Raising Our Voices in Song!

Our Key Stage 2 children have been filling school with Christmas cheer as they rehearse for the Big Switch On next week. We have been impressed with how well the children have been learning the words and the energy they have been putting into their rehearsals!

We are all looking forward to singing immediately after the Big Switch on Friday – A reminder that all Key Stage 2 children who are singing on the Church steps after the Switch On, must meet staff at the steps at 6pm and must be picked up and dropped off by an adult
EYFS and Key Stage One children are also busy learning countless songs for their Christmas performances.

The sound of their singing has been wonderful to hear and the sneak previews I have had so far make me think we are in for a treat!

Our Global Ambassadors and Miss Danha shared a thought provoking assembly with us all on Monday; their theme was Fairtrade and linked to our successful Our World Week in school last week. They clearly demonstrated the inequalities that some suppliers face and highlighted the way we can help by buying Fairtrade goods whenever we can.

This hard working team followed this up with a very successful Fairtrade Milkshake taste on Tuesday, where all of the children in school were offered the chance to taste test milkshake made using Fairtrade products – the overwhelming response? A hit! Many thanks to Miss Danha and her Global Ambassadors team for planning this and to Mrs Hayward for helping with the making of the milkshakes.

On Monday Mrs Hayward and Mrs Gavin helped Ruby class make their own smoothies from Fairtrade fruit which they decided was 'delicious'. Mrs Hayward explained the nutritional value of each smoothie and asked the class if they could maybe make some of these smoothies at home and let her know what their parents thought – please let us know if you have been taste testing these yourselves at home!

On Wednesday Years 1 and 2 enjoyed a visit to Blists Hill Victorian Town Museum near Ironbridge. They had the chance to dress up as Victorian school children and experience lessons as they would have been long ago. Their visit allowed them to see what it would have been like to live in a village during the reign of Queen Victoria.

They visited the Post Office, shops and the bank commenting upon how they differed from businesses today. They found out about different occupations visiting the candle makers, the iron workers and carpenters.

On Thursday, the whole of Key Stage 2 visited Manchester Museum to explore one of the largest and most important collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the United Kingdom. The collection includes objects from prehistoric Egypt to the Byzantine era. The children took part in various workshops looking at what life was like in Ancient Egypt.

Many thanks to all of the families who supported our Children in Need day so generously. We raised a fantastic £199.81 – a super amount that we can all be proud of!

Football

In last week's newsletter, I promised an update on our Football Team's match in the quarterfinals of the South Cheshire shield. I was delighted that two of the team, Max Youle (Y5) and Riley Capewell (Y6) spent time writing a very thorough and impressive match report which they sent to me earlier this week – see yesterday's separate story on AudlemOnline.

News from FASA

Thank you for all of the donations sent in for the FASA stall at the Big Switch On as part of our Non Uniform Day today. The FASA team will be busy once again, manning their Tombola stall under the Buttermarket next Friday – do please support them if you can.

Our Christmas Fair is drawing nearer; all children have been given Christmas Cracker homework sheets for them to create special crackers for the fair. Please look out for the special sheet about this in school bags.

FASA would also welcome any donations of quality books that you are clearing out pre-Christmas, as they are planning to have a bookstall at the Fair. Please send in any donations for this stall from Monday 30th November. Many thanks for your help and support with this.
Your child will be bringing home raffle tickets for our Christmas Fair today. Please return stubs and any unsold tickets by Friday 4th December at the latest so they can be included in the draw at our Fair.

A huge thank you to all of you who bought Christmas cards and gifts from the children's design work which FASA recently organised in school. Thanks also to FASA for organising this so well.

ABC Childcare

The ABC team and Nursery children will be getting their creative juices flowing this week, using their imaginations to see all the different things sticks could make. After school they will continue with their wide range of fun and interactive after school clubs.

You don't have to pay a holiday retainer at ABC's out of school club, if you only require term time hours. You can opt for the slightly higher 'ad hoc' price. Many parents have selected this option and return to ABC time and time again. For more information, please feel free to telephone Lynsey on 01270 669050.

Reception New Starters September 2016

Do you have a child, or know a child locally, who is due to start school in September 2016? The deadline for admission applications Friday 15th January and late applications may be disadvantaged.

Cheshire East admissions team have reported that they have received applications for less than 50% of the children showing on their database, please remind parents with children of school age to apply as early as possible to secure a school place.

Christingle Service

The annual Christingle Service will be held at St James' Church on Sunday 13th December at 11am. This service is designed for families and as part of the service children make their own Christingle to take home. Church will provide all that is needed to make the Christingle. I hope many of our families are able to attend this special service.

Book to See Father Christmas at the Big Switch On

Bookings are being taken for free visits to Santa's Grotto at the Big Switch On next Friday. To book, text 07525 480291 on Wednesday 25th between 3pm and 8pm, stating the number of children. You will then be sent a text confirming your time slot.

Finally

Many thanks to those parents who joined us for Parent Forum on Wednesday morning. A range of subjects were covered with some productive and useful ideas coming from the discussions we had.

One of the issues we discussed was the importance of children being under parent/carer supervision once handed over at end of day; I have had frequent reports from staff and concerned parents re children climbing on storage units, climbing frames and trees/bushes without supervision.

At the meeting it was highlighted that some children are not always closely supervised crossing the road at the end of the school day and that many parents allow their children to play on school equipment such as the climbing wall and climbing/balance frames. I would like to reiterate that school equipment, including the field and woodland areas are NOT to be used before or after school.

I would also emphasise the collective responsibility of parents and carers in ensuring their child is supervised at the beginning and end of the school day and that these guidelines are followed for the safety of everyone. Thank you for your support and cooperation with this matter.

The full minutes of the Parent Forum meeting will be distributed to all families soon, please look out for these in your child/ren's
school bags.
R Jewitt

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