25th May 2006

• Our annual Readathon event was launched during today’s school assembly.  Readathon is essentially a ‘sponsored read’ with collected proceeds being donated to Sargent Cancer Care for Children and the Roald Dahl Foundation.  These organisations spend their funds caring for children and young people in the U.K. suffering from cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, leukaemia, epilepsy, blood disorders or head injury.  Pupils will bring their forms home at the end of the week, so that they can use this weekend to gather sponsors and list the books they intend to read.  Pupils have been reminded to only approach family and friends when seeking sponsors. Some parents also like to take the sponsor card to work on behalf of their child.
   
• The week of half term and the first week back after the break will be the times given over for pupils to read for Readathon.  In a bid to give the children a helping hand, the homework schedule for the week after the half term break will comprise entirely of reading.  The children have been reminded that it is not the number of books read that is important.  Some pupils may choose to read only a few books that are challenging in content and quantity; others choose to read a host of smaller, quick reads.  The emphasis is always upon quality reading; pupils should read with understanding, taking into account characters’ behaviour and motive, as well as plot development.   Talking to someone about what they read is as important for children as reading itself!
   
• Following this week’s consultations, teachers will have had the opportunity to share with parents their assessment of the progress made by pupils, not just since the start of the academic year, but also in comparison to last May’s assessments.  Targets relating to these assessments will be formulated, addressed during the remainder of this term, and passed to your child’s ‘next’ teacher for academic year 06-07.
   
• St Peter’s School netball team played their last match of the season last week, against St Edward’s School.  The score line was very close all of the way through, with Ysobel Rees scoring the all important deciding goal, resulting in a 10-9 win for St Peter’s School.  On Saturday the girls attended the Kettering Schools Netball Tournament at Avondale, where twenty teams split into four leagues took part.  It was a great occasion, allowing plenty of opportunity to play a range of teams.  Well done to all of the girls, and their coaches Miss Farrant and Mrs Marshall, on a superb season resulting in us being runners up in the High 5’s Netball League.  Netball Club will resume next year.  The netball staff would like to thank parents for their continued support at all matches this season. 
   
• Pupils in Key Stage Two are looking forward to tomorrow’s Swimming Gala, held at Kettering Pool.  Please remember that pupils involved in this should come to school tomorrow dressed in their blue polo shirt and track suit as usual, together with a swimming bag, packed with their swimming costume, two towels, a house swimming hat and the house t-shirt ( which should not be worn to School that morning.) 
   
• Thanks to those parents who have already donated something towards the World Challenge, a national charity organisation whose work was described in last week’s bulletin.   If you have any plastic recorders (wooden ones cannot be sterilised) and old football shirts in children’s sizes then Mrs Bowers would be grateful to any families that can donate such items for this cause.  Items can be left at the School Office.
   
• In PTAFA matters, if you have not yet collected your plant order, please do so by tomorrow. Thanks to Mrs Crooks for again organising the delivered items for collection. They have been left near the hedge outside the School Admin building.  A letter regarding the forthcoming Fashion Show has now been distributed, inviting parents to consider their child(ren) taking part in this fun event. Please return your form indicating whether or not you will be joining in.  Flower Quiz sheets, to raise funds for Kettering Flower Club’s floral decoration of the School, are still available at the School Office for £1.  My own household is currently trying to fathom out a few of the clues – all great fun, so join in! The next PTAFA meeting will take place on Tuesday 6th June at 7.30pm in Sunnylands Hall.
   
• The Diamond Jubilee Ball draws closer as we approach the end of the first half of this Summer Term.  Tickets for this event have proved very popular.  Please contact the School Office if you have yet to purchase yours!
   
• Some of you may have seen editorials relating to our Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the local press and community publications.  These have brought in a good deal of interest from ‘old boys and girls’ and their parents, some of whom I hope will also join us at this year’s Founders’ Day, having telephoned us asking to be added to the guest list. Many of our ‘current’ parents are former pupils, or have a connection to St Peter’s School, with a member of their family having attended here. If you too would like to request someone being added to the guest list then please contact Mrs Sharp.
   
• We are also on the hunt for items relating to the School’s history. Memorabilia such as newspaper cut-outs, photographs and trophies would be displayed during Founders’ Day, allowing present parents and pupils the chance to see a little of the School’s past.  If there is anything you can lend the School please contact us, or bring the item in to the School Office.
   
• I look forward to the children returning to School refreshed and ready for further academic challenge after their half term break.