28 Sep 2007 - Newsletter No.4
Horfield CEVC Primary School
Newsletter No.4
Friday 28th September 2007
Dear Parents,
Ugandan Visitors
Once again we have been delighted to host two of our colleagues from Masindi Tropical School in Uganda. Grace and Sunday have certainly had a busy week since they arrived in Bristol last Saturday as they have taken part in a variety of class based activities, assemblies, attended the Year 6 Peer Mediation conference and shared with us news from the teachers and children at Tropical school. They also attended a meeting in Bath, visited another Bristol school and today they are in London with other colleagues sightseeing and meeting with Doug Naysmith, our local MP, in the House of Commons.
They will be in school on Monday afternoon next week and then on Tuesday morning for a farewell service and the official opening of the Ugandan shelter. The proceedings on Tuesday will be overseen by Marcus Mullin who will be the Headteacher for the Day following the auction of promises event held earlier in the year.
Concert
Last night our choir participated in a concert at Henbury School to celebrate the visit to Bristol of 32 teachers and headteachers from Masindi. The event featured singing, dancing and music from Bristol schools with the Masindi teachers adding an energetic sequence of traditional dances from various regions in Uganda. I am sure that the large audience appreciated the varied programme and I would like to commend our choir for their super singing and presentation.
Enrichment
Our cycle of enrichment activities began this week with the two new additions of Forest skills with Miss Hopwood and cycling with Mr Moore. If any parent is able to help on a regular basis please contact us.
After School Clubs - The following clubs will be taking place after school next week:
Tuesday Football Club, Choir
Wednesday Year 6 Netball club
Thursday Gym Club
Friday Rugby Futures
Closure of Exit Gate
We have been extremely concerned again this week to observe that children are coming into school via the vehicle exit near the school kitchen rather than using the main pedestrian entrance. To make matters worse children have then walked straight across the car park at a time when staff cars are arriving and manoeuvring to park. As this represents a significant risk to children we have decided to leave the gate at the vehicle exit closed until after 9.00am so that we can hopefully prevent a serious accident from occurring. May I also repeat our expectation that parents are not allowed to bring vehicles into the school car park and we do ask you to park legally and responsibly when dropping off and collecting children.
The Shoebox Appeal
Each year staff and families are invited to fill shoeboxes which are then collected and sent to adults and children in need around the world. These need to be returned to school by 31st October - the start of Term 2. You will have already received a leaflet about this appeal but if you want to know more speak to Ms Lewis or Mrs Sims.
School Association
The Committee are busy compiling the programme for the Christmas Fayre at the moment and this is an invitation to representatives from any local business to buy some advertising space in the programme. Full details can be communicated via the school office.
Pupil Information
Thank you for returning the Pupil Data Sheets which were circulated recently. It is so important that our pupil and contact information is accurate and up to date and we have discovered lots of changes during this exercise. Please return the form as soon as you can as it also gives parental consent for school trips and for the use of photos in news articles and on the website.
Dietary Requirements - please can parents also check this part of the sheet and amend if necessary, as the new catering contractor, Eden, will require this information to provide appropriate meals for pupils next term.
We are waiting to hear more information about what the change in catering contractors will mean and we will convey more news as we become aware of it. In the meantime, however, I have heard that meal prices will increase to £1.95 from 31st October.
Parent Volunteers
As I am sure you'll realise we are always looking out for parent (grandparent?) volunteers who have some spare time and would be willing to help out in a variety of ways in the school.
Friday afternoons Walking to Horfield Leisure Centre
Tues/Thurs afternoons Walking to Monks Park Computer Centre
Wednesday afternoons Enrichment - many opportunities!
Please be aware that all volunteer helpers must have current CRB clearance when helping out in school. This is a straightforward process and forms are available from Ms Green in the office.
Students of the Week
This week all of the Year 6 pupils took part in a conference style training event to equip them with knowledge, understanding and skills in peer mediation. The Year 6 students of the week are Bethany Smith and Agit Panchal for their outstanding and mature contributions to the conference. Well done to the two of them and we look forward to the new Peer Mediators around the school at break times very shortly.
Tanka
Tanka is the name of an ancient form of Japanese poetry. Tanka are 31-syllable poems that have been the most popular form of poetry in Japan for at least 1300 years. As a form of poetry, tanka is older than haiku, and tanka poems evoke a moment or mark an occasion with concision and musicality. Tanka were often composed as a kind of finale to an occasion; no experience was quite complete until a tanka had been written about it.
In Japanese, tanka is often written in one straight line, but in English and other languages, we usually divide the lines into the five syllabic units: 5-7-5-7-7. Usually, each line consists of one image or idea; unlike English poetry, one does not seek to "wrap" lines in tanka, though in the best tanka the five lines often flow seamlessly into one thought.
Some of our children have had a go at writing tanka this week and we thought you might like to read what some of the girls think about football!
I don't like football
Football fans make a lot of noise
Parked in my road
Spreading mud everywhere
Horfield Common is ruined
Meg Winter
On the other hand some girls have a different view:
Football is wicked
It's the best sport on the earth
You chant loads and loads
I play it with my uncle
I have scored ten times.
Amy Parker
Can you express your views in tanka - Do let us have your poems.
Achievement Board for
Georgia Williams
Georgia wrote this note to share her success:
"I was awarded a trophy for being the best badger of the year. I also did a First Aid badge, wild badge, and a 'follow me' badge. A follow me badger is a person who helps the leader and does jobs."
It sounds as though Georgia is a real asset to her badger group.
Well done Georgia!
Diary Dates - Term 1
Tuesday 2/10/07 Official opening of the Ugandan Hut
Marcus Mullin - Headteacher for the Day
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
Wednesday 17/10/07 Harvest Service in school at 9.30am
Friday 19/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 + 6
Friday 19/10/07 End of Term 1
Newsletter No.4
Friday 28th September 2007
Dear Parents,
Ugandan Visitors
Once again we have been delighted to host two of our colleagues from Masindi Tropical School in Uganda. Grace and Sunday have certainly had a busy week since they arrived in Bristol last Saturday as they have taken part in a variety of class based activities, assemblies, attended the Year 6 Peer Mediation conference and shared with us news from the teachers and children at Tropical school. They also attended a meeting in Bath, visited another Bristol school and today they are in London with other colleagues sightseeing and meeting with Doug Naysmith, our local MP, in the House of Commons.
They will be in school on Monday afternoon next week and then on Tuesday morning for a farewell service and the official opening of the Ugandan shelter. The proceedings on Tuesday will be overseen by Marcus Mullin who will be the Headteacher for the Day following the auction of promises event held earlier in the year.
Concert
Last night our choir participated in a concert at Henbury School to celebrate the visit to Bristol of 32 teachers and headteachers from Masindi. The event featured singing, dancing and music from Bristol schools with the Masindi teachers adding an energetic sequence of traditional dances from various regions in Uganda. I am sure that the large audience appreciated the varied programme and I would like to commend our choir for their super singing and presentation.
Enrichment
Our cycle of enrichment activities began this week with the two new additions of Forest skills with Miss Hopwood and cycling with Mr Moore. If any parent is able to help on a regular basis please contact us.
After School Clubs - The following clubs will be taking place after school next week:
Tuesday Football Club, Choir
Wednesday Year 6 Netball club
Thursday Gym Club
Friday Rugby Futures
Closure of Exit Gate
We have been extremely concerned again this week to observe that children are coming into school via the vehicle exit near the school kitchen rather than using the main pedestrian entrance. To make matters worse children have then walked straight across the car park at a time when staff cars are arriving and manoeuvring to park. As this represents a significant risk to children we have decided to leave the gate at the vehicle exit closed until after 9.00am so that we can hopefully prevent a serious accident from occurring. May I also repeat our expectation that parents are not allowed to bring vehicles into the school car park and we do ask you to park legally and responsibly when dropping off and collecting children.
The Shoebox Appeal
Each year staff and families are invited to fill shoeboxes which are then collected and sent to adults and children in need around the world. These need to be returned to school by 31st October - the start of Term 2. You will have already received a leaflet about this appeal but if you want to know more speak to Ms Lewis or Mrs Sims.
School Association
The Committee are busy compiling the programme for the Christmas Fayre at the moment and this is an invitation to representatives from any local business to buy some advertising space in the programme. Full details can be communicated via the school office.
Pupil Information
Thank you for returning the Pupil Data Sheets which were circulated recently. It is so important that our pupil and contact information is accurate and up to date and we have discovered lots of changes during this exercise. Please return the form as soon as you can as it also gives parental consent for school trips and for the use of photos in news articles and on the website.
Dietary Requirements - please can parents also check this part of the sheet and amend if necessary, as the new catering contractor, Eden, will require this information to provide appropriate meals for pupils next term.
We are waiting to hear more information about what the change in catering contractors will mean and we will convey more news as we become aware of it. In the meantime, however, I have heard that meal prices will increase to £1.95 from 31st October.
Parent Volunteers
As I am sure you'll realise we are always looking out for parent (grandparent?) volunteers who have some spare time and would be willing to help out in a variety of ways in the school.
Friday afternoons Walking to Horfield Leisure Centre
Tues/Thurs afternoons Walking to Monks Park Computer Centre
Wednesday afternoons Enrichment - many opportunities!
Please be aware that all volunteer helpers must have current CRB clearance when helping out in school. This is a straightforward process and forms are available from Ms Green in the office.
Students of the Week
This week all of the Year 6 pupils took part in a conference style training event to equip them with knowledge, understanding and skills in peer mediation. The Year 6 students of the week are Bethany Smith and Agit Panchal for their outstanding and mature contributions to the conference. Well done to the two of them and we look forward to the new Peer Mediators around the school at break times very shortly.
Tanka
Tanka is the name of an ancient form of Japanese poetry. Tanka are 31-syllable poems that have been the most popular form of poetry in Japan for at least 1300 years. As a form of poetry, tanka is older than haiku, and tanka poems evoke a moment or mark an occasion with concision and musicality. Tanka were often composed as a kind of finale to an occasion; no experience was quite complete until a tanka had been written about it.
In Japanese, tanka is often written in one straight line, but in English and other languages, we usually divide the lines into the five syllabic units: 5-7-5-7-7. Usually, each line consists of one image or idea; unlike English poetry, one does not seek to "wrap" lines in tanka, though in the best tanka the five lines often flow seamlessly into one thought.
Some of our children have had a go at writing tanka this week and we thought you might like to read what some of the girls think about football!
I don't like football
Football fans make a lot of noise
Parked in my road
Spreading mud everywhere
Horfield Common is ruined
Meg Winter
On the other hand some girls have a different view:
Football is wicked
It's the best sport on the earth
You chant loads and loads
I play it with my uncle
I have scored ten times.
Amy Parker
Can you express your views in tanka - Do let us have your poems.
Achievement Board for
Georgia Williams
Georgia wrote this note to share her success:
"I was awarded a trophy for being the best badger of the year. I also did a First Aid badge, wild badge, and a 'follow me' badge. A follow me badger is a person who helps the leader and does jobs."
It sounds as though Georgia is a real asset to her badger group.
Well done Georgia!
Diary Dates - Term 1
Tuesday 2/10/07 Official opening of the Ugandan Hut
Marcus Mullin - Headteacher for the Day
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
Wednesday 17/10/07 Harvest Service in school at 9.30am
Friday 19/10/07 Swimming - Years 2 + 6
Friday 19/10/07 End of Term 1