Dear Parents
Happy New Year and a warm welcome back to school to everyone and
especially to parents of children who are new to our school for 2010.
CELEBRATION ASSEMBLIES
Celebration Assemblies are on Fridays at 2.30pm. Parents are invited to watch their own child’s class and we would ask that you arrive no earlier than 2.15pm. We endeavour to bring the children in as quietly as possible and we would appreciate the parents joining us in this. The rota is as follows:
7 January No assembly 14 January No assembly 21 January RV
28 January No assembly 4 February CH 11 February NSJB 18 February PLDD 25 February Half-Term 4 March JC 11 March GH 18 March PSKM 25 March CA 1 April KT 8 April LC
CLUB STARTING DATES
Guitar - Wednesday 5 January
Orchestra - Wednesday 5 January
Recorders - Thursday 6 January
Knitting Club - Monday 10 January
Gymnastics - Monday 10 January
Wind and Brass - Tuesday 11 January
Reading Club - Tuesday 11 January
Rugby (Y6) - Tuesday 11 January
Hockey (Y5) - Tuesday 11 January
Tennis *form to follow - Tuesday 11 January
Chess - Thursday 13 January
Keyboard - Thursday 13 and Friday 14 January
Funky Pop *Premier Sport form attached - Friday 14 January – now AFTER school not before
Hitcham’s Holy Horrors - Wednesday 19 January
Maypole - Wednesday 2 March - letter to follow
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Wednesday 12 January - SCC Catering ‘Pantomine’ themed lunch
Thursday 13 January - Bassistry Arts – Foundation & Key Stage 1
Wednesday 26 January - Share Session Class LC
Thursday 27 January - Share Session Class JC
Friday 28 January - Theme Day - KS2 ‘World of Wood’, KS1 – ‘Make a Wish’
Friday 11 February - Friends ‘Film Night’
Monday 14 February - SCC Catering ‘Valentine’ themed lunch
Friday 18 February - Friends End of Term cake Stall (classes RV & DBGM)
Monday 21 – Friday 25 February - Half-term
Thursday 4 March - World Book Day
Friday 18 March - Red Nose Day
Friday 1 April - Friends Easter Disco
Wednesday 6 April - Evening Internet Safety Training for Parents 7-8.30pm
Friday 8 April - Friends End of Term cake Stall (classes NSJB & GH)
Friday 8 April - Last day of term
Monday 9 - 13 May - SATs week
Monday 11 – Friday 15 July - Year 6 Camp
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Attached is a list about the activities that go on during the spring term, please note that Maypole does not start until after half term. Mrs Pascoe will be sending a letter home nearer the time.
REMINDER - DINNER MONEY PRICE CHANGE – EFFECTIVE NOW
Suffolk County Catering have increased the price of school dinners to £2.10 per day. Please remember that you will need to pay for dinners on a Monday, either for the week or the half-term. Please note, if your child goes home unwell after 10.30am then we will be unable to refund their dinner money.
CHEQUES
Please can we ask that you write the NAME and CLASS of your child(ren) on the BACK of any cheques given in at school (eg dinner money, uniform orders, school trips etc)
FREE SCHOOL MEALS
If you receive any of the following benefits, then your children are entitled to free school meals:
Income Support; Income Based Job Seekers Allowance; Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual taxable income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue, that does not exceed £16,190 (from 6 April 2010) ; or the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit.
SCC deal with this, however application forms are available at the school office to be returned to SCC.
PROCEDURE FOR ABSENCES & LATE ARRIVALS
If your child is ill or going to be late:
• Ring the school on 723354 ideally before 8.30am
• State child’s name and class, the reason for absence or lateness
• If they are likely to be off for more than one day, state which day they will be back
• If you do not know how long they will be off, you must ring EVERY MORNING
SCHOOL LETTERS BY EMAIL....
...WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO INCREASE THE TAKE UP OF THIS.
Many parents now receive their school letters by email; if you would like to register please email us on admin@hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk. We are endeavouring not to produce a ‘hard’ copy to those households that receive letters by email, so please ensure your child is aware they do not need to receive a paper copy. Those who are already registered do not need to re-register.
HOLIDAY FORMS
Could we please remind parents that THREE WEEKS notice is required if you wish to make a request to take your child out of school in term time. Requests are authorised at the Head teacher’s discretion
CHARITY DONATIONS
Our Lower Key Stage 2 Carol Service raised £146. Donations are going to EACH (East Anglian Children’s Hospice) Tree House Appeal. Thank you for your generous support.
BAD WEATHER ARRANGEMENTS
We make every possible effort to ensure that the school remains open in the event of bad weather conditions, please listen to the following radio stations to hear whether the school has to be closed:
Radio Suffolk 95.5, 95.9, 103.9 and 104.6FM (have updates at 10 minutes past and 20 minutes to each hour)
Heart FM 97.1-96.4FM Beach Radio 103.4 and 97.4FM
You can also look at the County Council Website at http://schoolclosures.suffolk.gov.uk
CROSSING PATROL
Our lollipop lady is unwell at present so currently there is no crossing patrol. Please be aware that SCC wish us to inform you that it is parents’ responsibility to cross children.
Suffolk County Council is proposing to abolish its school crossing patrol service with the loss of 62 jobs to save £174,000 a year. A letter has gone out to the lollipop men and women warning them their jobs will go if the proposal is passed. If would like to protest to Suffolk County Council about this proposal then please write to: Lucy Robinson, ESE, Endeavor House, Lower Corridor, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX.
Yours sincerely
Mrs H Picton
