Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 228

Friday 21st April 2023

Message from Mrs Hall

Welcome back to a new term at Whitehouse, we hope everyone had a lovely break. This term is going to be super busy with lots of trips and visits organised, so do ensure that you check the diary regularly and return any reply slips or money. You should be receiving this term’s curriculum newsletters today which outline what your children will be learning. Information can also be found on our website: https://www.whcps.org/the-whitehouse-curriculum/ If you have any questions about our curriculum please don’t hesitate to contact the school.

Attendance for the week before the Easter Holiday:

Class with the best attendance: Owls (97.12%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for next week will be based on the Coronation of King Charles III: What is a coronation and what will happen on Saturday 6^th May 2023? (UNRC Link: Article 8: I have the right to an identity). 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. 

Healthy Start – Assistance Available

Did you know that if you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under the age of 4 you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk?  For those who are eligible, you will be provided with a card which is topped up every four weeks and can be used when buying milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula.  To see if you are eligible and to apply please go to this link:  https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/.

Nursery Spaces - September

We are pleased to let you know that we will have some spaces in our popular Nursery from September 2023.  We offer spaces for either 15 hours a week or 30 hours a week for those who have a 30-hour code (or who wish to pay for the extra hours).  We accept children from the term after their 3^rd birthday.  Timings for our sessions are: Morning: 8.30am to 11.30am or Afternoon: 12.15pm to 3.15pm

If you would like more information please contact the school office and ask to speak to Miss Sara McCullum who will be able to assist. 

Awards

EYFS:

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 for the week before the Easter Holiday (a competition that rewards classes with the highest average reading minutes across KS2). 

Year 4 Parent/Carer Session – Sewing

We are pleased to invite parents/carers of our Year 4 children to join us for a session where they will have a chance to work with their children in a DT lesson, and make a felt animal.  This will take place on Thursday 18^th May at 9.00am to 10.30am.  Please come in via the Waterford Road Gate (by the Flying Horse Pub) where you can sign in and go straight to the classrooms. We hope you will be able to join us for this fun session!

Year 6 Walton Trip

On Thursday 30th and Friday 31st of March, Year 6 took an hour-long coach journey (“Are we there yet?”) to Walton-on-the-Naze. The children buzzed with excitement at the thought of becoming real-life fossil hunters and erosion experts for the day. Some simply wondered if there would be ice-cream… On arrival, the children headed down the steep-sided cliffs to the sea whilst being buffeted by the seaside winds. Many ‘ohhhs’ and ‘ahhhs’ bounded around as some children wondered why it had taken so long to get to Felixstowe. Once on the beach, the children began to learn about the awesome sea defences (groynes) that marched out into the English Channel and how they helped to reduce the effects of erosion on the coast. Children set about measuring the beach with gusto and comparing it to sections further along. They successfully concluded that the sea defences (thankfully) were working – they were pretty sure the giant concrete sea wall helped too. Afterwards, the children attempted to discover which way the tides ran. This involved slinging pine cones into the waves and following the direction they travelled. Following extensive stretching and mammoth run ups, a flurry of pine cones was launched (like Olympic throwers) straight into the…sand. Que waiting for the wind to die down before attempt number two! After finally getting the cones into the water, children were able to solve which way the waves travelled. Hooray!

Some bear-like growling noises informed the volunteers that the children were beginning to get hungry; therefore, the children headed back to the education centre for some well-earned lunch. Whilst devouring their feasts, children were shown a myriad of fossils that have been found on the beach over the years. Children were particularly impressed with the size of the Megalodon tooth (“That’s bigger than my head!”) and promised to find their very own that afternoon. Back down the cliff face – a much harder journey on full stomachs we were reliably informed – and the children set themselves the task of becoming the next Mary Anning. Many a shout of, “I’ve found something!” was heard, shortly followed by a, “Oh, it’s just a pebble…”. However, there were many success and children found everything from 50-million-year-old sand shark teeth and fossilised whelks to fossilised wood. The children thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Walton-on-the-Naze: the return journey, for some strange reason, was much quieter. We thoroughly hope parents/carers did not find too many, shells, pebbles, sand, clay, shark teeth, fossilised wood and seaweed in their washing machines afterwards.

Blue Peter Music Badge: Young Voices

Did you know that if your child took part in the Young Voices Choir event or if they have a keen interest in music, they are eligible to apply for a Blue Peter Music Badge?  The badge has been designed by Ed Sheeran and you can apply it here:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/bp-music-badge.  We would love to see photos of your children with their badges when they arrive! 

Local Childcare Facility

Many of you will be aware that there is now a childcare facility that is set up on the site next to the school (Waterford Road).  Please see details below for those who may be interested in using their services.  Please note this is not a part of Whitehouse school but is Ofsted registered.

Reminders

Please note that Whitehouse Community Primary School is a non-smoking site, this includes vaping.

Attendance Reminders

It is great to see the children back and rested after the Easter break.  As we go into the Summer Term can we please remind parents/carers to continue letting the school know if your child is absent from school and should you need to make a medical appointment during school time please provide a copy of this to the office.  As we (hopefully!) go into the warmer weather please remember to encourage your child to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated at school.  We do have water bottles available to purchase from the school office.  One final reminder, that any term time absence will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances and that an application for Term Time Leave of Absence must be filled in.  Forms can be found on the website under Attendance, or from the school office. 

Dates for the Diary

Tuesday 25^th April 2023 – Colchester Zoo Trip – Year 1

Monday 1^st May 2023 (Bank Holiday) – School Closed

Monday 8^th May 2023 (Bank Holiday) – School Closed

Thursday 11^th May 2023 – Book Fair – 3.15pm

Tuesday 16^th May 2023 – Book Fair – 3.15pm

Thursday 18^th May 2023 – Parent/Carer Sewing Session – Year 4

Friday 26^th May 2023 – PD Day – School Closed for Children

Monday 29^th May 2023 to Friday 2^nd June 2023 – Half Term Holiday

Monday 5^th June 2023 – PD Day – School Closed for Children

Wednesday 7^th June 2023 – Sports Day - EYFS

Thursday 8^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Years 1, 2 and 3

Friday 9^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Years 4, 5 and 6

Friday 23^rd June 2023 – Whole School SMSC Day

Monday 26^th June 2023 – Mersea Day Trip – Year 6

Tuesday 27^th June 2023 – Mersea Day Trip – Year 6

Wednesday 28^th June 2023 – Transition Morning

Thursday 29^th June 2023 – Transition Morning

Friday 30^th June 2023 – Kentwell Hall – Year 5

Friday 7^th July 2023 – Afternoon Tea for New Reception Intake

Friday 7^th July 2023 – Summer Fair

Monday 17^th July 2023 – Year 6 Production (Cast A)

Tuesday 18^th July 2023 – Year 6 Production (Cast B)

Wednesday 19^th July 2023 – Leavers BBQ

Friday 21^st July 2023 – Leavers Assembly

Friday 21^st July 2023 – Last day of the Summer Term

Monday 24^th July 2023 to Thursday 31^st August 2023 – Summer Holiday

Friday 1^st September 2023 – PD Day – School Closed for Children

Monday 4^th September 2023 – PD Day – School Closed for Children

Tuesday 5^th September 2023 – First day of Autumn Term for Children