Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Headteacher: Mr Paul Lavis Deputy Headteacher: Mrs Sam Harris
24th November 2010 Volume 4, Issue 4 Contents:
F.O.S. Christmas Tree Festival
2
‗Festival of Angels‘
2
Christingle Service
2
KS1 Nativity Plays
2
Lantern Parade
2
Christmas Parties
2
Christmas Lunch
2
On-Line Reporting
3
Questionnaire
3
Weather & Websites
3
Dads‘ Events Diary
3
Safeguarding Webpage
3
NDDC Housing Servs
3
Family Info Service
3
Diary Dates
4
Upcoming Event s
Wed 1st :Christmas Tree Festival Mon 13th : KS1 Nativity Tues 14th KS2 Nativity Wed 15th Christmas Lunch (last date to order 7th December) Thursday 16th Christmas Parties Fri 17th Celebration Assembly 1.30pm Fri 17th School finishes 3.15pm Tues 4th Jan : Staff training Day Wed 5th Jan : Children return to school
Dear Parents Dear Parents, As an old friend of mine Bob Dylan once wrote ―The times they are a changing‘‖... You can‘t fail to notice that education is in the news once again. You can‘t fail to notice that a new Minister for Education appears to have the silver bullet for education and that an overhaul is required. Hmm...
already make comments and suggestions to school by visiting the Contact Us page. You will also find some information on our school governors by visiting the Governors page. There is a new facility for you to be able to contact the governors directly should you want to. All feedback gratefully received—it‘s part of what helps us develop the community.
Here at Blandford St Mary Primary School we believe in ―Being the best that we can be‖ that all of our children should be educated in an emotionally warm and safe atmosphere where they are valued and loved. We believe that they should be encouraged to live up to their responsibilities and become good, responsible citizens in their local and wider communities. They should also be aware of their rights and learn about entitlements too. As you will know, we involve our children in the planning of our curriculum and we make sure they are enjoying what they are learning—because we believe anybody will learn more effectively if they are engaged and enthused with their education.
As far as I am concerned, we are a learning community here. We are all part of the team that will help your child develop into a successful young person ready to move on when they are at the end of their time here. We all have a role to play. I can‘t think of anything that Mr Gove or the government is going to say that will change our approach or philosophy when it comes to educating the Blandford St Mary Primary School way.
We do all of this in partnership with you. You are your children‘s first educators, you are the ones who make decisions about your children‘s future. We want to work in partnership with you—we always have done and always will do. If you visit the school‘s website over the next week you will see some new additions—certainly you can
―It might be tough for a while, but
Bob Dylan also wrote the song ―Let‘s Stick Together‖ and in it is a line that sums up our school‘s approach to the impending governmental changes that may be coming our way. He says:
consider the child.” We always have and we always will.
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter
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Volume 4, Issue 4
Christmas Events F.O.S. Christmas Tree Festival 1st December 5.30pm On Wednesday 1st December The Friends of Blandford St.Mary Primary School and Little Birch PreSchool will be hosting their first Christmas Tree Festival. The evening will commence at 5.30pm with the community being invited to decorate the trees. The trees will be blessed by the Rev. Treeby and carols will commence around it. There will also be hotdogs, mulled wine , mince pies and glow sticks on sale.
Christingle Service 12th
Sunday December will be our traditional ‗Christingle Service‘ at Blandford St Mary Parish Church. We would like to plan our contribution to the service, and would be very grateful if you could let us know if your child will be attending by completing the tear off slip on the back page and returning it to the office as soon as possible. Thank you. We will meet at the church at 3.45 p.m. for the 4 p.m. service. The children will be taking home a Children's Society candle collecting box to bring back for the Collection during the service. We look forward to seeing lots of children there as the service will be a very special occasion.
Lantern Parade We are also delighted to be taking part in The Lantern Parade in Blandford town on Wednesday 15th December from 5 pm where we will be joining our colleagues from the other Primary schools. More details about this event will follow, but please keep your diaries free!
‗Festival of Angels‘ There is a ‗Festival of Angels‘ weekend of celebration in aid of Joseph Weld Hospice taking place at Blandford St Mary Church on Friday 3rd December to Sunday 5th December. Some of our children are making an angel which will be on display at the church on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th December from 10am to 4 pm. We will also joining in the ‗Together @10 Service‘ at 10am on Sunday 5th December. If your child would like to join us in singing songs at the service could you please indicate on the form on the back page.
KS1 Nativity plays Our KS1 Nativity will be on Monday 13th December 2-3pm & Tuesday 14th December 9.15-10.15
Christmas Parties The children's Christmas parties will be on Thursday 16th December
Christmas Lunch Wednesday 15th December Local Food Links‘ is supplying our school with a Christmas Meal at the normal price of £2.00. Last date to order 7th December :WWW.myschoolmeals.co.uk Or order through the school office.
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 4
On-Line Reporting Please have a look at our latest parents questionnaire, where we would like your views on access to the latest information about your child‘s progress in school.
Weather & Websites As the weather is turning a little more changeable and the forecasters are talking about snow, we would just like to remind parents that in the event of bad weather and school closure information will be given to the local radio stations and will be shown on our school website.
Contact Us
We have also added a new ‗contact us‘ link on our school website. If you have any questions you would like to email.
Dads‘ Events Diary Dads Events Diary Activities for Men with kids
Shaftesbury Dads Group Saturday 10-12.00 every week Shaftesbury Children's Centre, Wincombe Lane, 01747 857400 Men with kids aged 0-8, all welcome Contact: Pete Brember by email p.brember@dorsetcc.gov.uk or tel. 07767 004405/ 01747 850288
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Questionnaire Your views and opinions are very important to us and we would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our parents questionnaire. This can be accessed on the front page of our school website.
Safeguarding School Website Page We have updated the Safeguarding page on our school website, which has advice and guidance as well as information on safeguarding policies.
NDDC Housing Services NDDC Housing Services Open Surgery Monday to Friday 9:30am to 1:00pm at NDDC, Nordon. ?Advice on housing options ? Advice on homelessness ? Housing Register ? Support to look for accommodation ? Deposit loan scheme advice ? Mortgage Rescue ? Tenancy & Rent arrears advice ? Advice on any other housing issues ? Appointments available on request Contact: NDDC Housing Services Tel: 01258
Family Information Service Family Information Service (FIS) - Helping people make informed choices about child-care, services for children, young people, families and careers in child-care. Information available on Ofsted registered childcare providers, activities to do with your child, clubs that your child can attend independently and services to support your child. Understand the different types of child-care and find out what funding may be available to help you meet the cost of childcare. For more information see the Dorset For You Website link http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=384336 Contact: The Family Information Service Tel: 01305 221066.
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Blandford St Mary Primary School Birch Avenue Blandford St Mary, Dorset DT11 9QD Phone: 01258-453331 Fax: 01258-455865
Website : www.blandfordstmary.dorset.sch.uk Friday 26th November Wednesday 1st December Friday 3rd –Sunday 5th December Sunday 5th December Tuesday 7th December Sunday 12th December Monday 13th December Tuesday 14th December Wednesday 15th December Thursday 16th December Friday 17th December Friday 17th December Tuesday 4th January
Diary Dates: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Last day for Back pack appeal Christmas Tree Festival 5.30 pm Festival of Angels at Blandford St. Mary Church Together @10 Service at Blandford St Mary Church Last date to order Christmas Lunch Christingle Service at Blandford St Mary Church 4pm
KS1 Nativity 2-3pm KS1 Nativity 9.15-10.15am Christmas Lunch Christmas Parties End of term Celebration Assembly 2pm School breaks for Christmas 3.15pm Staff Training Day
Together @ 10 Service ~ Sunday 5th December Child's / Children‘s Name…………………………………………………. Class………………………... o I / We will be attending the Together @10 Service at Blandford St Mary Church on Sunday 5th December at 10 am. Signed …………………………………………………….Parent/Guardian
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... Christingle Service Child's / Children‘s Name…………………………………………………. Class………………………... o
I / We will be attending the Christingle Service at Blandford St Mary Church on Sunday 12th December at 4 p.m.
Signed …………………………………………………….Parent/Guardian
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
HAND IN THIS SLIP TO HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING A PRIZE! NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER Child‘s Name……………………………………………………….
Base Name………………………………….. Year Group………………..