Letters Home

Good morning,
Please see below for any updates for the week ahead.
 
In school next week
 
Swimming  
Swimming lessons on Thursday for Oak Class.   
Children will need:  
Swim cap (These can be bought from the swimming baths, please send £1.00 in an envelope labelled with your child’s name)  
One-piece costume for girls and shorts for boys (no baggy board shorts please).  
Towel   
Goggles (optional)  
Long hair tied up  
  
Reading Books  
Just a reminder that Oak and Acorn Class readers need to be returned every Friday please.  

Sports Cool
Starts on Tuesday 28th Feb  - please make sure you have booked direct if you would like your child to attend. 
  
Forest School  
Cedar class continue forest school sessions each Friday until half term. Children should wear old, comfortable clothes and wellies or trainers for this along with waterproof trousers and coats.   

World Book Day
We have lots of plans for an exciting World Book Day. This year we are bringing a story prop and our favourite book into school to share with others and hopefully recommend. We then have a morning of book filled excitement planned. We would like to invite families to join us in the hall 9am -9.30 for a Book Brunch, come and enjoy reading for pleasure with your child and their friends- what better way to start World Book Day and hopefully pick up a few new recommendations of great books to read! Please feel free to bring along a recommendation and prop for your own favourite Children's book. In the afternoon we have an exciting event from Settle Stories to look forward to enjoying. 
 
 
Other information:

Amazing Authors Competition
Blue Peter is partnering with The Reading Agency on The Amazing Authors writing competition. To be in with a chance of winning, children aged 6 – 15 need to write a short story or poem of up to 400 words about adventure. If their story is selected, it will become an audiobook voiced by bestselling author Tom Fletcher and he will also read their story as a CBeebies Bedtime Story!
 
The winner will receive a printed version of their story to keep, and the story will be animated by Aardman Animations and shown on Blue Peter and other BBC platforms to view for free once aired.
 
They’ll also win a super-rare, orange Blue Peter badge!
The competition is open for entries from 27 January and closes at 5pm on 8 March 2023. Go to bbc.co.uk/bluepeter for more details.
 
Storytelling at home
Sign up to Free Bedtime storytelling sessions with Settle Stories- we loved listening to Sita when she joined us in school last half term as part of our Golden Thread. 
 
https://www.settlestories.org.uk/whats_on/matildas-bedtime-stories/
 
 
Drinks bottles
Please can we remind people that drinks bottles are in school everyday. Drinks should be water not juice, bottles need to be drinks bottles rather than sippy cups. Please can we help children to carry bottles rather than add them to book bags as they can leak and ruin books.
 
Outdoor clothing 
 
Please can children all come to school warmly dressed for outdoor learning, all of our children spend time outside everyday. Children need warm hats, scarfs and gloves as well as a warm waterproof coat.
 
Parking
Please can we remind all parents that unless they have specific access requirements, you must NOT use the school car park as this is causing issues.
 
 
Safeguarding, Health and Wellbeing Updates 
 
We are aware that some of our older children are using Fortnite.  Chapter 4 has just been released, which means that many children are going to be talking about this. Similarly, some children who grew bored with Chapter 3 are going to be checking out the new Chapter 4.  So now is a good time for parents to revisit those parental controls to set up the game and devices appropriately to the age of the child. There is a step-by-step guide to setting up parental controls on Fortnite here and attached.
 
Although the tree is currently safe, it will be taken down in the next few weeks. It will be cordoned off – but please keep an eye on your children when they are in that area – Thankyou!
 
Book and bake sale thankyou
 
Thank you to everyone that donated books and delicious cakes. We could NOT have done it without your support, we have raised an incredible amount of £114. We plan to use the money raised to buy some fabulous new books for are school and class library’s
Kirkby Malzeard Librarians 

Tree on path
Although the tree is currently safe, it will be taken down in the next few weeks. It will be cordoned off – but please keep an eye on your children when they are in that area – Thankyou!