7 Sep 2007 - Newsletter No.1
Horfield CEVC Primary School
Newsletter No.1
Friday 7th September 2007
Dear Parents
I'd like to begin this first newsletter by welcoming all children and families either to the school for those just starting, or back to school for those returning. It's been especially pleasing to see so many children looking so smart and enthusiastic and I hope the 2007/08 academic year is happy and successful for all connected with the school. I would also like to extend a sincere welcome back to our returning teachers; Mrs Housley (Class 7) and Miss Fletcher (Class 12 - 3 days per week)) and a special welcome to Miss Butcher who has taken responsibility for Class 10. At the same time I'd like to welcome Mrs Ross to the Administration team as she commences maternity cover for Mrs Davies.
Buildings News
The summer holiday period was a very busy time in school as we undertook the substantial task of moving 10 of our 14 classes to position ourselves in readiness for the building project. Class 6 is now in a new temporary location on the edge of the field for the duration of the project and Class 13 is now in the room which was formerly the ICT suite. The suite computers have been redistributed in clusters to various parts of the school and the whole building has been re-cabled to make sure network and internet access is improved.
Unfortunately, we have still been unable to ascertain from the City Council an actual timeline for the building project and we are pressurising very hard at the moment to achieve this. The good news from the school point of view is that although the project is taking longer to get started than anyone anticipated, any potential shortfall in funding should now be met by the Local Authority rather than the school. We will hopefully have some concrete news relating to the buildings very soon now.
One piece of work that has been completed is the very splendid Ugandan style open hut near the entrance to the school. Mr Coombs coordinated this project and constructed all the timber framing himself whilst a master thatcher from Bath produced the actual roof. We will have two Ugandans from our link school in Masindi with us in the week commencing 24th September and we plan to arrange an official opening ceremony for the shelter during their stay.
Reception Places for September 2008
Children born between 1 September 2003 and 31 August 2004 are eligible to enter the Reception year group in September 2008. To apply for a place at a Bristol school for your child, you need to complete an application form that can be obtained from the school office (even if you have a child already in school). This form must be returned to Bristol City Council by 5pm on 19th October 2007. Alternatively, there is also an online facility at www.bristol-cyps.org.uk/schools/admissions. If you have a child of the relevant age, it is important that you make sure your application is received on time as late applications are considered separately. If you wish to have a conducted tour of the school and find out more about how we operate please talk to one of the staff in the school office to arrange a visit. It would be helpful also if you could spread this information to any other parents who have children approaching school age.
Secondary School Admissions 2008
Our Year 6 children have today been given booklets explaining procedures for secondary admissions next year. It is very important that parents read the guidelines carefully to make sure that applications are completed accurately, e.g St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School requires a separate application form. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 19th October 2007.
Clubs
Most after school clubs will start in the week commencing 17th September although the choir will be starting on Tuesday 11th September from 3.30 - 4.15pm.
Music
Instrument lessons begin again next week ? please make a note of the day as some have changed, and remember to bring your instrument: Monday - Violin & Oboe; Tuesday - all Woodwind & Cornet; Wednesday - Guitar & Cellos; Thursday - Drums & French Horn; Friday - Piano & Singing.
Swimming
Swimming lessons for Years 2 and 6 start next Friday on 14th September. If any parents are available to help as escorts on the walk to and from the pool please let us know as soon as you can.
Bristol Half Marathon
Good luck to a number of members of the school community who will be taking part in the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday. In particular I'd like to give a special mention to Pete Housley who will be taking part in the race and at the same time raising funds for the Children's Liver Disease Foundation in memory of Ellen. If you would like to sponsor Pete you will find information at www.childliverdisease.org. On the sporting theme, Mr Macdonald will be working hard this year to promote greater participation in sport generally and we will give more information about some of our plans shortly...look out for the group jog to Beijing!!!
School Association News
The School Shop is open every Wednesday morning from 9.00am. Please note new prices and new lines, details available from the office. Donations of second hand uniform welcome and dates of sales will follow shortly.
School Dinner Changes
Due to kitchen maintenance next Wednesday cook has slightly altered next week's menu: Tuesday 18th September - Roast Pork/Veg & Cheese Burger. Wednesday 19th September - Sausage & Mash/Veg Pizza.
New Format
This year we are trialling a new format for the school newsletter. We hope you like this change and please keep an eye on the back page for the latest calendar of events and activities etc.
In future we plan to issue the newsletter / news items on blue paper whist letters requiring a response will be on yellow paper. In short:
Blue for news
Yellow and black - Send it back!
From next week we will be re-activating the school website and you can expect the newsletter to be published on this site every Friday?together with an exciting amount of other information, links and many other useful things. Enjoy the weekend. A Sutton
Diary Dates - Term 1
Monday 3/9/07
Tuesday 4/9/07 INSET Days
Wednesday 5/9/07 Start of Term 1 for pupils - Years 1-6
Monday 10/9/07 Start of Term 1 for reception pupils
Friday 14/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 21/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 28/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 5/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Thursday 11/10/07 School Photographer - Individual/Family photos
Friday 12/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 19/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 + 6
Friday 19/10/07 End of Term 1
Future Dates - Terms 2-6
Wednesday 31/10/07 Start of Term 2
Wednesday 19/12/07 End of Term 2
Thursday 3/1/08
Friday 4/1/08 INSET Days
Monday 7/1/08 Start of Term 3 for pupils
Friday 15/2/08 End of Term 3
Monday 25/2/08 Start of Term 4
Friday 21/3/08 Bank Holiday - Good Friday
Monday 24/3/08 Bank Holiday - Easter Monday
Friday 4/4/08 End of Term 4
Monday 21/4/08 Start of Term 5
Friday 23/5/08 End of Term 5
Monday 2/6/08 INSET Day
Tuesday 3/6/08 Start of Term 6 for pupils
Friday 25/7/08 End of Term 6
Newsletter No.1
Friday 7th September 2007
Dear Parents
I'd like to begin this first newsletter by welcoming all children and families either to the school for those just starting, or back to school for those returning. It's been especially pleasing to see so many children looking so smart and enthusiastic and I hope the 2007/08 academic year is happy and successful for all connected with the school. I would also like to extend a sincere welcome back to our returning teachers; Mrs Housley (Class 7) and Miss Fletcher (Class 12 - 3 days per week)) and a special welcome to Miss Butcher who has taken responsibility for Class 10. At the same time I'd like to welcome Mrs Ross to the Administration team as she commences maternity cover for Mrs Davies.
Buildings News
The summer holiday period was a very busy time in school as we undertook the substantial task of moving 10 of our 14 classes to position ourselves in readiness for the building project. Class 6 is now in a new temporary location on the edge of the field for the duration of the project and Class 13 is now in the room which was formerly the ICT suite. The suite computers have been redistributed in clusters to various parts of the school and the whole building has been re-cabled to make sure network and internet access is improved.
Unfortunately, we have still been unable to ascertain from the City Council an actual timeline for the building project and we are pressurising very hard at the moment to achieve this. The good news from the school point of view is that although the project is taking longer to get started than anyone anticipated, any potential shortfall in funding should now be met by the Local Authority rather than the school. We will hopefully have some concrete news relating to the buildings very soon now.
One piece of work that has been completed is the very splendid Ugandan style open hut near the entrance to the school. Mr Coombs coordinated this project and constructed all the timber framing himself whilst a master thatcher from Bath produced the actual roof. We will have two Ugandans from our link school in Masindi with us in the week commencing 24th September and we plan to arrange an official opening ceremony for the shelter during their stay.
Reception Places for September 2008
Children born between 1 September 2003 and 31 August 2004 are eligible to enter the Reception year group in September 2008. To apply for a place at a Bristol school for your child, you need to complete an application form that can be obtained from the school office (even if you have a child already in school). This form must be returned to Bristol City Council by 5pm on 19th October 2007. Alternatively, there is also an online facility at www.bristol-cyps.org.uk/schools/admissions. If you have a child of the relevant age, it is important that you make sure your application is received on time as late applications are considered separately. If you wish to have a conducted tour of the school and find out more about how we operate please talk to one of the staff in the school office to arrange a visit. It would be helpful also if you could spread this information to any other parents who have children approaching school age.
Secondary School Admissions 2008
Our Year 6 children have today been given booklets explaining procedures for secondary admissions next year. It is very important that parents read the guidelines carefully to make sure that applications are completed accurately, e.g St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School requires a separate application form. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 19th October 2007.
Clubs
Most after school clubs will start in the week commencing 17th September although the choir will be starting on Tuesday 11th September from 3.30 - 4.15pm.
Music
Instrument lessons begin again next week ? please make a note of the day as some have changed, and remember to bring your instrument: Monday - Violin & Oboe; Tuesday - all Woodwind & Cornet; Wednesday - Guitar & Cellos; Thursday - Drums & French Horn; Friday - Piano & Singing.
Swimming
Swimming lessons for Years 2 and 6 start next Friday on 14th September. If any parents are available to help as escorts on the walk to and from the pool please let us know as soon as you can.
Bristol Half Marathon
Good luck to a number of members of the school community who will be taking part in the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday. In particular I'd like to give a special mention to Pete Housley who will be taking part in the race and at the same time raising funds for the Children's Liver Disease Foundation in memory of Ellen. If you would like to sponsor Pete you will find information at www.childliverdisease.org. On the sporting theme, Mr Macdonald will be working hard this year to promote greater participation in sport generally and we will give more information about some of our plans shortly...look out for the group jog to Beijing!!!
School Association News
The School Shop is open every Wednesday morning from 9.00am. Please note new prices and new lines, details available from the office. Donations of second hand uniform welcome and dates of sales will follow shortly.
School Dinner Changes
Due to kitchen maintenance next Wednesday cook has slightly altered next week's menu: Tuesday 18th September - Roast Pork/Veg & Cheese Burger. Wednesday 19th September - Sausage & Mash/Veg Pizza.
New Format
This year we are trialling a new format for the school newsletter. We hope you like this change and please keep an eye on the back page for the latest calendar of events and activities etc.
In future we plan to issue the newsletter / news items on blue paper whist letters requiring a response will be on yellow paper. In short:
Blue for news
Yellow and black - Send it back!
From next week we will be re-activating the school website and you can expect the newsletter to be published on this site every Friday?together with an exciting amount of other information, links and many other useful things. Enjoy the weekend. A Sutton
Diary Dates - Term 1
Monday 3/9/07
Tuesday 4/9/07 INSET Days
Wednesday 5/9/07 Start of Term 1 for pupils - Years 1-6
Monday 10/9/07 Start of Term 1 for reception pupils
Friday 14/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 21/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 28/9/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 5/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Thursday 11/10/07 School Photographer - Individual/Family photos
Friday 12/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 & 6
Friday 19/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 + 6
Friday 19/10/07 End of Term 1
Future Dates - Terms 2-6
Wednesday 31/10/07 Start of Term 2
Wednesday 19/12/07 End of Term 2
Thursday 3/1/08
Friday 4/1/08 INSET Days
Monday 7/1/08 Start of Term 3 for pupils
Friday 15/2/08 End of Term 3
Monday 25/2/08 Start of Term 4
Friday 21/3/08 Bank Holiday - Good Friday
Monday 24/3/08 Bank Holiday - Easter Monday
Friday 4/4/08 End of Term 4
Monday 21/4/08 Start of Term 5
Friday 23/5/08 End of Term 5
Monday 2/6/08 INSET Day
Tuesday 3/6/08 Start of Term 6 for pupils
Friday 25/7/08 End of Term 6