Latest News – Yapton Church of England Primary School

WEEKLY NEWS FOR FAMILIES 26.5.23

Dear Parents and Carers,

Wow! What an amazing end to this half term. Our Country Dancing Festival was the perfect finale! The children danced beautifully and the family dance at the end was fabulous. Thank you to all of the families who attended.

Although our Country Dancing Festival was a very English traditional event, the creeds and backgrounds of those who both took part and came to watch were very diverse. What a brilliant example of bringing a community together.

STAFFING NEWS – LOOKING AHEAD TO SEPTEMBER 2023

We are going to be saying ‘good-bye’ to Mrs Groves and Mrs Horrex at the end of this term. I would like to thank them for their commitment to our school and their contributions in particular to our Science and STEM curriculum and P.E and Sport curriculum which they have respectively led. They will be missed and we wish them every success in their new adventures.

Mrs Groves writes: It is with a strange mixture of sadness and excitement that I am writing to let you know that as of September I will no longer be teaching at Yapton School! I have absolutely loved my time here and I will miss your children and my friends and colleagues amongst the staff hugely. However, I have been given a fantastic opportunity to work as a science teacher at a secondary school, developing pupils’ transition between primary and secondary education. I know how important this time is for year 6 and 7 pupils and I believe I can make a real difference moving forward. I will make sure I stay in touch to find out all of the marvellous things you get up to at Yapton School!Mrs Horrex writes: “After 15 years of teaching at Yapton, it is time for me to find new adventures. I have loved working in this wonderful school and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I will miss my colleagues, the families I have worked with and, most of all, the children but I will take many happy memories with me as I move on to the next stage of my career.”

After a robust recruitment and interview process, I am delighted to inform you that Miss Johanna Weick and Mr Adam Kelly will be joining our teaching team here at Yapton in September. They have experience of teaching in local schools and have a lot to offer our children here at Yapton.

The Year Group arrangements for September will be:

2 EYFS classes
3 KS1 classes (Y1/Y2)
3 Lower KS2 classes (Y3/Y4)
3 Upper KS2 classes (Y5/Y6)
More details will follow in the next half term regarding where individual teachers will be teaching.
YEAR 4 MULTIPLICATION TABLES CHECK
Well done to all the Year 4 children who have been putting in lots of effort making sure they know their time tables facts. They will be completing the statutory check in June. It is important they keep practicing to maintain their fluency. Attached are details of a challenge they have been set for the half term break. The link to the online practice materials the children have been using in school is here
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INSET DAY – MONDAY 5TH JUNE
Don’t forget there is an INSET Day here at school after half term. On this day, the teachers are going to be carefully planning how our curriculum can be enhanced through educational visits or visitors coming into school as well as considering how we can have a positive impact on the local community. Before the end of term, we will be able to share with you an overview of next years’ learning, which will also provide details of when requests for voluntary contributions will be be made. We hope this will mean we will not have to cancel any planned opportunities which will provide that extra enrichment to the children’s learning.
SPORTS DAY FAMILY PICNIC ARRANGEMENTS
To clarify the arrangements for the family picnic on Sports Day, if you wish your child still to eat an ordered hot dinner, they will be able to do this at their normal time during the lunch hour.
SUMMER TERM 2 HOOKS
Although we are getting closer to the end of the academic year, there is still plenty of exciting learning planned for the next half term. I have attached the learning hooks for each of the classes.
Have a lovely half term break. We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Tuesday 6th June.
Take care
Kim Huggett

Country Dancing

Good Morning All,

We are looking forward to our Country Dancing Festival lat 1.30pm today.

We would like to take this opportunity to politely remind parents and carers that there is to be no filiming or photographing of today’s events. Not all children in school have photo permission.

Thank you very much for your cooperation with this.

Kind regards,

School Office.

Country Dancing Festival , Tomorrow at 1.30pm

Good afternoon,

We are looking forward to our Country Dancing Festival tomorrow at 1.30 pm.

The weather looks set to be sunny and dry! Please can the children come to school in their school uniform and wear their trainers for the day. Please remember to bring seats/ rugs to sit on.

We will open the school gates at 1.30pm ready for the dancing to start at 1.45 pm. Please make sure that you have your dancing shoes on ready for the family finale!

Kind regards,

School Office Team

ARUNDEL CASTLE TRIP PAYMENTS

Dear Parents and Carers,

as you know, we are hoping to take the children in Amberley, Bramber, Camber, Hastings and Lewes classes to visit Arundel Castle as their exciting ‘hook’ for their new learning journey.

Unfortunately, currently we are waiting on a further 22 payments.

Unless these payments are made today by the end of the school day at 3.30 pm, we will not be able to take the children.

If you are yet to make a payment, please do so as soon as possible.

Thank you

Kim Huggett

ARUNDEL CASTLE TRIP

Dear Parents and Carers,

unfortunately I am having to notify you that the Arundel Castle trip will now NOT be going ahead as we have not received enough voluntary contributions.

The teachers have already planned an exciting alternative called ‘A day in the life of a Knight’ which will be held here in school.

Any payments that have been made will be refunded in due course. This refund will be to that bank account that your payment was made from. Any cash payments may be collected from the school office.

Kind regards

Kim

WEEKLY NEWS FOR FAMILIES 19.5.2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

the sun shone brightly for us yesterday for our ‘Outdoor Classroom Day’. All of the school took their learning outside! The camp fire in our ‘Forest School’ was burning all day. Every class had the chance to go into the wood and have a hot chocolate whilst sat around the fire. The learning that took place yesterday was varied – R.E, English, Maths, Science and Art. This was in addition to playing on the tyres, in the meadow and using our ‘mud kitchen’.

We were really excited yesterday to see our new ‘Forest School’ sign in position at the entrance to the wood. A huge thank you to Mr Dean for making this for us. It looks amazing and we are very grateful. Thank you.

CCTV

At last! We have CCTV!! A huge ‘thank you’ to Mrs Sampson who has arranged for donations through a variety of places. Through the generosity of Mrs Sampson’s fundraising ideas, Thakeham Homes have also supported us with this venture. We really are so very grateful that we can keep our lovely school safe when we are not here. Thank you to everyone who has helped in any way to enable us to have CCTV.

ARUNDEL CASTLE TRIP FOR EYFS & KS1

We are worried that this trip will need to be cancelled due to the fact that not everyone has paid for this. Our school cannot afford to fund any shortfalls in trips. Please make sure that ALL payments are in by Monday 24th May please. Thank you.

‘HOPE’ ART EXHIBITION

Miss Costello led our Worship on Monday reflecting on the value of ‘Hope’. The children shared their ideas of what Hope meant to them:

‘Hope is like a slide…you always move forward.’

‘Hope is like a rainbow.’

‘Hope is the best feeling ever.’

‘Hope is a cup of joy that you can share with friends or strangers because everyone needs it.’

‘Hope is where the heart is.’

We then launched our ‘art learning journey’ across the school by discovering some images that could represent ‘Hope’. The children have continued this focus in their classrooms and are now working on their image for our exhibition.

I have attached some information for you. We are going to to hold the exhibition on Friday 23rd June 2023 alongside our Sports Day event.

FUNDRAISING FOR OUR SCHOOL

Mrs Clarissa Wheeler, one of our School Governors, is keen to set up a ‘Fundraising Group’ to help support our school. She writes… Good afternoon parents and carers,As a co-opted governor at the school, I have heard first-hand how important it is to have funds for materials and resources at your children’s school.I would like to form a group to help raise funds to support the school.I’m setting up an initial meeting at 9am on Wednesday 7th June 2023 to start discussing how this would look and work.This would be a voluntary group and will only be successful with commitment from you – the parents and carers at the school. There would be 3 key meetings a year, one a term, with sub committees for planning specific fundraising events and ideas. There are roles needed such as Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and a small committee who can make most meetings to ensure key decisions can be made. Then there are lots of smaller volunteer roles necessary in all sorts of areas: organising, communications, creativity… there is a role for everyone, and everyone is welcome!Please come along and find out more, and I really look forward to meeting you then.Thank you,Clarissa Wheeler, Co-opted GovernorCOUNTRY DANCING FESTIVAL – FRIDAY 26th MAY 2023 at 1.30pm

We are looking forward to our ‘Country Dancing Festival’ on Friday. The children will need to wear their school uniform with trainers. There will be no P.E that day.

Please can families bring chairs or rugs to sit on.

We look forward to seeing you.

Have a lovely weekend.

Take care

Kim Huggett

Outdoor Learning Day and Time to Shine

Dear Parents and Carers,

We just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is Outdoor Classroom Day for the whole school, so please ensure that your child comes to school in appropriate clothing for being outdoors all day. The weather looks good for the day, but if the weather looks as though it is going to be wet, they will need a raincoat.

Friday is Time to Shine afternoon, where you are invited into school to look at your child’s work from 3.00pm. We look forward to seeing you then.

Kind regards

School Office

WEEKLY NEWS FOR FAMILIES 12.5.2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

we hope that everyone enjoyed their bank holiday weekend and the event of the Coronation of the King!

Y6 SATS – Standard Assessment Tests

Wow! Our children in Year 6 have really worked hard this week! Their work ethic and positive attitude to the tests was OUTSTANDING! Whilst these tests are an important milestone in the learning journey of our children, it is important to put them into a wider context. I would like to remind the children:

‘Don’t be stressed,

You did your best!

Remember that you’ve been blessed…

With skills that SATS don’t test!’

Please make sure that they have a rest this weekend.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Just a reminder that school photos will be taken on Tuesday 16th May. There will be no P.E that day. These will be traditional class photos as well as individual photos for our Y6 children.

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DAY

On Thursday 18th May, the whole school will be taking part in Outdoor Classroom Day. Please make sure that the children are dressed appropriately for the weather! If it is their normal P.E day, they can be dressed in their normal P.E kit with additional footwear (wellies etc..) if necessary.

POLITE PARKING

Please make sure that our local neighbours are respected when parking your car to drop off or collect your children. The B.T. depot car park is not a public car-park and the grass verge on the corner should not be used to park on.

‘HOPE’ ART EXHIBITION

Looking ahead, in our whole school Worship on Monday 15th May, Miss Costello (who is our subject leader for Art & Design) will be launching an ‘Art Exhibition’ that we are going to take part in. The theme is one of our school values – the value of ‘Hope’. More details will follow about this very exciting project.

Have a lovely weekend.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday.

Take care

Kim Huggett

Weekly News for Families – 05.05.23

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a lot of red, white and blue has filled the classrooms today! The children have enjoyed beginning the weekend’s Coronation celebrations by taking part in a wide range of learning opportunities such as crown and flag making, painting and letter and diary writing. Our ‘Street Party’ this afternoon, which included our two youngest Charlies being crowned by our eldest Charlie, was a brilliant way to celebrate this historic weekend as a whole school community. A commemorative plant has been planted by the school entrance and underneath it lies a buried time capsule which contains photos of the day.

This slightly shorter week began with Reverend Richard leading our Worship. Through his story, the children explored the true meaning of ‘value’. A new May prayer was also introduced to the children. Once again this has been written by children. Thank you to Aaron, Alex, Evangeline and Olivia M. A copy of the prayer is attached.

STEM Club

A number of our Key Stage 2 children enjoyed attending a STEM club run by Mrs Groves and Mrs Bowles last term. They were thoroughly engaged in exploring a range of issues and challenges. Details of these are attached to the letter. Thank you to Mrs Groves and Mrs Bowles and well done to all the children who took part.

Class Photos

The class photographs will be taken on Tuesday 16th May. The Year 6 children will also have an individual photograph taken which will be part of a ‘Leavers’ pack’. Children will need to be wearing their full school uniform on this day (no P.E. kits please).

Holiday Camps at Yapton School

Please can we remind you about the Half Term Holiday Camp that will be running during the half term break (Tuesday 30th May – Friday 2nd June).

There will also be weekly Holiday Camps running during the summer holidays. There are HAF places available for children who are entitled to Free School Meals for the camps held in the summer. These places are limited and they are available on a first come first served basis. If you do not have your child’s HAF number, please contact the school office. Attached is a poster which advertises the Half Term Camp. You can find more information and book places using this link

Wrap-Around Care from September 2023

The same company who are running the holiday camps will also be offering wrap-around care before and after the school day here at Yapton School from September. Details of this are also attached.

Free West Sussex Workshops

Attached is a poster advertising a number of free workshops on supporting children’s mental health.

Have a lovely weekend – however you may be celebrating the coronation. Don’t forget the extra Bank Holiday on Monday 8th May. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday 9th May.

Take care

Kim Huggett

Coronation Celebration Street Party Friday 5th May 2.30pm

Good Morning,

Further to the email sent out yesterday and the weekly news, Children of all year groups, are kindly asked to bring in an individual sandwhich & cake, for them to enjoy as part of an afternoon tea-style street party at 2.30 pm tomorrow; in celebration of the Kings Coronation this weekend. The tea party is in addition to lunch, and so packed lunches should be brought in as normal, and school dinners will be provided as normal.

There has been a little confusion around the arrangements and so we hope that this provides some clarification.

Kind regards,

School Office.