22/07/2010

Dear Parents & Carers

 

I am sure you are aware already, but tomorrow is the last day of term!  We all wish you the very best of summer breaks and I am sure you will wish to join me in thanking the staff team for all they do to make the children’s school experience the best possible.  I also offer my thanks for the support and encouragement I have received since January.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the last four terms and look forward to the new school year and further strengthening the good work carried out, here at Chew Stoke, working in partnership with the whole school community.

 

Staff will return to school on Wednesday 1st September for a training day and therefore term will start for children on Thursday 2nd September.  A couple of requests to make the start of the year easier for us all:

·         Please may children be in school for 8:55 am which is our official start of day;

·         Please label all of your children’s belongings – clothes, PE kit, shoes, book bags, water bottles etc – as this helps to reduce the amount of lost property we gather very rapidly!

 

STAFFING NEWS

This year we have welcomed Amy Vowles (class teacher), Jo Denny (part-time teacher), Janet Craig (temporary teacher), Trudy Wren (SMSA / playworker). 

We have also said good-bye to Janet Craig at the end of her contract, Liz Gunter (teaching assistant) who left to relocate in Australia, Theophila Lewis (teaching assistant) who retired after a number of years service at Chew Stoke and Ann Morris (SMSA) who has helped make lunchtimes safe!  We wish them all well in their new ventures.

Finally, our thanks go to Marie Clarke and Trudy Wren for stepping into the breach and fulfilling the role of teaching assistants in Hedgehog class on a temporary basis.

 

LOST PROPERTY

Lost property is being put out on display at the end of the day today and tomorrow.  Please check to see if you have any items you need to collect.  Any items still unclaimed at the end of this term will be disposed of.

 

LEAVERS’ SERVICE

We are looking forward to welcoming our Year 6 parents to the Leavers’ Service tomorrow morning at St Andrew’s Church, Chew Stoke.  The service starts at 9.45am and parents are welcome to join their children and the staff at school for refreshments following the service. 

The Leavers’ Lunch tomorrow will be for Year 6 pupils and invited guests only.

 

SCHOOL REPORTS

Please could parents of pupils in Hedgehog Class return their reports and profiles to Miss Hennessy as soon as possible.  Thank you.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE PTA

Harvest Home - Request for help. Many thank to the people who have kindly volunteered their time / cakes for the Harvest Home on Sat Sept 4th. We STILL need more help / donations – so if you could spare half an hour / make some cakes – please complete the form and return this week. Based on final numbers I will look to contact the volunteers early September to finalise the rota.

 

PTA Hog Roast – Many thanks to everyone that came along to the event on Friday. The weather was very kind to us and hopefully everyone had a good evening.

A very special thank you to The Stoke Inn who kindly donated the draught bitter for the bar. A huge thanks also to all the members of staff who helped set up, tidy away and man the doors, sweet stall, bar, organise the children’s dances.

 

The next event - A date for your diary……As already mentioned – on October 9th the PTA are organising a fundraising party and bar for parents, teachers and friends of Chew Stoke School. The event is being held at Chew Valley School and music is being provided by local party band ‘Mangetout’.   Please put this date in your diary, dust off your dancing shoes as tickets will go on sale in September.

 

MESSAGE FROM CHEW STOKE OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB

Due to the number of enquiries for the Club that are made directly to the School Office, school has requested that all bookings for the Out of School Club in future be made directly to the Club and not to the office. The telephone number for the club is 07597 507940 and voice messages / texts will be picked up at the beginning of each session. You are also welcome to drop into the Club after school to make any bookings.

 

IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT CHEW STOKE OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB 

The future charge to the Club for the use of the school premises has been reviewed upwards. Whilst it remains at a rate substantially below what is commercially available, we obviously need to keep a tight rein on the purse strings. The Club ran at a loss for the last year and the Committee will be reviewing the situation once we have full numbers of attendees for September onwards. It may be necessary to look at the session fees and we will give plenty of notice to you should these need to be increased.  

 

The Club Committee also needs to ask for your help. We have held an AGM and SGM over the last couple of months and have been unable to vote in a new committee at either due to lack of parents attending. Without a Committee the Club is unable to run and we need more volunteers to come forward. We will hold a further Special General Meeting at a date to be advised in September to which all parents of children attending the Club are encouraged to come. At this meeting we will vote in the Committee and discuss the future fees. More details to follow.

 

CHEW STOKE HANDBELL RINGERS

We would like to recruit some more primary school mums and dads to keep a tradition going.  If you would like to join our friendly team please contact Clare Downey (Zoλ’s mum) on 333551.  Our meetings/practices are usually on Tuesdays 8pm-9.30/10pm at team members’ homes.  We play at a few village church services and events throughout the year with the main aim of keeping a tradition going between adults and school children in the village and having some fun.  Meetings will start again in October.

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS REGARDING FACEBOOK

We have been informed by Avon and Somerset Constabulary of a new initiative between Facebook and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) which aims to make Facebook a safer environment for our young people.  CEOP have, in partnership with Facebook, developed an application which will enable users to download a ‘Click CEOP’ button and place it within their profiles.  If users become aware of anything they feel is unsafe whilst using Facebook they can then click the button to report the incident.  We have been asked by Avon and Somerset Constabulary to encourage Facebook users to download this new application.  For further information please contact PCSO Support Keynsham 0845 456 7000.

CHEW STOKE HARVEST HOME – ROCK ‘N’ ROLL NIGHT

As many of you will know the Chew Stoke Harvest Home takes place on Saturday 4th September in Hedgehogs’ Field (opposite the Rugby Club). This year the evening fund raiser is a “Rock’n’Roll” night with a live band “The Midnight Shadows” and a hot 2-course supper with licensed bar. The evening starts at 8pm. Tickets are £12.50 each and are available from Lucy Chalk (Olivia’s mother - Hedgehog), Lucy Moorhouse (Hugh’s mother – Kingfisher) and from the Village Shop.

 

BATH SKY RIDE – 25TH JULY

On Sunday the 25th of July Bath Sky Ride will take place meaning some of the most famous streets in Bath will be closed to all vehicles apart from cyclists.  This is an event open to all especially young families.  For further information go to

http://www.goskyride.com/city/details.aspx?cityid=9

 

 

Stephen Bailey

Headteacher

 

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CHEW STOKE HARVEST HOME – REFRESHMENTS:

 

I can make some cakes for the event: 

Name / Childs Name:  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

I can help man the stall during the event:

Name / Childs Name:  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Please return this form to the School Office – Thank you.