Dear Parents and Carers,
We were delighted this week to receive news of this year’s national e-Twinning awards. We were one of only a handful of schools to be in the “highly commended” category for our project on climate change and are so grateful that our partnership with the Colegio San Gregorio in Aguilar, Spain has again been celebrated. Despite being unable to visit this year, children in Year 6 have enjoyed keeping in touch with our Spanish friends; in fact, next week they’ll be linking up online.
I’m sure my update about positive cases in school alarmed some of you. It’s certainly a tricky time. Please know that we are carefully following public health advice, assessing each individual situation as it arises and prioritising both child and staff safety and wellbeing. Each individual case, and our response, is discussed with the local health protection team. When a child who tests positive has not been in school for several days because they have already been self-isolating with cases in their household, we don’t then need to close the class. If any child is in school immediately prior to developing symptoms caused by Covid or immediately prior to a positive test result, we would inform you straight away – and that child’s class would have to move to home learning.
As the junior school Christmas production is shared today via Parentmail, I hope that you enjoy a marvellous film premiere at home! We’re looking forward to the infants extravaganza too – it’s nearly finished. Please bear with us a little longer! Once you’ve enjoyed the show, please do consider making a donation to this year’s Christmas charity; this year, after covering the costs, all the money raised will go to the RSCH Children’s Ward. We hope that you agree that this is a very appropriate charity to support this year!
I’m not sure if you saw the recent government announcement that in Tier 2 areas, school nativities could go ahead, as long as social distancing in the audience could be maintained. It did make us smile – we’d only be able to have 4 or 5 people in the audience at a time…and I thought the lack of understanding about how much preparation and rehearsal any school production involves was truly astonishing; with just two weeks to go until the end of term, we won’t be staging a live show this year! We’re glad that by making a film, we’ve been able to celebrate Christmas properly in school as everyone took part in the show, in spite of it being a little different this year!
As we move closer to the end of term, we’re keen to reflect on what’s gone well. Looking back, we have so much to be thankful for – and we’re so grateful to you for your ongoing support. We are also determined to learn from this experience and would be glad to hear your feedback. We’ve compiled a short parent survey that you’ll receive by Parentmail later today. It will be open to receive responses up until the end of term. Thank you in advance for sharing in our determination to make HTPD the best it can be! I look forward to reading your comments…and also passing some of them on to other staff. I know that the whole team has been working so hard and they’ll appreciate your support.
With love,
Clare
Thought of the Week: “Search for the hero inside yourself.” Who would you most like to be? – who will win our 2020 Hero of heroes vote? Do ask your child who they voted for and who won.
Whole School
End of term arrangements:
On the last day of term, Friday 18th December, we will be finishing early as usual. However, to keep to our staggered pick-ups and reduce crowding in the playgrounds, please carefully note your child’s pick up time:
Pewley Down Finishing Times
1:05pm Walnut Class and Beech Class
1:10pm Chestnut Class and Oak Class
1:15pm Hazel Class and Willow Class
Holy Trinity Finishing Times
1:30pm 3A, 4E and 5T
1:35pm 3S, 6D and 6T
1:40pm 3C, 4A and 5J
1:45pm 4N, 5S and 6S
INFANT
Year 1
A reminder to Beech Class to bring in a packed lunch on Monday for their trip to the toy museum. Oak Class are off to the museum on Wednesday so should bring in a packed lunch on that day.
Christmas Lunch, Thursday 10 December
Children are welcome to wear a Christmas jumper on Thursday, if they would like to.
Pewley Christmas Post
The last posting date for Christmas cards is Thursday 10 December.
Menu for week beginning Monday 7 December
Mon: Beef Bolognese or Lentil Bolognese with Pasta; Lemon Sponge
Tues: Cajun Chicken or Cajun Vegetables, Rice & Peas; Fruit Flapjack
Weds: Lamb Curry or Vegetable Dhal, Steamed Rice; Coconut & Oat Cookies
Thurs: Xmas Lunch: Roast Turkey & all the trimmings or Butternut Squash Risotto; Apple & Mincemeat Pie & Custard
Fri: Crispy Fish Fingers & Chips or Cheese & Tomato Pizza; Rocky Road
Selection of seasonal vegetables also available daily.
JUNIOR
Christmas Lunch arrangements:
Children are welcome to wear a Christmas jumper, some tinsel or a novelty Christmas hat on their Christmas dinner day. Remember to bring a packed lunch from home for the day when the other half of the school is having their Christmas meal.
Christmas Dinner for Y3/ Y4 is Thursday 10th December (Year 5 and 6 bring a packed lunch)
Christmas Dinner for Y5 / Y6 is Friday 11th December (Year 3 and 4 bring a packed lunch)
If your child is not having a Christmas dinner, they should bring a packed lunch with them from home on both days. Please feel free to add some Christmas festivity to their lunch box if you would like to.
Menu - Week 1
Change to Lunch Menu - on Wednesday 9th Dec, the Friday 11th Menu will be served
Christmas Cards
If your child wants to send Christmas cards, they can mail it in the LetterBox in the entrance foyer.
The lovely Year 6 children will be sorting and delivering the Christmas post on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Lions Rugby Club
Please find attached a flyer for the Lions Rugby Club Sports Christmas Camp for boys and girls aged 5 - 12 at Broadwater School next month. https://www.lionssports.academy/bookingpage
FOPS News
It’s newsletter handover day!!!!
Last night we held the FOPS AGM and welcomed the new team:
Kate Beveridge - FOPS Chair
Debbie Smith - FOPS Secretary
Sophie McGill - FOPS Treasurer
The Chairman's statement and accounts for Sept 2019 - Sept 2020 will be published asap, but in short - we feel like we have a lot to celebrate from the last year, and we actually raised a decent amount of money bearing in mind how many events we couldn’t run.
We wanted to sign off today with a word of appreciation to everyone involved in the PTA this year and last year, your commitment and willingness to contribute has been incredible - thank you.
Huge thanks to all staff at the school, who've helped make our events possible, many of whom have given their own time.
And extra special thank you must go to Ruth and Jane in the office for their help with all the extra work we create for them!
Happy Friday All
Sam and Jo
HTSC News
Hi Everyone,
New - Christmas Advent Challenge
We have set some Christmas challenges (sent via Parentmail and on the website) like making a decoration, learning a Christmas song - have some fun and help us raise some money for the school. We’d love to see your photos so please use the school Twitter account to send them in to @HTPDSchool.
Pitch 2020 Fund
Thank you to those who have donated and shared the link with other family members. We are using GoFundMe for direct donations to the Pitch 2020 Fund for families and friends of the school who are able to, and would like to, contribute in lieu of donating at events which we have not been able to provide this year. HTSC has pledged two years of fundraising efforts to raise £50K for the new MUGA pitch which was installed in the summer.
Bake Sale – Year 5 & 6 Friday 11th December
Don’t panic, you don’t need to do anything unless you have volunteered to be a baker! Instead of asking for cake donations from everyone, or people to man/sell, we have a few keen bakers per year group who will bake a selection of cakes, individually wrap, quarantine, and then deliver a box of cakes to each class. A suggested donation is £1 which your child can bring in with them and put in the class jar, or there will be an online PayPal payment option if you’d prefer which is here: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8uznMpIiw2
If you have a child with an allergy, we would ask you to provide something suitable on the day of your child’s cake sale (we don’t have access to dietary information) but gluten free and dairy free options will be available. More detailed information on the process for the bake sale was sent via Parentmail on Thursday 3rd Dec. We hope Years 3 &4 enjoyed their sale today.
Reminder - Class collections for Christmas Gifts for Teaching staff
Once again, we are approaching Christmas and we like to use this time of year to say ‘thank you’ to the school staff. The class reps are organising collections for collective gifts for the teaching staff for each class via PayPal this year. If you would like to contribute, please select the correct link for your class to make a payment and you can also write a message for the cards. You do not need a PayPal account in order to contribute. The class reps will then purchase gifts and cards with the money collected. Please see the Parentmail sent earlier today for all of the links and the deadlines for contributing.
Easyfundraising
If you are shopping online, one way to support the school is through www.easyfundraising.co.uk and selecting HTSC Holy Trinity School Community as your cause. Over 4000 retailers are affiliated and every purchase makes a difference.
Second hand uniform
If you have any uniform to donate, or need some uniform please contact her at simonechidlow@googlemail.com. To pay for your items, please use the link here to pay via PayPal. Due to restrictions we cannot handle any cash at the moment.
Recycled Clothing Collection
If you are having a clear out in the new year, there will be a clothing collection on 26th January 2021. More details to follow.
HT Quiz
Our annual quiz night, hosted by Michael and Geraldine will be in the New Year.
As always, if you have any questions, please drop an email to helen@thomasday.co.uk
Kind regards
HTSC Committee