December 2011 Newsletter

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,

Welcome to the last newsletter for 2011, how exciting! We have had a wonderful start to our school year and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your unfailing loyalty and support.

Some very important dates for your diary:

There will be a joint church service for the staff and pupils of Pen Mill, Reckleford and Grass Royal. Unfortunately, due to the number of children taking part, we will be unable to invite parents on this occasion.

This is a non uniform day in exchange for a gift for the Tombola. We will also be holding our Young Enterprise Christmas Fayre from 3.30pm onwards. This is an opportunity for the children to show you the money-making items they have produced in class. Please come and support them by buying what they have made. All money raised will be ploughed back into classroom equipment for the children.

Also, the Year 2 pupils from Pen Mill and Reckleford will be coming to our school to sing along with our Year 3 pupils. You are very welcome to come and watch them all perform at 2pm and join us afterwards for a cup of tea and a mince pie.

The choir will be singing at Sherborne House and Sunningdale Lodge residential homes for the elderly.

There is a 2pm dress rehearsal for parents with young children, if you would like to attend.

6.30pm - The Nightmare Nativity, performed by the Upper School. All parents are welcome to attend. All children from the Upper School will be taking part and need to be in school by 6pm please. Any children who would like to perform are very welcome. All children must be accompanied by an adult please.

The Nativity will be followed by a Christmas sing-along, karaoke style. Refreshments will be served by our staff and PTA. Please come along and help out if you can.

Our Christmas Fayre! Doors open at 10am and close at 12 noon. Please come along to this fantastic event. There will be 18 stalls selling a vast array of wonderful produce, so come and do all your Christmas shopping and help us raise money for the children of our school.

The whole school will be going to the pantomime in school time this year. If you still haven't paid your contribution, please do so as soon as possible.

Our school church service begins at 2pm. You are very welcome to attend, so do come along and help us fill that beautiful church with the glorious sound of voices.

All children will be having a free Christmas dinner today, provided by the school, so no packed lunches are required. You can all have a day off from making sandwiches! If your child requires a vegetarian meal please contact the School Office by Tuesday 5^th December.

We break up for Christmas.

We return to school on Wednesday 4^th January 2012.

The swimming arrangements for 2012 are as follows:

Mondays Strong & Cole Class

Tuesdays Dahl, Morpurgo & Rowling Class

Wednesdays DKS Class

Thursdays Jennings & Shakespeare Class

Fridays Ahlberg Class

Swimming starts on the very first day back at school, so please make sure that your children come prepared with their swimming kit. Please also note that, except for Year 6 classes (Dahl, Morpurgo & Rowling), children need to be in school by 8.30am on their allocated swimming days to make sure that they arrive on time for their lessons. Your help in this matter is much appreciated.

I am sure you are all very aware of how quickly the weeks are going by and we are a bit anxious about the Year 6 children who have still not completed the necessary paperwork for the secondary school of their choice. Last year we had a large number of children who did not have a place on the day of transfer which was, as I am sure you can imagine, was very distressing for them.

If you still haven't completed the form, please contact Mrs Redman in the School Office and she will do all she can to help you.

Now that the cold, wet weather is upon us, please send your child to school appropriately dressed. We always go out to play unless the rain is torrential, so the children require a thick waterproof coat and sturdy school shoes or boots. They will also need gloves, hats and scarves now that the temperature is dropping.

As we break up for Christmas very early this year, we are busy preparing for our concerts and church services as well as decorating the school. The tree will be in the hall from 1^st December in readiness for our Christmas Fayre. We will be holding our annual homemade Christmas tree decoration competition. If your child would like to make a decoration, please make sure it is clearly named and bring it into the hall. We will make sure the tree is beautifully decorated with their efforts. There will be a small prize for the best boy and girl decorations in each year group.

Can I remind all parents who think they may be in receipt of Free School Meals to come in to the office and speak to Mrs Redman who will be able to help with the completion of the forms. You need to be aware that for each FSM child the school the school receives £480, with which we pay for not only their food, but also their swimming and trips. Even if your child does not like school meals and you choose to send in food from home, if you are entitled you should still claim for funding. The school will then use the money wisely to support your child in school.

I am sure I don't have to tell you how hard things are at present financially and I know it is a struggle for some of you, but please do all you can to pay your contributions towards school events. As a Headteacher, I am looking at a big reduction on the school budget in 2012, so will not have the funds to help out in the way I have done previously. We are currently £800 adrift with our pantomime payments - that means 80 parents have not paid for their child's ticket. This does not, of course, include families on Free School Meals. We obviously cannot subsidise you to this extent, so please make your payment - or at least a part payment - as soon as possible, otherwise next year I will not run the trip, which would be a great shame. Why not buy them their pantomime ticket as one of their Christmas presents?

All of the members of staff here at Grass Royal are committed to ensuring that your child is safe and happy at school. It is important that we get your feedback on this; I have, therefore, attached a questionnaire for your completion. I would be grateful if you could complete and return it to the School Office by Friday 16^th December at the latest.

Thank you to all of you who have made sure your child has been in school every day this term. It was pleasing to give out certificates to so many just before half term. We are hoping the number will have increased when we do it again just before Christmas. I know that I don't have to tell you how important it is to make sure your child is in school every day, other than when they are very poorly. Attendance figures were given out at Parents Evenings and we will be posting them home to you if you were not able to attend. At 95% absence or below, your child's attendance will be considered a cause for concern.

It only leaves me to wish you all on behalf of the staff, governors and children of our school a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and peace to all mankind. Lets all do our best to make 2012 a wonderful year for everyone.

Judith Barrett

Headteacher

Posted: Tuesday, November 29, 2011