Term 2, No 3 Friday, 11th December 2015

The Parkland

Press!

Parkland Infant and Junior Schools’ Newsletter

Also available online at:

Junior School: www.parklandjunior.co.uk

Infant School : www.parkland-inf.e-sussex.sch.uk

Dear Parents/Carers Please take a look at our last newsletter for 2015. We hope you will enjoy all the activities taking place in the final week and wish you all a very enjoyable Christmas and a Happy New Year.

THE YEAR 5 PERFORMANCE, THURSDAY 17TH DECEMBER @ 9:30-10:30

This year our extremely talented Year 5 children will be performing ‘What Christmas Means to Me’. It will be a selection of Christmas songs and poems. (The children have written the poems themselves!) We look forward to seeing as many friends and family of Year 5 children on the 17th as we can – please feel free to dress up in festive fashion and join in!

Refreshments will be available before each performance.

THE YEAR 2 PERFORMANCE, MONDAY 14TH DECEMBER @ 9:30-10:30

This year, the wonderful Year 2 children will be performing ‘A Christmas Recipe’. We look forward to seeing as many friends and family of Year 2 children on the 14th as we can squeeze into the hall!

RECEPTION PERFORMANCE, TUESDAY 15TH DECEMBER @ 9:30-10:30 This year our super new Year R children will be performing ‘The Wrigley Nativity’. Do come along and support their very first school production. There will also be an additional performance at 1.45pm where the Heart FM Breakfast show presenters will be taking over.

THE YEAR 1 PERFORMANCE, WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER @ 9:30-10:30

This year our extremely talented Year 1 children will be performing ‘Not Such a Silent Night’. We look forward to seeing as many friends and family of Year 1 children on the 16th as we can squeeze into the hall!

This year, we have hired a company to video all the Christmas performances. DVDs will be available to order following the assemblies. Other schools that have used this company have been very impressed with the quality of the DVDs. Thank you to the Parent Council for sourcing this provision!

OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS:

CHRISTMAS DINNER, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16TH FROM 12:00-14:00

The children can enjoy a traditional Christmas Dinner with all the usual trimmings whilst being served by the Parkland Junior and Infant Christmas Elves. Festive wear may be worn to school by all, at no charge. Please remember your packed lunch if you have not booked a Christmas dinner.

Santa’s Grotto We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at Santa’s Grotto on Thursday 17th December.

EXECUTIVE HEADTEACHER

As you have been aware, Mrs Midwinter has been off unwell since September and as a result has only been working a couple of days a week over the last month. You should have received a letter yesterday, from Mrs Midwinter, explaining that she will be leaving our schools on Monday 14th December. We would like to wish her all the very best in her new venture. We are currently securing a new Executive Head teacher to work across the Federation, 2 or 3 days per week from January 2016. As soon as we have any information, we will pass this on to you.

INFANT OFSTED

We would just like to take this opportunity to thank parents, children and staff for their support and hard work during the Infant Ofsted Inspection. The atmosphere across both schools was a credit to our community. Thank you! The final report will be published early in the New Year.

Christmas Disco/Film

On Friday 18th December, the junior school is giving the children a Christmas disco to thank them for all their hard work this term. This will be from 1.30pm until 3pm and children can wear mufti on this day, free of charge. There will be a disco for Years 3 and 4 and a separate disco for Years 5 and 6. The infant school will be watching a Christmas film and mufti can be worn free of charge. Please collect your children at the usual time.

CHRISTMAS TREE MESSAGES

This year our Christmas tree is decorated with messages the children have made. They have all written a wish for every child in the world and they really are very touching to read. These messages support recent work on The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. A few examples are:

“I hope every child is healthy and has enough money for food.” “Please make sure they all have toys to play with and a family to love them.”

“I wish for peace everywhere so no child is afraid.”

We are very aware that, along with excitement, Christmas can bring with it a feeling of loss or sadness. Children may have lost a relative or pet; a close friend or family member may have moved far away.

If your child or family would like to make a decoration with a personal message, you are very welcome to bring it in and

your child can choose where to put it on the tree. If you wish to come in with your child to place it on the tree together, do

feel free to pop along to the office at the end of the school day so that we can sign you in.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR JUNIOR SCHOOL STAR ATTENDERS:

Week Commencing: 23.11.15

98.1% - Rosen Class

Week Commencing: 30.11.15

99.3% - King-Smith

Well done everyone

OUR WONDERFUL FOPS

We would like to thank our FOPs for all their hard work in organising a range of activities for our school community to enjoy again this term. They would also like to thank those of you that have offered support in a number of ways, including attending meetings and offering ideas, helping out during events, supporting with preparation and clearing up after events – it all helps both the FOPs team and The Parkland Federation raise money to provide resources for our children! It is impossible to please everyone, all of the time and both the schools and FOPs team are aware of the disappointment regarding the Christmas Fair this year. The decision was made not

to have a Christmas Fair following a large number of concerns from parents last year about the number of mufti days. Mufti days and support are needed to organise such a huge event. Facebook pages and Parkland Chat have been closed down at the moment because we would appreciate you directly informing either Head teacher if you have any constructive feedback or comments that you feel would help the school and the FOPs make the best decisions for The Parkland Federation. Please can you put these in writing and post them in one of the FOPs boxes in either of the schools. This will ensure that your views are taken on board and that any decisions made, are for the benefit of our children and are made for the right reasons. In the new year, the Parent Council and FOPS will be launching an official information Facebook page. Information regarding this will go on the next newsletter. We appreciate your support with this.

INFANT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Every week we award the class with the highest attendance a special certificate and the privilege of having Mr Fox in their classroom. This fortnight the top attendee has been Donaldson class with 99%. Well done indeed!

PEGI RATINGS

Following discussions with parents on the Parent Council, it was agreed that the following information should be shared with all parents. It is also on the websites of both schools. However, for your reference, please ensure that you use the following information to ensure your children are using the internet safely:

PEGI Ratings

Much like films, computer games are rated in accordance with their suitability for particular age groups. These are known as 'PEGI' ratings. The PEGI website states: The rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age. Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and a PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty. Examples of the ratings given to games include: Fifa 16 (3 years and above), Lego Batman 3 (7 yrs and above) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (18 years and above). For more information, visit our homepage which explains the PEGI ratings in more detail.

LOST PROPERTY

The lost property bins will be in the Junior playground each morning next week for parents to re-claim. Anything left over on Friday 18th December will be taken to charity shops. For the Infants, the lost property bins will be located outside the front entrance. Please take a look and recover any missing items.

LIBRARY LOAN BOOKS

We need your help! If you have any books at home or find any in school with a library van logo on the spine, please hand them in to the office immediately. We have many books outstanding and we don’t want to start the New Year with a huge fine! Thank you for your support with this!

CHILDREN’S ACHIEVEMENTS Faith in Year 6 is currently performing in a Christmas show – we wish her the very best of luck. Ted and Lewis are continuing their rehearsals for Peter Pan and have written the following for you to read: ‘In our rehearsals, we have to learn lots of new songs, learn dance steps and also learn our own lines that we have to say. So far, we have had rehearsals with Wendy and Peter Pan. We are looking forward to meeting Tucker, who plays ‘Smee’ and also to see how evil Captain Hook actually is!’ Ted and Lewis

GOLDEN RULE FOCUS FOR TERM 3

The next Golden Rule that we are really going to focus on during Term 3 is ‘We are kind and

helpful – we don’t hurt people’s feelings’. A great New Year’s resolution for all of us to really

focus on!

NEW YEAR REMINDER

REMEMBER: Tuesday 5th January is an INSET day!

Term 3 commences on Wednesday 6th January 2016

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

END OF TERM

Last day of Term 2 - Friday 18th December 2015.

ENTRY SYSTEM

Please can we ask that if you are attending the school when the gates are locked that you ensure you select the right office so that we know to expect you e.g. if you are visiting the Infant school, please buzz the Infant office. If you are visiting the Junior school, please buzz the Junior office and if you would like the Jumping Beans Nursery, please press Jumping Beans. Thank you for your co-operation.

We look forward to seeing you all on January the 6th in the correct school uniform. Please remember no trainers, leggings or boots. Please see the website if you have any queries re uniform.

PLEASE SEE OUR INFANT STARS OF THE WEEK AND GOLDEN STAR CERTIFICATE WINNERS. CONGRATULATIONS.

PLEASE SEE OUR JUNIOR STARS OF THE WEEK AND GOLDEN STAR CERTIFICATE WINNERS

AND SOME MORE JUNIOR GOLDEN STAR CERTIFICATE WINNERS

WELL DONE EVERYONE

PLEASE SEE OUR BIKEIT WINNERS

Joint School Calendar for December 2015 and January 2016

December 2015

January 2016

Other Significant Dates for 2015/16:

INSET Day: 5th January 2016

Start of Term 3: 6th January 2016

Easter Fair: 19th March 2016

Year 6 Taster Day 5th July 2016

Summer Fun Day: 21st July 2016

If you need to know school term dates further in advance then please visit the East Sussex County Council website,

www.eastsussex.gov.uk

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

14th

Year 2 Christmas performance at 9.30am

Swimming 5 Lewis 13:15 - 14:15

15th

Reception Nativity at 9.30am

Year 5 Dress Rehearsal (to the school)

Heart Breakfast Nativity

Takeover @ 1.45pm

16th

MUFTI DAY CHRISTMAS DINNER DAY

Year 1 Christmas performance at 9.30am

17th

YEAR 5 CHRISTMAS ASSEMBLY @ 9:30 - 10:30

SANTA’S GROTTO

Afternoon tea for Dojo winners

18th LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

MUFTI DAY

Infant Christmas Movie

Junior Christmas Disco @ 13:30 - 15:00

WISHING YOU A

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

21st

START OF CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

22nd

23rd

24th 25th

CHRISTMAS DAY

28th 29th

30th 31st

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

4th

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

5th

INSET DAY

6th

START OF TERM 3

7th 8th

11th

Swimming - 4 Rosen @ 13:14 - 14:15

12th

13th 14th 15th

18th

Swimming - 4 Rosen @ 13:14 - 14:15

Governors’ Policy Review Group

Meeting @ 15:15 Governors’ FGB

meeting @ 16:15

19th

20th 21st 22nd

25th

Swimming - 4 Rosen

@ 13:14 - 14:15

26th

27th

Parent Council Meeting @ 13:45 - 15:00

28th 29th