Dear Parents and Carers,
How lovely to be celebrating Advent at last! In assembly, our Advent candles shone out in the early morning gloom and reminded us all of the hope brought into the world at Christmas time! The children have been thinking about shining God’s light in really practical ways – sharing a smile, being kind, using nice words and spotting when someone needs our help.
Next week we welcome all of you to be our audiences for the Christmas shows. This year at all of the performances, once we’ve covered our costs, we’ll be raising money for a new charity, The Surrey Mental Health Fund . This is providing such an excellent resource to primary schools where early intervention for anxiety and poor mental health is known to help support children and young people before things get to a crisis. Also, at our evening performances at the juniors, do take a look at this year’s HTSC “Tree of Wishes” which has an art and DT theme. We’d love to re-equip our art room in time for a new term.
It’s always a very special week, but the children do get extremely tired. Please make sure that they get enough sleep! At the juniors, although most after school clubs are still on, I’d recommend children head home at 3.15pm if that’s possible – it’s a long week of late nights.
On Friday 13th we have our optional late start. The children can come into school anytime up to 10.30am. At the juniors, they should come straight into the hall for a candle-lit Christmas assembly, and at the infants they can go to their classrooms as usual. It allows for a bit of a lie-in for any children who are worn out after a week of being on stage!
Finally, a reminder that we will be enjoying Christmas dinner at both sites next week (Thursday at the infants and Friday at the juniors). If your children are not having a school lunch, they might like to have a festive theme to their packed lunch…and they’d all be welcome to wear a Christmas hat, jumper or sprig of tinsel too!
With best wishes, Clare
Thought of the week: “Smiling faces make you happy!” Proverbs 15, v30. A smile costs nothing.
WHOLE SCHOOL
Vacancies
HTPD is recruiting for a full time (or part time SEND Teaching Assistant - minimum 2 full days) to work at Holy Trinity. Please see our website for information or search on ETEACH where the position is advertised.
Harrison Catering Services looking for a Cook to join the Pewley Down catering teams. The position will be responsible for preparing and cooking food for lunch service.
The ideal candidate will have proven craft skills and a real passion for fresh food. Qualified to NVQ level 2 in Food Preparation / Professional Cookery or equivalent, you will be rewarded with a competitive salary for working 32.5 hours per week, term time only. If you are interested and would like to apply for this role, please email your CV and covering letter to Paul Thorne at paul.thorne@harrisoncatering.co.uk. Please see the Harrison Catering website for more information at www.harrisoncatering.co.uk
INFANT
Christmas Play
Tickets for the Christmas Play are coming home in book bags today. If you have not yet ordered tickets, please contact the office as soon as possible.
Photographs
A reminder that during the performances we ask parents not to take photographs. Official photographs will be available for you to purchase.
School Christmas Lunch, Thursday 12 December
Children who usually have a packed lunch are very welcome to have a school Christmas lunch next Thursday. Please let the office know if your child would like a lunch that day and confirm whether they have any allergies.
Optional late start, Friday 13 December
After the Christmas play performances next week there is an optional late start (up to 10.30 am) on Friday – more details in Clare’s letter above.
Christmas Post
The Christmas post boxes will be at the upper and lower entrances from Monday for children to post Christmas cards to their friends. Please make sure envelopes are addressed with name, surname initial and class to make things easier for the Year 2 postmen.
Handwriting Club
There will be no Handwriting Club with Bridgit next week commencing Monday 9 December.
Teacher-led clubs Years 1 & 2
Next week (9 – 13 December) is the last week of teacher-led clubs this term.
Parent Helper Thank You, Thursday 19 December from 10.30 am
Parents who help out in school are very warmly invited to join us for mince pies and mulled wine in the hall on Thursday 19 December.
Free to a good home
We have a large colourful shelving unit which is no longer needed. Please contact the school office if you are interested.
Menu for week beginning Monday 9 December
Mon: Chilli con Carne or Vegetable Chilli with Rice; Jam Sponge with Custard
Tues: Spaghetti with Bolognese or Vegetable Sauce; Cheesecake
Weds: Chicken or Vegetable Pie with New Potatoes; Fresh Fruit Salad
Thurs: Christmas Lunch: Roast Turkey with all the trimmings or Butternut Squash Risotto; Apple & Mincemeat Pie
Fri: Fish Fingers & Chips or Homemade Pizza; Ice Cream
Available daily: Selection of seasonal vegetables, salads, jacket potato and bread. Yoghurt, milk and fresh fruit.
JUNIOR
Diary Dates
9 –12 December - Christmas Play “A Christmas Carol”
Friday 13 December - (Optional) late start on Friday at both sites and Christmas Dinner at HT
Thursday 19 December - Christmas Service at Holy Trinity Church
Friday 20 December - School Finishes PD at 1:30 pm ; HT at 1:45pm
Clubs now finished this term:
Tuesday - Y6 Netball and Chess
Wednesday – Book Club for Yrs 3 & 4 and Basketball Club
Thursday - Basketball Club
Christmas Play Information
Children will need to be in school at 6.30pm to enable them to change into their costume. There will be 2 members of the Year Group team with the children each evening. Children should be dropped off to their classroom area prior to the performance and may be collected at 7.30pm if they are not staying for the finale. If your child is staying for the finale they will need to be collected by 8.15pm. Performances for your child’s House are as follows:
Monday 9th Dec – afternoon and evening – NIGHTINGALE AND MANDELA
Tuesday 10th Dec – afternoon and evening – SHACKLETON AND KELLER
Wednesday 11th Dec – evening only – NIGHTINGALE AND MANDELA
Thursday 12th Dec – evening only – SHACKLETON AND KELLER
Menu - Week 3
HT Sport this week from Laura S
Please take the opportunity over the Christmas holidays to check your child's PE kit still fits them, especially their trainers. Children need their PE kit with them in school all week and during the spring term they will also benefit from a house fleece and a pair of tracksuit bottoms or leggings as well as their regular PE kit.
Sports fixtures have now finished for the year. This term over 150 Holy Trinity children have taken part in 23 fixtures, competing against other schools in hockey, dodgeball, football, netball and cross county running.
Next term we are looking forward to Sportshall athletics for all year groups and also playing in some tag rugby tournaments and hockey matches.
We'd like to thank all the parents who have helped with lift shares to fixtures and for all the support you have given school sport, we really could not give these opportunities to children without your help.
Please can I remind everyone who has borrowed kit to return it before the end of term, the cupboard is looking quite bare!
FOPS
The first thing this week is a number of thankyous, so here goes:
Last Friday year 1 had a record breaking cake sale making over £100 for one sale - we believe this is the first time this has ever happened (though are happy to be proven wrong!)
Thank you to everyone who helped out at Elf, and to everyone who came and made it such a successful afternoon - it was very busy in that school hall which was excellent and we think we made around £400 profit.
Then thank you to Ana and Kayleigh for the successful wreath making evening yesterday, and for everyone who came along to get creative.
And lastly, thank you to everyone who has contributed to the collection days for the Christmas Fair over the past few days. We are still short on sweets for the booty bags but are happy for them to be donated as ready made up booty bags this week too…..
Christmas Fair 14th December, 3-5.30pm
STILL Wanted - Santa’s grotto helper…... Santa is going to be really really uncomfortable in his grotto this year. Please can someone help him by making up his lovely grotto - let joannamarkwell@yahoo.co.uk know if you can help…...
Volunteers for the Christmas Fair - we are not even a third of the slots full :( As with previous years, each year group have rooms/stalls allocated which we need volunteers to cover for. All slots are on the sign up sheet (here) together, so please do have a look and prioritise the ones for your year group, but you also have the chance to help out on stalls designated to other year groups. And don’t worry, if you can’t make the fair you can always help with the set up :)
Raffle tickets are in the book bags, please sell sell sell as this will be the single biggest earner for the event.
Timings - On the day we have a couple of treats for you:
At 3.30 the choir from HT will be singing for us From 4.00 hot food (Christmas rolls and sausage/veggie sausage baps) will be served, please pre order here so we have an idea of numbers. If you have special dietary requirements please contact us in advance and we will do our best to accommodate.
At 5.00 we will be drawing the raffle, with the top prize a child’s Giant bike and accessories worth up to £300.
Foreign Currency
The collection pot in reception is looking really positive and hopefully we can send it off in the New Year for turning into pounds. It would be amazing if we could make one a term …..
If you, friends or family are away over Christmas please do remember to keep your left over coins and bring them into the school for us to use towards school facilities.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Dates for the diary:
Last cake sale for this term: 13th December - Hazel,
Please all remember small change on a Friday to make purchases.
Other dates
School Disco - 1st Feb
Year 2 Coffee Morning - 18th December at Cafe Nero, North Street
Year 2 Evening Social - 31st Jan, venue tbc
Only two weeks of term to go til the holidays!
Happy Friday, Jo and Sam
HTSC
Hi Everyone, here’s our update for you this week. We are nearing the end of term but there’s still a few things happening in the next 2 weeks.
Christmas Fair
Thank you for all your help with donations and support with the Christmas Fair last Friday. Despite some issues outside of our control (kitchen ovens broke, bad traffic) we had a very well attended event and raised a considerable amount for the Pitch fund.
Christmas Play Week Monday 9th Dec – Thursday 12th Dec
We would like 3 helpers each evening before the Christmas play to sell mulled wine and mince pies from approx. 6.15pm (to turn the urn on) until the start of the performance at 7pm in the entrance area by the School Office. If you can help on the night below for your year group, please contact your Class Rep. In the spirit of fairness, they are allocated by year group. Everything will be in place for you in the entrance area by the school reception.
Year 3 – Monday evening
Year 4 – Tuesday evening
Year 5 – Wednesday evening
Year 6 – Thursday evening
The Tree of Wishes, which this year is supporting the Art and Design/Technology syllabus, will be in place should you wish to make a donation.
Mince Pies
If you have any spare boxes of mince pies or are happy to pick up an extra box or two with your shopping this weekend, please could you consider donating a box to Christmas play week to replenish our stocks - please drop them off in the crates at the school reception entrance.
Easy Fundraising
If you are doing your Christmas Shopping online, please consider clicking through to your favourite retailers through the Easyfundraising site and select Holy Trinity School Community Guildford as your charity. We get a small amount per transaction, but it all adds up at the end of the year.
Teacher Christmas cards/gifts
All the cards for the teachers and TAs for each class will be available at the School Office for you to sign and donate to (if you wish) from Monday 9th December until Monday 16th December (to allow the class reps time to purchase gifts).
Sponsor
Thank you to Hill Clements for their support with donating to the funding for Bonfire night and the Christmas Fair (including providing the main raffle prize) this term.
Reminder - dates for your diary:
Fri 6th December 8pm - YEAR 4 Xmas drinks (now being hosted by James and Laura Phillips). Please message James if you are planning to come along.
Mon 9th Dec – 12th Dec – Christmas Play week – please volunteer for your Year group’s designated evening and bring Keep cups if you can (keeps your wine warmer for longer!)
Thurs 12th December 8pm @ The Albany – Year 3 Xmas drinks
Saturday 14th December – Pewley Down Christmas Fair
Monday 16th December – deadline for signing teachers Christmas cards/donating to gift collections. If you have any questions, please email helen@thomasday.co.uk and I’ll endeavour to get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you again for all your support - have a happy weekend!
Kind regards, HTSC