Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 113

Friday 1st November 2019

Message from Mrs Hall

Welcome back to a new, busy half-term at Whitehouse! We have lots of exciting learning planned including visits, workshops and plays that will all help to make your child’s primary school experience memorable.  This week it has been great to welcome over 200 families into school – thank you, I know the children are very proud of their work and it is lovely for them to be able to share their learning. Finally, well done to Tigers class who were stars on ITV Anglia this week. They all represented Whitehouse extremely well. Super work everyone. 

Attendance for the Week before half term

        Class with the Best Attendance – Jaguars (100%)

Classes with the Best Punctuality – Giraffes, Badgers, Owls, Jaguars, Pandas and Chameleons

Class that needs to improve their Attendance – Dragons (85.80%)

Classes that need to improve their Punctuality – Foxes and Robins

 Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for the first week after half term will be: History of Guy Fawkes: Why do we have fireworks on 5^th November?  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.

Evening Star – Reception Children

We are pleased to confirm our Reception children will have their photograph in the Evening Star newspaper as part of their ‘First Class’ supplement on Tuesday 5^th November.  Flyers have been sent home which enable parents of Reception children to purchase the newspaper at a discounted price.

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Whole School Team Building Day – Recycled Items Needed

We need your help!  As part of our Team Building Day, each class will be making a scarecrow linked to their favourite book character.  We would like to use as much recycled material as possible.  Please could you help by collecting and sending in the following items:

           Plastic Bottles                   Cardboard/Tubes              Old Yellow Pages

          Sweet Wrappers               Bales of Straw                  Newspapers (not The Sun please) 

          Bamboo Canes                             Tights (flesh coloured)      Crisp Packets

In addition, we also require the following:

          Old white shirts                          Large cord trousers

          Large brown waistcoats               Brown belts

          Big pair of leather boots              Top hat

          Purple jacket

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Recycled Material for WW2 Project

Please note we are also collecting empty Muller yoghurt pots as Year 6 will be transforming these into gas masks as part of their WW2 topic.  If you have any empty pots please bring them into school and pass to the class teacher or to the school office.  Thank you.

Library – Overdue Books

We have many books borrowed from our school libraries each week, so it is necessary for us to keep track of them.  All books can be borrowed for up to three weeks.  If children need them for longer they can renew them again, which is especially useful for the older children who are reading longer books. Once the three weeks is up, a note is sent to the class teacher so they can chase up any overdue books and have the children return or renew them as soon as possible.  If this does not happen, the following week a reminder is sent home.  One week later if the book still has not been returned, a final letter will be sent home requesting a payment of £5.00 for any book lost.  In circumstances, where a payment cannot be made, we will accept a replacement which can be a used book from home, as long as it is in good condition.  Thank you for your support in this.

Book Fair

We are running our Annual Book Fair again in November.  For the first time we will be using The Book People.  As you are probably aware, their books are very reasonably priced, so we hope you will come along and buy some books for your children.  The children love coming to the libraries in school to choose books to share at home and it is even better if they can have their own copies to keep! The Book Fairs will take place during both Parents Evenings on Thursday 14^th November and Wednesday 20^th November.  The Book Fairs will be open from 3.30pm so you are very welcome to pop in after collecting your children from school.  We hope to see you there!

Parents/Carers Evening

As you will have seen on the newsletter, Parents/Carers Evening is coming up on the following dates:

Thursday 14^th November – 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Wednesday 20^th November – 3.30pm to 6.30pm

You should have received an invitation by text to make an appointment to see your child’s teacher, however if this has not been received or you are struggling to make an appointment please speak to a member of the office team who will be happy to assist.

Councillor Visit

This week, Mrs Shalka and the School Parliament were lucky to meet our local councillor, Lucy Trenchard.  The representatives learnt all about the role of a councillor and how she helps the community.  They also gave Lucy lots of ideas on what changes could be made in the local area.  The children had a fantastic afternoon.  A huge thank you to Lucy for visiting us.  We look forward to seeing her again soon.

Flu Immunisation

A reminder that the flu immunisations will take place on Friday 15^th November.  This is done via a nasal spray.  Please note, if you wish your child to be included you must give consent by Friday 8^th November at the latest. You can do this by going to the following link: https://www.whcps.org/11-09-2019-information-for-parents-on-flu-immunisa/.   If your child is asthmatic or cannot eat gelatine, please note there is information regarding this on the link also.   If you have any questions you can contact the Schools Immunisation Programme on 0300 555 5055.

Gardening Lessons

Our Year 4 classes have been busy learning about planting and have each planted a daffodil bulb in a pot.  These bulbs should sprout in the spring so the children will be watching closely as the bulb grows into a shoot, then a stem and finally a flower.  They will be ensuring the bulbs are receiving enough sunshine and water.

EAL Achievement

We are thrilled to let you know that we have recently been awarded the EAL (English as an Additional Language) Gold Quality Mark. It is given as a recognition of all the wonderful work that goes on in school to support our EAL families and help the children achieve. 

Year 2 Art Session

Year 2 were very happy to welcome parents/carers into school on Wednesday afternoon for an art session.  They held a King and Queen’s Learning Café, where the children drew royal portraits of their parents/carers or of each other.  Thank you to all those who were able to join us, everyone involved had an enjoyable time.

Remembrance Day Poppies

Please note the School Parliament will start selling poppies and other items including wristbands, pencils, rubbers and rulers on Friday.  They will be available to buy on the playground both before and after school and they will also be visiting classes on various days.  So if your child would like to buy an item please send a small amount of money into school with them.

Dates for the Diary 

Friday 8^th November – Last day to give consent for Flu Immunisation

Thursday 14^th November – Parents/Carers Evening – 3.30 – 5.30 pm

Thursday 14^th November – Book Fair from 3.30pm

Friday 15^th November – Flu Immunisation – Year R to Year 6

Friday 15^th November – Children in Need Day

Wednesday 20^th November – Parents/Carers Evening – 3.30 – 6.30 pm

Wednesday 20^th November – Book Fair from 3.30pm

Tuesday 26^th November – Choir visiting Mayo Court

Thursday 28^th November – Whole School Team Building Day (Scarecrow Making)

Friday 29^th November – Parents invited into school at the end of the day to view the Scarecrows

Tuesday 3^rd December – Steel Drum Workshops

Thursday 5^th December – Reception Nativity (9.45 am and 2.15 pm)

Saturday 7^th December – Christmas Fair

Tuesday 10^th December – Year 1 Christmas Play (9.45 am and 2.15 pm)

Thursday 12^th December – Year 2 Christmas Play (9.45 am and 2.15 pm)

Tuesday 17^th December – EYFS and KS1 – Christmas Dinner

Wednesday 18^th December – KS2 – Christmas Dinner

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

Monday 6^th January – PD Day – School Closed to children

Thursday 6^th February – Young Voices – Choir to the O2

Monday 17^th February to Friday 21^st February – Half Term Holiday

Friday 3^rd April to Friday 17^th April – Easter Holidays

Friday 8^th May – May Bank Holiday

Friday 22^nd May – PD Day – School Closed to children

Monday 25^th May to Friday 29^th May – Half Term Holiday

Wednesday 22^nd July – PD Day – School Closed to Children

Thursday 23^rd July – First Day of Summer Holiday