New Hinksey CE Primary School Vicarage Road Oxford OX1 4RQ Tel: 01865 242169 Fax: 01865 242169 Email: [email protected] Website: www.new-hinksey.oxon.sch.uk Headteacher: Mrs Charlotte Haynes 21 June 2019 Dear Parents, Carers, Pupils, Staff, Governors and Friends of New Hinksey, Wow! What talented children and staff we have in school – the quality and variety of artwork on display during our art exhibition was fabulous. Some of us were also lucky enough to see our wonderful choir take part so well in Festival of Voices on Monday evening. A very big thank you to parent Jo Gill for running our after school choir and to Laura and Mrs Tucker who stepped in now and again to help in rehearsals. Next week school is closed to all pupils on Friday 28th June for staff INSET– please don’t forget! News From Classes: Foundation Stage (Ducklings – nursery; Robins - reception) – We have enjoyed watching our caterpillars grow at a rapid rate, just like the one in ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. We have also been using information books to find out more about the life-cycle and varieties of butterflies. Many of the children are really enjoying model making with a variety of materials such as small boxes, shiny paper and lids. However, our resources are now running low so any contributions would be very welcome. Finches – In English we have been looking at non-fiction texts, learning the features and comparing them to fiction books. In maths we are revising how to add a one digit number to a two digit number. In history we have made Viking longboats and enjoyed designing our own scary sails. Owls – This week we have been travelling around the north with Miss K to Canada, with Rosa’s Dad to Arizona, with Louis C’s Dad to Greenland and with Tarn’s Mum to Iceland. Thank you so much to the parents for such varied and interesting talks. Our travel journals are filling up and our postcard writing is getting more exciting. We have heard stories from these places, seen art and used maps. Miss K even had us labelling lots of North American rivers on a map which was very tricky! Doves – We really enjoyed our visit to the Story Museum’s Pumpkin Tent. The two stories we listened to were so entertaining and we acted them out in groups. We have written our own messages in bottles in the hope of being rescued from our imaginary desert islands. In science we have begun to investigate magnets and have come up with our own magnet investigations for next week. In maths the Year 3s have worked hard to convert units of capacity and time whilst the Year 4s have developed their area and perimeter skills. Woodpeckers – We have had a creative and constructive week telling stories inspired by our Pumpkin Tent experience on Monday. We have worked cooperatively to construct towers from spaghetti and marshmallows! Well done to Flora, Delilah, Chloe, Olive and Mia who managed to independently build the tallest free-standing structures! Thank you to those parents and children who came for a ‘snap-shot’ of some of the art that we have enjoyed this term. Our sketch books are almost full to the brim with all our amazing ideas, sketches, designs and artworks. We look forward to sharing them with you in a few weeks’ time. Maths for Year 5 has focused on calculating area and perimeter. Year 4s have focussed on translating polygons and interpreting charts and graphs. Please don’t forget to encourage your child to do the online homework which is allocated each week. Kingfishers –Cycling Proficiency has begun for some Year 6 children. We have started work on tessellation as well as working on our independent research fact file. In maths we have learnt about volume and capacity and international time zones. We had a fabulous morning yesterday at an ‘interactive’ performance of Gluck’s ‘Orfeo and Euridice’ (known as Orpheus and Eurydice in English) at St Alban’s Church. For many of us it was our first experience of opera – and it was fascinating. Summer Fete Raffle Tickets - You should find two books of raffle tickets in your child's bookbag. For a chance to win some fantastic prizes, please fill out the stubs and return with your money to the ticket sellers who will be in the playground from Monday morning. If you can sell more tickets to family and friends, just ask the seller. Parents are welcome in our school Summer Fete Items Wanted - Please also, if you get a chance this weekend, have a sort out, looking out for teddies, lucky dip prizes, craft paper/card and sweetie jars that we can use on stalls in the fete - every little helps! School Lunches – It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that there is money in ParentPay before sending your child to school for a school meal. It is taking up too much time chasing and waiting for payments each morning and from next week we will not be phoning to give warnings as we simply do not have the capacity to do this each day. Please do not book your children’s lunches once they are in school as it is too late for that day - thank you. Class Photographs – Your child will have brought home a proof of their class photograph last week. If you wish to order a copy, please complete the form and return with payment to school by Wednesday 26 June. 175th Anniversary of Trains in Oxford Congratulations to Nargus and Freya L who won prizes in the GWR Story Writing, and to Chloe H, Eleanor, Lola, Edie, Cherie, Freya L, Deen, Sophia and Lucy who won prizes in the design a train of the future competition. Job Vacancy – We are recruiting for a lunchtime supervisor from September, daily 11.30 – 1pm, term time only. Please speak to Tracey or Charlotte Haynes if you are interested and would like to know more. Staff Changes in September – Two of our teachers are moving on at the end of the year, Elaine from Foundation Stage is retiring (it is early retirement – she’s not that old!) and Stephanie Haig in Year 1 is moving back to her home town to live and work. We are very sad to lose them from our team and will say a proper goodbye nearer the end of the term. We are very pleased to have secured two excellent teachers for Foundation Stage and Year 1 from September. Polly Hodgson will be our new Foundation Stage teacher and Ms Victoria Martins will be our new Year 1 teacher. They are both able to visit this term so children and families who will be taught by them in September will be able to meet and get to know them. After many years of service to our school in many different capacities, Tim Sparrowhawk is also retiring – again a proper farewell to him at the end of term. May Bank Holiday in 2020 - Please note that since publishing the term dates for next year the Government has announced a change to the May bank holiday date from Monday 4th May to Friday 8th May. This means that there will be school on Monday 4th May 2020 but school will be closed on Friday 8th May 2020. If your child will be in Year 6 next year please note that the SATs testing week will start on Monday 11th May and every Year 6 pupil must be in school all that week. Important Warning about Road Closure/No Parking – We have had notification that on Wednesday 26th June, next week, there will be road sweeping and gulley cleaning in Vicarage Road between 8am and 12 noon so NO CARS SHOULD COME DOWN THE ROAD AT ALL IN THE MORNING FOR DROP OFF. Thank you. We hope you all have a lovely weekend. Yours sincerely, Charlotte Haynes Dates for Diaries Friday 28th June SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STAFF INSET Thursday 4 July – Fairtrade Café in School Hall at 2.15pm organised by Kingfisher Class Friday 5th July 9.10 in the hall Sharing Assembly for Owl Class Saturday 6th July School Fete Wednesday 10th July (morning) Sports Day on University College Sports Ground, Abingdon Road Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th July (afternoons) Key Stage 2 Performance to parents Monday 22nd July School Day Out at SOAP Tuesday 23rd July 1.45pm Leavers Assembly TERM ENDS AT 1pm ON WEDNESDAY 24th JULY Please join us for the 2nd South Oxford Family Triathlon Sunday 30th June. All ages, all abilities, non competitive - take part on your own or part of a team. Register on line before 21st Jun at http://triathlon.sofr.org.uk Cleaner wanted Grandpont nursery school is looking for a reliable cleaner. This is a permanent position all year round 10 hours per week, £9.00 per hour. Please contact the school office on 01865 242900 for further information. Or call in for a chat at 47 Whitehouse Road, Oxford. .