Dear Parents and Carers,

Another week full of learning has flown by!

Harvest Thanksgiving

The week began with the children going to St. Mary’s Church to celebrate the Harvest Festival.

It was It was lovely to see our youngest children walking up to the church with the Years 1 and 2 children. During their service, the Early Years children shared their Harvest vegetable printing artwork and each of the Key Stage 1 classes sang a different harvest song.

Within both services, Reverend Richard shared the story of how the first ‘Harvest Festival’ service took place in Cornwall nearly two hundred years ago. People who lived in a small village on the the north coast of Cornwall (who didn’t have very much in the way of wealth and possessions) were invited to bring some of their home grown or made produce to share after thanking God for the harvest.

The theme of thanksgiving was explored further in the Key Stage 2 service. Children in Years 3 and 4 shared what they are thankful for within our community. Then the children in Years 5 and 6 shared their thoughts on why we should be thankful for the Food Banks. The children explained how these amazing places, which are spread across our country, have rapidly grown from the first food bank established by the Trussell Trust in Salisbury 23 years ago inspired by two verses in Matthew’s gospel in the Bible which reads: ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ (Matthew 25: 35-36)

Thank you very much for all the your donations for the Bognor Regis Food Bank which have come into school. A photograph of the donations which have been sitting proudly in our school hall this week is attached. We will make sure every box, packet and tin of food gets to the Food Bank.

With the theme of giving in mind, attached are the details of the 4th of the 5 Ways To Well Being. The children will be exploring what ‘Give’ means in the morning meetings on Monday.

October Prayer

It is always so lovely when children want to contribute to our monthly prayer. A big THANK YOU goes to Skye, Ruby-Jane, Katie, Bella and Lexi for their reflective words which have been put together to create our October prayer, which is also attached.

Parent-Teacher Progress Meetings

The dates for these meetings are as follows:

• Camber Class – Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October

• Lewes Class – Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October

• Amberley Class – Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th October

• Bramber Class – Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October

• Hastings Class – Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th October

• Arundel Class – Tuesday 17th and Thursday 19th October

• Bodiam Class – Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th October

• Pevensey Class – Monday 16th and Thursday 19th October

• Cowdray Class – Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th October

• Portchester Class – Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th October

• Southsea Class – Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October

  The online booking process on ParentMail will be open at 9:00am on Monday 9th October.

  Time To Shine

  Before these meetings, you are warmly invited to our first Time to Shine afternoon of the school year at the end of the school day on Friday 13th October. You will be able to come into your child’s classroom to look at and celebrate the three pieces of work from this half term they are most proud of.

  School Open Mornings

  The school is holding two open mornings for families who have children who will be starting school in September 2024. These are on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th October We are looking for Year 6 children who would like to volunteer their time and be ambassadors for the school by providing a tour of the school to the visiting families. Please let us know through the office2@yaptonschool.org email address if your Year 6 child would be willing to be part of this. There may be some kind of sugary reward as a way of saying thank you…

  Conduct On The School Playground

  We are always looking out for when the children display our THINK values during the school day. We ask that parents and carers follow these values when they are on the school grounds. With this in mind, please read the attached the Code and Conduct for parents and carers. The information within this also applies to older siblings responsible for the drop off or pick up. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

  Reminder of Dates

  Just a quick reminder of a couple of dates which are coming up in November:

• Wednesday 8th November – Flu vaccinations in school.

• Wednesday 15th November – School photographs (individual and siblings in school)

  A Community Request

  The last attachment of the week is a plea from someone who lives near the school whose dog has gone missing. Please keep your eyes open whilst you are out and about in the village.

  It’s going to be another warm and sunny weekend. Enjoy the sunshine!

  Take care

  Kim Huggett