Grove Park Primary School Newsletter No 24

26th March 2010

On Wednesday, 31st March the children will celebrate Easter

in a singing assembly. Along with readings about the Christian

festival, there will be lots of songs about Spring and Re-growth,

led by Jean Buck. The children will hear the story in more

depth during other assemblies during the week.

On Thursday, 1st April there will be no parents’

assembly, as we are dressing up for Peter Pan Day as characters

from the Peter Pan story to raise money for Great Ormond

Street Children’s Hospital. Did you know that J.M. Barrie be-

queathed royalties to this hospital, which is why they have a Pe-

ter Pan statue outside their door and why this is our Peter Pan

day?

Easter for Christians celebrates the story of the resurrection of

Jesus. Eggs and spring-born animals, alongside leaves bursting

from dead looking trees and spring flowers brightening up our gar-

dens, all symbolise this ‘rising from the dead’. Perhaps your family

would like to discover the significance of hot cross buns and pan-

cakes, or find out about egg rolling: Try this website!

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/curious/april.html

You might be interested to visit the Chocolate festival at the

Southbank Centre with showcase truffles, master chocolatiers

and tempting books, from Friday, 26th March 11.00 am to Sun-

day, 28th March 18.00pm. This is a free event!

Easter CelebrationS

Thank you to all our Maths and Phonic Heroes. The

children enjoyed showing you how to learn maths and the

teachers say you were all very well behaved!!!

PTA—your STARS! On Thursday Morning a wonderful thing happened. A lovely company called in to offer to paint

our school playground! There are exciting patterns which have a series of games to play around

and free training for our staff so we can learn the games!

Sounded good!

Whilst some of the painting was paid for by the Extended School agenda, the company were un-

able to offer to re-paint the football pitch and netball pitch free! As soon as I mentioned this to

our PTA, they offered to pay for the extra markings, so we should have a very exciting play-

ground ready for us! Thank you PTA!

Straight after the Easter Holidays!

If YOU hadn’t helped the PTA raise so much money, we would have missed this excellent opportu-

nity. Thank you for all your hard work which enables the school to maximise the learning of our

children .

Please remember that children must be supervised by parents if they

choose to play on the climbing frames before OR AFTER school. Grove

Park Primary School takes no responsibility for accidents before 8.55 am

OR AFTER 3.15 pm

Parents’ forum Next Parents’ Forum is Tuesday, 30th March. Just come along at 9.00 in the dining hall, if you

would like a cup of coffee and a chat.

Next dates for Parent’s Forum are Thursday, 6th May: Thursday, 10th June and Thursday, 8th

July. I hope you can put these in your diary and I look forward to meeting you there.

End of term Don’t forget school ends on Thursday, 1st April at 2.15pm.

Have a wonderful holiday!

We shall see you all again on Monday, 19th April at 8.55 am.

Choir—come on, sing up! Don’t forget, we are selecting our choir soon! These children will repre-

sent our school in a variety of events, including the prestigious Summer

Music Festival in Hammersmith Town Hall and Grove Stock. This excit-

ing opportunity is for our gifted and talented musicians. The children

will be auditioned in order to take part and regular attendance will be

required to remain part of this privileged group. Good luck to those who audition!

KIDS EAT FREE The Rose and Crown on Kew Green are running an Easter eating out offer. Children who

bring their Easter bunny with them on either 4th or 5th April get a free meal when accom-

panied by an adult ordering a main meal (max 2 free kids meals per adult main course or-

dered). If you don’t already have an Easter bunny, you can buy them from the Rose and

Crown for just £2.49, with 50p from each sale going to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Attendance Have we been able to show a sustained improvement in poor atten-

dance? Thank you to everyone who is making sure their children

arrive punctually for school EVERY morning. Our teachers note

that children who arrive in good time to play with their friends a

little before school and then line up with their classmates, also

settle more quickly to their learning and concentrate better first

thing in the morning too. If you would like to give your

child this advantage in their education, please make sure

you bring them to school on time—Be On Time—5 to 9

Congratulations Year 4!

Easter Celebration in song Following the success of our wonderful Singing Assembly, here is another chance to hear our

children sing and to join in—if you dare! On Wednesday, 31st March at 9.00, come and join us

to celebrate Spring (at last!) and to hear the Easter story. We look forward to you attending.

W/E 19/03/10

Nursery - 90%

Reception - 98%

Year 1 - 98.7%

Year 2 - 98.3%

Year 3 - 97.7%

Year 4 - 99.3%

Year 5 - 90.8%

Year 6 - 94%

Road Safety Posters Congratulations to our winners of the road safety competition. Molly (Y4) and Jade (Y6) both

designed such excellent posters, which have been turned into magnificent displays for outside

our school. I hope you all look out for them! I am sure all the local drivers will read your mes-

sage and take heed about where they park and how safely they drive near our school.

WANTED: WELLINGTON BOOTS!

We are starting to dig and weed our allotment area. If you have any

outgrown / old wellington boots (any size), please bring them to the

Year 4 classroom. Thank you!

Whilst we are talking about time… We have noticed that many of our children—right the way through the school are

struggling with telling the time. If you are considering a Spring present for your

child please buy a cheap, simple analogue watch! Choose one with all the numbers

on a clear white face, with simple hands—preferably one (the minute hand) long

and the other noticeably shorter (the hour hand). Many children use digital

watches, but these do not help them at school. We are

happy for children to wear these at school—especially if you

use nail varnish to name the back. THEN could you please keep asking

them what the time is? Discuss how long it will be to wait for their fa-

vourite TV programme, how long will dinner take, and what time your

partner will come home. Thank you for this help!

Cyber-bullying Bullying is not just something that happens in the real world. Mobile

phones, email, social network sites like Facebook and Bebo are often used

by children to tease, threaten or embarrass someone else. This is just as

harmful as bullying in the real world. Over the holidays, Grove Park School

hopes all the parents and carers keep a close eye to monitor the internet

activity of their child. Children will often tell you that ‘it was only a joke’ to

write bad things about someone or make a rude comment about someone’s

photo on the ‘net. Sadly, in the comfort of your own home, many children, who would never

dream of saying such things out loud, add to others pain by their own on-line comment.

Try to get your child to put themselves in the other person’s shoes. Empathy is a core value

at Grove Park. If your child is being cyber-bullied, please tell someone: your child’s teacher,

the headteacher or talk about it between families. But please remember that any child can

get involved with this and when adults get angry with each other, you cannot solve the situa-

tion.

Some websites that might help you are: www.digizen.org.uk/cyberbullying

www.kidscape.org.uk/childrenteens/cyberbullying.shtml or

www.childline.org.uk/Explore/OnlineSafety/Pages/CyberBullying.aspx

Lost property Once again we have a huge amount of un-named lost property. This will be

available in the dining hall on Thursday, 1st April. So, after you have been

to the cake sale, pop into our dining hall to claim anything that might be

yours. The lost property will be available from 2.15—2.45 only. After this we will recycle most

of it and wash some for second hand uniform and please ensure all uniform is labelled.

Clubs All clubs end on Wednesday, 31st March EXCEPT infant football which

will be at 2.15 next week on Thursday. There will be a new booklet out on

Monday, 19th April. Please sign up quickly; as you know it is first come first served.

Clubs will begin on the week beginning 26th April next term.

Lunchboxes Don’t forget we have a great workshop on Friday, 23rd

April on packing a healthy lunch box. We have noticed a

lot of chocolate biscuits and packets of crisps!

PLEASE remember whatever you pack:

GROVE PARK IS A NUT FREE SCHOOL

as we have several children with severe allergic reactions to nuts. Thank you.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING IN YOUR MILK AND MEALS ORDER

FORMS FOR NEXT TERM.

DUKES MEADOWS CHILDREN’S CENTRE

WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO

PARENTS/CARERS

ZUMBA FITNESS CLASSES

ZUMBA

• MERENGUE

• SALSA

• CUMBIA

• REGGAETON

• BELLY DANCE

• FLAMENCO

• TANGO

Zumba is a programme that fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow

moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. The

routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and

resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning

fat. Dukes Meadows Children’s Centre will be running a Zumba Fitness 4 week

course starting on Monday 19th April 1:45-2:45. The session will be held in

Dukes Meadows Community Centre in Riverside Drive, and a crèche will be

provided (limited places). The cost of the 4 week course is £12.00. If you are

interested in attending or have anymore queries, please feel free to

contact us on 0208 995 6175.

IT’S A FUN AND FANTASTIC WAY TO GET INTO SHAPE!

~ inspiring each other ~

Excellent spoken and written English is a key to success – both in educa-

tion and in the workplace.

Would you like to improve your English?Would you like to improve your English?Would you like to improve your English?Would you like to improve your English?

Would you like to be able to support your child’s English homework with

better personal skills?

We hope to run classes for ‘English as an Additional Language’ ‘English as an Additional Language’ ‘English as an Additional Language’ ‘English as an Additional Language’ at Grove

Park Primary School. These classes would help develop all 4 skills of the

English language: speaking, listening, reading and writing and provide the

skills and confidence to use English in all aspects of life.

But we need to have enough parents guaranteed to attend these classes

before we can organise for them to take place. Details of the days and

times of the classes would then be sent home.

By sending this slip back to school you are showing us you are interested

in attending, we can then send you further details before you commit.

Please return the slip as soon as possible to the office.

English as an Additional Language Course Name:……………………………………………..…..……… Child’s Name:……………..……………………………

I would / would not* like to attend the English as a Second Language course. * please delete as necessary.

Signed:………………..…………………………………………..…………… Date:……………………..………

Headteacher: Mrs Marion Lee

Nightingale Close, Grove Park Terrace, Chiswick, London W4 3JN

Telephone: 020 8994 7405 Fax: 020 8742 7758

Grove Park Primary School

26th March 2010 PTA Newsletter First up ... fund raising news!

We wanted to let you all know that so far this school year, we have raised over

£11,000! This is a great amount to have raised, and it’s all thanks to everyone’s hard work

with cake sales, the Christmas Fair, the Quiz nights, and the October football tourna-

ment. Our target is to reach £16,000 by the end of the school year, so we are on track and

with your support, we can do it!

The money we raise is used to enhance our children’s learning – school trips, playground

equipment, IT, books, outdoor learning ... and of course the fun stuff, such as the Valentine’s

Disco and Easter egg treats at the end of next week!! We will continue to keep you updated

on big items that we are aiming to purchase with PTA funds. If you have any strong ideas or

feelings about where the money gets spent, please email me at clare@whitelabeluk.com

Event News:

Easter Cake Sale – Thursday, 1st April To celebrate the end of term and the start of the Easter holidays, we are having an Easter

Cake sale bonanza! We would like anyone and everyone who can bake cakes to bring them

in on the morning or afternoon for us to sell after school at 2.15pm. Go as ‘Easter-mad’ as

you like ... there will be a bottle of wine for the best cake/cakes baked! It will take place

near to the play train so as to avoid interfering with the after school football club.

Football Tournament – Sunday May 16th The spring Grove Park Football Tournament is coming up fast. You should find some infor-

mation in your book bags about signing up your teams. It’s a great fun day out for the fam-

ily and all football fanatics, with teams of all ages and abilities competing against each

other....and of course, a fine selection of homemade cakes, a BBQ, tea and coffee. This year,

the tournament falls at the end of SATS week, so what better way for the children to let their

hair down and play their hearts out!

For further information email groveparktournament@hotmail.com or go and see Gillian in the

school office for a sign up form and details of the day.

If anyone is free on the day to help with serving food or setting up, or clearing away, please

come and see us (Clare/Michelle/Carmel/Zina) outside Year 2. We will also be looking for

homemade cakes to sell, which is always a winner for raising cash for the school. We appre-

ciate any help you can give....even just pitch up on the day, we will be sure to find you a job!

Cake Sales – Summer Term 2010

Year 4 and Nursery - Friday, April 23rd

Year 3 and Reception – Friday, May 7th

Year 2 and Year 6 – Friday, May 21st

Year 1 and Year 5 – Friday, June 11th

Year 4 and Nursery – Friday, 25th June

Year 3 and Reception – Friday, 9th July

Summer Fair – Saturday, June 26th We know it may seem a long way off, but we want to get the ball rolling on this year’s Sum-

mer Fair to ensure we make it the best ever! Here’s what we need from you:

Can anyone offer anything for an auction of promises? It could be babysitting time, or 2

hours gardening, or a dinner party for 6, cooked & cleared up. We made nearly £2,000 from

the silent auction at Christmas, it would be great to beat that!

We will also be holding a raffle – does anyone have any good raffle prizes to offer? Does any-

one want to donate a prize?

We hope to hold a talent contest at the fair, with a selection of the school’s best entrants and

a judging panel. So get your children thinking about their talents and performances! More on

this soon.

We will have all the usual book, toy, second hand uniform, food, drink, and games stalls as

well as a small fun fair (tbc).....And for the first time this year, we hope to give a truly

international feel to the Summer Fair. Monira, a Year 2 mum, will be asking all par-

ents from different parts of the world to help set up stalls selling local speciali-

ties. It would be great for the children to see how many wonderful and diverse cul-

tures we have at our school, and for them to sample different foods and cultural

items. Are you interested to get involved in this aspect of the fair? If so, please

see/email myself (Clare@whitelabeluk.com) or Monira (mon321@hotmail.co.uk)

And finally....want to join us? As ever, we are always looking for new members to join the PTA and help with as much or as

little as your time allows. Please come and grab us outside the Year 2 classroom for a chat in

the morning (Carmel, Michelle, Clare, Jane, Juliet, Zina). We meet once a month at some-

one’s house, to come up with ideas and action to raise funds. Simple as that....and it’s fun

and rewarding!

MON 5TH APRIL TUES 6TH APRIL WED 7TH APRIL THURS 8TH

APRIL

FRI 9TH APRIL

EASTER

MON-

DAY

CLOSED

Parent /Carer

Toddler Session

9:30-11:30

Teeny Ballers for

boys & girls ages

18mths-3yrs,

2:00-2:45

Please book for this

activity

Tiny Ballers for

boys & girls ages

3yrs-5yrs, 3:00-

3:45

Please book for this

activity

Teeny Steppers

for boys & girls

ages 18mths-3yrs

10:00-10:45

Please book for this

activity

Tiny Steppers for

boys & girls ages

3yrs-5yrs

11:00-11:45

Please book for this

activity

Easter Arts &

Crafts Session/Egg

Hunt 2:00-3:00

Please book for this

activity

Parent/Carer

Toddler Session

9:30-11:30

Postnatal Advice with Mid-

wife 10:30-12:00

Teeny Ballers for boys &

girls ages 18mths-3yrs,

2:00-2:45

Please book for this activity

Tiny Ballers for boys &

girls ages 3yrs-5yrs,

3:00-3:45

Please book for this activity

MON 12TH

APRIL

TUES 13TH

APRIL

WED 14TH

APRIL

THURS 15TH

APRIL

FRI 16TH APRIL

Parent /Carer

Toddler Session

9:30-11:30

Fun with Play

Dough

1:30-2:30

Please book for this

activity

Parent/Carer Tod-

dler Session 9:30-

11:30

Teeny Ballers for

boys & girls ages

18mths-3yrs,

2:00-2:45

Please book for this

activity

Tiny Ballers for

boys & girls ages

3yrs-5yrs, 3:00-

3:45

Please book for this

activity

Arts & Crafts

9:30-11:30

Teeny Steppers

for boys & girls

ages 18mths-3yrs

2:00-2:45

Please book for this

activity

Tiny Steppers for

boys & girls ages

3yrs-5yrs,

3:00-3:45

Please book for this

activity

Parent/Carer

Toddler Session

9:30-11:30

Cadenza Music &

Movement ages

18mths-4yrs

1:30-2:10

Postnatal Advice with Mid-

wife 10:30-12:00

Cadenza Music & Movement

ages 0-18mths

9:45-10:15