27th January 2005

• Pupils have a great deal to look forward to next week, with the arrival of Art Week.  Children in Nursery will be gathering natural resources during a walk, and these will form the basis of a variety of work, using clay, paint and other materials. Jewellery making is also planned, and the pupils will work in partnership upon a large scale collage too. 
   
• Reception Class will use the theme of Bears to work on a number of projects, including the design and creation of a large, interactive collage display.  Naturally, such work is also an opportunity for curricular links with numeracy and literacy.
   
• Pupils in Key Stage One will use next week’s afternoon sessions to work on art projects relating to the theme of Chinese New Year. Work planned includes the design and making of puppets, fans and a large dragon to be produced collaboratively.
   
• It is anticipated that the competition to produce the design for a football promoting the FA Cup will prove to be one of the more popular Key Stage Two homework tasks set during the week!  In addition to this, the week will begin with an assembly at which teachers in this area of the school will present and discuss an art work of their choice.  All pupils in years Three to Six will be involved in the production of a large scale collage.  On Friday the artist Robert Mercer will visit Key Stage Two to discuss his approach to creating art.  He will be demonstrating his skills on canvas too. 
   
• On Thursday 3rd February 4LD lead the school in an assembly on a theme relating to Art Week.  Parents of pupils in this class are invited to join us.  The School gates will be opened from 10.20am.  Parents are requested to come to the Office first, from where they will be escorted to Sunnylands Hall.
   
• The purpose of our Art Week is to actively involve children in larger projects that cannot be pursued always to their full extent within the boundaries of a weekly timetabled curriculum. It is also another way for them to learn about, to make and to have fun at the same time.
   
• I am delighted to inform parents an order is being prepared for additional reading books, following a good deal of research into schemes and materials available.  Many of you who are parents of children further on in the School can remember that in recent years we have substantially extended the reading material in Key Stage Two and Key Stage One. At this time, Reception class reading material is targeted for upgrading and extension. This development will be phased over a period of school terms.  Our aim is to continually assess and expand the resources that assist in the teaching and learning at St Peter’s School.
   
• When notes or letters are passed to a class teacher by a child, parents are respectfully requested to place these communications in an envelope.
   
• Last night’s Floodlit football match against Avondale resulted in a stunning 2-0 victory, which is a great way to resume the season, particularly considering we were defeated by a team from the same school in this competition last year.  Next week our team plays Henry Gotch School. It is hoped that the confidence gained from this week’s victory will keep our boys’ eyes sharply fixed upon further success.  Mention should be made also of the dedicated parents and carers who have supported our team on the sidelines throughout this season. 
   
• The PTAFA cake stall will take place in Sunnylands Hall tomorrow, with proceeds going to the Disaster Emergency Fund.  Please come into the building and buy some cakes, before rushing off to swot up for Saturday’s PTAFA Quiz Night!