Church of England Infant School

St. Michael’s Church of England Infant School

Newsletter 14 October 2015 Our Value of the month is Manners and Respect Dear Parents and Carers

This half term has been very busy. The children had a wonderful time at the Teddy Bear’s Picnic organised by the Friends of St Michael’s. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to mix and play together. Apparently, the teddies enjoyed it too! Thank you to all the parents who helped out.

The children enjoyed making their harvest crafts during our Harvest activity weekend. Malcolm led a wonderful family service on the Sunday. The children sang their two songs beautifully. Molly and Esme, two of our pupils in Woodpeckers Class (Year 2), read a prayer each. Well done for reading so clearly and confidently. If you missed the Harvest Service and would like to see the children’s Harvest artwork, it is currently being presented at the front of the hall and will be there until the end of this half term. Please take a look and admire the children’s work.

Our new School Council (Evie, Casillas, Alexander and Immy) were very happy to be presented with a cheque for £3500 from the organisers of the Mickleham Village Party at one of our Friday Celebration assemblies. They were very happy to find out that it will be spent on furnishing our new library. The children spent their last School Council meeting deciding how to spend some of the money. They have picked a ‘forest’ theme and have chosen bean bags and soft cushions to make a ‘cosy corner’ to read in. We will be electing School Council representatives in Otters Class in the Summer Term.

VALUE OF THE MONTH During our morning assemblies we discuss a theme which this month is ‘manners’. As well as encouraging this in our daily routines and as part of our learning in lessons, it would be great if you could re-inforce this at home. Therefore it would be helpful if you could encourage your children to say please and thank you, respond to a greeting of good morning and to wait at doors for others to pass. I am sure you can think of many others too! MONITOR BADGES We are proud of our older children who act as role models for the younger ones. In recognition of this we will presenting all the children in Woodpeckers class (Year 2) with a monitor badge at the end of our Remembrance Day service on 9th November at 9.15am.

TIDY DAY We are looking for adult volunteers to tidy the school grounds in preparation for our Open Day when prospective parents visit the school. If you could spare an hour or two on Saturday 7th November at 10am that would be fantastic. We are hoping to clear up leaves, trim hedges and plant flower pots. If you have a leaf blower, strimmer, wheelbarrow, rakes or shears, please bring them with you. Please let Mrs Piggott know if you are able to give us a hand.

CHARITY SUPPORT We would like to support Children in Need this year by making a Pudsey Bear out of coin donations. If the children would like to save their pennies up and bring them into school, we will make a giant Pudsey in the hall. Children in Need is on Friday 13th November. Poppies will be ‘for sale’ at the beginning of November. We hope to be able to sell them on the way into school during the first week of November.

POLITE REMINDERS Just a quick reminder that we do not generally authorise holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you think you cannot avoid taking your child out of school during term time, please complete a ‘Withdrawal from School’ form (available from the school office and on the website). If you would like to read the full policy, it is available on the website or you can get a copy from Mrs Piggott. Just a gentle reminder - please ensure that your child’s school uniform, P.E. kit and bags are all clearly marked. We realise how frustrating it can be when things go missing but it is hard to reunite items to their owners if they are unnamed. Thank you for your co-operation.

INFORMATION SESSIONS It was wonderful to see so many parents and carers at the phonics and maths workshops. We hope that you found the sessions useful and that any queries you may have had are now answered. We have tried to make the timings as convenient as possible – something you have asked for and we have acted on. If you missed the Read Write Inc phonics session the information is contained on the Ruth Miskin website. The information slides about maths are have been emailed out via Parent Mail. They can also be found on Fronter and the school website (Supporting Learning link).

PARENTS’ EVENING APPOINTMENTS We are using ParentMail to make this term’s appointments. If you haven’t done so already please log in to your account to make your appointment. Thank you. CELEBRATION OF WORK The following children received a Headteacher’s award for the quality of their work and effort or for actions that reflect our value of the month:

Owls Class Woodpeckers Class Arlo Casillas Amy Bobbie Faye Lucy Evie Sophia Nathan Imogen Jackson Coco Freddie Darcy Sam Hettie Naomi Alfie Lacey May Leon James Callen Imogen Alexander Esme

ST MICHAEL’S WALL OF FAME We are very proud of the following children for their achievements and efforts outside school:

Theo for catching two Truite Fario (Brown Trout) during his summer holiday fishing trip. Archie for his first 3D movie. Evie for her swimming award. Sam for his swimming award and badge. Esme for her achievement in the local library Record Breakers scheme.

Kind regards,

Jeremy Smith Headteacher DATES FOR YOUR DIARY New items added since the previous newsletter are shown in bold. We try not to change dates already published. However, sometimes we need to change them so please check below. Any amendments are shown in red.

October 2015 – Value of the Month - Manners 19 Flu Day for children in Years 1 and 2 20 Early Parents’ Evening for Year R and Year 2 children from 3.45 to 5.45pm Late Parents’ Evening for Year R, Year 1 and Year 2 children from 3.45 to 21 7pm 22 Early Parents’ Evening for Year 1 children from 3.45 to 5.45pm Outdoor Adventure Day for Woodpeckers Class (Year 2) 9.15am 23 -2.15pm 26-30th Half Term Holiday – School Closed November 2015 – Value of the Month - Friendship 02 INSET Day – School Closed 03 Poppies available from today 03 Back to School School Tidy Day 10am – 12pm. Volunteers needed for spruce up the 07 outdoor areas for our Open Day School assembly in church for all years at 9.15am. All family and friends 09 are welcome to join us at the church for the service 12 Open Day 13 Children in Need – bring in coins to make a giant Pudsey Bear 24 Last Dance Club session this term 25 Last Multi-skills Club and French Club this term 26 Last Football Club session this term Start of Advent – children do jobs at home to raise money for our 29 Christmas charity (to support Martina at Kathryn’s Mercy Home) 29 Children’s Story to music at St Michael’s Church 5pm 30 Last Drama Club session this term December 2015 – Value off the Month - Peace Christingle Workshop at the Village Hall from 10 to 11.30am. All children 05 and siblings welcome for craft events. Christingle Family Service at St Michael’s Church 10am. All family and 06 friends welcome. School assembly in church for Years 1 and 2 at 9.15am. All family and 14 friends are welcome to join us at the church for the service Friends’ Night Before Christmas (story telling, hot chocolate and 14 presents) 5.30-6.30pm 15 Christmas Production 1.45pm 16 Christmas Production 1.45pm 17 School Christmas Lunch End of Term Service at 1.30pm at the church followed by tea. 18 Early finish. 21st Dec-4th Jan Christmas Holidays – No School January 2016 05 INSET Day – School Closed 06 Back to School 11 School assembly at church for all years at 9.15am. February 2016 School assembly in church at 9.15am. All family and friends are welcome 08 to join us at the church for the service. 15-19th Half Term Holiday – School Closed 22 INSET Day – School Closed 23 Back to School March 2016 02 Mother’s and Grandmother’s Day Assembly and Tea at 1.45pm 03 World Book Day Community Event – Mother’s and Grandmother’s Day Workshop at the 05 Village Hall from 10 to 11.30am. All children and siblings welcome for craft events. Mother’s Day and Grandmother’s Family Service at St Michael’s Church 06 10am. All family and friends welcome (the children will perform a Mother’s Day song). School assembly in church at 9.15am. All family and friends are welcome 14 to join us at the church for the service. 15 Early Parents’ Evening for Year R and Year 2 children from 3.45 to 5.45pm Late Parents’ Evening for Year R, Year 1 and Year 2 children from 3.45 to 16 7pm 17 Early Parents’ Evening for Year 1 children from 3.45 to 5.45pm Easter Pause Day in school. Children stop to reflect on the meaning of 23 Easter and participate in activities together. Easter Bonnet Parade and Easter Egg Hunt in school. Children make a 24 special Easter hat for homework in the previous week and bring it to school on this day. End of Term Eater Service at 1.30pm at the church followed by tea. 24 Early finish. 28th Mar-8th Apr Easter Holidays – School Closed April 2016

11 Back to School

May 2016

02 Bank Holiday – School Closed

03 Back to School 09 School assembly in church at 9.15am. All family and friends are welcome to join us at the church for the service

30th May–3rd Jun Half Term Holiday – School Closed June 2016 13 School assembly in church at 9.15am. All family and friends are welcome to join us at the church for the service 24 Sports Day 1.15pm July 2015 01 Reserve Sports Day 1.15pm Moving Morning for Year R and Year 1 children to visit their new classes 05 and teachers. Transition Day for Year 2 children School assembly in church at 9.15am. All family and friends are welcome 11 to join us at the church for the service 19 Whole School Summer Production 1.45pm 20 Whole School Summer Production 1.45pm End of Term Service and Leavers Assembly 1.30pm 21 Early finish 22 INSET Day – School Closed