Dear Parents and Carers,
A few important notices prior to school news itself.
Online Scam
Internetmatters.org have been working with Roblox and Ambitious about Autism to create new resources to support neurodivergent children who like playing games online, to help them recognise and deal with scams.
Online scams like trust trades and fake giveaways can cause harm and upset to all children, but neurodivergent children are at greater risk of falling victim to scams.
There is a guide for parents, a video for children and young people, plus stories for families to read and discuss together to explore the risks, with practical actions for children to take to help stay protected. Please find resources that may be useful to you and for family by copying and pasting the following link into a search bar:
internetmatters.org/advice/neurodivergent-children/neurodivergent-children-gaming/roblox-parents-guide-neurodivergent-children/video-game-scams/?utm_campaign=3968868_NL271125T%20-%20Be%20Scam%20Smart&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email_internal&dm_i=7MSZ,2D2EC,1HNU6F,4NR6S,1
TEP SURVEY
My thanks to 23 parents/carers who have completed the TEP parental survey.
For those who have not yet completed the survey, I would urge you to take 5 minutes or so of your time to share your views.
The Engagement Platform (TEP) has extended the feedback window for Stower Provost parents, so you still have time to register your feedback.
Please follow this link:
Start survey here: https://questions.tep.uk/stower
Deadline for feedback is now: Friday 19th December 2025
The survey will take around 5 minutes or so to complete, and can be completed on your phone, tablet or computer. Your feedback is important to us.
NEWS
THIS WEEK
PTFA wreath making event
Great fun was had at the wreath making event on Tuesday evening. Mince pies and mulled wine encouraged all with their artistic creations. My thanks to the PTFA for organising the event so well.
Football Festival at Sherborne
A team of Year 5 and 6 children took part in the Sherborne football festival.
In the first game, Noah and Christopher both scored and we won the game. The second game we lost 2 – 1, but it was a really close game. In the third game we lost, and the last game we lost 5 – 0 to a really good team. There were a number of fouls that unfortunately didn’t get called in our favour. We all really enjoyed the festival and think we played well as a team. Thanks to parents for taking children and supporting. (Written by Brett)
On Wednesday a team of Year 5 and 6’s played in a football tournament at the Gryphon School. The children played four matches against other local schools and did exceedingly well. We won our first match against Milton on Stour 2-0, we lost our other matches: Hazelbury Bryan 2-1, Buckland Newton 1-0 and Thornford 5-0. The team played exceptionally well and showed all the qualities we would expect of our sports teams. Well done to everyone who took part. (Miss Buxton)
Big Bap Friday – 5th December from 8.30am in the school hall
It was the Friday of the month again today. Several enjoyed a sausage, bacon or sausage & bacon roll this morning.
Our next Big Bag Friday will be Friday 9th January at 8.30, as it will be the first Friday of the term back at school. Orders and money to Mrs Pike by Wednesday 15.30 please. Sausage or bacon rolls £1.50 each, sausage & bacon rolls £2.50.
NEXT WEEK
Nativity – Tues 9th December 14.00 & Weds 10th December 16.00
A reminder that our nativity will be shown on Tuesday 9th December at 14.00 and again on Wednesday 10th December at 16.00.
Find out a school governance – 10th December 8.50 – Coffee Morning & cake.
Coffee and tea will be available to all parents and carers, who might be interested in finding out a little more about becoming a parent governor at the school. Do please pop along to find out more about how you could help the school and expand your talents!
Christmas Jumper Day 11th December
All pupils and staff are encouraged to wear a Christmas jumper to school on Thursday 11th December.
PTFA Christmas Fair – 12th December 15.15 – 16.30
All welcome! The Fair starts at 15.15 on Friday 12th December, finishing at 16.30.
Please would parents collect their children from their classrooms and then move onto the fair. Parents should use the morning entry points to access the school and classrooms e.g.
- Hazel class parents come up the ramp, collect from the classroom and move onto the fair using the internal hall doors.
- Beech class parents enter via the low double doors where the children enter and exit daily, collect from Beech classroom and move onto the fair using the internal hall doors.
- Chestnut class parents enter via the side door opposite the old blue gate into school, collect from the classroom and move onto the fair using the internal hall doors.
- Oak class parents come to the Y5/6 outer door by the outdoor staging area, collect from the classroom and move onto the fair using the internal hall doors.
- After School Club children will be collected from classrooms and taken to the hall. If you wish your child to have some spending money, do place this in a sealed named envelop and hand this to the office.
Due to the fair being in the afternoon, Praise and Celebrate assembly will be at 9am.
CLUBS
Just a reminder that Maths Club has now finished for the term.
The last week for clubs will be next week. I.e. No clubs will run during the last week of term.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Forthcoming Friends of Stower Provost event. Come and join the fun:
EASY FUNDRAISER
With Christmas just around the corner it is an ideal time to download the Easy Fundraising app on your phone, and raise funds for the school without having to do anything, other than going through the app to make online purchases.
Remember businesses can use our Easy Fundraiser page too. Larger items like insurance and travel can also be purchased through the Easy Fundraiser page.
You can raise even more money by asking others to join the merry throng – use the QR code!
How it works: Easyfundraising partners have over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won’t cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.
So why not get organised and make those Christmas purchases online through the Easy Fundraising app!
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/panel/
CLASS NEWS
OAK
Fractions have been uppermost in our mind this week, as we have been converting mixed numbers to improper fractions, and vice versa. On the whole, the children have risen to the challenge admirably! In English, we are continuing with our independent write based on Mr Morris. In PSHE, we have been looking at body language as well as dealing with unexpected social situations. In music, we have been considering our delve into rock music and its characteristics. In geography, we have looked at settlements of Gillingham or Winchester and some children compared them. Next week, we are looking forward to starting our Dickens study (hooray!)
CHESTNUT
This week in Chestnut Class the children have been grappling with yet more multiplication facts in Maths. Whilst consolidating 3s and 6s, we have also had our sights set on the 9 times tables. Our favourite strategies for solving 9 times table problems now include songs, finger tricks, tripling the 3 times tables or using the 10 times tables and subtracting the original number. Chestnut Class are fast becoming multiplication masters!
We are nearing the end of ‘Stig of the dump’ and the children have been enthralled by the last few chapters with Barney’s journey through time to the Stone Age. We compared and contrasted Stig and Barney’s worlds and looked carefully at the language used to describe both.
In Computing, the children have begun to make stop-motion animations based on the events of Stig of the dump. They have been using ‘onion skinning’ to ensure that each frame is as similar to the last one as possible. So far, the animations of the Snargets being attacked by Barney, and a horse bolting after being struck by Stig’s arrow are looking great! Keep up the great work, Chestnuts!
BEECH
This week’s book focus is ‘The Great Fire of London’ where we have looked at chronology and written a newspaper article. In Maths this week, Year 1’s have been working on quick recall of number bonds to five which is a key skill for Year 1. Year 2’s have been looking at addition and subtraction of ten and multiples of ten.
In other learning, the children have been looking at senses and what happens if we don’t have certain senses in Science. In addition, we have looked at the birth of the Prophet Mohammed and the similarities between that and the Christmas story in RE.
HAZEL
This week has been a very busy week for nativity and song practices as we ready ourselves for the performances next week. The children have tried on their costumes and look brilliant. In phonics, the children have been working hard to learn their red words (these are words that cannot be sounded out), so far we have learnt – I, my, you, said, the. In maths we have been looking at different ways of making 4, and printing 4 is different shapes. In literacy we have looked at poems and rhyming words, and creating a fact file about Norway.
DIARY DATES
Dates in red have been added to the diary list this week.
| Date | Time | Information |
| 5th Dec | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 9th Dec | 14.00 | Nativity – parents, carers and friends welcome |
| 10th Dec | 16.00 | Nativity – parents, carers and friends welcome |
| 11th Dec | All day | Christmas jumper day, children and staff encouraged to wear a Christmas jumper for the day. |
| 12th Dec | 9.00 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 12th Dec | 15.15 | Christmas Fair in the school hall |
| 18th Dec | After school | Disco
Hazel and Beech – 15.30 – 16.15 Chestnut and Oak – 16.15 – 17.00 |
| 19th Dec | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 19th Dec | 15.20 | End of Term – NO ASC / NO HOBBIES |
| HOLIDAY | ||
| 5th Jan | All Day | INSET DAY (No school for children) |
| 9th Jan | 08.30 | Big Bap Friday – sausage and bacon rolls.
Please order and pay in cash by 7th Jan to the office. |
| 16th Jan | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 23rd Jan | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 30th Jan | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 3rd Feb | 15.30 – 17.30 | Parent/Carer Meetings
Parents with children on the SEN register will be invited to meetings on a separate date tbc. |
| 5th Feb | 15.30 – 17.30 | Parent/Carer Meetings
Parents with children on the SEN register will be invited to meetings on a separate date tbc. |
| 6th Feb | 08.30 | Big Bap Friday – sausage and bacon rolls.
Please order and pay in cash by 4th Feb to the office. |
| 6th Feb | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
| 12th Feb | 15.20 | Half Term starts |
| 13th Feb | All Day | INSET DAY (No school for children) |
| 16th Feb – 20th Feb | HALF TERM | |
| 23rd Feb | 08.50 | First day of second half of term |
| 27th Feb | 14.55 | Praise and Celebrate Assembly |
Best wishes,
Mrs B