30th March 2006

• With the last week of Lent Term’s learning objectives to master, pupils have been working on a range of activities, with a small selection outlined in this week’s bulletin. 
   
• In Nursery, the letter ‘e’ was the literacy topic for this week, with children filling their ‘treasure boxes’ with objects starting with this particular sound. In Numeracy, they had the opportunity of taking part in matching exercises involving early counting skills. Additionally, their Easter Bonnet parade was a source of great excitement, with some wonderful creations on display.
   
• There has been further work with addition in Reception Class, with Mrs Bull reporting a very enthusiastic response from all of her charges! The dental nurse also visited Reception Class and Key Stage One earlier this week.  She gave an excellent demonstration of the effects of sugary drinks upon teeth, which certainly seemed to have an effect upon our pupils.
   
• A sustained creative writing project based upon the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff was part of the week’s literacy work for pupils in 1KS, whilst antonyms were the focus for 2GM, again within the class’s creative writing. 
   
• The hard work has also continued in Key Stage Two. Instructional writing in literacy lessons led to the construction of board games, whilst in 4AH children worked on improving the structuring of stories. 4LD pupils’ handmade books were developed further, with their own stories added to each one.  A presentation of findings following research into wild animals using ICT and literacy resources took place in 5DF. Further work on the topic of time was completed in 6PP, who also earlier in the week thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Leicester Museum, linked to their studies of Egyptian history in humanities.
   
• Yesterday, Key Stage Two pupils took part in their annual Winter Games Day.  The morning session was held at Bishop Stopford School, with our boys and girls playing football and tag rugby, with netball games being played at St Peter’s during the afternoon. Congratulations to the boys and girls of Pitsford house, who won the trophy this year. There was also a Games Afternoon for Key Stage One on Tuesday, providing younger pupils with the opportunity to improve their catching, dribbling, shooting, football and early netball skills.
   
• Reports for Lent Term will be issued tomorrow.  Curriculum projections for Summer Term will be sent out
  on Monday 24th April.
   
• There will be a ‘share your work session’ for parents and pupils on Monday 24th April, as detailed in our school calendar distributed at the start of the academic year.  A letter regarding arrangements for the ‘share your work’ session will shortly go out to parents.
   
• Pupils return to school after the Easter break on Wednesday 19th April.  On that day, details of Summer Term clubs and an application form will be sent out with pupils.  Please look for this letter in your child’s bag, as there is a fast turn-around requested for its completion and return to school – Friday 21st April.  This will make it possible for clubs to run from Monday 24th April.  As last term, once your club application form is received, Mrs Sharp will issue you with an acceptance slip, confirming your child’s place on the club, or informing you of any ‘waiting list’ that has had to be put in place.
   
• Generally on the subject of letters, parents are respectfully requested to check school bags for letters regularly.  Information relating to the organisation of trips out, or events at school, their timing and venue is put in writing for parents’ convenience, and for the smooth running of the School.
   
• The Scholastic Book Fair was well supported by parents, pupils and teachers alike.  Mrs Payne and Miss Farrant would like to extend their thanks to all parents involved in helping out at the stall.  A total commission of £383.67 was achieved from the sale of books on the stall, and as usual, these will be spent on supplementing our already well stocked reading schemes with even more choice for boys and girls.
   
• In sport, our netballers and their teachers Miss Farrant and Mrs Marshall braved over-zealous wind and driving rain on Tuesday to play a home match against Meadowside, who won 7-5.  Thanks to parents that suffered the elements to support their children too.  An away match will be played this afternoon at Broughton, for which we wish the girls well.
   
• Also on Tuesday, the School’s football team played Havelock away in a return friendly match.  Although not a match they won, the excellent effort made by the team was applauded by their coach, Mr Holmes. Earlier during the academic year, St Peter’s School entered into the Sainsbury’s Small Schools under 11 Soccer Sixes, winning the Eccles Shield which qualified them for the regional finals.  These will take place on Saturday, with Mr Holmes taking our team up to Grove Farm, one of the sports campuses of Nottingham University.  I look forward to giving you a report on this after the Easter break.
   
• Please note that the first ballet lesson of Summer Term, for pupils being tutored by Mrs Thompson is Wednesday 19th April.
   
• I would like to add my thanks to those of Mrs Tye, for the rose bushes kindly donated to our Diamond Jubilee Garden by pupils Charlotte and Francesca Bowers.  Appropriately, the roses’ variety is entitled Diamond Jubilee.  Mrs Tye and her gardening club planted the roses earlier this week, and we look forward to them blooming their way through a long, hot but not too dry summer.
   
• Turning to PTAFA matters, last week’s Mothers’ Day Gift Stalls were well supported, both by pupils choosing presents and having them gift wrapped, and by mums generously giving of their time to help with the wrapping.  A report of this stall and other PTAFA events will be given at the next PTAFA meeting, which will be held in Sunnylands Hall on Tuesday 25th April at 7.30pm.
   
• The PTAFA plant sale order form was sent out a few weeks ago.  Closing dates for completed order forms is 5th May.  Additional forms are available from the School Office.
   
• Advance notice is given to parents about the PTAFA’s next evening event, held on Saturday 6th May, when a Race Evening will be held in Sunnylands Hall.  Tickets for this fun event are available from the School Office, and further details can be gleaned from Mrs McCallum, who is organising the event on behalf of the PTAFA.
   
• There will be a PTAFA run cake stall tomorrow after School in Sunnylands Hall.  If you are able to make a cake donation, please deliver it to the School Office tomorrow.  I hope to see a good crowd of cake buyers at the stall – I was so eager to get there, I posted the date a week early in the last bulletin, so apologies for any confusion!
   
• In addition to usual lessons, tomorrow our pupils will take part in an Easter Egg Hunt which promises to be a fun way of ending a Lent Term of very hard work. The Summer Term’s schedule is packed with events and meetings, including Assessment Week, Readathon, pupil trips out, a residential trip for Years 5 and 6, parent consultations, Summer Games Day, Sport Day and Summer Concerts in Foundation/Key Stage One and Key Stage Two.  I look forward to our pupils returning to School after the Easter break, rested and full of energy, ready for what lies ahead.