I welcome you all to the new Autumn Term, and to what is always a very busy term for our school community. 

Very soon we will have our Harvest celebrations, and very quickly after this our Christmas Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 productions. We also have a Science week this term for the children to look forward to. We hope that parents will have the opportunity to come in and join us on these occasions.

My apologies for the inconvenience caused by the continuation of the construction work at the front of the school. We anticipate that this will continue for a further 2 to 3 weeks.

Staffing and class organisation

Children are settling well in their new classes.  These are the classes for this year:

Foundation-Oak class- Mrs Farrant

Year 1- Hornbeam class- Miss Preston

Year 2- Beech class- Miss Burrell

Year 3- Ash class- Mr Dixon.

Year 4- Rowan class- Mrs Peacock.

Year 5- Maple class- Mr Morris.

Year 6- Willow class- Mrs Lecorgne.

Parent handbook

I would like to bring to your attention some of the information from within our Parent handbook.

Family holidays – In your child’s interest we hope that you will book family holidays outside term time.

If circumstances prevent you from doing this please put a request for the required amount of time in writing and send it to the school. Too much holiday time taken during term time would result in ‘unauthorised absence’.

Jewellery – Children are involved in a great deal of physical activity throughout the day other than in PE lessons. The regulations that apply to PE lessons are equally applicable at playtimes.

No jewellery is allowed because of the dangers of accidents occurring. Small sleeper earrings or studs are allowed for pierced ears but must be removed when swimming.

Snacks – Children are encouraged to have a bottle of water to keep in their classroom, or use classroom water fountains.

All children are allowed to bring a snack and drink for their morning break. Only healthy snacks are allowed. No crisps, biscuits or chocolate bars are allowed.

Medicines/ Medical treatment – The school medical officer’s advice is that pills and medicines are not sent to school. However, should your child require medicine, please discuss it with either the Headteacher or class teacher. A form is available to request that medicine be administered at school.

Illness/Accident – Should a child be taken ill or have an accident at school which requires medical attention, the child’s parents will be contacted immediately. It is very important that parents provide the school with up-to-date information regarding contact telephone numbers during the school day, but should the school not be able to contact parents we would take the child for treatment and act ‘in loco parentis’.

Harvest

We will be celebrating Harvest, with the Reverend Linda Smith, on Wednesday 3^rd October at 9.15am in the school hall. The whole school will contribute to the assembly to which parents are very welcome to attend. We would like to request that children bring in food items on that morning. Food items should go directly to the hall before 8:50am, and not to the classrooms as in previous years. These items will be boxed up and distributed to the elderly residents of Woodcote. If you are available to help children to distribute food items after the assembly, please let Mrs. Bishop know at the office. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Also if you know of an elderly resident who would appreciate a gift of food, again, please let Mrs. Bishop know the name and address.

Clubs

We have a range of clubs on offer for children this term:

Monday lunch – Art club- years 3, 4, 5 and 6- Mrs Farrant.

Tuesday mornings – Choir – Years 3,4,5 and 6- Mrs Lecorgne and Mr Morris.

Tuesday lunch – Recorders – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6- Mrs Wise. (currently full but children should see Mrs Wise if they are interested)

Tuesday 3.15-4.00pm – Football- Year 3 and 4- Mr Dixon.

Thursday lunch- Football – Year 5 and 6- Mr. Field.

Thursday lunch- French – all year groups- La Jolie Ronde.

Monday – Thursday lunchtimes – Wool craft/knitting- Years FS- 6 – Mrs Bodeker.

We will take part in a range of sporting competitions and festivals throughout the year, including football. tag rugby, athletics, swimming, cricket and tennis.

Coaches will be organised to come into school to work with pupils covering a range of sports.

We also make time available for individual music tuition from outside tutors to include guitar, piano and woodwind and brass.

If any parents would like to run a school club please see me for a chat.

Parent evenings

Parent evenings have been arranged for the week beginning Monday 15^th October. Parents will be able to book appointments on schedules to be put up in the school hall the week beginning 8^th October.

Christmas Productions

Oak, Hornbeam and Beech will perform their Christmas play to parents on Tuesday 11^thDecember at 2.00pm in the school hall. We ask that parents do not bring younger children to this performance. Instead parents can bring younger children to the performance on Monday 10^th at 2.00pm, when the play will be performed to the whole school.

Ash, Rowan, Maple and Willow classes will perform their production of ‘The Snow Queen’ on the evening of  Wednesday 19^th December.

Team Points

For parents new to the school, we have attached a summary of the Team point system. One change this year will be the use of bronze and silver pin on badges, rather than sew on badges. We will still use the gold sew on badges this year as we still have many of these in the office. Children who have sew on badges on their sweatshirts and cardigans from last year, can continue to wear these. Children have been informed in assembly of this reward system.

Swimming

Swimming this term will be for Year 1 at the Oratory Prep school, starting on Friday 14^thSeptember, and for Years 3 and 4 at the Oratory main school pool, starting on Thursday 13^thSeptember.

Website

Our website is updated on a weekly basis and provides information, not only for prospective parents, but also for current parents. Teachers are increasingly using the website to provide information for parents on class activities, trips, the curriculum and so on. We would like to encourage parents to visit the site as much as possible, as it is proving to be an effective way of improving communication between the school and parents.

A copy of this newsletter, plus our weekly newsletters, as well as information about the FOWPS committee, appear on the website.

The address for the site is: www.woodcote-primary.co.uk

Golden Rules

We have in place a set of ‘Golden Rules’ which we will expect all children and adults to adhere to. These rules have been discussed in assembly and will be reinforced in the classroom. Please read and discuss these with your child.

1. We listen to and look at the person talking to us.
2. We walk quietly and calmly into assembly, the dining hall and around school.
3. We take pride in our work.
4. We follow requests and instructions, calmly and promptly.
5. We take responsibility for our actions and belongings.
6. We speak politely to everyone, and show good manners.

We very much appreciate parents’ support when encouraging good behaviour in and around the school, and recognise the importance of parents and the school working in partnership.

Please contact me at school for an informal chat if ever you have any concerns, as issues can often be resolved quickly.

DATES           17^th Sept.      From 8.30am, Individual Photographs in the hall.

            13^th  Sept.   Swimming starts for Year 3 and 4.

14^th  Sept.   Swimming starts for Year 1.

2^nd  Oct.      Year 4 trip

            3^rd  Oct.      Harvest Festival for parents – 9.15am.

5^th Oct.       INSET day

11^th Oct..   Year 1 trip.

w/b 15^th Oct. Parents’ Evenings.

w/b 22^nd  Oct.   Science week-  ‘Is there anybody out there?’

Monday 22^nd Oct.  Science workshop/theatre group for Yrs 1-6.

Wednesday 24^th Oct.  KS2 Science trip to Winchester. (KS1 trip to be arranged)

w/b 29^th Oct.    Half Term

1^st Dec.     Christmas Fair.

10^th Dec.          KS1 Production dress rehearsal.

11^th Dec.          KS1 Production for parents.

19^th Dec.    KS 2 Production for parents. (with a possibility of a second evening 18^thDec)

            21^st  Dec.         End of Term.

Yours sincerely, 

Chris Field, Headteacher.