Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 217

Friday 13th January 2023

Message from Mrs Hall

We hope that the children have enjoyed their first full week back at school since the Christmas break. Overall, attendance has improved this week with lots of classes having all children here every day - well done.  It is really important that the children are in school every day so they can access the high-quality learning - gaps in learning can have a significant impact on a child’s progress and attainment. To find out more about attendance you can visit our website: https://www.whcps.org/attendance/ or speak to our attendance office Miss Calver              (01473 741249). Please do all that you can to ensure the children don’t miss out (UNRC link: Article 3: Best interests of the child). Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance for the previous week:

Class with the best attendance: Lizards (100%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for next week will be: Helen Keller: Who was she? What were her main achievements? (UNRC Link: Article 2: I have the right to protection against discrimination.  This means that nobody can treat me badly because of my colour, sex or religion, if I speak another language, have a disability, or if I am rich or poor). 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.  

Year 4 - French for the Family Events

We would like to give you some advance notice that Mme Godet will be resuming her Year 4 French for the Family events this year.  This is an opportunity for parents/carers to come in for an afternoon and enjoy an interactive French lesson and sample some French food.  The dates for each class are shown below, so please look out for further information nearer the time:

Wednesday 22^nd February: Hedgehogs Class

Wednesday 1^st March: Squirrels Class

Wednesday 15^th March: Foxes Class

Art Competition

A reminder that we have an Art Competition running to create something with your recycled Christmas cards and paper. You could decide to make a wreath, a new card, a gift box or anything else you can think of!

The closing date is Monday 6^th February 2023.  We look forward to seeing your inventive creations!

Awards

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Purple Man Reading Competition

Well done to the winners of the Purple Man competition from last week:   

UKS2 Parent/Carer Sessions

We are pleased to remind parents/carers that we will be holding parent/carer sessions this month where they are invited into school to join their Year 5 and 6 children as detailed below.

Year 5: A guided reading session on the book ‘The Chocolate Tree’.  This will take place on Tuesday 31^st January 2023 from 9.00am to 9.45am.

Year 6: An interactive session learning about mummification in Ancient Egypt.  This will take place on Wednesday 18^th January 2023 from 9.00am to 9.45am. 

For each session please come to the Waterford Road car park where you will be able to sign in.

Job Vacancy: School Cleaner

We are currently looking to recruit a cleaner for the school.  For full details of the role please see the following link on our website: https://www.whcps.org/vacancies/ where you can also download a copy of the application form.  Please note applications forms are also available at the Main Office.

The role will be for 1.5 hours a day, 5 days a week for 44 weeks a year (including some holiday work).

Hours to be worked will either be from 6.30am to 8.00am or 3.30pm to 5.00pm upon agreement between the successful candidate and the school.

Application forms must be completed in full, unfortunately we cannot accept CVs.  The closing date is 10.00am on Thursday 19^th January 2023 and interviews will take place shortly after.

If you have any questions please contact the School Office and ask to speak to Mrs Debbie Whight, HR Office.

Appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to a DBS check in line with our safer recruitment policy.

Spare Clothes

If anyone has any spare jogging bottoms which would fit our Reception children (aged 4-5 years) that they would be willing to donate, these would be gratefully received.  On occasion we need to change their clothes and we are running out of spares!  Thank you for your help.

Dinner Debt

We have a number of children with high levels of dinner debt. Please note all debt needs to be cleared as a matter of urgency.  Please can we ask all parents/carers of children in Years 3 and above to check their balance and ensure payment is made were required.  Please note, where debt is for more than one week’s dinner money, your child will need to bring a packed lunch to school until the debt is cleared.

Online Safety

Finding age appropriate games for children which work on the devices the children use, and that the children will actually enjoy playing, can be a minefield.  Game Finder is a new (free) service available from Taming Gaming which walks parents/carers through various aspects of gaming, such as: How old is your child?  What devices do they have?  What types of games do they like to play?  It then gives a list of recommendations of suitable games.  Please follow the link below to try out this new, free service.

https://www.taminggaming.com/en-gb/gameFinder

NHS Free Courses: Mental Health

Please note the NHS are running a number of Parent/Carer online workshops which are available for free.  If you are interested in reserving a place and seeing what else might be available please scan the QR code or visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for Psychology in Schools Team – NSFT.  Courses available include the following:

Supporting our Young People with OCD: 6^th February 2023 at 1.00pm or 6.00pm

Supporting our Young People with Anxiety: 7^th February 2023 at 6.00pm

Supporting our Young People with Challenging Behaviour: 7^th February 2023 at 7.15pm

Supporting our Young People Manage Big Feelings: 6^th March 2023 at 1.00pm

Supporting Your Child to Attend or Get Back to School: 6^th March 2023 at 6.00pm

Supporting our Young People with Low Mood: 7^th March 2023 at 6.00pm

Parental Feedback required for Rights Respecting School Verification

We are delighted to let you know that our Rights Respecting School Verification for Gold will take place on Thursday 9^th March 2023.  As part of the process, we are required to provide feedback from parents/carers on their child’s experience in school and would be very grateful if you could spend a few moments answering the following survey.  Click on the link below or scan the QR code.  Thank you very much in advance for your kind cooperation in this matter.

https://forms.gle/XEKKYGnM2Nq8qdVL6

Year 4: Colchester Synagogue

This week our Year 4 children have visited a Jewish Synagogue in Colchester.  The children learned about how people of the Jewish faith worship and saw where many of the religious ceremonies take place within the synagogue.  They were able to look at examples of the Hebrew language and learned that men and women occupy different areas within the synagogue when they worship.  The children saw a very special copy of the Torah which has been saved during the Second World War and were told it is read in its entirety once every year.  The children were shown lots of wonderful things and finished their visit with a taste of Challah (bread) which is eaten on special occasions.  Well done Year 4, it was a wonderful day and the children showed the Whitehouse Way throughout.

Census Day: Thursday 19^th January 2023

We have Census Day next week and it is always a good opportunity for you us to change the menu for the day and put on one of the children’s favourite choices.  On Thursday the menu will be:

Sausages, Chips and Peas OR Vegetarian Burger, Chips and Peas

Sticky Toffee Muffins

If your child would like to have a hot dinner or maybe try a school dinner for the first time, they just need to let their teacher know in the morning, when asked what they are having for lunch.  A hot dinner is free to all those in Years R, 1 and 2 and those children eligible for free school meals and £2.35 for all other children.  Payment can be made on Arbor or via the school office.

Dates for the Diary

Wednesday 18^th January 2023 -Y6 Parent/Carer ‘Mummification’ Session – 9.00am to 9.45am

Monday 23^rd January 2023 – Young Voices Choir Trip to O2

Tuesday 31^st January 2023 – Y5 Parent/Carer Guided Reading Session – 9.00am to 9.45am

Monday 13^th February 2023 to Friday 17^th February 2023 – Half Term Holiday

Wednesday 22^nd February 2023 – French for the Family Afternoon – Hedgehogs Class

Wednesday 1^st March 2023 – French for the Family Afternoon – Squirrels Class

Thursday 9^th March 2023 – Right Respecting Gold Verification

Wednesday 15^th March 2023 – French for the Family Afternoon – Foxes Class

Wednesday 15^th March 2023 – Parent/Carers Evening (in person)

Thursday 23^rd March 2023 – Parent/Carers Evening (in person)

Friday 24^th March 2023 – Whole School SMSC Day

Monday 3^rd April 2023 to Friday 14^th April 2023 – Easter Holiday