Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin

Friday 11th November 2024

A Message from Miss Siddall

We look forward to welcoming parents and carers in to the classrooms next week for our very first ‘project showcase’.  In addition, there will be three open mornings before Christmas and one in January (please see below for dates) for parents/carers whose children are starting school in September 2025 (article 28: children have the right to education).  Reception school places must be applied for by 15th January 2025. Therefore, if you know anyone who may be interested in finding out more about our wonderful school and the high-quality education we provide, please let them know about these open mornings as we are always keen to show parents/carers some of the fabulous work that goes on in school.

Attendance for last week:

Class with the best attendance: Dragons (99.26%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for next week will be: SMSC: What is it?  (UNRC: 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). Try and take some time to speak to your child. Why not ask them to tell you what this is and how they lean about this topic in school.

Autumn 1 Project Showcase

Our children complete some wonderful homework projects, so please don’t forget that we are holding our Autumn 1 Project Showcases next week as detailed below.

Tuesday 15^th October 2024 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase (Nursery, Years 1, 3 and 5)

Thursday 17^th October 2024 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase (Reception, Years 2, 4 and 6)

This will be an opportunity to come into your child’s classroom to have a look at this fabulous work.    Teachers will open their doors 10 minutes early and they will stay open for 15 minutes after the end of the school day to give you plenty of time to visit different classes if you have more than one child.

PFA (Parents/Carers and Friends Association)

Thank you to those parents/carers who have stepped forward to help Ms Salmon organise the Christmas Fair, which can now go ahead this year.  We are still looking for a little extra help, so if you can offer a little bit of time or a particular skill, please do let the school office know or come along to their next meeting.  This will be held on Monday 14^th October 2024, straight after school.  Please meet at the school office.  It is fine for you to bring your child with you.

Awards

As you may be aware, the children are encouraged to follow ‘The Whitehouse Way’ in school to help them in their learning and in becoming good citizens. Our ‘Wonderful Week’ awards this year will be given as a recognition that the children have worked very hard in one of these areas:  Courage, Perseverance, Reflection or Responsibility.  This will be shown in the colour coded lists below. We are so proud of our children at Whitehouse and their wonderful achievements.  Well done to you all.

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

4YP Charity: For Children and Youth

4YP are a local charity based in Ipswich who organise a lot of different activities and events for young people to help them make new friends, learn new skills, get creative and explore other things that are important to them.   They also offer help and support as young girls transition into adolescence.

They are currently holding a group for girls in Years 5 and 6 on a Thursday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm and have some spaces.  If this is something you feel would help your child please do get in touch with them at 01473 252607 or email to youthteam@4yp.org.uk.  The group is held at the 4YP Hub, 14 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AP.

Attendance: Duck Race Winners

Well done to the winners of our Duck Races last week:

To celebrate winning the Duck Races, four children from Year 5 recently joined Mrs Zantboer, our Attendance Officer, for some biscuits and crafts.  She thoroughly enjoyed hearing about what the children enjoy doing in their free time, how they value their friendships and what makes them laugh.  To be able to engage with our children on this level encourages turn taking on conversations, brings about growth in maintaining positive relationships with the adults in the school and mixing with other children outside of their usual friend groups.  Mrs Zantboer is very much looking forward to doing this again soon with children in other year groups.

PE Kit

Thank you to all parents/carers for your efforts with the PE kit at the start of this academic year, it has looked amazing and very smart!  Just a quick reminder that the Whitehouse PE kit consists of the following:

Please note that staff will be keeping a close eye on the PE kit throughout the year and ensuring that the fantastic standards of PE kit remain as high as it has been throughout this half term.  PE kit reminders will be issued in journals for any forgotten or incorrect kit on PE days.

If there is an issue with the PE kit, e.g. it has been damaged, or it is on order, please speak to your child’s class teacher or make a note in their journal so we are aware.  Thank you again for your continued cooperation and support.

Accelerated Reader

A huge well done to the children below for having been awarded the following certificates, we are very proud of each one of you!

Ready Reader – Obidike, Luna, Lincoln (Rabbits), Daisy (Badgers) and Henry (Owls)

Rising Reader – Ollie (Hedgehogs) and Peace (Lizards)

Super Reader – Isa (Chameleons)

Advanced Reader – Aro (Foxes), Marcus (Pandas), Hunter, Noah, Tristyn (Jaguars), Saira (Ocelots) and Isla (Toucans)

Star Reader – Ruari (Ocelots) and Melana (Chameleons)

Classic Reader – Leonna (Chameleons)

Blue Peter Book Badge

In last week's Wonderful Week Assembly, we were proud to celebrate the achievements of four children from Pandas Class who had each recently gained their Blue Peter Book Badge. A massive well done to Ema, Ella, Holly and Idunnu. Make sure you wear your badges with pride!

To apply for a Blue Peter Book Badge, children need to read a book of their choice and complete a short application form where they write between 50 and 250 words about the book they read and draw and label a picture from the same book. They are also asked to write a few words about other books and authors they have enjoyed.

We have a new 'Reading for Pleasure' display in our Key Stage 2 Library which includes information on the Blue Peter Book Badge as well as a selection of possible sentence starters for children to use. Application forms for the badge are available to collect from this display.  Working towards a Blue Peter Book Badge could be an excellent free activity for children to enjoy over the approaching half term holiday. Why not combine it with a trip to your local public library to choose a book or two to enjoy over the holidays?

Year 4 Local Walk

This week, our Year 4 classes completed a walk around the local area looking at the 7 different types of land use.  They were wanting to answer their enquiry question for this half term ‘What different landscapes do we have in the UK and how are they used?’  The children were able to see all 7 land uses on their walk which saw them leaving the school walking through Westbourne Park to the allotments on Bramford Road, then along to the recreational space at the bottom of Lovetofts Drive.  The classes then returned towards school along Kerry Avenue, past the Flying Horse Pub and Baptist Church where they encountered a friendly crew of bin men on their truck keen to wave them on their way!  Once back at school the children were able to apply their morning’s learning by labelling maps with all the land uses. The staff were very impressed with the children’s behaviour throughout and enjoyed the many questions they raised.  Well done Year 4.

Free School Meal Vouchers

We are pleased to confirm that Suffolk County Council will again be providing vouchers to parents/carers of any child who is eligible for free school meals, to help with food costs over the October half term holiday.  The voucher will be £15.00 per eligible child.

 As usual the voucher will be sent by email from noresponse@vouchers.sodexoengage.com and will be with you by Thursday 24^th October 2024. If you do not receive the voucher, please email freeschoolmeals@suffolk.gov.uk and they will be able to assist.  Please do not contact the school office as we will be unable to help.

Online Safety

InHope has released a new Digital Literacy Guide which is aimed at improving the knowledge of children and parents/carers and ultimately keeping everyone safe online.  Click on the link to access your free guide.

 
https://inhope.org/media/pages/articles/the-inhope-digital-literacy-guide/4816f047fc-1726756077/inhope-digital-literacy-guide.pdf

Dates for the Diary

Monday 14^th October 2024 – Family Breakfast – 8.00am

Monday 14^th October 2024 – Year 4 Dental Visit (in school)

Monday 14^th October 2024 – PFA Meeting – Straight after school

Tuesday 15^th October 2024 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase (Nursery, Years 1, 3 and 5)

Thursday 17^th October 2024 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase (Reception, Years 2, 4 and 6)

Friday 18^th October 2024 – Year 3 Mosque Visit

Monday 21^st October 2024 – Family Breakfast – 8.00am

Tuesday 22^nd October 2024 – Year 2 Parent/Carer Phonics Session 9.00am-9.30am

Tuesday 22^nd October 2024 – Year 3 Parent/Carer Accelerated Reader Session – 2.30pm

Wednesday 23^rd October 2024 – Year 5 Greek Day

Friday 25^th October 2024 - Whole School SMSC Day

Monday 28^th October – Friday 1^st November 2024 – Half Term Holiday

Tuesday 5^th November 2024 – Year 4 West Stow Visit

Friday 8^th November 2024 - Open Morning for Reception 2025 children

Monday 11^th November 2024 – Year 2 Framlingham Castle Visit

Thursday 14^th November 2024 - Open Morning for Reception 2025 children

Friday 15^th November 2024 – Flu Vaccinations (more details will follow)

Monday 2^nd December 2024 - Open Morning for Reception 2025 children

Wednesday 4^th December 2024 - Reports home to parents/carers

Thursday 5^th December 2024 – Online Parents/Carers Evening

Friday 6^th December 2024 – Non-Uniform Day – Bring chocolate / sweets as a donation

Tuesday 10^th December 2024 – Online Parents/Carers Evening

Friday 13^th December 2024 – Christmas Fair

Tuesday 17^th December 2024 – Autumn 2 Project Showcase (Reception, Years 2, 4 and 6)

Thursday 19^th December 2024 – Autumn 1 Project Showcase (Nursery, Years 1, 3 and 5)

Friday 13^th December 2024 – Flu Vaccinations Catch-up Session (more details will follow)

Friday 20^th December 2024 – Last day of the Autumn Term

Monday 23^rd December 2024 – Friday 3^rd January 2025 – Christmas Holiday

Monday 6^th January 2025 – PD Day (Children are not in school)

Tuesday 7^th January 2025 – First day of the Spring Term

Thursday 9^th January 2025 - Open Morning for Reception 2025 children