Dear Parents and Carers,
Wow! Where did that half term go? We have had an amazing, productive start to this academic year as you will have seen in the children’s books when you came to Time To Shine.
PERFORMANCE POETRY FESTIVAL WEEK
We started our exciting week by meeting together in the hall first thing on Monday morning. Mrs Cummings explained how our week was going to work and showed us a video that helped us to think about how to write a powerful poem. Here is the link, if you would like to share this together at home: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/articles/zdwxbdm
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Each class was presented with a box to take back to the classroom to open. Hidden inside was the colour of the poem that the class would perform to the school on Friday. We reflected on our ‘Yapton Yes’ to give us the tools in our toolbox to help our resilience with this new challenge. We shared a special prayer to help guide us if the challenge looked tricky at times.
Lord, give us the enthusiasm to try out our new learning.
Help us to continue if we find it tricky.
Let us share our gifts and talents with our friends and our school family.
Grant us joy and celebration when we complete our new learning.
Amen
Starting with our youngest children, each class performed on our stage to the rest of the school. The performance of the poetry was a very high standard and involved dance, drama and music. Well done to all of our children and a huge ‘thank you’ to the school staff for the time and effort taken to create such stunning performances. Such an amazing end to this half term. Here are come reflections from the children:
I felt nervous to begin with, but then got more confident
All my friends helped me to feel confident
It was a joyful time to be in the hall
Seeing everyone else perform made me feel proud
It made me feel excited
Each class poem was completely unique
We loved watching everyone else perform
We remembered all of the words without our teacher’s help
I loved singing our song altogether
We worked as a team and achieved something as a class
Everyone was trying their best
STAFFING
We are pleased to share with you that we have appointed a lovely warm and welcoming new Family Support Worker. Miss Clair Callow will join our team in November. She is looking forward to joining our school family.
Mrs Lewis our new School Business Manager will be with us full-time from after half term.
REMEMBRANCE IN NOVEMBER
The season of Remembrance will be with us soon. We will be supporting the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal by selling poppies and other small items during the week after half term. Attached is a price list of the items that will be available. Please make sure your children bring in the correct amount as change will not be able to be given.
The school will come together on Tuesday 11th November for a special Remembrance Collective Worship. We will also create own our poppy garden. Please can the children bring in an empty and clean plastic drinks bottle (e.g. squash, fizzy) when they come back to school so they can create a poppy.
EYFS 2026
We enjoyed welcoming families during our EYFS 2026 Open Mornings. If you are aware of other families who would like to come and have a look around before completing their applications by 15th January 2026, please encourage them to contact the school using the office2@yaptonschool.org email address so that arrangements for a tour of the school can be made.
LOOKING AHEAD
Monday 3rd November – INSET DAY – school will be closed to children, teaching staff are undertaking training on that day.
Tuesday 4th November- Welcome back to school for our families – Our hooks for our new learning are attached to this ParentMail
Thursday 6th November – OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DAY – the children will need to come to school dressed appropriately for the weather.
PE TIMETABLE
There have been a couple of alterations to the PE Timetable. Attached is the updated version.
Also, children in Cowdray, Portchester and Southsea Classes need to come to school in their PE Kits on Tuesday 4th November.
Have a lovely half term break.
Take care
Kim Huggett