Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 231

Friday 12th May 2023

Message from Mrs Hall

Well done to Year 6 for continuing to demonstrate the ‘Whitehouse Way’ during SATs week. We are extremely proud of the children and will share the results with them when they are returned to the school in July. Over the next few weeks the curriculum will change slightly for Year 6 as they prepare for their end of year play and also their transition to High School. We have lots of trips, visits and share events planned over the next few weeks, so do check the diary at the end of this newsletter so you don’t miss out. Dates for our Sports Days have also been included, as we know this is a very popular event. Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance for the previous week:

Class with the best attendance: Red Pandas (100%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for next week will be: Celebrating Ramadan and Eid: What part do Ramadan and Eid play in the Muslim religion?  (UNRC Link: Article 30: If I come from a minority group because of my race, religion or language, I have the right to enjoy my own culture, practise my own religion and use my own language.). 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. 

Sports Day Timings

We know that our Sports Days are always very popular and that many parents/carers like to come along and watch the children.  To enable you to be able to arrange your diaries so you can attend please see the main newsletter for the timings

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

Update from Our Librarian: Mrs Balaam

Our final Travelling Book Fairs takes place in the Marlow Hall this coming Monday, 15^th May 2023, from 3.15pm to 4.00pm.  We hope to see lots of you there!  I am very excited to announce that Travelling Books are offering a generous ‘3 for the price of 2’ on selected books.  Don’t forget, every purchase made at the fair earns the school ‘rewards’ which we can then spend on books to add to our school libraries.

On arrival at the Book Fair, please do pick up a ‘My Book Fair Wish List’.  If you would like to purchase any of the books available, please note down the books on the wish list and make the necessary payment. Where possible we would encourage parents/carers to pay online via their payment platform. This can be accessed by scanning the QR code printed in the bottom right hand corner of the Wish List.  Once payment is complete, just hand your completed form to a member of staff to place your order.  Your books will either be handed to you straightaway or ordered and delivered to your child’s class by the end of the week. Monday 15^th May 2023 is the deadline to order any of the books.

Finally, please do encourage your child to come and visit me in the school libraries. We want our children to become lifelong readers with a genuine enjoyment of reading and a thirst for knowledge.  Part of this process is to ensure that they have the freedom to choose what they read and that they have access to a comprehensive range of books, both fiction and non-fiction, which reflects their current interests.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the children over the last few weeks and talking to them about the books they have been reading.  Thanks to their advice, my personal list of books to read this summer is growing by the minute!  I am very keen to hear more of their fantastic ideas on how to improve our libraries and particularly on the range of books we offer.  Their ideas are important to us and will help shape the continued development of our libraries for the enjoyment of all.

Coronation Celebrations

We had a royal time in Reception and Nursery last week, learning about the coronation of our new king, King Charles III.  The children had access to lots of Coronation activities including making cucumber sandwiches, flags and bunting and even having a flag painted on their cheek! At the end of Friday afternoon, the Reception finished with a lovely afternoon coronation tea and were treated to the National Anthem being played by Mr and Mrs Mayhew on the French horn and flute.  Thank you to all EYFS staff for making this historic day one that the EYFS children at Whitehouse will remember.   

Whitehouse Recycled Art Exhibition:

We are very excited to invite you to our very own Recycled Art Exhibition at Whitehouse.  Last term the children took part in an Art Day to help raise awareness of recycling in and around our community.  They have worked extremely hard to create their own artwork to promote this and would love to show them off to you.  Please note you are invited to come to the Marlow Road hall on the following dates from 3.00pm to 4.00pm.

Tuesday 23rd May - EYFS / KS1

Wednesday 24th May - LKS2

Thursday 25th May - UKS2

If you cannot make the preferred date, please note you are welcome to come on one of the other evenings.  We will be accepting donations on the day, which will go towards out new Eco-area at school.  We look forward to seeing you!

Breakfast Clubs – Family Mondays

Just a reminder that we are still holding our Family Breakfast Club every Monday.  All families are invited to attend each week to enjoy a free breakfast together and have a lovely start to the day.  Please note this starts at 8.00am and you will need to enter school via the KS1 playground where Mrs Gotts will meet you.  We can assure you the toast will always be hot and the welcome warm.  We look forward to seeing you there!

 Dates for the Diary

Monday 15^th May 2023 – Book Fair – 3.15pm

Tuesday 16^th May 2023 – Parent/Carer Art Session – Year 5 - 9.00am-10.00am

Tuesday 16^th May 2023 – Parent/Carer Sewing Session – Year 4

Thursday 18^th May 2023 – Andy Goldsworthy Outdoor Art Session – Year 1 2.00pm-3.00pm

Tuesday 23^rd May 2023 – Parent/Carer Session – Year 3 2.30pm

Tuesday 23^rd May 2023 – Recycled Art Exhibition – EYFS / KS1

Wednesday 24^th May 2023 – Recycled Art Exhibition – Years 3 and 4

Thursday 25^th May 2023 – Recycled Art Exhibition – Years 5 and 6

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

Tuesday 6^th June 2023 – Victorian School – Year 4 Squirrels Class

Wednesday 7^th June – Victorian School – Year 4 Foxes Class

Wednesday 7^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Nursery 9.15am-10.15am

Wednesday 7^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Reception 10.30am-11.30am

Thursday 8^th June – Victorian School – Year 4 Hedgehogs Class

Thursday 8^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 1 10.00am-11.00am

Thursday 8^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 2 11.15am-12.15am

Thursday 8^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 3 2.00pm-3.00pm

Friday 9^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 4 10.00am-11.00am

Friday 9^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 5 11.15am-12.15am

Friday 9^th June 2023 – Sports Day – Year 6 2.00pm-3.00pm

Thursday 15^th June 2023 – Easton Farm Park Trip – Year R

Friday 23^rd June 2023 – Whole School SMSC Day

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

Monday 26^th June 2023 – Duxford Trip – Year 2

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

Friday 14^th July 2023 – Visit to ‘Maggie the Community Playbus’ – Nursery Dolphins Class

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