year 6 SATs – 8 to 11 May

Year 6 SATs take place from Monday 8 May to Thursday 11 May. Please make sure your child is in school on time, has had a good breakfast and a good night’s sleep to allow them to do their best.

Kent teacher of the year award

Ulcombe has won an award! This week a letter came to Miss Hickling saying that the staff team have won an award. Mrs Masters, Mrs Hargrave and Miss Hickling will be attending a special awards evening on the 29 May. We will tell you more afterwards – well done to everyone for their hard work!

Year 2 SATs – 15 to 19 May

Year 2 SATs take place from Monday 15 May to Friday 19 May. Please make sure your child is in school on time, has had a good breakfast and a good night’s sleep to allow them to do their best.

Congratulations to Ulcombe’s Kitchen Staff

Our fantastic kitchen staff, Amanda Hayes and Pauline Duncan-Webster, recently took part in an audit by the European Safety Bureau to ensure our kitchen’s records and approach to food safety and health and safety are acceptable. At the time they were inspected, they were the highest rated in the area, scoring over 90%, and they have received a letter of acknowledgement praising them for achieving such high marks. Well done ladies, keep up the good work!

KM Charity Team - A Walk to School and literacy celebration

Every year in May, families from across the county gather in Canterbury’s Dane John Gardens on a Saturday to celebrate the success of the walk to school campaign (including Walk on Wednesday and Active Bug) and Buster’s Book Club. This year it takes place on Saturday 6 May and to register just visit http://www.kmcharityteam.co.uk/walktoschool/bigbash/.

Every child that is pre-registered for the free event is able to take part in a range of fun physical and brain-taxing activities, including space hopper racing and a go-kart zone. The first 300 children to check in on the morning will receive a goody bag and every child who completes their challenge sheet will be awarded with an attraction voucher. Watch out for other great prizes up for grabs on the day!

The event starts with a double record attempt to stage the biggest walk to school ‘crocodile’ that has ever walked down a Kent street. After completing the challenge activities, we’ll enjoy a circus performance with our teddy bears’ picnic.


This week’s worship theme has been a discussion of the resurrection and how this lies at the heart of Christian belief. We have shared several stories about how Jesus appears to certain people and changes their lives for the better. A favourite of the children’s was Jesus at the seashore: John 21 v 1-13.
Jesus appears but the disciples do not know it is him – they are out from the shore fishing on their boat. On Jesus’ advice they cast their net and make a catch then eat with Jesus on the shore. This is another example of the disciples missing Jesus, feeling sad and unsure, and then changing - being glad that he was with them again and that any doubt could be addressed.
We discussed with the children what it must have been like to see someone again that they have loved, and missed.
Emma Hickling

Heart of Kent Hospice Bluebell Walk – Sunday 30 April

The Heart of Kent Hospice is an independent charity providing end of life care for people facing the challenge of a terminal illness, and support for their families. They cover Maidstone, Aylesford, Tonbridge and Malling and the surrounding villages caring for over 1300 patients and their families each year in their own homes, in the community or in the Hospice, improving their quality of life and helping to make every day precious.

The Bluebell Walk takes place on Sunday 30 April and is the Heart of Kent Hospice’s flagship fundraising event. It’s a great 6 mile family walk along the North Downs culminating in a small spring fair and refreshments at Harrietsham Village Hall. Dogs are welcome and if you would like more information please visit www.hokh.org.uk. If you are interested in getting sponsorship and taking part please register either online, by telephoning 01622 790195 or emailing .

Polite Reminders

Please remember that if your child is in Barn Owls, Little Owls or Owlets they must be collected from the school playground by a responsible adult (over 18) and once released into your care at the end of the day they are your responsibility to keep safe and supervise even when still on the school site. If you wish your child to walk home unaccompanied, regardless of their class, the school must have a signed letter to that effect and it must be agreed with Miss Hickling.

Please do not allow your children to play on the adventure apparatus or enter the pond area after school as KCC Insurance Services have advised that this is not permitted unless a member of staff is in attendance.

The school gate will be unlocked from 8:40am until 9:00am and from 3:00pm to 3:45pm. If you need to access the school outside these times, please go to the main door and ring the buzzer.

FUS News
Our fundraising enables us to provide new equipment for the school, such as the adventure trail, benefiting all the children.
Summer Fayre – Friday 7 July tbc
Look out for further details about the Summer Fayre.

Celebration Certificates

Star of the Week / Writer of the Week / Mathematician of the Week
Owen Crane
Jacob Hammick
Rosie Leedham
Esther Matthews / Isobel Duncan-Webster
Paris Higgins
Molly-May Matthews
Danny Doherty / Marissa Purcell
Margaret Murphy
Celina Reading
Rita Allen

Christian Value Cross

Our Christian Values are forgiveness, thankfulness, trust, friendship, endurance and compassion. Each week children have the chance to earn the ‘Christian Value Cross’ for their class. This week it has been awarded to: Abbie Crane & Kye Sharrad

Our Reading Tree

Leaves for 10 reads: Rory Roe, Mary Purcell, Paris O’Brien, Marissa Purcell, Abbie Crane, Ameera Kaiyum, Jacob Whitehead, Rosie Leedham, Amelia Belenkov, Charlie Goddard, Hrisi Gyuretsova, Archie McLeary, Jack Hammick, Celina Reading, Casper Whitehead, Ben Leat, Debbie Brazil, Aimee Hughes

Owlets for 50 reads: Sophie-Marie Brazil, Elliott Masterman-Crane

Little Owls for 100 reads: Marissa Purcell, Archie McLeary

Barn Owls for 150 reads: Hrisi Gyuretsova

Tawny Owls for 200 reads: Ameera Kaiyum, Rory Roe, Abbie Crane, Owen Crane, Analise Reader

Times Table Stars

Gold stars awarded to: Ameera Kaiyum, Analise Reader

Well done to all!

Housepoints

Emerald 51, Sapphire 80, Topaz 22

Attendance Ted and Punctuality Pup

The last week before the Easter break our Attendance Ted winners were Little Owls with 93.0% attendance. Tawny Owls came second with 79.4%. Barn Owls had 76.8% attendance and Owlets had 73.3%. Whole school attendance was only 81.3%, which is still way below the national requirement of 97%. Punctuality Pup was awarded to Little Owls with 99.5% punctuality.

Dates for your diary

Thursday 27 April / 9:00am / Tawny Owls trip to Otterden for maths workshop
8 – 11 May / Year 6 SATs week
Thursday 11 May / 7:00pm / FUS AGM (tbc)
Wednesday 17 May / 9:00am / Tawny Owls visit to Maidstone Museum
15 – 19 May / Year 2 SATs week
Friday 26 May / 3:15pm / End of Term 5
Monday 5 June / 8:55am / Start of Term 6
21 – 23 June / Residential Trip
Friday 30 June / All day / Inset Day – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL
Friday 7 July / 2:00pm / Sports Day (tbc)
Friday 7 July / 3:15pm / FUS Summer Fayre (tbc)
Monday 10 July / 3:30pm / Parent Consultation Evening
Tuesday 11 July / 3:30pm / Parent Consultation Evening
Thursday 20 July / 1:30pm / School Prom
Friday 21 July / 3:15pm / End of Term 6
Monday 4 September / Inset Day – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL (tbc)
Tuesday 5 September / Inset Day – NO CHILDREN IN SCHOOL (tbc)
Wednesday 6 September / 8:55am / Start of Term 1