newsletter

Newsletter 12
Friday 23rd July 2010

WELL DONE CLASS FOUR!
Class Four made a sizable profit from their ‘Pop N Go’ venture earlier in the year. They purchased Happy the hamster with some of that money and decided as a class that they would like to fund a class trip. So on Tuesday, the class went to Jump! They were there for four hours and certainly made the most of the experience.
Thank you Rachel Moran, Sara Haberfield, Sally Pearce, Charlotte Justin and Vicki Hamilton Davies for providing lifts for the children.

MONIES RAISED FOR WATER AID
At our Celebration assembly yesterday we were able to provide Ken Biggs, as a representative of the Rotary Club, with a cheque for £1,210 which will provide eight water survival boxes for people in a disaster area. Thank you to everyone who sponsored their child or gave money to our chosen charity this year.
Thanks, too, to the Rotary Club which has provided every Year Five pupil with an illustrated dictionary which they will be able to use to support their Literacy work next year.

GOODBYE TO…
Vicki Hamilton Davies is leaving us. She has got a Teaching Assistant post in Bishopsworth from September. I would like to thank her for all of the hard work, time and energy she has given to the school over the last few years and wish her every success with her future career.
Thanks also to Susanna Hutchings who has covered PPA for Class Two this year who is also leaving us.

THANK YOU TO…
A huge thank you Tracey Banks and Vivienne Mackay Hope for running our Gardening Club this year; to Dave Pope, Annabelle Gay, Jenny Wride, Lisa Smith and Katherine Holder for giving their time to come in and work with children and to Dorothy Fedou and Rosemary Knowlton for coming in to hear the children read. We do really appreciate the time that you give us.
Thank you also to our great team of Play leaders who work so hard to ensure that our children have a safe and happy lunch time.

JOIN THE ZONE
The Zone Kids Club is returning this summer to Chew Magna Baptist Church on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th August from 9.30am- 12pm. It is open to children of primary school age and includes craft, games, assault course, snack and drinks. There is no charge but you do need to register to book your place. FFI and to register contact Sarah Standing on 01275 331728 or email sarahstanding@live.co.uk.

SUGGESTIONS FOR KEEPING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN ACTIVE OVER THE SUMMER…
•Read regularly, whether it be comics, signposts, timetables etc
•Share books and discuss plot and characters, make predictions, give opinions
•Keep a holiday scrap book
•Learn a new skill and record progress through a photo story, diary, film
•Practise times tables
•Use money to increase familiarity with coins, work out cost, amount of change needed
•Learn to tell the time

TAKE FLIGHT BOOKS
Bristol Airport has kindly donating its ‘Take Flight books to local primary schools to celebrate its 80th birthday. We are sending home one copy per family; if you would like more, please pick one up from the lobby.

INSET DATES FOR NEXT YEAR:
We have been given an extra INSET date next year to focus on curriculum review. Our dates are as follows:
1/9/10
2/9/10
26/11/10
24/1/11
28/2/11
1/7/11

ST JOHN’S AMBULANCE GROUP
We are thinking of starting up a St John’s Ambulance Badger Sett (Primary Age) in Chew Magna. Would any children be interested in joining? We will also need volunteers to help lead. Please contact Tim Standing if you are interested - mobile 07880 780337 or email timstanding@live.co.uk.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Harry (9) Sophie (10) Isaac (7) Madeleine (9) Charlie (7) Dan (8) Alexander (7)

Children start back at school on Friday 3rd September; our new Foundation Stage pupils begin on Monday 6th.

I would like to thank the staff team for all of their hard work this year.

I hope that you all have a great summer break.

Kind regards,

Annie Spencer

10 things you can do to help your child learn

1. Give your child confidence through lots of praise and encouragement.
As a parent, you have tremendous power to strengthen your child's confidence - and confidence is vital to learning.
Provide specific praise that focuses on a particular aspect of their work. Comments such as "I like the way you have..." is more effective than "You're clever!".

2. Read to, and with, your child as much as possible.
As part of the National Year of Reading the Government is encouraging parents and carers to read to children, hear them read, or encourage them to read to themselves for at least 20 minutes a day.

3. Encourage children to observe and talk about their surroundings.
Even young children can be helped to read notices and signs, for example, and understand what they mean.

4. Make use of your local library.
Look out for special events and services for children.

5. Visit museums and places you think your child might find interesting.
Children now have free admission to major national museums and art galleries.

6. If your children like watching television, watch it with them sometimes and encourage them to talk about what they have seen. They will get more out of the experience.

7. Try to set time aside to do "homework" activities with young children.

8. Wherever possible, try to provide a reasonably quiet place for children to do homework (or help them to get to other places where homework can be done).

9. Encourage your child to discuss homework with you, including feedback from teachers and explaining the task to you and the strategies they have learned in school to do it.

10. Try to help your child to see the enjoyable aspects of homework.