6th July 2006

• There was an air of excitement about School last Thursday, which was also St Peter’s Day.  Our pupils became ‘recording stars’ for the morning.  Surrounded by all manner of microphones and facing a sound engineer working at an elaborate sound desk, our boys and girls gave their all.  It was an opportunity for us to record for posterity some of the tremendous music produced by pupils at St. Peter’s School this year.  If you would like to place an order for the CD, titled ‘Thank You for the Music’, please complete the form attached. Please also note that we need a very quick response in order to place an order in sufficient time to get these CDs produced in bulk, and then posted back to us ready for distribution before the end of term.  This is why I need to set a very short deadline for replies – by the morning of Monday 10th July.  I suspect that some parents may see this as an early opportunity to order Christmas presents for grandparents, aunts and uncles too!
   
• A copy of the CD will certainly be placed in the Time Box that pupils are currently putting together.  Its contents will be shared with the children at an assembly tomorrow morning, and will include a small piece of writing or drawing from each pupil.  We know that the children enjoy studying history, but in putting together our Time Box they will hopefully become more aware of their own place within the history of St Peter’s School.
   
• Tomorrow is the pupils’ Fun Day.  There are a host of activities planned in each department, and none of them involve text books or assessments!  To describe just a few from each area: in Reception and Key Stage One, pupils will make Jubilee crowns, take part together in some outdoor games, after which the older member of that area of the School will have a quiz. In Key Stage Two there will be a round-robin of activities, including ‘beat the goalie’ and netball goal shooting.  Pupils should come to School in mufti, but parents are asked to ensure that sensible clothing is worn, probably of the ‘sports’ type, as there are a number of sports activities taking place, in addition to the usual morning swimming sessions (which will have the all important ‘fun’ element too!) for Year Two through to Year Six.  To this end, please also remember to pack children off to School with their swimming kit.  A regard for health and safety has to remain regardless of mufti, and pupils with long hair should therefore come to School tomorrow with it tied back.
   
• Congratulations go to all pupils in Pitsford on winning this year’s Summer Games Day. On the same day, Reception Class joined Key Stage One for their Summer Games session.  The children took part in five different skilss, with the events being enjoyed by all.
   
• Yesterday’s Sports Day brought with it further victory for Pitsfordians. The Head’s voice was finally silenced by laryngitis, and therefore my usual stint at the microphone was capably covered by Mrs Payne!  I was disappointed to miss this happy event, but I pleased to hear that many parents were able to attend, and that the appalling weather conditions predicted did not come to pass.
   
• As we move towards the end of term, the following news will, I am sure be met with whoops of joy:  no more homework……until the new academic year, of course.
   
• There will be no clubs from next week.  Please note that with regard to ’lessons’ for which a fee has been paid, the teacher concerned will have communicated with you about the last session date.
  
• Last week ended with a presentation from pupils in Year 5 and 6 to their parents, about their ‘residential’ in Govilon, earlier this term  There were jokes, facts, singing, dancing, some drama and some truly wonderful ‘scary’ storytelling, all against the backcloth of a super Powerpoint presentation, created from the individual presentations each pupil had worked on in ICT lessons.  A scrap book project was also made by each student, and these were on display for parents to look at.  This particular residential was one filled with physical activity and challenge, providing our boys and girls with the opportunity to further develop their team skills and confidence, and having listened to the boys and girls presentation, I was left feeling that the educational value of such a trip is immeasurable. 
   
• There have been two very special class assemblies over the last two weeks.  Pupils in 1KS shared with us their assembly on the theme of ‘houses’.  They considered types of housing in the local area, as well as the difference between housing now and a hundred years ago.   On Tuesday, Reception Class astounded us all with their self assured presentation about different places to live.  They each presented a sentence written independently, following research made at home, and accompanied this with a painting relating to their area of study.  What an achievement!
   
• In this, our Diamond Jubilee Year, a number of ‘old’ parents, pupils and staff will be present at Founders’ Day, as well as a ‘founder’ pupil!  We will be addressed by Lady Robinson, herself a former ‘parent of St Peter’s School’, and I too look forward to giving my annual report, which will serve to round up a year crammed with hard work and success, on the part of pupils, staff and parents alike.  Most importantly though, the efforts of our pupils will be celebrated, and this is the real purpose of Founders’ Day.

       The arrangements are as follows:

The morning pupils’ drop-off will operate from 9.30am when you are welcome toalso leave your labelled picnic hamper at the same time, allowing you time to find a permitted parking space in roads near the School. Your picnic hamper will be stored in a cool area of the School and brought up to the marquee for you after the Prize Giving ceremony.  This later start allows staff to prepare the marquee. 

Once the marquee is prepared you will be able to take your seat from 10.00am

Pupils will be supervised in the playground until 9.45am when the bell will ring.  Registration will then take place in classrooms, and following a quiet reading session and some mental maths, children will be led by teachers into the marquee ready for the ceremony's start at 10.30am.

In the event of poor weather the plan is for the marquee to be used by families that would still wish to go ahead with the picnic, and chairs would be stacked quickly in order for this to occur.  It would be simply glorious if the sun shone, allowing families the opportunity to sit together and enjoy the School grounds.  Please note that barbeques are not permitted.  It is expected that picnic time would run from approximately 12.30pm.
 
There is an opportunity from 1.30pm for families to look around both of the School buildings.  Whilst we have had two ‘share your work sessions’ this year, there has not yet been an opportunity for parents to look at the work and wall displays of pupils in other year groups, so it is hoped that many of you will want to take advantage of our Open Afternoon. 

The members of Kettering Flower Club will have kindly decorated the School with flowers to mark the occasion of the Club’s Golden Jubilee and the School’s Diamond Jubilee.

Tea, cakes and cold refreshments will be available from 2.30pm until 3.30pm in the School’s ground, and a Diamond Jubilee Cake, kindly prepared by Mrs Bowers will be cut.

Items relating to the School’s history (old School magazines, caps, newspaper cuttings etc) kindly donated by old boys and girls and their families will be on display in Sunnylands Hall.  If you wish to loan anything then please contact the School.  The children love looking at items from ‘the past’!

Please note that, as last year, there will be no Early or Late Club, as all staff will be involved in preparations for the day and then for the PTAFA events in the late afternoon and evening.

• The majority of families have returned the Founders’ Day reply slip, detailing who will be attending, as well as whether a picnic lunch is required for pupils.  At this late stage, please simply telephone the School Office to inform us of your intentions, so that we get the seating ‘right’ on the day.
   
• The PTAFA have sent out a letter detailing the entertainment that takes place from 5pm after the formal part of Founders’ Day.  There will hopefully be enough time for you all to go home and give children the chance to change out of their School uniform and into something suitable for the early evening informal party atmosphere! I understand that a sterling team of barbequers are at the ready, the burgers are ordered, the ‘bar staff’ have purchased the liquid refreshments and we are ready to go!  Come along and join in with the fun.
   
• Many parents will be aware that St. Peters School have always provided a ‘swap shop’ for all good quality uniform items, 50% of the proceeds being given to the PTAFA and 50% returned to the parents. Due to limited space and lack of demand, we are now only able to accept ‘swap shop’ uniform for the following St. Peter’s School items: Blazers, dresses, tunics, skirts, girls blue checked shirts, boys caps, felt hats and straw boaters.  Mrs Loake and Mrs Gostelow would also like to remind you that items are accepted on the understanding if they are not sold within two years they will be given to a clothing-recycling centre.
   
• Still on the subject of uniform, please be aware of the collection date for collection of uniform already ordered: Wednesday 30th August.  An appointment time should be booked at the School Office for this day.
   
• Many thanks to all those parents and pupils who supported the last Cake Stall, which raised the sum of £87.75. This money will go to Kettering Flower Club as a contribution towards the cost of the flowers that will be used to decorate the School for Diamond Jubilee Week.
   
• Not only has pupils’ reading undoubtedly further improved during Readathon, but an enormous sum was also raised for children with cancer, from the efforts made by St Peter’s School pupils. I am so very proud to tell you that this year your sons and daughters raised £928.82.  They will be congratulated on their efforts in tomorrow morning’s assembly.   Since 2002, when we started taking part in Readathon, a sum approaching £3, 500 has been donated by pupils in support of cancer care for children.
   
• A one day summer holiday rugby workshop will take place at School, on Monday September 4th.  It will be run by Sport Evolution, and will provide an opportunity for pupils to focus on “footwork, tackle technique, the defensive line and impact in the tackle”.  I think it will also be a chance for school mates to ‘catch up’ after the holidays! The attached poster and application form will give you further details. Please send off your application form promptly if you are interested, before the workshop fills up.  All enquiries regarding this event should be directed to Sport Evolution, whose telephone number features at the foot of the poster.
   
• I hope that many of you will be able to attend the Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday 18th July at the Parish Church of Ss Peter and Paul.  It will be something akin to a ‘songs of praise’ for pupils, parents and teachers, involving hymns that we know the children love to sing.  This is a fitting way to round off both the academic year and our Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Please complete the attached form indicating your intentions regarding this event.  Please note that after the Service, pupils will be returning to School for their Jubilee Lunch and a final end of term assembly, when we say farewell to our Year Six leavers.
   
• On the subject of leavers, I continue to hear good things about our ‘not-so old’ boys and girls: at Southfields School for Girls, Zoë Loake, Sanita Tailor, Kirsten Penny and Kudzai Taruvinga all received special awards in the school’s Junior Maths Challenge, with Zoë being awarded the Best In School certificate.
   
• With just over a week to go to the Diamond Jubilee Ball there is almost a rustle of ball dresses and bow ties in the air. I would like to thank Mrs Lester for spending a huge amount of time coordinating and liaising with the representatives that will work together at the function.  Her excellent skills of commercial persuasion have worked wonders on the sponsorship front, and will enhance what promises to be a memorable evening.
   
• The last bulletin of this academic year will go out on Monday 17th July.  I will endeavour to make it a brief one!