Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 190

Friday 29th April 2022

Message from Mrs Hall

Welcome back to a new term at Whitehouse, we hope everyone had a lovely break. It was great to start the term with parents and carers visiting classrooms to look at the displays and the great work that your children have completed. Thank you to everyone who attended, we hope you were pleased to see how much your children have been learning. This term is going to be very busy with lots of trips and visits organised, so do ensure that you check the diary regularly. Don’t forget there is a Bank Holiday on Monday, so we will see everyone back at school on Tuesday.

Attendance for the week before the Easter Holidays

Class with the Best Attendance - Elephants (99.0%)

Year 5 Curriculum

Our Year 5 classes spent the Spring Term learning all about Fairtrade, including how products are produced and what customers can do to support farmers in developing countries.  As part of our Geography field trip, the children had the chance to visit the local Co-op store to see which Fairtrade products were available and how they differ in price to the non-Fairtrade products.

Reading Competition

Where do YOU like to read?  We really need new photos on our library walls and we would love to use photographs of your children reading in unusual places!  Thank you for all your entries we have received so far.  We have extended the closing date until Friday 13^th May, so you still have time to submit your photo! The photos will be displayed on the walls in the libraries with book prizes for the best in each phase.  We look forward to seeing your pictures!

Purple Man Reading Competition

The winners of the Purple Man Competition just before the Easter holidays were Hedgehogs and Chameleons.  Currently Badgers and Jaguars are in the lead of the competition!  Keep going everyone.

Awards

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Suffolk College Big Day Out 2022

Suffolk College are holding their Big Day Out event on Saturday 7^th May 2022 at their Rural Campus (previously known as Otley College).  The event is free for anyone that would like to attend (car parking is £5.00) and there are lots of free activities and stalls to keep everyone entertained, including climbing walls, face painting and live bands. 

For more information or to book tickets please see the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/big-day-out-tickets-314461632207.

School Wellbeing Day

As you will be aware just before the Easter holiday we held our Wellbeing Day in school where the children were able to enjoy a whole range of fun activities.  If you would like to view more about the day please see the attached link:  

https://www.whcps.org/update-for-parents-wellbeing-day-25th-march-2022/

Celebrating our Children

We love to share with you the wonderful things our children do when they are not in school.  This week we have Charlie, from Year 6.  His mother works in a special school in Ipswich, where the staff and children were busy collecting lots of toiletries together to donate to those who were in need in Ukraine.  Charlie and his Mum gathered all the items together and were able to deliver them to the Castle Hill Community Centre.  Whilst they were busy unloading the boxes the Ipswich Mayor arrived and had a chat to Charlie to hear everything they had been doing.   Wonderful effort Charlie, a fantastic cause to be a part of!

Drawing for Ukraine Appeal

Did you know that recently a school sent drawings and messages of support to children in Ukraine, through a UK company who has been sending over food and aid boxes?  The Ukraine Ambassador in the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, was so encouraged by these messages that he and the Daily Mail newspaper are asking children all over the UK to join in.  If your child would like to send a drawing and an uplifting message to a child in Ukraine, these need to be done on A4 size paper.  Put your first name and age on the front and back of your poster (no surnames please) and pass this the class teacher before Friday 13^th May.  We will then send off all the pictures from Whitehouse together.  Happy drawing! 

Online Safety

You may have seen in the media recently several reports about a game called Huggy Wuggy.  We have been made aware of children talking about this game in school and playing it out of school.  It doesn’t currently have a PEGI rating but it is highly unsuitable for younger children due to its horror style fright tactics.  In America, it has recently been rated as unsuitable for younger children under the age of 12.  Please scan the QR code to read a full report about the game and some of the concerns online safety experts have about it.  As ever, if you have any concerns, please get in touch to discuss these with Mrs Cox, our Online Safety Lead.

Before/After School

Can we please remind parents/carers that whilst they are on site either before or after school the responsibility of looking after your child remains with you, until the child enters the school building or is passed over to a member of staff.  Can we please ask you to ensure your child and any other siblings who are with you remain close to you and that they do not approach the school building, or use the play equipment. Thank you for your co-operation.

Career Day: Appeal for Help

At Whitehouse, we are eager to equip our pupils with all the life skills they will need to flourish in adult life.  With this in mind, we are organising a Career Day on Friday 24^th June and are currently recruiting guests who would be willing to come to speak to our children about their profession.  If you, or anyone else in your immediate circle, could spare a few hours to come and explain to our pupils what your job entails, we would be really grateful.  Please email the school at parents@whcps.org to let us know you are interested.  Thank you very much in advance for your kind cooperation.  

Phonics Workshops – EYFS and KS1

Are you interested in understanding more about Phonics and your children’s learning?  We are running two workshops on Thursday 5^th May which are open to parents/carers of children in Reception, Year 1 and 2.  The session will run twice at 9.15am and again at 2.15pm and will last approx. 45 minutes. We would love to see as many of you come along as possible.  Please come to the Main Office a few minutes before the start of the session.

School Photos

A quick reminder that we have our Class Photographs on Tuesday 3^rd May for all year groups except Year 3 who are on their school trip.  The photographers will return on Wednesday 11^th May to take photos of Year 3.  Please ensure your children are wearing their full uniform.

Dates for the Diary

Tuesday 3^rd May – Year 3 Colchester Castle Trip

Tuesday 3^rd May – Class Photographs – All years except Year 3

Wednesday 4^th May – Year 1 Colchester Zoo Trip

Thursday 5^th May – Phonics Workshops – Parents/Carers of YR, Y1 and Y2

Wednesday 11^th May – Class Photographs – Year 3 only

Monday 30^th May to Friday 3^rd June – Half Term Holiday

Tuesday 14^th June – Year R Easton Farm Park Trip

Friday 17^th June – Year 2 Duxford Airfield Trip

Friday 24^th June – Career Day

Tuesday 28^th June – Year 5 Kentwell Hall Trip

Monday 4^th July to Wednesday 6^th July Year 6 Mersea Residential Trip

Wednesday 6^th July – Year 1, 2 and 3 Sports Day

Thursday 7^th July – Year 4, 5 and 6 Sports Day

Friday 8^th July – Nursery and Reception Sports Day

Friday 22^nd July 2022 – First day of the Summer Holiday