NEWSLETTER 24     06/07     16.03.07

 

From the Headteacher:

 

Star Work:   Congratulations to this week’s star workers: Marie Dehmel, Emily Luckstead, Jude Marshall, Sam Harris, Ella-Rose and Poppy Patterson    Their work is on display in pride of place in our central corridor. 

 

Cross Country:   Congratulations to our Cross Country runners who enjoyed high levels of success this season.   At the final event held this week medals were awarded to Rebecca Carver who came first in the Upper Girls Individual contest, Ella-Rose Bazely-Jackson who came second in the Lower Girls Individual contest, and Matthew Walters came second in the Upper Boys Individual contest.   In addition, our Upper Girls won the team event.   Charlotte Burr, Amy Reakes, Rebecca Carver, Simone Young and Hayley Carver collected medals for this.

 

Thanks need to go to all children who represented our school at the cross country events.   Special thanks to our team coach Mr Young, who has trained our team and led them to victory this year.

 

Brass Lessons:   If you would like to see how brass lessons are progressing for your child then come along to our open lessons next Friday.   Year Four have a lesson between 9.00 and 10.00am then Year Three have a lesson from 10.00 until 11.00am.   Mrs Rowsell will serve tea and coffee to any parents present.   Year Five’s lesson will be ‘open’ on Monday 26th March.

 

International Meal:   A Thai meal will be served on Wednesday as part of our continued programme of encouraging children to try new things.

 

Thank you to the guitar players, recorder players and pianists who performed at a short concert yesterday.

 

Church Service:   The next church service will be held on Tuesday 27th March at 9.30am. Children from Years One and Six will be leading this service for us.

                                                                                                                                Roger Whitewick

 

Raising Standards in English – Spelling:   We have been working hard to help children improve their writing skills in English and in other areas of the curriculum.   Whilst work on sentence construction, vocabulary and punctuation will continue to play an important part in our daily writing, the focus of our whole school target work now falls on improving children’s spelling skills.

 

It is important to us that you, as parents/guardians, are aware of the changes in how spelling is being taught in our school and how you can best support your child with spelling.   To this end, along with today’s newsletter you should also have received a ‘Helping your Child with Spelling’ booklet which includes a range of practical suggestions.   We would also like to invite parents to a ‘Helping your Child with Spelling’ meeting, to be held in the hall on Thursday 22nd March at 6pm.   In addition to a presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions and to talk with teachers about supporting spelling at home.

Tess Kaunhoven

 

Message from the Kitchen:   Could all orders for the International Thai meal be in be

Monday 19th March please.

The new menus will follow shortly.   There is a price increase to £l.75p per meal as from

1st April 2007.

 

From the Friends of St. Aldhelm’s (PTA):   Today is market day where you can buy cakes,

 biscuits, etc.   The stall should be set up on the playground by Class 1 weather permitting or alternatively in the annexe.

Easter Bingo is coming up on Friday 23rd March, doors open at 7.00pm, eyes down at 7.30pm.   Fun night for all of the family so please come along.   Donations of Easter eggs are still needed so please help by dropping eggs at the office – thank you.   Don’t forget, as detailed in last week’s newsletter, Seedy Sunday will be on Sunday 25th March.

Many thanks to those who supported the quiz night.   £140 has been split between the Friends of St. Aldhelm’s and Doulting Social Committee.

 

St. Aldhelm’s Doulting Marathon 2007 – Friday 20th April:   With the London Marathon in mind we thought we would run our very own Doulting Marathon.   We thought the afternoon would be great fun for all the children (and parents to watch) and all the money raised will contribute towards more play area equipment for the school grounds.   Please find attached a sponsorship form for your children.   More details to follow nearer the time.   Also if anyone would like to sponsor Katelyn Harris’s Dad who is actually running the London Marathon and has very kindly said all the money raised will be donated to the school, this would be very much appreciated.   A sponsorship form is in reception if you would like to sponsor him.   All proceeds will go towards equipment for the school.

 

Action Track:   One of the events that the older children benefit greatly from is a workshop run by a registered Charity called ActionTrack.   They provide workshops and participatory projects for educational, social and community organisations and have built a reputation for exciting, entertaining and innovative work in the field of participatory arts.   Their 2 week arts residency workshop is aimed at our Year 5 and 6 children (i.e. children aged between 9 and 11) and the benefits are enormous: creative writing of lyrics and scenes, developing musicians and singers, discovering actors and designers and encouraging the children to take full responsibility  for writing and performing their own show.

Feedback from the children has been incredibly positive.   We have found that the workshop not only improved their self-esteem and confidence, but after the 2 weeks, there is a visible difference in attitudes and we believe they are provided with skills and qualities that help them to flourish as individuals.

Our school has been fortunate enough to hold this as an annual event, relying upon contributions from the ‘Friends of St. Aldhelm’s whilst also sharing the costs with another local school.   In addition, in 2005, we were lucky enough to have secured a small grant from Mendip Council of £500.   It costs £4,000 to run the 2 week workshop.   We contact organisations in the hope of getting financial help and hope to raise as much money as possible to help fund this great opportunity each year for the children.

We hope the children enjoy the forthcoming events and that you can all help towards raising as much as possible to achieve these great targets.

 

Lost Property:   A parent has kindly sorted our lost property, there are a number of coats, tops, shorts with no names.   Would you kindly ask your child to check the lost property.  All items will go in the bag2school collection by the end of next week if not claimed.