Dear Parents and Carers
It has been lovely to be able to welcome you into school, in small numbers, to share in your children’s achievements in the Oak/Chestnut play this week. The children were quite nervous of performing in front of a live audience after such a long time but I hope those of you who came to see it would agree that they did brilliantly! Thank you to everyone who was involved in making costumes and props at home – the effect of them all on stage was superb – and thanks to Ms Stone, Mrs Clasby and Miss Gale who spent many evenings making shields, swords and scenery and, no doubt, many sleepless nights with the songs going round their heads! So we can take some still photographs, please send your child into school on Monday with any items of their costume they took home after the show. We will send it all back again on Monday evening.
Sports Day
As previously explained, despite national easing of restrictions next week, we will continue with our planned Sports Day events, still limiting attendance to one adult per child. Hazel Class, (9:30 – 10:30), Chestnut Class (11:00 – 12:00), and Oak Class (2:00 – 3:00) will be running a range of traditional sports day events. We will still be expecting visitors to school to come in via the field gate and keep their distance from other adults and children. It would be very helpful if you could bring your own chair or rug to sit on. Please note, the children will need to stay in the shade when they are not competing and will not be joining you between events. Although not our usual house-based competitive event, we hope the children, and you, will enjoy the day.
Staffing Update
Mrs Bettiss, who has been teaching in Hazel Class on Tuesday mornings this year, comes to the end of her contract with us at the end of term. She has worked incredibly hard for us this year, helping Miss Buxton transform our Early Years provision. We are very grateful to her for sharing her expertise with us and ensuring we have the highest of standards in Hazel Class.
Next week we will be holding interviews for our new Teaching Assistant which will finalise our staffing arrangements for next term – I hope to be able to give you an update in next week’s letter.
Swimming Pool
Many thanks to those of you who have said you are willing to help keep the swimming pool clean and topped up with chlorine over the summer. I will be holding a training session next Wednesday, 21st July at 3:00pm to explain about testing, dosing (both about twice a week over the holiday, 15 minutes total) and vacuuming (once a week, taking about an hour). The more people we have, the less onerous a task it will be, and we can put together a calendar to tie in with your commitments. To clarify, the pool will not be kept in a ‘swimmable’ condition, but this sort of low-level maintenance should make it straight-forward to prepare for swimming in September if the weather is kind.
Year 6 Leavers’ Arrangements
We will be holding our Leavers’ Assembly next Friday afternoon, open, I am afraid, only to parents of children in Year 6. This will be followed by our former tradition of a swim and cream tea after school. We hope the children will all be able to stay for this, and be ready for collection at 4:30pm.
Uniform Plea
As we head towards the end of term, now is a good time to check on school uniform. With a number of items going missing after the children have been swimming, please look at the labels to ensure all the clothes you have at home belong to your child and return any others to school at the beginning of next week. We will then reunite the clothes with their correct owners…
After School Club
Please note that there will be no after school club next Friday, 23rd July. All children (except those in Year 6) will need to be collected at 3:20pm – apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
With best wishes
James Stanford