Letter home: Friday, 22nd September 2023

September 24 2023

Dear Parents/carers

Welcome Service:

Our Welcome Service will be taking place at St Mary’s Church. Families of pupils new to our school are welcome to attend as we celebrate their arrival at our school. New children are included from all year groups. Due to the poor weather last week we decided to postpone the service for health and safety reasons. It will now take place on Wednesday 4^th October at 9.30am at St Mary’s Church.

Harvest Festival:

Our Harvest Festival will take place at St Mary’s Church later this half term. We will be inviting families from Year 1/2 (Miss Byram’s class) so please look out for more details in future letters.

Harvest Foodbank:

On Friday 20^th October, Year 1/ Year 2 have organised a non-uniform day in order to collect donations for our Harvest Foodbank appeal. Therefore your child can come to school in non-uniform, but we request a donation for the foodbank in return. Thank you for your support.

Reception Parents Phonics Session:

On Tuesday 3^rd October at 3:30pm, Mrs Wilson and Miss Byram would like to invite all Reception parents to a session to provide an insight into how we teach your child to read through our phonics programme. Refreshments will be provided.

Reception and KS1 Reading Meeting

We would like to invite parents of children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 to come and find out more about reading with your child and the importance of story time. Refreshments will be provided. This will take place on the 7^th November at 3:30pm.

Themed Lunch:

On Thursday 5^th October we are having a French themed lunch at school. Children can book a lunch on the day. There will be a choice of pizza baguette or chicken chasseur and then a selection of puddings.

Eat Well For Less – a free 4 week course:

Come along to school on a Tuesday morning to a free course offering ideas for cooking healthy, tasty meals for all the family. This starts on the 3^rd October from 9am – 12noon. You will even be given a £20 shopping voucher for attending. Please see the attached leaflet for more information and chat to Mrs Boyle for more details. Places can be booked though the school office.

Parents Evenings:

Parents Evenings will take place on Tuesday 17^th October, 3.30 – 5.50pm and Wednesday 18^th October, 3.30pm – 6.30pm. Nursery will have their parents evening on Tuesday 24^th October, 3.10 – 5.30pm. You will receive a separate letter regarding parents evenings and how to book appointments.

Headlice:

Please can we ask all families to be very vigilant at checking their children’s hair for headlice. We have had a number of cases in school and this can only be stopped if the headlice are properly treated. Please follow this link for advice.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/

Year 1/ Year 2 (Miss Byram):

This class is doing Forest Schools and PE on Thursday afternoons. Children should wear older clothes and bring their wellies with them. Please can children come in trainers.

Nursery:

On a Monday afternoon Nursery will be doing Forest Schools. Please can children come in older clothes, but bring their wellies with them. Trainers can be worn instead of school shoes.

Reception/Year 1 (Mrs Wilson):

This class is doing Forest Schools and PE on Monday afternoons. Children should wear older clothes and bring their wellies with them. Please can children come in trainers.

Packed Lunches and fruit:

Please can I remind families that pupils should not have fizzy drinks, sweets or chocolate bars in their packed lunches.

Children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 receive a piece of fruit each day as part of a Government initiative. This stops when they reach Year 3 so we encourage children in Years 3 to 6 to bring their own piece of fresh fruit to school for a playtime snack. Thank you for your support.

After School Clubs:

Our new after school clubs have started, but it’s not too late to sign up. Multi sports is running on a Wednesday and football is on a Friday. The sessions run from 3pm until 4.15pm and cost £4.00 per week. There will be prizes and certificates at the end of the half term. All pupils are welcome from Reception to Year 6 so please sign up at the school office.

Flu Service:

Pupils from Reception to Year 6 are entitled to a flu nasal spray from school. Nurses from Kirklees come into school to administer the spray, but you need to register your child to receive the vaccine. The flu sprays are taking place on the 13^th October and your permission needs to be received in advance of this. I am sure you can appreciate how nasty the flu can be so it is recommended you take up this offer.

https://www.locala.org.uk/services/immunisation-service/flu-vaccination-north-kirklees

You will need the following code 107747

Year 6 High School applications:

Year 6 pupils need to apply for their High Schools by the 31^st October. Please note this is in the half term holiday. You will have already received information about open evenings at the local schools. Please make sure you apply for more than one school as if you do not receive your first choice, you will could be placed at any other local school where there are places available.

Attendance:

We are heading into the time of year when there can be lots of bugs around. This list helps families know which illnesses and conditions require pupils to stay at home and when they can come to school. However if you have any questions please contact school.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Robinwood/London:

Please make sure you are up to date with your payments for these two trips. We need to settle invoices with the companies and so need the money in our account in order to do this.

ParentPay:

Please ensure your account is cleared for Breakfast Club and Tea-Time club. If there are any outstanding amounts on these accounts from this point forward you will be unable to use Breakfast Club and Tea-Time club. If you are having any problems paying off these amounts please speak to the school office.

Coffee Morning:

All welcome to our informal Coffee /Tea mornings (drink and natter). These are held every Tuesday after dropping your children off at School. Under school age children welcome too as there are lots of toys for them to play with. 

Please join us in the Children’s Centre with Mrs Boyle suppling the drinks and biscuits.  

Walking to Church:

Please note that during the school year we regularly walk to St Mary’s Church. This could be for Church services or for rehearsals for performances eg Christmas. We are therefore asking for blanket permission for your child to participate. Pupils are always accompanied by adults and appropriate precautions are put in place. Children will also wear a hi-vis vest. If you do not give permission for your child to do this can you please contact school to make other arrangements.

Mobile phones in school:

Some of our older children bring a mobile phone into school. This is usually because they are walking home on their own. If you wish your child to bring in a mobile phone, please can you request a permission form.