Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Headteacher: Mr Paul Lavis Deputy Headteacher : Mrs Sam Harris
February 2013 Volume 5, Issue 5
Contents: Hot School Meals
2
Puppets
2
School Nurse
2
After school clubs
2
Lunch boxes
2
Messy Church
3
Uniform
3
Free School Meals
4
Diary dates
4
Celebration Assembly Dates 8th Feb ~ Year 1
Dear Parents A belated Happy New Year to you all! Just a few notices and comments this month…
Chinese Whispers I’m sure we all remember the game. One person whispers a message to anThe Beginning & End of the School Day other. That person does the same and I would just like to remind you of our exso on until the person at the end of the pectations at these times. line receives what they believe to be the original message. Of course—it’s norAll KS2 children are expected to enter the mally nonsense at the end and the school at the rear of the school building— source of much mirth! However, there independently. Please leave your children at does seem to be several instances of the door unless you need to speak to the this happening following happenings at class teacher. school. A child may stub a toe, their friend tells a parent that they kicked a KS1 children are to be brought to the door wall, it then turns into an angry kick, of their classrooms. They are expected to which in turn turns into a kick aimed at enter the classroom independently. someone else and then suddenly all the children were kicking each other and No children are to enter the school it’s all out of control… through the main entrance unless they are visiting the school office or if they are late. I can assure you that when I am on the receiving end of enquiries made due to Please support us in this. We are finding Chinese Whispers there isn’t much more and more children coming in mirth felt! So—please be aware that the through the front of the school and more children don’t always see both sides of families moving through the school at the an argument, or the whole of an incibeginning on the day particularly. Children dent, or hear the whole of a conversain KS2 do not need to be escorted to the tion. Yet, they will have an opinion on classroom. most things. Whilst we do take your concerns seriously, please be careful in Dogs sharing information that has come to Please do not bring dogs (or any other you in this way as it won’t always be pets) onto the school premises. This inquite as it seems and can take up an cludes the car-park and entrances. Can I awful lot of our time when trying to also suggest that dogs should not be left deal with worries about a ‘playground unattended around the school commuriot’ that was just a ‘stubbed toe’! nity—particularly when young, excitable children are moving in and out of school. Thanks for reading. We’ll speak again We have liaised with the local police who soon. will support us in dealing with families who do not respect our wishes and guidance.
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter
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Volume 5, Issue 5
Notice Board Hot School Meals
Local Food Links make delicious school meals, delivered fresh from our Dorset kitchens every day. They're better value and more filling than lunchboxes, and more convenient for busy parents too. A healthy, tasty lunch means better concentration in the afternoon... and best of all, children LOVE them! Even fussy eaters. Find out more and order online at www.localfoodlinks.org.uk
Puppets If you have any old puppets at home which are surplus to requirements and in need of a good home, Mrs Cooper would be very grateful if you would please donate them to the school for her to use with some of the children she works with.
After School Clubs After school clubs have now started. All of the clubs finish at 4.15 pm, with the exception of Cooking club which finishes at 5pm. On occasion, we may have cause to cancel a club, we try to give as much notice as possible. It is always as a last resort, that a club would be cancelled.
School Nurse Drop-In
The next School Nurse drop in is on Wednesday 6th February at 8.50am. Please let the office or one of the class teachers know if you would like to make an appointment to see Sarah. You can also just pop in on the day.
Lunchboxes Please can we remind all parents that you should not be putting any sweets or chocolate bars in your Child’s lunchbox as we are a healthy eating school. We must also insist that there is nothing containing nuts of any description, including sandwiches containing peanut butter, as we have some children in school who have a very severe nut allergy. Thank you for your help with this.
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Volume 5, Issue 5
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WHERE? Blandford St Mary Primary School WHEN? Wednesday 20th March Time? 3.15pm to 5.30pm Cost? We suggest a donation of £1 per child Messy Church is: A place for families; where parents, grandparents, carers come along to with their children. It’s a place where we can talk about things that matter to us. It’s a place where we can grow together as a family. Messy Church will take us on a journey of discovery: through the activities we’ll learn more about God, each other and ourselves. Each Messy Church will include a story from the Bible, craft, games, music and we’ll also have a chance to sit down with each other for tea. During the session there will be time when we are all together with opportunities for adults to spend time as ‘adults’.
Uniform Can you please make sure that every piece of your Child’s uniform has a name in it. We have a large number of items in our lost property which can’t be reunited with their owners as they are nameless...your help with this would be greatly appreciated. There will be display of lost property in the school hall at 3.15pm on Wednesday 6th February. Please come and look if you are missing anything. All items which are not homed will be put into our second hand uniform.
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
Free School Meals Are you entitled and registered for Free School Meals? Pupils are entitled to receive Free School Meals if their parents are in receipt of any of the following benefits: Income Support Income-based Job Seekers’ Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Park VI of the immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit, provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC This is a fantastic opportunity for your child to enjoy delicious hot school lunches, for you to save money and time in preparing packed lunches and gaining additional financial payments for the school.
School Diary Dates: Monday 4th - Friday 8th February ~ Enterprise week Friday 15th February ~ School closed (staff training) Monday 18th - Friday 22nd February ~ Half term Friday 1st March ~ FOS School Disco Monday 4th March ~ Parents Evening Wednesday 6th March ~ Parents Evening Thursday 7th March ~ World Book Day Monday 11th March ~ School Photographer ( Class Photo’s) Wednesday 20th March ~ Messy Church Wednesday 27th March ~ Non school uniform Friday 29th March - Friday 12th April ~ Easter Holidays