Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 206

Friday 7th October 2022

Message from Mrs Hall

We very much appreciate your efforts in ensuring the children come to school looking so smart and tidy in their school uniforms and PE kits (article 3: best interests of the child). Occasionally coats and jumpers go missing, these items are usually found (if they are clearly labelled with your child’s name and class) so, please ensure that you name all items, including water bottles. For safety reasons, please can I also remind you that children should only wear stud earrings to school due to the multiple activities they take part in. If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to email parents@whcps.org. Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance for the previous week:

Class with the best attendance: Jaguars (98.5%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for next week will be: Who are our House Captains? What exciting plans do they have for us this year?  (UNRC Link: Article 12: I have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously). Resources related to this assembly will soon be available on our website.  To access them, simply go to Learning and click on our Enquiry Based Assemblies.

School Photographs: Sibling Photos

As you will know we have the school photographers coming in to school on Monday 10^th October 2022.  This year, in addition to the individual photos which will take place during the school day as usual, we are pleased to inform you the photographers have agreed to be with us early so that any parent/carer who would like a photo of their children together can arrive before school and have this opportunity.   Please note if you would like to have a sibling photograph completed (this may only include children who are current students at Whitehouse), you will need to arrive between 8.00am and 8.45am and go to either the Marlow Road Hall entrance (next to the school office), or to the Waterford Road Car Park entrance.  We will have a photographer working in each hall to ensure that as many families as possible have this opportunity.  Please be aware however that there will be a cut-off point at 8.45am so please arrive in plenty of time to join the queue and have the photograph taken.  These sibling photographs will then also be available to purchase as well as the individual photos of your children. 

Awards

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Advance Notice: Book Fair

We are pleased to let you know we will be holding a Book Fair in December, where you will have the opportunity to come in after school and purchase some books.  It will take place on Tuesday 6^th December and Thursday 8^th December 2022.  It would be a great time to pick up some Christmas presents.  Watch this space for more information nearer the date.

Parent/Carers Evenings

Please note we have our first Parents/Carers Evenings on Thursday 17^th November 2022 and Wednesday 23^rd November 2022. These will take place online and details of how to make an appointment will be sent out on Monday, so please keep an eye on your emails!  Please note we will be holding a second Parents/Carers Evening later during the Spring Term, and this will be a face to face event.  Thank you for your continued support, the teachers look forward to meeting with you next month.

Purple Man Reading Competition

It has been another busy week with the Purple Man Reading Competition with the following classes coming out on top: Badgers (Year 3), Foxes (Year 4), Pandas (Year 5) and Tigers (Year 6).

School Dinner Debt

Please can we ask you if you have received an email from the office this week chasing for dinner debt to be cleared, that you do so as a matter of urgency.  Whilst we do understand that times are very difficult for many families at the moment, as a school we are not able to cover the debt that has occurred.  School budgets are also under pressure across the country at the moment, and it is vital that every penny we have goes to providing our children with the learning opportunities they need. 

If you are unable to clear the debt, please contact Miss Sara McCullum, our Office Manager, who will be able to work with you to organise a payment plan which is affordable to you.  In the meantime, until the debt has been cleared, can we remind parents/carers that no further dinners are to be taken and your child should bring a packed lunch in with them.

In addition, if you are receiving certain benefits you may be entitled to Free School Meals.  You can make an online application by going to the following link: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals/

Times Tables Rock Star (TTRS) Battles

The results from the third week of class battles on TTRS are in and there was a noticeable improvement in both engagement and scores.  Well done everyone!  In LKS2 Hedgehogs beat Owls, Rabbits defeated Foxes and Squirrels narrowly beat Badgers.  In UKS2, Toucans beat Chameleons, Tigers beat Ocelots whilst Lizards and Jaguars beat Pandas and Macaws.  In beating Macaws, Lizards scored an incredible average of 2,303! Battles for week five have commenced so get logged on to TTRS and get battling!  If you want to see how many battles your class has won, check out the TTRS display next to the KS2 library.

Year 4 Parent/Carer Event

The children in Year 4 are designing and making salads next week.  Please note that all Year 4 parents/carers are invited to come into school at 2.40pm on Friday 14^th October to taste the salads.  We hope you are able to come and join us! 

Dates for the Diary

Monday 10^th October 2022 – School Photos – including Sibling Photos 8.00am to 8.45am

Monday 10^th October 2022 – Year 6 SATs Parent/Carer Sessions – 9.00am / 2.30pm / 5.00pm

Friday 14^th October 2022 – Year 4 – Parent/Carer Salad Tasting – 2.40pm

Tuesday 18^th October 2022 – Year 5 Greek Day

Monday 24^th October 2022 to Friday 28^th October 2022 – Half Term Holiday

Monday 31^st October 2022 – Deadline to Apply for High School Place

Tuesday 1^st November 2022 – Flu Immunisations

Thursday 17^th November 2022 – Parents/Carers Evening (Online Event)

Wednesday 23^rd November 2022 – Parents/Carers Evening (Online Event)

Friday 25^th November 2022 – SMSC Whole School Day: Global Citizenship

Friday 2^nd December 2022 – Flu Immunisations Catch-up Day

Tuesday 6^th December 2022 – Book Fair – 3.15pm

Thursday 8^th December 2022 – Book Fair – 3.15pm

Friday 16^th December 2022 – Last day of the Autumn Term

Tuesday 3^rd January 2023 – PD Day (School Closed to Children)

Wednesday 4^th January 2023 – First day back at school for the children