FROM THE HEAD MASTER
Scholarship Success
I am delighted to announce that Teddy Green has been awarded a Sports Scholarship to Stowe. This is a fantastic achievement and a fitting reward for Teddy’s hard work and achievements in all sports. Many congratulations indeed to Teddy.
Vocal Music Day
It was such a pleasure to watch the Vocal Music Day concert yesterday with members of our Year 5 Senior Choir joining forces with children from Spratton Primary, the Bramptons Primary and East Haddon Primary. It really was a joyous afternoon of music making.
Advent Church Services
As we approach the end of November, it is that time of year when we will be celebrating the beginning of Advent with our church services at St Andrew’s on Wednesday. Our Years 6, 7 and 8 service takes place first at 8.45am, followed by the Years 3, 4 and 5 service at 9.10am. As always, parents are very welcome to attend.
Busy Car Park
As you will know our car park is often stretched to capacity. One of the busiest times of the week is the Monday morning drop-off, with spaces in the top car park at a premium. We are looking at a suitable, long-term solution, but for a number of reasons these are not straightforward. Please could I ask that for now, and especially on a Monday morning, you effect a quick drop-off, trying to avoid having chats with other parents, and exit the car park as soon as possible to free up spaces. We have also noticed that since the pandemic fewer children and parents are coming to breakfast earlier in the week. Do remember our excellent Breakfast Club, as this helps to ease the morning rush!
School Office
Please can I make a plea to parents not to leave personal belongings in the Office for other parents to collect. Parents are very welcome to leave anything in the cupboard under the stairs but please note the school will not be responsible for keeping track of items. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Thank you
Simon Clarke
PRE-PREP
Run, Run, as Fast as You Can!
With the confident charm of the Gingerbread Man and the sly, sneaky old fox, a familiar traditional tale has been inspiring the Reception children over the last couple of weeks. Having learnt the story structure off by heart, the children’s imaginations took over and ‘The Gingerbread Man’ has led to some wonderfully creative ‘Talk for Writing’ activities taking place. There was even a dash down to Five Acres Wood, our forest school, to track down a gingerbread man on the loose! Building on all of the language rich activities, one of the children’s favourite tasks was mixing, sifting, rolling and baking their own spicy gingerbread mixture – and then eating it, of course!
Music, Drama and Dance
Children, movement and music are three words that go together beautifully. Engaging the cognitive and emotional parts of the brain, Music, Drama and Dance are such wonderful vehicles for assisting children in their learning ~ increasing children’s desire to listen more, learn more and know more!
With our Christmas nativity rehearsals now in full swing, the children are fully immersed in these three creative areas of learning. With many of the songs now whirling around inside our heads, snippets of ‘Bethlehem Boy’ and ‘No Room Here’ can often be heard on the climbing frame, in cloakrooms, classrooms and from role-play areas, as the children naturally drift into song. Even the staff are humming the tunes whilst waiting for the kettle to boil at break times!
Christmas Nativity E-Tickets
Thank you for all of your ticket requests. Mrs Hopwell and I are now allocating names to seats, with your e-tickets being emailed to you by Thursday 1st December. Any additional tickets requested will be distributed fairly and evenly, however, with a seating capacity to adhere to, it is sadly not possible to accommodate larger groups.
A huge thank you also if you have helped to bring your child’s costume together with tops and leggings from home. We cannot wait for a big trying on session next week! On Thursday, tinsel and tea towels will be perched on heads as a professional photographer joins us for the day, clicking away with her camera to capture some fabulous costume shots. The excitement is most definitely building now!
Pre-Prep Pupil Achievements
Congratulations to Florence Lindsay-Smith (2M) who gained a medal for mastering front crawl when swimming.
Very well done to Oscar Picardo-Green (2M) who gained an award for his progress on the piano.
Further congratulations go to Lexi Mercer (2M) for gaining a gymnastics award.
Fiona Sanchez
Head of Pre-Prep
MUSIC
Exam Success
Congratulations to George Guppy for passing his piano prep test.
Vocal Music Day
We had an absolutely fantastic day on Thursday when we welcomed pupils from The Bramptons Primary School, East Haddon Primary School and Spratton Primary School for our Vocal Music Day. Joined by our Year 5 Choir members, they worked on a selection of songs with a sporting theme under the direction of one of our peripatetic teachers, Mr Barry Clark. The pupils worked hard throughout the day and achieved a huge amount in a very short space of time. It was wonderful to hear them perform at the end of the day in the concert to parents. Lots of fun was had by all on what was a very enjoyable day.
Christmas Concert – Monday 12th December
We are currently very busy preparing for our end of term concert. All of our music ensembles will be performing in the concert on Monday 12th December. A Letter will be sent out via email next week to all those involved. Tea will be provided for all performers, please let the school office know if you will require a sibling tea.
HOUSE COMPETITIONS
Senior Drama
Well done to those who took part in this Tuesday morning’s Senior House Drama. The competition was judged by Mr Eyre-Maunsell, Head of English at Rugby School.
Year 6 winners – Drake
Year 7 winners – Frobisher
Year 8 winners – Grenville
Overall winner to be announced during Monday’s assembly.
SHSPA
Christmas Hamper Raffle
Tickets for the Christmas hamper raffle will be on sale this coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 8.00-8.30am, either in the main hall or by the black gates (weather dependant). £1 per ticket.
The raffle will be drawn at the Christmas Fayre.
DANCE ASSEMBLY
CAKE SALE
Year 8 will be holding a Cake Sale on Tuesday 29th November, for Prep and Pre-Prep, in aid of Down’s Syndrome Assocation.
Cake contributions from parents and children are greatly appreciated and can be brought to Room 10 in the Bickley Building on Tuesday morning.
Please do remember we are a nut-free school!
PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS
Well done to Niku and Zara who both sang in the chorus of the Northampton Opera Group’s production of La Boheme last Saturday.
Congratulations also to Blake who won a karate competition and came 2nd in a fighting competition.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING HEAD LICE
I am sorry to say that a large number of cases of head lice have been detected across most year groups within school.
Please could you take the time to check your child’s hair and treat accordingly. If your child is found to have head lice, it is important to treat your child before they return to school. Please begin treatment as soon as possible. It is most uncomfortable for your child and they do get distracted from their work and play when they are constantly scratching and complaining of an itchy scalp.
Head lice are small, six-legged wingless insects about the size of a pin-head when fully grown and grey/brown in colour. Head lice cannot jump or fly but spread by head to head contact.
Lice hang on tight to the hair, usually close to the scalp where there is warmth, food and shelter from detection. They feed by biting and sucking blood from their host and a female louse will lay eggs in sacs known as ‘nits’. Lice hatch within 7–10 days and take another 6–14 days to become fully grown and capable of reproduction. A head louse infection is annoying and uncomfortable but it is not harmful or dangerous.
A regular weekly check by wet-combing is recommended. Lice can be treated easily with various products from the chemist.
Many thanks for your co-operation.
Debs Hadfield
Matron
NATIONAL ONLINE SAFETY GUIDES
We would like to make parents aware of the National Online Safety website which provides weekly guidance for parents on the platforms and websites used by children, together with hints and tips for internet safety. These guides give parents knowledge about a number of issues including age-appropriate content, sharing location, visible personal data, scammers and trolling etc. Parents can also follow them on social media which enables their weekly ‘Wake Up Wednesday’ campaign containing these guides, to pop up on their feed.
Here is the link to the school website where you will find more details and further helpful information.
This week’s guide – ‘What’s Trending on TikTok’
