1st December 2005

• On Tuesday 5DF visited Manor House Museum with Miss Farrant for a Victorian Day.  They dressed in clothes reminiscent of that era, and took part in workshops that encouraged our pupils to empathise with life in Kettering Victorian times: for children, workers and factory owners. 
   
• Earlier this week Year 5 and 6 parents were invited to a meeting held in the Hall, at which a presentation was made by Adam Sills, of the Kettering Old Grammar School Foundation.  This group run an activity centre in Govilon to which we hope to take our older pupils in May.  There is already a great deal of excitement about the activities on offer.  Parents who generally wish to find out more about Govilon can log on to www.rjcgovilon.org.uk
   
• Advent will be the theme of assemblies over the next three weeks, with the aim of preparing pupils for what we know they are all looking forward to: Christmas.  At this week’s whole school assembly they considered the variety of traditions in which Christians partake when looking forward to the big day.  I really hope that assembly time in the run up to Christmas will focus the minds of our boys and girls upon the Christian message of Christmas, which seems increasingly to be in competition with the commercial opportunities that the festive season offers.
   
• Our Christmas Card competition winner was announced at today’s assembly:  Miranda Weston of 4LD, will have her card produced and sent out to families and business associates of St Peter’s School. Hope Carpenter of 5DF was in second place and Olivia Ager in Reception Class was awarded third place.  There were a number of ‘well done’ certificates presented too. The efforts of all entrants are greatly appreciated.  Thanks go to Mr Flatman for once more kindly producing the card for us.
   
• Year 5 and 6 pupils this week recognised the start of Advent during their trip to two of our community links: The Four Seasons Day Centre and The Grange Over 60’s club.  They sang carols and led our friends in the singing of community songs.  This was interspersed with the reading of some Christmas poems.  We were delighted to receive a donation of £140 for the Goodwill Village in India from our friends at The Grange.
      
• Baffled parents who may have seen groups of our Year Six pupils during the last few Thursdays donning catering hats may appreciate some explanation to this mystery. Mr Fountain and Mrs Payne have been running a cookery club for this year group, and it certainly is a ‘hit’ with our budding chefs it seems.  Similarly, Mrs Dreyer has been venturing into the School kitchen with Year 5 this term as part of their technology curriculum.  With the resurgence of traditional, modern and world cooking it is good to see our pupils’ eagerness when working practically with food.
   
• Term dates for academic year 2006-2007 accompany this bulletin.
  
• Christmas post boxes will run in each Key Stage from Monday December 5th.  Please ensure that cards contain the full name and class of the child for whom the card is intended.  The boxes will be opened on Wednesday 14th December when cards will be distributed.
   
• Parents should now be in receipt of a letter outlining arrangements for St Peter’s School’s Carol Service.  Please return the reply slip outlining your arrangements for collection of your child at noon on Thursday 15th December which marks the end of term.  There will be no Late Club on this day and Nursery will also close at 12 noon.  Other arrangements regarding the approach of Christmas at St Peter’s will go out in a letter from each Key Stage coordinator next week.
   
• Sunnylands Hall has now been decorated to mark the festive season.  There is a range of work on display representing pupils’ efforts right across the age range.  Children in Key Stage Two will sing Advent carols and decorate the Christmas tree in Sunnylands Hall tomorrow.  I hope that many of you will marvel at the transformation of our School’s Hall on Saturday at the Christmas Fayre.
   
• Next week is very special for pupils in Nursery, Reception, Year One and Two, in that they will present their Christmas productions on Wednesday and Thursday.  Reception and Nursery will perform Nursery Rhyme Nativity, and Year One and Two will perform The Little Fir Tree.  We also look forward to Coffee Mornings for our audience of parents prior to each performance.
   
• Please note that pupils arriving in School before 8.25am should either remain under parental supervision on site, or go to Early Club. 
   
• Next week marks the last week of clubs for Michaelmas Term.  They will not run during the week beginning 12th December.  Lent Term clubs will start on the week beginning 16th January, allowing time for the distribution, completion and processing of new club application forms.
   
• Homework will cease formally from the week beginning 12th December with a gradual move towards this over the next week.  As always, if you feel your child still has the energy after a long and demanding day at School when approaching the end of an eventful term, please use the opportunity for reading, spelling, tables and number bond work. 
   
• On Friday 9th December there will be a Christmas Disco for pupils in Years Three to Year Six, held in Sunnylands Hall from 7pm to 8.30pm.  Children will be relieved to know that school uniform can be substituted for party clothes!  On the same evening there will be a private viewing of primary school art work at the Alfred East Gallery in Kettering, with a selection from St Peter’s School as part of it.  Key Stage Two parents might want to while away the 90 minutes between dropping off and picking up disco go-ers by ‘taking in’ some art.
   
• Sunnylands Hall was a hive of industry last Friday. The PTAFA Cake Stall raised £65.90 with these proceeds going towards Children In Need, and the Used Book Stall also proved very popular, raising £68 from its sales.  As a backcloth to this was a team of staff busily putting together the staging for the Foundation Stage Key Stage One Christmas performances.  There was a great feel to School, with so much going on in one place.  We hope to create the same atmosphere, but on an even bigger scale, during Saturday’s Christmas Fayre.  Come along and make it happen!
   
• There has been an enormous response to Christmas Fayre requests.  The School office has been inundated with items for the tombolas and other stalls.  Thank you once more for your support.  It is this atmosphere of enthusiasm amongst parents, pupils and teachers that makes St Peter’s School so special.