Newsletter 7

of Governors and Mrs Jacqueline Ward has been appointed as the new vice-chair of Governors.  For a full list of our school Governors please go to our website at http://www.roberthitchams.ik.org/p_Staff.ikml

CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL

As in previous years we are again supporting Samaritan’s Purse. 

Each shoe box should be filled with items as specified in the leaflet handed out today and should be clearly labelled.  PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CUSTOMS REGULATIONS there are items that cannot be included – please read the leaflet.  Extra leaflets are available from the school office. 

We cannot send the boxes if there is no £2.50 to cover the transport costs, so please only send in shoeboxes with the accompanying £2.50.

Please return the filled shoe boxes to school by FRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER so that we can arrange collection.  THANK YOU.

HARVEST FESTIVAL COLLECTION

Thank you to all those parents who donated food gifts for Harvest which will be taken to the West Villa Homeless Families Unit in Ipswich and the collection at the end of the KS1 / KS2 service raised £177 will go to the Soup Kitchen in Ipswich.

FRIENDS AGM – WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER AT 9AM in the hall

Please can we encourage all parents who are able to make it, to come along to support the Friends AGM next Wednesday.  At the AGM you can hear about this year’s fundraising and where the money has been spent.  It is also an opportunity to welcome new members to join. If you are interested in becoming part of this team, which contributes a great deal to school, please do contact Rupert Durrant at rupert@thedurrants.com

We would especially encourage all new parents to school to come along.

FRIENDS QUIZ NIGHT– FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER

A separate letter for the Quiz night will be sent home this week; please do gather your family & friends to come along to socialize and have some fun.  Pit your wits against other teams at this adult quiz evening with questions set by Mr Brook. 

There will be a licensed bar available.  Each team is allowed up to 6 people and will cost £12 per team; this includes a bottle of wine on your table.

There will be prizes for 1^st and last place and best team name.

SHOE BOXES FOR PL/DD & RV

We recently asked for shoe boxes for class KV, but PL/DD & RV also need them for a project in class.  If you have a spare that you are not using for the Christmas Shoebox appeal (above) then please pass them to the class teachers.  Thank you.

   PERSONAL AND EMERGENCY DETAILS FOR PUPILS

    please return any outstanding data sheets tomorrow

& remember to sign them at the bottom.

DOES YOUR CHILD CATCH THE BUS HOME?

Please can you remind your child on a daily basis whether they are catching the bus home? On a daily basis we have children who are unsure how they are getting home.  Thank you.

SICKNESS & DIARRHOEA BUG

We have pupils who are currently suffering from a bout of this bug, and would like to remind parents that in line with the HPA (Health Protection Agency) guidelines pupils should remain at home for 48 hours after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea.  Please help to reduce the spread of this by not returning your child to school before they are fully recovered.  Thank you.

CLASSES EM & NS SWIMMING FROM NEXT WEEK

Can we remind parents of class EM & NS that the children will start their 5 weeks of swimming lessons NEXT Wednesday (16 October).

PE T-SHIRTS for KS2

Please can we remind parents that the children in Key Stage 2 should wear PLAIN coloured PE shirts for their house (Red, Blue, Green or Yellow).  T-shirts should not have slogans printed on them.  They are available to buy from the Friends, via a uniform order form from the office or off the website.

CROSSING COLLEGE ROAD SAFELY

On a recent visit the SCC Road Safety Officer has alerted his concern about parents (with children) crossing directly at the bottom of Love Lane, and not using the Crossing Patrol.  Please can we stress the importance of safely crossing this road, and of setting the right example to the children of ALWAYS USING THE CROSSING PATROL when they are in place.  Thank you.

CYCLE SAFETY

The Road Safety Team at SCC have launched a countywide campaign to encourage cyclists and drivers to share the road with more care and increased safety.  Do look on their website for more information www.suffolkroadsafe.net/look/

REMINDER - APPLICATIONS FOR STARTING SCHOOL 2014/2015

Reception Applications letters and forms for next year are now available at the school office. 

Please note they MUST be returned to the Admissions Team at Ipswich by 15 January 2014.

For information go to: www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissionstoschools, you can apply online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/onlineadmissions, but you will still need to get a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) from the office.

THOMAS MILLS NON-PUPIL DAY - FRIDAY

Please note Thomas Mills High School has a non-pupil day this Friday (11 October) but we

DO NOT – our school is open as usual for our pupils.

Singing Club perform at St Michael's Harvest Festival

Singing club enjoyed a visit to St Michael's Harvest Festival on Sunday.

They sang beautifully and wrote some really thoughtful prayers about harvest across the world. We are looking forward to visiting again soon. 

Year 6 Children Take Part in Crucial Crew

On Thursday 3rd October Year 6 went to the Riverside Centre in Stratford St Andrew for 'Crucial Crew'.
We took part in all sorts of activities including fire safety, first aid, internet safety and road safety. We also looked at stranger danger with the police.

Click below to find out more.

We also went to a workshop run by the Matthew Project where we played a game about smoking, alcohol and drugs.

In the fire afety truck we had to pretend that we were in a real fire. Smoke came through the door and lights started to flash. We had to follow a fireman out of the building.

We had an excellent afternoon at Crucial Crew.

Report by Beth and Bethany from Class DB.

Harvest Festival at St Michael's Church

The children from each Key Stage 2 class led a section of our Harvest Festival.

Class PA/SB - A Harvest  Poem

Class NS - Bible Readings

Class KV - A Harvest Song

Class EM - A Performance Poem

Class RV - Harvest of Hope

Class DB - Victorian Harvest

Class - PL/DD - Harvest Prayers

Some children from year 6 also spoke about West Villa - the destination for our food collection.

They also explained about the Ipswich Soup Kitchen - where the money collection goes.

We collected £177.

Click on logo below to find more......

Our Foundation children also held a service this morning - with a theme of apples. The children sang songs and poems.

Community Gardens Picnic

On Monday a celebration picnic was held at the Community Garden Project on Pigs Meadow.
We celebrated the end of the 30 Mile Food Challenge which the children were encouraged to take part in at home following an assembly by Judy Powell and Jem Seeley.
Local apples, apple juice, yummy cakes and fruit decorations were shared amongst the group of families.
There were opportunities to look around the Community Gardens (which the school gardening club are very proud of) and to have a great time playing in such beautiful surroundings.

ICT in Year 6

Last year saw the introduction of programming skills into year 6. We bought a Raspberry Pi (mini computer which only costs about £40) as an experiment - which was very successful. This year we have a class set of 15. The children have to plug in a keyboard, mouse, sound cable, monitor (using HDMI cable) and an operating system - off a memerory card. The children then use a program called SCRATCH to create their own games, stories, characters etc.

Other children have made and programmed Lego Mindstorm robots.

New School Council Members

Newsletter 6

THE SCHOOL WILL BE OPEN AS NORMAL TOMORROW

We will not be affected by any strike action

READING WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND VOLUNTEER HELPERS

We would like to clarify that the date of this event had to be moved from the date indicated on the diary dates, the correct date is THIS THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER as indicated on the flyer sent week before last.  Please come along to the hall at 2.20pm.

HARVEST FESTIVAL THURSDAY 3 & FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER

Our services will take place on Thursday 3 October in St Michael’s church for classes KM, CA, LC & JC at 9:30am and Key Stage 2 at 10:30am.  Then on FRIDAY at 9.30am for Nursery & class CH.  All parents are welcome to attend either service.

The Harvest services will include singing and prayers.  These are Thanksgiving services in which classes have chosen items such as poems or songs to be presented by some of the children. 

Each child may bring in 1 or 2 small items to present for our Harvest collection.  Please no glass jars or bottles as the pupils have to carry them to church.

Any food donations will be passed on to the West Villa Homeless Families Unit in Ipswich and any money raised will go to the Soup Kitchen in Ipswich.

YEAR 6 TO THOMAS MILLS OPEN DAY

If you are taking your child out of school to go to Thomas Mills Open Day on Wednesday 2 October, please remember to sign them out (& in again) at the office.

CYCLE TRAINING – NOT ON THIS WEEK

Remember there is NO CYCLE TRAINING this Thursday, 3 October, it will resume next week.

FRIENDS WINTER HAT, GLOVE & SCARF SALE – FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER

The Friends will be holding a sale in the pavilion on the back playground on Friday 4 October where they will be selling an assortment of hats gloves and scarves, do remember your purse that day, and come along for a browse and a bargain.

JEANS FOR GENES DAY

Thank you to everyone who made a donation for this charity day recently, we raised £296 for the charity.

CHANGE TO DATE FOR CHRISTMAS CAKE STALL

Due to the class Christmas parties on the last day of term the Friends are moving their Christmas Cake Stall to the Friday before, 13 December, where classes NS & EM will be baking.

MONEY INTO SCHOOL

It would really help the office if parents can write your childs CLASS on the envelope when you hand in dinner money.  Thank you.

PERSONAL AND EMERGENCY DETAILS FOR PUPILS
please return any outstanding data sheets tomorrow
& remember to sign them at the bottom.

School will be open as normal on Tuesday 1 October

House Football Tournament

Newsletter 5

PERSONAL AND EMERGENCY DETAILS FOR PUPILS

1 week deadline - please return by TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER

It is essential that we maintain accurate up-to-date pupil data, especially for emergency contacts and medical details.  With this letter please find a copy of the latest pupil data we have for your child/ren.  Please check the details and write on any necessary amendments, then SIGN THE SHEET at the bottom and then return it to the school office. 

Emergency Contacts: It has been noted that some children have only 1 contact number – obviously if there is an emergency with your child and that number is unanswered it means we have no alternative contact.  Wherever possible can you please provide more than 1 contact person / number.

Other Information: The system will only allow us to enter 1 selection for Travel Arrangements - if your child uses the school bus even if occasionally, please tick ‘School Bus’; otherwise tick the mode of transport that is used most frequently.

Keeping these details up to date at all times is very important and if any information should change during the year, please let us know.  Thank you.

Please return the signed data sheet to us by Tuesday 1 October.

Each pupil data sheet MUST have a parental signature at the bottom of the page.

REMINDER:  PARENT COUNCIL LAUNCH – Meeting for all parents

WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER at 8.45am – Please come along

The parent council would like to remind all parents that they would like you to join them in the hall tomorrow between 8.45 and 9.15am where there will be a brief introduction by Mrs Picton, and members of the parent council.  This will be an opportunity to meet the parent council representatives and understand what role the Parent Council plays in the school.

HARVEST FESTIVAL CONFIRMED DATES: THURSDAY 3 & FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER

Our services will take place on Thursday 3 October in St Michael’s church for classes KM, CA, LC & JC at 9:30am and Key Stage 2 at 10:30am. Then on FRIDAY at 9.30am for Nursery & class CH. All parents are welcome to attend either service.

The Harvest services will include singing and prayers.  These are Thanksgiving services in which classes have chosen items such as poems or songs to be presented by some of the children.  Each child may bring in 1 or 2 small items to present for our Harvest collection.  Please no glass jars or bottles as the pupils have to carry them to church.

Any food donations will be passed on to the West Villa Homeless Families Unit in Ipswich and any money raised will go to the Soup Kitchen in Ipswich.

BACK PLAYGROUND - REMINDER “NO PARKING”

Due to a number of large cracks on the back playground, we are afraid that parents CANNOT PARK THERE, for the foreseeable future, when collecting from after school clubs.  Parents will have to park offsite and walk to pick up their child/ren. 

We apologise for the inconvenience.

READING CLUB

Mrs Akerman still has a few spaces for her reading club, it is open to pupils in Year 2 & Year 3, please let Mrs Akerman / the office know if you are interested in your child joining, places will be allocated on a first come / first served basis

COMMUNITY GARDEN PICNIC – MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 3.05-4pm

The Gardening Club would like to invite all families to join them at the Community Garden (Pigs Meadow) for a picnic straight after school on Monday 30 September.  It will be an opportunity to see the garden and to celebrate the end of the Suffolk 30 mile food challenge. Please bring your own food and drink (local ingredients if possible!) and something to sit on.  Parents of children in Gardening club should collect their children from school at 3.05pm to walk to the picnic together.

In the event of bad weather this event will be cancelled.

FRIENDS WINTER HAT, GLOVE & SCARF SALE – FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER

The Friends will be holding a sale in the pavilion on the back playground on Friday 4 October where they will be selling an assortment of hats gloves and scarves, do remember your purse that day, and come along for a browse and a bargain.

CYCLE TRAINING HELPERS STILL NEEDED

If any parents are able to offer help on a Thursday afternoon (until 24 October – but not on 3 October) with cycle training, then please do let the office know.  Even if you are only able to help with one or two dates that would really help to ensure we have the right number of adults to support the children.  Thank you.

READING WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND VOLUNTEER HELPERS

We would like to clarify that the date of this event had to be moved from the date indicated on the diary dates, the correct date is THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER as indicated on the flyer sent out last week.

NEW PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN AFTERNOON GROUP

A brand new group for under 5s has started at Sir Robert Hitcham's on Tuesday afternoons. The new ‘Make Do and Share’ group will be held during term time from 1.45-2.45pm in our Nursery and is open to all pre-school children in the area. The sessions will be led by the Saxmundham Meadow Children's Centre and will provide children and their parents/carers with the opportunity to share a story and have fun getting crafty and messy. 

For more information please contact the Meadow Children's Centre: 01728 652110 www.suffolkchildrenscentres.com or visit the their Facebook page. 

PARENT COUNCIL INFORMATION GATHERING – SECURITY STUDY

One of the first tasks the parent council will undertake is to talk to the parents of their class to gather your views on the school security – for example: what we have currently; what you feel about it; and what ideas you have.  The information they gather will be handed to the Governing Body to review and assess, and then outcomes will be fed back to parents through the parent council.  The reps will aim to approach the parents in the playground to do this, but if you would like to submit your comments please do so in writing via your parent council representative (indicating the class/es your child/ren are in).  Thank you.

e-mails
Although we now have emails up & running we have not been able to recover any emails sent to us between Sunday 8  September to Saturday 21 September.  If you have sent an email to us in that time window, please can you re-send it.

READING WORKSHOP

FOR ALL PARENTS AND 

VOLUNTEER READING HELPERS

We would like to invite you to come along to this reading workshop on Thursday 3 October from 2.15-3.00pm in the school hall.

It will be an opportunity for you to learn ways you can support and help the reading development of your child, or those you work with in class. 

We expect it to be a very beneficial session for adults who listen to children read from Nursery age up to Year 6.

 

Newsletter 4

IMPORTANT NOTICE - ICT SYSTEM FAILURE AT SCHOOL
We are STILL UNABLE TO ACCESS EMAILS which is why we are sending a hard copy of this letter. If you need contact the school please do so via phone (01728 723354)

JEANS FOR GENES DAY – REMINDER THIS FRIDAY (20 September)

Instead of wearing normal school trousers or skirts, the children can wear jeans, but they should still wear their usual school shirts, sweatshirt and shoes.  We ask that those who do wear jeans bring in a £1 donation to the charity. 

ADMISSION APPLICATIONS FOR STARTING SCHOOL 2014/2015

If you have a child born between 01/09/2009 and 31/08/2010 then please collect a letter and form from the office to apply for a Reception place for September 2014.

YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOCATED A RECEPTION PLACE UNLESS YOU SUBMIT A FORM.

Please note they must be returned to the Admissions Team either on-line or to the address on the form (not to the school office) by WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2014 at the latest.

If you have any admission enquiries please speak to Mrs Miller in the office.

WHOLE CLASS MUSIC – CLASS PLDD

SCC ‘Wider Opportunities’ scheme apologises that they were unable to fulfil our request for clarinets for class PLDD, and have delivered flutes instead. These are slightly harder to play than clarinets, but Miss Cochrane, the tutor, believes the children can manage them.

IS YOUR CHILD HAVING A SCHOOL LUNCH WHEN YOU HAVE MADE A PACKED ONE?

Some children are telling the teachers they have a packed lunch, but are then joining the dinner queue to have a school meal.  We are regularly finding a discrepancy between what the teachers are told by the children when doing the dinner registers and the number of meals the kitchen are serving.  Because of this we will be doing spot checks in the dinner hall.  Parents of any children having a school dinner (when they said they were packed lunch), will be asked to pay the £2.20 for that lunch. 

Please remind your child daily what their dinner arrangements are for that day.

EXCITING NEWS FOR MRS VENTON

We are delighted to let parents know that Mrs Venton is expecting a baby in February.  We are sure everyone will join us in congratulating both her and Mr Venton.

PARENT COUNCIL LAUNCH – Meeting for all parents – WEDS 25 SEPTEMBER

The parent council would like to invite all parents to join them in the hall next Wednesday between 8.30 and 9.15am where there will be a brief introduction by Mrs Picton, and members of the parent council.  This will be an opportunity to meet the parent council representatives and understand what role the Parent Council plays in the school.

A leaflet from the Parent Council will be distributed next week.

HARVEST FESTIVAL CONFIRMED DATES: THURSDAY 3 & FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER

Our services will take place on Thursday 3 October in St Michael’s church for classes KM, CA, LC & JC at 9:30am and Key Stage 2 at 10:30am. Then on FRIDAY at 9.30am for Nursery & class CH. All parents are welcome to attend either service. More details will follow next week. 

*****PLEASE REMEMBER*****

TO WRITE YOUR CHILD’S NAME & CLASS ON THE BACK OF CHEQUES
...and if they are for dinner money, also state the days you are paying for, thank you.

ROAD PARKING CONCERNS

We have to remind parents again that you must not park on the double yellow lines in Vyces Road, College Road or New Road, or in the school driveway, when dropping your children off.  Please find a safe place to park so that you do not cause a danger to other road users or pedestrians.  Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

BACK PLAYGROUND - NO PARKING FOR COLLECTING FROM CLUBS

Due to a number of large cracks appearing on the back playground, we are afraid that parents CANNOT PARK THERE, for the foreseeable future, when collecting from after school clubs.  Parents will have to park offsite and walk to pick up their child/ren. 

We apologise for the inconvenience.

EMPTY SHOEBOXES NEEDED FOR DT PROJECT

Class KV are in need of empty shoeboxes for a project they are about to start, please drop them to class KV over the next week if you have any spare.  Thank you.

MEDICAL NEEDS

If your child suffers from asthma or allergies and you have not completed a medical form with details of their medication, it is essential that you ask at the office for a form.  The ‘Medical Needs’ policy can be found on the school website.

MORNING ROUTINE REMINDER...

Now the children are settling to their new class locations, please can we ask parents to encourage your children to gain independence in the morning, by bringing in their belongings on their own, wherever possible.

SUGGESTION FROM THE MIDDAY SUPERVISORS

KS1 & Foundation children have to check with the midday supervisors before they leave the dinner hall.  The supervisors do their best to encourage children to eat their packed lunches, however some parents are not happy for their child to be asked to try and eat a bit more.  It would help the supervisors if KS1/Foundation parents who are concerned that their child SHOULD eat all/most of their packed lunch put a card in the lunchbox that says “I expect my child to eat most of this lunch”, so they know who to encourage, and who not to.

ABSENCE PHONE LINE CARDS

With this letter please find a wallet size orange card with details of the school number to call when you need to report your child’s absence, we hope you will find these helpful.

 ------------ FRIENDS NEWS -------------

Publicity Help Required

The Friends need help from anyone with design skills.  They produce a couple of leaflets per term and are in need of someone with skills in design and creating printer ready files.  If you can help, or know of someone who can, please contact the chairperson as soon as possible on rupert@thedurrants.com or call him on 0779 381 255 33. 

------------ THANK YOU ! -------------