Remember to keep up to date by visiting www.oldfieldparkinfants.co.uk

 
 

 

 

 

 


                       

 

2007 / 08 Number 13 . 7th March  2008

 

Dear Parents,

 

Shiver me timbers ! It’s been a most exciting week here on board the pirate ship. We hope that all the children and adults have enjoyed the various activities. There has certainly been a real ‘buzz’ about school.

Book Week

By the time you read this Book Week will be over, but what a fantastic time we have had this last week listening to such a great variety of stories and books on our piratical theme. We have enjoyed the company of many different visitors including real pirates, many story tellers, a poet and drama expert, and this afternoon as all the pirates on board had earned a treat Storybox Theatre performed ‘The Tin Soldier’ on the main deck. In between all the events the children in each class enjoyed focusing on their chosen Pirate book which was presented to them at the start of the week. The children’s learning will gradually appear on display around the school so please do find time to have a look.

We thoroughly enjoyed all the costumes today and as ever were amazed by the variety of pirates and other characters and your inventiveness.

A really big thank you needs to go to everyone who made Book Week such a success and so memorable; to the staff who stayed late last Friday to transform the hall into the amazing main deck of our ship, to Mandy for keeping the crew fed with food far more delicious than any real pirate ever ate, our visitors, the support of so many parents and of course the children themselves ! Lots of photos have been taken and a selection will appear on the website in due course.

Congratulations to the Book Week competition winners who were :

Reception : Emerald Fraser

                                     Year 1      : Anya Baker

 Year 2      : Rowan Bendle

Each won a book on the theme of pirates or the sea and thanks to P.C. Brendan Keegan there were some surprise runners up too !

Oh yes ! As in all the best stories alls well that ends well and the parrots were returned unharmed .

 

Let’s Get Cooking ~ a really exciting opportunity !

Let’s Get Cooking is a Big Lottery funded project to create a network of school based cooking clubs for children and their families. There are only 11 places for B&NES schools and we are really eager to be one of those chosen to receive £2,500 over three years towards equipment and running costs.

This is a brief outline of what we need to do as a school to be considered for one of the precious places.

We need to apply at 3.45pm next Thursday, March 13th and it’s on a first come first serve basis.

To apply we need to have adults who are prepared to take on roles in the club, two of whom will attend a free two day training on 19th and 20th May 2008 at Wellsway School in Keynsham. This will be to learn basic food hygiene, safety and cookery demonstration skills.

We would be looking to run a minimum of 15 cooking sessions over the year which would include 3 simple events such as our Walk to School Breakfast. If lots of you show interest the roles can be shared and the club activities will be easy to run and organise between us. We already have the support of the parents from the Food Group but do need a few more.

The other thing we need is Headteacher support , which of course goes without saying !

Please come and see me early next week if you want to know more and have a chat. There is more information available which I can let you have.

 

Parent Governor Election

All parents should have received ballot papers for the election. A reminder that the votes should be received by12 noon on Monday March 17th. The ‘count’ will take place at 6pm on that evening.

 

Family SEAL

The ‘Good to Be Me’ workshop for parents and children is next Wednesday, March 12th, meeting in the canteen at 9.00am as usual.  We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. This time both workshops will be quite practical with an opportunity to make something with your child and to try out some of the activites that will be covered in classes.

 

Food For Life Noticeboard

Keep up to date with our Healthy Eating work on the noticeboard. We hope to add photos of our Pirate Food soon.

 

Bath Half Marathon Fund Raising Event supporting Mandy our school runner.

Coerver coaching , who run our Breakfast Club, will be in school on  Friday March 14th to run a sports skills event for each class. We are asking each child to collect sponsorship for taking part . The money collected will be added to Mandy’s total and an amount will also be given to ‘Sport Relief’ which starts on the same weekend. If your child is unable to collect sponsorship from friends and family they might like to bring along a little loose change on the day instead. A sponsorship form was sent home last week. If you did not get yours please ask for another.

 

Supporting Mandy on the day. Sunday 16th March

It has become traditional for parents and children to gather on the corner of Dorset Close on Race day to support our runners with a banner and plenty of encouraging noise. We usually find that meeting at about 11.45am means we are in good time to see the action !

 

Open Morning : Friday  March 28th 2007

All parents are invited to visit the school on this morning sometime between 9.15 and 10.30am. This is to give you the opportunity to spend some time with your child looking at and sharing his / her learning. Your child might also like to take you on a short tour of the school to see some of the displays which should include some of our Book Week work.

You are not expected to spend the full hour in school and may pop in anytime during the hour. About 20 minutes spent with your child should be long enough. If you have more than one child there should be time to see both of them.

This is not a time to discuss your child’s progress with the class teacher. There will be another opportunity for individual appointments during Term 5.

If you are not able to attend the morning then grandparents are more than welcome, however due to limitations of space we would prefer only one or two visitors per child.

It would also help enormously if you could share the care of pre-school children. As last year we will run a small crèche in the hall for anyone who cannot find alternative care.

We will need to take the registers between 9.00 and 9.15am so need to ask you to leave the children as usual at the start of the school day. If you prefer not to return home you are welcome to wait in the canteen until the doors re-open.

 

Targets for Learning in Reading, Writing and Maths

Following open morning each parent will receive an updated target sheet for their child, similar to the one given out at the November parents evening.  If you have any questions about the targets set please approach your child’s class  teacher.

 

 

 

 

S.E.N. Parents Evening : Tuesday 18th March ~ 3.30 to 6.00pm

This is an opportunity for parents of children receiving additional support to meet with the class teacher and review progress towards individual targets. Those parents involved should have received an invitation from the class teacher over the past next few days.

The class teachers will also make contact with you if they feel that it might be beneficial to arrange a meeting to discuss your child’s progress.

 

Open Morning for Prospective Parents : Friday 25thApril 9.30 to 11.30am

Please let anyone you know who may have a child due to start in September 2009 that they are most welcome to come along to school for our open morning on the first Friday of next term. Copies of the prospectus will be available and we will be showcasing a variety of activities that take place at Oldfield Park Infants’ School.

 

INSET Days

We have set the dates for our remaining two INSET days of 2007 / 2008.

These will be Friday June 6th and Friday July 11th . School will be closed to all children on these occasions.

 

My First Gig Music Club

During the summer terms there will be an opportunity for children in Years 1 and 2 to get involved in an After School Music Club. The aim of ‘My First Gig’ is to encourage and foster a love and knowledge of music through fun sessions with a short performance for parents at the end of the course. The sessions will take place on Mondays after school for 6 weeks.

If you are interested in your child attending Nick and Lara from ‘My First Gig’ will be in school on Wednesday 26th March at 3.15pm to tell you a bit more about what is planned. This is for parents to attend with their children. Following the meeting further information and booking forms will be available to all children in Y1 and 2.

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Jo Claridge

Headteacher

 

 

Dates For Term 4

Wednesday March 12th          Family SEAL Workshop                                 9.15am

 

Sunday March 16th                 Bath Half Marathon

 

Tuesday March 18th   Parent’s Evening (for reviews of Special Educational Needs)

 

Friday March 21st to Monday March 24th      School Closed : Easter Bank Holiday Weekend

           

Friday March 28th                   Open Morning                                                 9.15 to 10.30am

 

Friday April 4th                        Last day of term         

           

Monday April 21st                    School re-opens                                              9.00am