Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 

Friday 10th December 2021

Message from Mrs Hall

We have been really pleased that we were able to go ahead with our Nativity plays this year.  The children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 all did an amazing job, and sang beautifully. Staff would like to thank all those parents/carers who came along to watch the children and for all their support in helping to provide costumes and for wearing face coverings during the performance. As Covid cases rise nationally, please ensure that you wear a face covering on the school site and that you complete lateral flow tests regularly so that we can reduce the spread of the virus. Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance for last week

Class with the Best Attendance – Lions (99%)

Christmas Dinner

A reminder that next week we have our Christmas Dinners. The schedule for dinners will be as follows:

Monday 13^th December – Year 6

Tuesday 14^th December – Year 5

Wednesday 15^th December – Years 3 and 4

Thursday 16^th December – Years R, 1 and 2

A reminder to parents/carers that Christmas Dinner will only be available for those who have booked in advance. All other children will need to have a pick and mix option or bring a packed lunch.

The Whitehouse Gingerbread Bake Off

Last chance to enter the Whitehouse our Whitehouse Bake Off competition!  Thank you to all those who have already sent in their entries. We have loved seeing them.  There is still time to enter…we cannot wait to see your creations!  Photos must be received by Monday 13^th December. Please send them to parents@whcps.org for the attention of Mrs Bartholomew. 

Awards

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Free School Meal Vouchers (now known as Grants from Household Support Fund)

Please note we have had confirmation from Suffolk County Council that they will again be providing Edenred Supermarket Vouchers to assist those families whose children are eligible for free school meals due to being in receipt of certain benefits.  The vouchers will be £15.00 per child, per week, as in previous holidays and will be sent to parents/carers via email.  If you are eligible to receive these vouchers we would ask you to please ensure we have your most recent email address.  Please note a letter from Suffolk County Council has been sent to all eligible parents/carers which also contains extra resources which may be able to provide further assistance should this be required. 

If your child is not currently eligible for free school meals and you feel you may now qualify, please note you can apply to see if you are eligible at the following link:  https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals/

Please note the emails to redeem your vouchers will be with you on Monday 20^th December 2021.

Purple Man Reading Competition

Well done to Hedgehogs (LKS2) and Chameleons (UKS2) for winning the Purple Man competition last week.

Reading Recommendations

Please see below the latest recommendations for books to read to help the children to widen their book choices.  There will be rewards for any children who read and quiz on these books.  This week’s recommendations are: 

EYFS Nativity

A big thank you to all of our Reception children for their fantastic ‘Noisy Nativity’ performances.  Also thank you to all those parents/carers who came to watch and for understanding and abiding by the Covid rules we had in place.

Year 1 Nativity

Our Year 1 Team would also like thank all of our parents/carers who attended their Nativity this week.  The children were amazing, with some excellent singing, dancing and speaking parts.  Their costumes brought the show to life. 

Online Safety - For Parents/Carers of 6-9 year olds:  SMART Videos

Childnet have produced a series of six short videos based on the SMART rules which parents can use to discuss a range of online safety issues with their children.    The videos can be viewed at the following link: https://www.childnet.com/resources/video-lessons

Online Safety - For Parents/Carers of EYFS Children:  Goldilocks

Goldilocks is quite an old book but not all children are familiar with a newer version: #Goldilocks. A Hashtag Cautionary Tale. This gives a twist on the original fairy tale with a social media slant to help educate children about the potential consequences of being unkind, getting carried away with selfies and oversharing images.  You can download a PDF version of the book and an activity sheet at the following link: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/digital-parenting/goldilocks

Christmas Cards

We know the children love to bring Christmas cards in each year to share with their friends and staff at Whitehouse.  However, with the rising cases of Covid again in this festive season, can we politely ask parents/carers to ensure that Christmas cards are NOT brought into school this year.  We know this will be disappointing to many however it is imperative that we do all we can to lessen any spread of this illness for the wellbeing of all on our school site, and to ensure all can enjoy a lovely Christmas season.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Dates for the Diary

Monday 13^th December – Year 6 Christmas Dinner

Tuesday 14^th December – Year 5 Christmas Dinner

Wednesday 15^th December – Nursery Carol Event

Wednesday 15^th December – Years 3 and 4 Christmas Dinner

Thursday 16^th December – Years R, 1 and 2 Christmas Dinner

Friday 17^th December – Last Day of Autumn Term

Monday 20^th December to Monday 3^rd January – Christmas Holiday

Tuesday 4^th January – PD Day (School Closed to Children)

Monday 21^st February to Friday 25^th February – Half Term Holiday

Monday 28^th February – PD Day (School Closed to Children)