Newsletter
Thursday 4th June 2009
A Busy Term Ahead.
Welcome back to the start of the last term of our first year! We have a very busy term ahead with our Summer Fair, Friends events, Corby Town Sports and Upper Key Stage 2 performance to name but a few of the activities planned for the next six weeks. We will also be welcoming our new Reception children on their transition visits and will be preparing to say goodbye to our Year 6 children as they move onto the next phase of their education at their chosen secondary schools in September. Our first activity of the term will take place tomorrow when photographers will be in school to take class photographs. I would ask that all parents ensure that children are smartly dressed in their school uniform ready for the photographs tomorrow.
Summer Safety
As we enter into the summer months could parents please ensure that their children have appropriate sun hats and sun protection for school. Sun protection cream should be applied at home before the start of the day (names on bottles in school please). Staff will not apply cream in school but will assist children to apply it themselves where necessary. Children will also need to have their P.E. kit in school every day as they will be practising for the Summer Fair and training for the Town Sports days later in the term. You may also wish your child to wear summer uniform – black shorts with plain white polo shirts and girls may also wear white/green checked summer dresses. Open toed shoes are permitted as long as children wear socks to reduce the risk of damage to toes while playing. All children should also have their hair tied back for school. We will be checking that all children have their names in their clothes next week so please check uniform as it is impossible to distinguish between school jumpers!
Super Residential
I am very happy to share with you that our first residential visit was a great success. The Year 6 children thoroughly enjoyed their week away and were a credit to their parents and to the school. Many challenges were overcome as the children worked together to develop their confidence, independence and team working skills. I would like to express my thanks to Miss Mills and to Mr Mannion for giving of their time so generously (being responsible for other people's children 24 hours a day is a serious commitment) to enable the visit to take place and to parents for their trust and support. We are now undertaking the final arrangements for our current Year 5 residential visit in September and will be planning further residential visits for other year groups over the coming terms.
Spoons!
Following my plea for the return on our spoons in my last newsletter we have unfortunately had very few returned. This means that from Monday we will be unable to supply spoons to the children at lunchtime for their packed lunches where parents have not sent one from home. It is a great shame to have to take this step but we are unable to keep replacing items that disappear home and are not returned. If the missing spoons are returned quickly we will be able to review this decision and again provide spoons to children at lunchtime for them to use to eat their yoghurts and desserts. Thank you for your cooperation in this rather bizarre matter.
Oakley Vale 'Ground Force' Saturday
Appeal for help… on Saturday 13th June we need your help to transform the outside areas for both Reception and Year 1. We have secured additional funding to enable us to purchase the materials needed so only need willing volunteers to get the job done. We need a team of volunteers with shovels, spades, wheel barrows, powertools and general building kit to help make paths, planters and other exciting 'stuff' for the children to explore and enjoy. If any parents are able to give up some time on the 13th to help please fill in and return the reply slip attached to this letter, let Mrs MacDonald or myself know or just turn up on the day. We will be at school from around 09:00 on Saturday morning and can promise endless tea, coffee, biscuits and some hard work – please come and help if you can - many hands make light work. Children are welcome to come along with their parents but should not come on their own.
Friends of Oakley Vale Events.
The Friends continue to work hard to support the school and would love to increase their numbers! All parents are automatically part of the Friends of the School and I would encourage parents to come along to the next meeting and get more involved.
- Wednesday 10th June – Meeting 19:30 here at school.
- Saturday 6th June – Car Boot Sale starting at 10:00.
- Friday 12th June – Race night.
- Saturday 20th June – Great Camp Out.
- Saturday 4th July – Summer Fair.
- Saturday 11th July – Car Boot Sale.
Toddler Group & Baby Massage
Our Monday afternoon parent-toddler group continues to grow and we will be starting a baby massage session in a couple of weeks (Monday 15th June 2009) having forged links with Penn Green Children's Centre across town. All local parents and toddlers are welcome to attend the sessions which run in the school Community Room between 13:45 and 14:45. If you are interested in finding out more about the baby massage sessions please pop into the toddler group this Monday afternoon (14:00 on the 8th June) where Liz Branagher will be sharing more information on the sessions with parents.
School Library
As you will know our School Librarian, Mrs Mallison, left last term for the challenges of the Far East. We are currently reviewing our library systems in light of Mrs Mallisons departure and need to have all of the library books back in school as soon as possible (Tomorrow please!). The library will then be closed for a short period to enable us to implement the new use arrangements. Children who usually get their reading books from the main school library will be able to choose from their class library shelves during this time or can read books from home or the town library. We would also love to be able to organise for some volunteers to help in the running of the library for the children so if you feel that you would be able to commit to a regular weekly slot please contact Mrs MacDonald via the school office.
Recent Events
- Strings Recital – the recital by the county strings was a great success and was much enjoyed by children and staff alike.
- Year 2 Church visit – on Friday 8th May Mrs Wells took her class of Year 2 children on a very successful visit to the parish church in Corby Old Village.
- Year 6 test week – our Year 6 children worked very hard throughout their test week dealing with the whole week in a very calm and mature manner.
- Year 3 library visit – on Monday 11th May Mr Reed's Year 3 class thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the town library.
- First Aid training – on Tuesday 12th May St. John Ambulance visited school to train the Year 6 children in their level 1 'Young First Aider' award.
- Year 6 Residential – our Year 6's had a super time away from 18th May to 22nd May for their week of challenge and fun with Miss Mills, Mr Mannion and myself at Caythorpe Court in Lincolnshire.
- Café Renard – Year 4 did a super job creating and running their French café for parents on the afternoon of Wednesday 20th May.
- Rockingham Castle Visit – on Thursday 21st May Miss Cockshoot and Mrs Wells took the Squirrels and Owls to visit Rockingham Castle as part of their Castles topic – a super visit!
Dates for your diary.
- Class Photographs – Class photographs will be taken in school on Friday 5th June.
- Friend's Car Boot Sale – the Friends are holding another car boot sale this weekend starting at 10:00 here at school. If you would like further information please contact Mrs Armstrong via the school office.
- Friends of Oakley Vale – Meeting of the Friends here at school, 19:30 on Wednesday 10th June – all welcome, come along to help us prepare for our first Summer Fair on Saturday 4th July.
- Ground Force Saturday – we need your help! Come and make a real impact on the opportunities for our children here at school. Starting at 09:00…..many hands make light work.
- Infant Seaside Trip – on Monday 15th June all of our infants from Reception to Year 2 will be off to enjoy a special day at the seaside in Hunstanton.
And Finally….
With the opening of Corby's new swimming pool complex next month I would like to take the opportunity to encourage families to take advantage of the 'Swim 4 free' initiative being offered by the Borough Council. This is a scheme were registered children can swim at the pool free of charge – all parents need to do is to register their child/children with the scheme, this can be done at the council offices in the One Stop Shop, Grosvenor House, George Street, Corby, NN17 1QB. To register you will need to complete a simple application form and bring either a birth certificate or passport for each child. There is a £1.00 charge for registration per child and the One Stop Shop is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 08:30 to 17:00 and on Thursdays from 08:30 to 16:00.
M.Deane-Hall - Headteacher
