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

 

                       

 

2005 / 06 Number 6 . November 10th    2006

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

Welcome back to school for Term 2, always a busy and exciting time of year. To help you with your forward planning I have included the dates for the main Christmas activities. Also there are several reminders about items in the last newsletter which may need your action. So please read on and keep the information in a safe place.

 

Parents Evenings

 It has been good to see so many of you in school this week for parents’ evenings. I hope you found the opportunity to talk to your child’s teacher useful and informative. We do value the time spent discussing your  child’s progress and targets for this year. Thank you to so many of you who managed to arrange child care which makes such a difference to the evenings. If you missed the evening do see your child’s teacher and try to arrange a convenient time to meet.

 

Staff News

Jane Stone had an operation during the break and is now recovering at home. She hopes to be back shortly before the end of term. We are keeping in regular contact with Jane and wish her a speedy recovery.

In the meantime we welcome Mrs Lesley Craddock who is supporting Y2 on Mondays and Tuesdays. Mrs Julie Evans is covering the rest of the week.  

 

B.I.B. s Firework Poster Competition Prizewinners

Once again we have been successful in this competition. I am very pleased to announce that Emily Davis from Green Class won first place for artistic impression in the under sixes category with Josephine Coles from Red Class being awarded second place. They attended an awards ceremony at the fire station and were presented with their prizes. When you consider the number of posters submitted from all the schools in Bath this is quite an achievement and we are very proud of them. Well done!

 

Performance of ‘Papa Please Get the Moon For Me’ by Travelling Light Theatre

With all the events of the last couple of weeks I forgot to let you know that the highly acclaimed Travelling Light Theatre company were visiting school to perform their play ‘Papa Please Get the Moon For Me’ which is based on the book of the same name by Eric Carle. This is the same group that performed ‘Clown’ last year. I am told that the performance last Thursday was wonderful , even better than last year. Unfortunately I had to go to a meeting. The play is also being performed at ‘the egg’ from December 19th to 31st.

 

 

 

 

 

Safety as the nights draw in and in the mornings too.

Its time to find your reflectors and luminous armbands which all children in Years 1 and 2 were given last year, and attach them to your coats and book bags. All reception children and those new in other year groups should receive their reflectors with this newsletter. The reflectors are a gift from the Nationwide building Society and we do have a few spares in the office if anyone has lost theirs.

 

Arrangements for Severe Weather.

With a few frosty mornings since we returned to school , these are details of the school’s arrangements In the event of severe weather.

We will always do our best to keep school open during bad weather such as snow or ice. However, all the full time teaching staff do have to travel some distance to reach school and we need to ensure that we have adequate care available.

If the school is closed we will normally arrange for announcements to be made on the local radio stations as early as possible so advise you to tune in to these in the first instance. We also belong to an internet service “Snowday”. In the case of snow, please log on to www.snowday.co.uk and search for our school’s name. The site will display whether the school is open or closed. The office should be staffed from 8am to receive calls if you are unable to get information from the radio or ‘Snowday

Snow Contact Pyramid

We also run an ‘emergency contact pyramid’ whereby each family can be contacted quickly by phone in the case of bad weather or another emergency.

This means your telephone number being given to one other parent only. You would then be asked to pass the message on to about three others. We now need permission to add all reception families and those new to the school.

Please return the form below by Friday November 18th   if you are NOT willing to be involved. Please also let us know if you were not involved last year but would like to be added.

 

First Aid

Please can you let us know if your child is allergic to plasters so we can update our records

 

 

 

Curiosity Kits

These are bags which contain a non fiction book and various activities which we lend to children in Years 1 and 2.

We need some help to give these out each week and check them over when they are returned. Can you spare an hour or so on a Monday afternoon to help ?

Please let Mrs Claridge or Mrs Stroud know.

 

In Service Days

We have organised our next two in service days when school will be closed to children.

Wednesday 3rd January : the staff will be undertaking training in the updated National  Literacy and Numeracy strategies in the evenings during the Spring terms and therefore term will commence on Thursday January 5th.

Friday 12th January : Pie Corbett a nationally acclaimed literacy expert will be working with staff on the Story Making project.

Please make a special note of these dates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PTA News

Ladies’ Night

This first of a kind for Oldfield Park Infants School is now only 1 week away! The tickets are on sale now for £3. This incredibly cheap price includes a glass of wine (or other drink) and a fantastic Goody Bag full of little treats.

It looks like being quite a night! Treatments available include: facials, Indian head massage, foot & leg massage, nail treatments and, to finish off, your make-up reapplied.

Stalls to browse include: Body Shop, Avon, jewellery, cards, on line make-up sales and lots more.

There will be a raffle on the night with a fantastic top prize of a Day Pass for two at the new spa at the Bath Spa Hotel! Other prizes include facials, haircuts & gym membership.

 

When you arrive on the night, take time to walk around to see what treatments are on offer and sign your name up against the time tables which will be outside each classroom. Then grab yourself a drink from the bar & relax! Have a browse amongst the stalls, enjoy your treatment and indulge in a little bit of Me Time.

 

There are a few things we still need help with: Do you have spare Tea Light Holders or Christmas Fairy Lights to set the atmosphere? Please let a member of the PTA or office know if you can help.

 

I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend and don't forget to ask family and friends.

 

CHRISTMAS FAYRE  Saturday 2nd November 12.00-2.00

 

Having recharged our batteries at the Ladies Night, we'll be well prepared for the Christmas Fete will be only 2 weeks away!!!

 

Due to family commitments, Mandy will be unable to help this year but she is very kindly letting us use her kitchen and serving area but we will not be able to provide the usual chips and pizza etc. On this year's menu is soup and a roll and hot dogs. If you have any culinary skills PLEASE PLEASE come forward as we need your help!

 

Again we will have a fantastic raffle with a star prize of a brand new Dyson Cleaner very kindly donated by Francis DIY in Moorland Road. Wow!

 

More information on Christmas to follow shortly. Watch this space!

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Yes Christmas really is coming !!

The dates and times of our other  main Christmas events are detailed at the end of this newsletter. Look out for a Christmas Special Edition with further details of each event which will be out as soon as we have finalised details of each event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Dinner

Mandy Jones, our school cook, and her assistants will be cooking a delicious turkey dinner on Wednesday December 13th. The dinner will cost £1.70 and the provisional menu is as follows:-

 

Menu

Turkey Breast with stuffing, and all the trimmings.

Roast potatoes, fresh sprouts,

organic carrots  and peas.

**********

Vegetarian Bake

**********

Christmas Pudding with vanilla sauce

Fresh Fruit Salad

Christmas Biscuit with milk

 

This year we need a reply for every child to indicate whether they require a Christmas Lunch or will be bringing a packed lunch.

Please return the reply slip to your child’s class teacher  by Friday 17th November

Please send the £1.70 dinner money in a clearly named envelope on Monday December 11th. No money with the slip please.

 

Reminders

The following are reminders about several things mentioned in the last newsletter. Spare copies are available from the red pockets in the entrance lobby or on the school website www.oldfieldparkinfants.co.uk

Walking Bus

If you are interested in this scheme where a supervised group of children walk to school along particular routes with pick up points or ‘bus stops.’ please complete the slip at the end of the last newsletter

 

21st Century Child : Love In A Box

We have already received a few boxes but need lots more for children in Eastern Europe who may not otherwise have any Christmas presents.

We ask you to make up the boxes at home and bring them in by  Thursday 23rd November so that they reach the children in time.  You might want to work with a few friends to make up a joint box.

We are collecting the boxes in the entrance corridor on top of the big book cases.

ü Please put in :-

X Please do not put in :-

small toys                          balls

stationery                          gloves

sweets                              scarves

chocolate                          puzzles

toiletries                            pencils

toy cars                             crayons

liquids

perishable foods

toy guns

knives

aerosols

second  hand clothes

batteries

 

Boxes need to be labelled with the age of the child that the contents suit  but must not be sealed other than with an elastic band.

In the last newsletter I forgot to say that we need to send £2 with each box to help cover the cost of transport. If you can put this in  it will help us greatly. This can go in an ordinary envelope just inside the box or there are some  special envelopes which enable you to ‘gift aid’ your donation.  These are available by the collection of boxes.

 

Schools and Extended Services Questionnaire

Please complete and return as soon as possible.

 

Tutorial Support Service

Please return the reply slip whether or not you are interested to help us get some free software.

 

School Photographs

Please note that the last day to return school photograph orders was Friday 10th November. If you haven’t placed your order yet please bring your envelope in on Monday morning.

 

 

Local Events

Charity 70s and 80s Night Disco : Saturday November 25th

Fundraising evening for the Bath Dialysis Unit at the RUH Social Club from 7.30pm until late. Tickets cost £5 each (£2.50 for children) and are available from Jules, mum of Maesie in Yellow Class. See poster on parents’ notice board for further information.

 

16th Bath International Evening : tomorrow Saturday November 11th

The theme is ‘Our Farms, Our Future’ supporting Bath City Farm

At St Mark’s Community Centre, Widcombe. Tickets cost £6 per adult and £4 for children , family ticket £15

See www.bathinternationalevening.org

 

Congratulations to ….

Libby Jo Dixon and Maesie Hodges ex pupils now at the juniors  who have been selected to dance in this year’s  pantomime Cinderella at the Bath Theatre Royal.

 

Sorry it’s a long newsletter …. Yet again there is lots to share to keep you informed and up to date

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Jo Claridge

Head teacher

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Christmas Dinner Reply Slip

Wednesday December 13th

 

My child will be :-

 

 
 


Having a school Christmas Dinner 

 

 

 
 


Bringing a packed lunch

 

 
 


If the vegetarian option is required please tick

 

I will send £1.70  in a named envelope on Monday December 11th .

 

 

 

 

 

Emergency Contact Pyramid

Please return by Friday November 18th

Name of child :-

 

I do not wish to participate in the Snow Pyramid.           

 

 

Signed  …………………………………… (parent / carer)

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Dates to Remember this Term

Saturday 2nd   December                            Christmas Fayre 12 noon to 2pm

 

Thursday 7th December                              Reception Christmas Celebration pm

                                                                                   (performance for pre-school children)

 

Friday 8th December                                                Reception Christmas Celebration pm

                                                                                    (adults only)

 

Monday 11th December                              Y1/Y2 Christmas Celebration pm

                                                                       (performance for pre-school children)

 

Wednesday 13th December                                   School Christmas Dinner

 

 

Thursday 14th December                            Y1/Y2 Christmas Celebration am and pm

                                                                                   

 

Friday 16th December                                             Christmas Party Day

 

Monday 18th December                              Y2 Christmas Celebration performance

at ‘the egg’ 12.30pm

 

Tuesday 19th December                             Last day of term

 

Wednesday 3rd  January                            IN SERVICE DAY

 

Thursday 4th January                                              School re-opens

 

Friday 12th January                                     IN SERVICE DAY

 

Further details will follow.

Watch out for the Christmas Special which will follow soon !