TERM 1 NEWS
Sutton Veny CE Primary SchoolHigh Street Sutton Veny Warminster Wiltshire
BA12 7APTelephone: 01985 840428
E-mail:
Website:
Welcome back to the start of a new school year!This is our Term 1 newsletter, written forthe children and their parents. This newsletter contains the information and dates you will need but please keep a close eye on the weekly news board for updates; this is available on the playground and on the website.
TERM 1 DIARY
SeptemberTues 1st / Term 1 starts, Calendars on sale today
Weds 2nd / Years 5&6 to Mill on the Brue
FS2 and KS1 Dragon Themed Day
Thurs 3rd / Years 3&4 to Brokerswood
Years 5&6 at Mill on the Brue
Fri 4th / Years 5&6 return from Mill on the Brue
Celebration assembly starts next week
Mon 7th / Back to School Night for Canberra and Darwin Class (at 6pm)
Tues 8th / Back to School Night for Auckland and Nelson Class (at 6pm)
Weds 9th / Our Enrichment programme starts
Thurs 10th / Darwin Class start gymnastics
Fri 11th / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Mon 14th / School Photos (Individual/family) am
Back to School Night for Brisbane (6pm)
Clubs start this week
Tues 15th / Elliston Class start swimming
Weds 16th / Back to School Night for Elliston and Geraldton Class (at 6pm)
Thurs 17th / Darwin gymnastics
Fri 18th / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Mon 21st / Bikeability (Group 1, session 1)
Induction meeting for volunteers 9:15am
Tues 22nd / Elliston Swimming
Bikeability (Group 2, session 1)
Governor meeting (FGB)
Thurs 24th / Darwin gymnastics
Fri 25th / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Mon 28th / Bikeability (Group 1, session 2)
Tues 29th / Bikeability (Group 2, session 2)
Elliston swimming
Friends of School Meeting at 3pm
Weds 30th / Learn Along 9am to 10am
October
Thurs 1st / Learn Along 9am to 10am
Darwin gymnastics
Fri 2nd / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Mon 5th / Auckland Parent Workshop, 6pm
Tues 6th / Elliston swimming
Thurs 8th / Darwin gymnastics
Harvest Festival at 9:30am
Fri 9th / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Tues 13th / Elliston swimming
Weds 14th / Enrichment
Parents Evening in the hall
Thurs 15th / Darwin gymnastics
Parents Evening in the hall
Fri 16th / Celebration assembly at 2:15pm
Tues 20th / Elliston swimming
Weds 21st / Term 1 ends at 3pm, after enrichment
SCHOOL NEWS
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new children starting school this September, and to their families. We hope that you will all be very happy at Sutton Veny School.
NEW PRIEST FOR THE WYLYE VALLEY
We are delighted to hear that the Reverend Alison Morley has been appointed as the new Priest in Charge of the Upper Wylye Valley. Allie has most recently been the Assistant Curate of St. John’s and St. Mary’s in Devizes. She was interviewed by a panel for two days in July, including our School Councillors! Allie and her husband Phil will be moving into the parsonage house, in Sutton Veny over the coming months. We look forward to welcoming Allie to our school community later in the year.
UPPER WYLYE VALLEY PARISH NEWS
The September 2015 edition of ‘The Upper Wylye Valley Parish News’ features an article introducing the Revd. Alison Morley, and our school is featured as the ‘School in focus’ on page 4. We understand that many of you may not receive a copy of this magazine and so, for your interest, we have placed a copy of both articles in the noticeboard, on the front playground.
OUR SUMMER HOLIDAY WORK
Have you spotted the new railings that have appeared over the summer holidays? These are on the back playground and will help to keep our site more secure during the day, and during weekends and holidays. We are grateful to Wiltshire Council for funding this project.
You may have also noticed that our sheds have moved and a new story teller chair has appeared in the quiet area. The chair was the Year 6 (2013) legacy and Mr Young kindly stored this for us until our drainage work was completed, fitting it for us over the summer. Mr Sealy has fitted the Year 6 (2015) legacy, a new house board. You can see this outside of Canberra Class.
HOT LUNCHES
Letters for children in Brisbane and Canberra Class, who are entitled to a free hot lunch every day, were sent home last term. A letter to new Auckland Class will be sent out this week. This term we are delighted to announce that Pabulum has agreed to support us in trialling a hot lunch option for Darwin Class, at a cost of £2:30 per day. It is our aim to eventually offer a hot lunch option to everyone at KS2 but the facilities at Kingdown need to be developed further in order to achieve this.
2015/16 CALENDAR ON SALE
Each year our Friends of Sutton Veny School (FOS) produce a school calendar in partnership with staff at the school. The 2015/16 Calendar is now on sale and we would all like to offer our thanks to Elise Moxham for her time and hard work in preparing the calendar over the summer. If you haven’t managed to purchase a calendar yet, and you wish to do so, please ask at reception.
MILL ON THE BRUE
We say bon voyage to Geraldton and Nelson Class on Wednesday of this week, as they travel to ‘Mill on the Brue’ for a three day residential. This is an award winning outdoor activity centre in Bruton, Somerset. We choose to go at this time of year because the personal and team work skills that the children develop outside of the classroom, helps to support their learning, and the challenges they will face, throughout the year ahead. We hope they have lovely weather and extend many thanks to the staff who give up their time to accompany the children.
DRAGON THEMED DAY
As part of our activities for the first week back; Auckland, Brisbane and Canberra Class will enjoy a ‘Dragon themed day’ on Wednesday 2nd September, with their class teachers and ‘Poppies and Parsnips’, right here in our school grounds.
BROKERSWOOD COUNTRY PARK
Darwin and Elliston Class will be out and about on Thursday 3rd September, as they travel to Brokerswood Country Park to experience an exciting activities day with The Wiltshire Outdoor Learning Team.
CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY
The first celebration assembly of the year will be held on Friday 11th September at 2:15pm.
All parents and grandparents are welcome to join us in the Village Hall for this weekly celebration of the children’s learning. Birthday stickers and certificates are presented too! Following the assembly, we have to clear away the hall and so we are always grateful if parents can help us by stacking the chairs ‘five high’ before they leave!
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS
Back to School Nights are important parts of each parent’s induction to their child’s new class. They are an opportunity to meet the class teacher, visit the classroom, and hear all about the routines and key information for the year ahead.
The meetings are held in your child’s classroom from 6-7pm on the following dates:
Auckland: Tuesday 8th September
Brisbane: Monday 14th September
Canberra: Monday 7th September
Darwin: Monday 7th September
Elliston: Wednesday 16th September
Geraldton: Wednesday 16th September
Nelson: Tuesday 8th September
Please note that these meetings are for parents and we kindly ask that children do not attend.
CLUBS FOR TERM 1 START ON THE 14th
A separate letter, with extra-curricular clubs information for Term 1 will be sent out separately. Thank you to all of the staff who have kindly agreed to offer a club this year. This means that the children at KS2 can look forward to a wide variety throughout the year.
OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME
We take great pride in offering a rich and vibrant curriculum at Sutton Veny School. An important part of this is our partnership with specialist teachers in French, Art, Science, Voice Tuition, Music, Dance, Sport and outdoor learning (including gardening) who work in school.
Enrichment takes place on a Wednesday afternoon and this term’s activities are as follows:
- Auckland Class: Science skills with Mrs Lisle
- Brisbane Class: Dance with Mrs Poolman
- Canberra Class: Outdoor PE with Mr Bicknell
- Darwin Class: Music with Caroline
- Elliston Class: French with MadameWolsey
- Geraldton Class: Outdoor learning/gardening with ‘Poppies and Parsnips’ (Mrs Jacob and Mrs Good)
- Nelson Class: ICT with Mrs Dale
In addition to this programme, throughout the year classes also have extra coaching sessions and voice tuition.
GYMNASTICS
Children from Years 1 to Year 6 will continue to each visit Springboard gymnastics centre in Warminster this year. Gymnastics starts for Darwin Class this term on Thursday 10th September. A separate letter will be sent home to this class, with further information. Please check the calendar for dates. We are using our School Sports Premium to cover the cost of this activity, and the transport to and from the centre.
SWIMMING STARTS
Swimming starts for Elliston Class this term on Tuesday 15th September and a separate letter will be sent home to the class with further information. The children will need their swimming kit in school every Tuesday. Please see the calendar for swimming dates.
Cost: £3 per session (voluntary contribution)
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS
Each child will have their photograph taken on Monday 14th September (am), by Tempest Photography. Siblings will be photographed as a family group and not individually unless you request this in the office.
BIKE-ABILITY
This term, groups of the oldest children in school will carry out their Bike-ability training. This is ‘cycling proficiency’ for the 21st Century. It’s fun and gives children the vital skills and opportunity to cycle in modern road conditions.
We would like to thank FOS for paying for this valuable experience for the children because usually schools have to charge parents. .
CALLING ALL PARENT VOLUNTEERS!
We greatly appreciate the support from our team of parent volunteers who help the children with reading, swimming, on visits and at lunchtime. If you would like to find out more about volunteering in our school, or to offer your help,you are invited to attend a meeting for parent volunteers, led by Miss Brotherton, on Monday 21st September at 9:15am, in the Village Hall. You will receive our code of conduct to sign and we will need to ensure that we have carried out the necessary safeguarding checks for all adults working with children.Please complete the reply slip at the end of this newsletter, if you wish to join our valuable team of volunteers.
GOVERNORS
Have you spotted our governors in this year’s calendar? If you look carefully you will find pictures of all our staff and governors appearing in their birthday month!
Governors play a significant role in the life of a successful school. They are representatives of the outside world, including specific stakeholder groups and they act as a mirror into and out of the school. Governors are very busy people and their role is voluntary. The Governing Body are active and supportive of school life and their purpose is to help the school to provide the best possible education for its pupils.
Our Governing Body
Mr Julian Stapleton (Chair)
Mr Graham Shingleton (Vice Chair
Mrs Nicky Barnard (Clerk to the GB)
Miss Rachael Brotherton (Headteacher)
Mrs Nina Jackson
Mr Gary Burn
Ms. Alexandra Lucas
Mr Adam Lewis
Mr Richard Jackman
Mr Eric Price
FOS EVENTS AND AGM
Friends of School work with us to provide events for the children and their families to enjoy and help raise valuable funds for the school. Many of the events for this year are mapped out but we need your help to ensure they run successfully. The first FOS Planning meeting of this year will be held on Tuesday 29th September at 3pm, child care will be provided by staff.
LEARN ALONG
You are invited to come along and spend a lesson learning with your child. Please complete and return the reply slip at the end of this newsletter in order to secure a place. We must receive your reply slip in order for you to attend. Learn along takes place on the following dates and times:
Weds 30th September: 9am until 10am
Thursday 1st October: 9am until 10am
AUCKLAND PARENT WORKSHOP
Mrs Johnson will be leading a parent workshop, for parents with children in Auckland Class on Monday 5th October. This will cover ways to support your child with their reading, writing and maths. This workshop will take place in the classroom and will be finished by 7pm. This meeting is for parents and we kindly ask that children do not attend.
Coming soon! Following the feedback from our parent questionnaire, we have more parent workshops planned for next term, for each class!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
We hope you will be able to join us for this year’s Harvest Festival. This will take place at 9:30am, on Thursday 8th October 2015, in the church. A separate letter, with further details, will follow later in the term.
PARENT APPOINTMENTS
Towards the end of this term, individual parent appointments will be available for you to meet with your child’s teacher and discuss how they have settled into their new class. These meetings take place in the Village Hall and class lists will be available for you to sign up for an appointment during the week beginning Monday 5th October. Appointment dates are:
Weds 14thOctoberand Thurs15th October
SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES
This is a reminder to all Year 6 parents that the deadline to apply for a secondary school place is 31st October 2015. You can apply online at a hard copy of the application form will be sent hometo you when we receive them from Wiltshire Council. All forms must be returned to the school admissions team at County Hall, Trowbridge. The offer date (when you will be offered a school place, via a letter in the post) is set nationally and will be the 1st March 2016.
END OF TERM 1 ARRANGEMENTS
Term 1 ends on Wednesday 21stOctober at 3pm. Term 2 starts on Tuesday 3rd November. (Please note that on Monday 2nd of November school is closed for a staff training day).
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REPLY SLIPS
For you to cut out and return!
Please help us by returning these reply slips if you wish to attend any of the events advertised, and feel free to write on the back if you need to.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Parent/Grandparent Volunteer in School:
Please tick:
I wish to attend the induction meeting for volunteers on Monday 21st September at 9:15am, in the Village Hall.
Your Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………
Child’s Name/Class: …………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Learn Along:
I will be attending the Learn Along in my child’s class.
Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Child’s Name/Class: …………………………………………….
On the following date (please delete as applicable)
Weds 30th September: 9am until 10am
Thursday 1st October: 9am until 10am