School website: www.swanmoreprimary.org.uk Newsletter 1 : September 2017 WELCOME BACK! Twitter account: @swanmoreprimary Welcome back to school! It has been a wonderful start to the year, children and staff alike have settled well and are looking forward to the year ahead. A huge well done to Year R, you have made a great start to your time at school and it is lovely to come and see you all in class. A big thank you to you all for your warm 'welcome backs' and support with attendance and uniform, it is good to start as we mean to go on. PARKING IN SWANMORE VILLAGE As we start the new year please do remember the 'Park and Stride' initiative whereby you can park in a range of places to help the congestion and road safety in the village. The Village Hall Recreation Ground Pavilion Car Park Swanmore Methodist Church and The Rising Sun Public House have all kindly offered the use of their car parks along with the main village one next to the school. Please do park considerately and not block drives. Thank you for your support with this. (Please see attached Park and Stride Map.) FAMILY TOURS THURSDAY 5th OCTOBER TUESDAY, 17th OCTOBER We are pleased to tell you that this year we will be holding two Family Tours for prospective parents of all year groups to view the school at work. These will take place between 9.30 and 11.30am on Thursday, 5th October and on Tuesday, 17th October. If you know of anyone who may be interested in applying for a place please let them know these dates. Applications for a Year R place for September 2018 can be made from 1st November either online or on a paper application form available from the school office. STAFFING NEWS We extend a warm welcome to our new members of staff: Year R Teacher Miss Cruickshank and Teaching Assistants: Mrs Hobbs, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Wade. CONTACTING PARENTS Could you please ensure that the school has your email and current contact details so that we can contact you in an emergency, but also because, as much as possible, we will not be using paper copies of letters this year. If you have not passed your details on, can you please ensure the office have them so you do not miss out on information. Thank you. RESIDENTIAL VISITS FOR JUNIOR CHILDREN Every year we are pleased to be offer a wide and exciting range of residential opportunities. These are invaluable for the children and we, with families, see huge differences in the children following them as they are great life opportunities. I do appreciate there are costs attached and families have asked for as much notice as possible. Therefore each year we aim to run: Year 3 camp in the summer term Year 4 visit Minstead in October Year 5 visit Swanage in May Year 6 visit Wales in February Moving forward, the school will write to each year group about 6 months before their trip should families want to save in the months leading up to it. As always, please do come and see us if there are extenuating circumstances around the financing of these.
OFFSITE VISITS, ALLERGIES AND FOOD TASTING Offsite Visits We are now required by law to request general permission from parents for their children to take part in offsite activities including local walks, crossing to Church for the weekly service, visits to Captain Phillimore s Woods, Y3 and Y6 swimming, etc. If you have not already completed an offsite/allergy form could you please complete the form (available from the school office) for each child in your family and sign and return it to school to give your permission for these activities. Having done this we will not need to ask again for such visits. We will still continue to request permission for individual visits, sporting competitions, music festivals, etc as before. Allergies We are aware that as children grow throughout childhood they can develop allergies to food, animals, medicines or other substances. In order to keep our records updated annually we have included on the offsite permission slip a space for you to let us know of any allergies your child may have. Of course, if an allergy develops throughout the course of the school year it is imperative that you inform us. Food Tasting As part of the topic work the children occasionally take part in food tasting. We will let you know when this is happening in class, but it would be a great help if you could complete the form to give permission for your child to take part. Thank you for your help. FOSPS (Friends of Swanmore Primary School) We are extremely grateful to Naomi Thorby and her committee for organising exciting fundraising events. These are greatly enjoyed by both children and parents. If you would like to join FOSPS or are interested in the work they do please let the school office know and they will pass your details on. DAY CLOSURES FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2017/18 The remaining day closures for this academic year are as follows: Friday, 24th November 2017 Monday, 27th November 2017 Friday, 9th February 2018 Monday, 23rd July 2018 SCHOOL BAGS As with most primary schools, our cloakrooms are not big enough to store all the large bags and rucksacks that the children bring to school. Infant children do not need to have a school bag / rucksack as everything they need to take to and from school can be carried in their book bag. Junior children, in some cases, may need a small school bag, but, in order for the cloakrooms not to become cluttered with bags falling on the floor, please only allow your child to use one when it is really necessary. Thank you for your support. ASSEMBLIES Parents are very welcome to attend Church Services and class assemblies, please see the list attached for the Autumn Term. During the coming year we will be holding special Services in St Barnabas Church as follows: Harvest Festival on Wednesday, 4th October at 9.30am for Juniors (Led by Y3 children) and 11.00am for Infants. Year R Nativity on Friday, 1st December at 2.15pm Mothering Sunday Service on Friday, 9th March at 2.45pm for Infants only Stations of the Cross on Wednesday, 28th March at 9.15am (Led by Y5 children) Y6 Leavers Service on Thursday, 19th July at 2.15pm. Could I please ask that if you bring babies or toddlers to the assemblies that you take them outside if they become noisy. I appreciate that it is often difficult to get childcare for these occasions but the children have worked very hard for these assemblies and it is a shame if they are spoilt by distractions elsewhere in the Church or Hall.
ASSEMBLY LIST FOR AUTUMN TERM 2017 Please find below a list of class assemblies for the Autumn term to which you are warmly welcomed. Year Class Date Time Place Year 3 Both Mrs Doran and Mr Flynn and Mrs Cousins Classes Wednesday 4th October (leading Harvest Festival) 9.30am St Barnabas Year 4 Mrs Jones Friday, 10th November 2.55pm School Hall Year 4 Mrs Mundy Friday 20th October 2.55pm School Hall Year 5 Mrs Davies Friday, 13th October 2.55pm School Hall Year 5 Mrs Saunders Year 6 Mr Hughes Wednesday, 11th October Friday, 17th November Year 6 Miss Morgan Friday, 29th September Wednesday, 22nd November 9.15am 2.55pm 2.55pm 9.15am St Barnabas School Hall School Hall St Barnabas Just a reminder that Friday assemblies start at 2.55pm. MR FLYNN S FIT FOR FELIX 2017 CHALLENGE Mr Flynn, our intrepid Deputy Headteacher, is continuing with his 2017 Challenge to raise money for Fit for Felix. This charity was set up for Felix (a previous pupil who sustained many injuries in a road traffic collision) and his family, as well as PICU Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in Southampton, and the Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance. Mr Flynn s challenge is to run 2017 miles in 2017. He can often be seen running in the local villages. So far he has run 1458 miles (averaging at least 5 miles every day). Only 559 miles to go! This is an amazing challenge and Mr Flynn thanks everyone who has already sponsored him or wished him well. Please see the link below if you would like to sponsor Mr Flynn www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jon-flynn2017
DIARY DATES Please find below a list of diary dates for this term. We add to this throughout the term and will keep you updated through newsletters. (Details of events will be sent nearer the time.) Please note dates are correct at time of printing. Tuesday, 26th September Wednesday, 27th September Thursday, 28th September Friday, 29th September Monday, 2nd October Wednesday, 4th October European Languages Day, (school focus - French) Please dress in the colours of the French flag, red, white and/or blue. 3.00pm Y1 Open Afternoon Y3DF Woods Visit 3.10pm YR Bell Ringing on Playground 3.40pm Y4 Minstead meeting for parents in Y4M Evening: FOSPS YR and new parents meeting Y3C Woods Visit Y6H Woods Visit Harvest Festival Services in St Barnabas Church 9.30am KS2 and 11.00 KS1 Thursday, 5th October 9.30 11.30am Open Morning for YR parents of children starting in 2018. Friday, 6th October Y6M Woods Visit Week beginning 9th October Y4 3 Day Residential visit to Minstead Tuesday, 10th October Thursday, 12th October YR Parents Evening YR Parents Evening Tuesday, 17th October 9.30 11.30am Open Morning for YR parents of children starting in 2018 Wednesday, 18th October Monday 23rd Friday 27th October Monday, 30th October Thursday, 2nd November Friday, 3rd November Tuesday, 7th November Thursday, 9th November Wednesday, 15th November Thursday, 16th November Thursday, 23rd November Friday, 24th November 3.00pm Y2 Open Afternoon in Hall HALF TERM School re-starts Y3 Visit to Sea City Museum (letter to follow nearer the time) Y6 Visit to Art Gallery (letter to follow nearer the time) Non-uniform day in exchange for chocolate for FOSPS Fireworks Evening Y1-Y6 Parents Evening Individual and Family School Photographs taken Y1-Y6 Parents Evening Y6 Greek Day 3.00pm Y3 Open Afternoon Non-uniform day in exchange for Christmas gifts for FOSPS Christmas Present Sale DAY CLOSURE
DIARY DATES continued Monday, 27th November Tuesday, 28th November Friday, 1st December Wednesday, 6th December Thursday, 7th December Friday, 8th December Tuesday, 12th December Wednesday, 13th December Thursday, 14th December Friday, 15th December Monday, 18th December Tuesday, 19th December Wednesday, 20th December Thursday, 21st December Thursday, 4th January Tuesday, 9th January DAY CLOSURE 3.00pm Y6 Open Afternoon 2.15pm YR Nativity to Parents in St Barnabas Church Clubs Finish 3.00pm Y5 Open Afternoon 3.00pm Y4 Open Afternoon FOSPS Christmas Gift Sale to Children 2.15pm Y1/2 Christmas Production to Parents 2.15pm Y1/2 Christmas Production to Parents Y5 Christmas Party after lunch Y4 Christmas Party after lunch Y3 Christmas Party after lunch Y4-Y6 Christmas Lunch Y2 Christmas Party YR Christmas Party YR-Y3 Christmas Lunch Y6 Christmas Party Y1 Christmas Party 9.15am Carols Around the Tree for parents of YR + Y4 Afternoon (time to be confirmed) Carols Around the Tree for parents of Y2 and Y6 Last day of school School re-starts for Spring Term Pantomime - Sleeping Beauty CREATIVE KIDZ BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS We are also pleased that Creative Kidz are continuing their Before and after School provision, meaning there is supervision available on site from 7.45am-6.00pm should it be needed for families. This is a separate enterprise from the school and we are working closely together to ensure the best facility possible. If this is of interest to you please contact Creative Kidz directly. RECENT LETTERS The following letters have recently been sent home. Extra copies are always available from the school office. Clubs Y4 Minstead Visit Their web site is http://creativekidz.org.uk/
ROTARY CLUB CHRISTMAS SHOE BOXES We have recently sent out the flyer from The Rotary Club about their collection of Christmas Shoe Boxes for disadvantaged children in Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Romania. There is plenty of time to prepare the boxes as they do not need to be returned until Monday, 30th October. Please remember to use the label to indicate who the box is for. Thank you for your support HARVEST FESTIVALS 4th OCTOBER 2017 in St Barnabas Church This year our Harvest Festivals will be held on Wednesday 4th October at 9.30am for Junior children and 11.00am for Infant children. Parents are welcome to attend. We are supporting Southampton City Mission and would be very grateful to receive gifts of tins or packets of food please, unfortunately we are unable to accept fresh produce. ADVERTS Pilates and fitness classes in Swanmore We specialise in Pilates, Kettlebell and Outdoor Classes. Outdoor Workout Saturday 8am Swanmore Primary School Fun fitness in the fresh air - Children welcome Pilates - Swanmore Primary School Thursday 6.30pm Beginner Pilates Thursday 7.35pm Intermediate / Advanced Mindful Moves Friday 9.15am Paterson Centre More than just a form of low impact fitness, the strong connection between mind and body promotes positive mental wellbeing. Kettlebell HIIT Wednesday 9.15am Methodist Church Hall Wednesday 7pm Swanmore College This is a small selection of what s on offer. To view our live timetable visit http:// www.inspiremefit.co.uk/fitness-classes.html To speak to Debbie for advice on your fitness call 07946 301474 or email Debbie@inspiremefit.co.uk Facebook https://www.facebook.com/inspiremefituk/
MORE ADVERTS PIANO LESSONS Mrs Hughes husband has a couple of spaces available for piano lessons on a Friday at our house in the village. He is a very experienced teacher and can teach beginners up to Grade 6 or help out with GCSE compositions and performance. He lectures in pop music and musical theatre so can also teach pupils who just want to play pop songs for fun rather than grades. Please call Mr Hughes on 07934 791134. NEW GREEN TEAM VOLUNTEERS PLEASE The school s Green Team is made up of volunteer parents or grandparents who come in to work with a group of children over a Monday lunchtime from 12:15pm to 2:15pm. The children very much enjoy all aspects of gardening and look forward to taking part. After many years setting up the garden and the polytunnel, our helpers have now moved on to make way for new parents. We would not like to lose this popular club and, therefore, if you have time to spare to help the school in this way please contact the school office. EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES Tuesday, 26th September Further to our previous letter we are looking forward to our European Day of Languages next Tuesday. Just a reminder the children can come into school dressed in the colours of the French flag - red, white and/or blue. WANTED FOR YEAR R If any families no longer need their Red and Yellow Cars, Year R would be very happy to receive them. Thank you. LUNCHTIME SUPERVISORS NEEDED We are looking for people to join our happy team of Lunchtime Supervisors, to work Monday to Friday (or part-time). Please call into the school office for more details and an application form. SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE AND DISPLAY OF LOST PROPERTY 3.15pm 3.45pm on TUESDAY 3rd OCTOBER OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL All sale items 50p each