Dear Parent/Carers,

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in school.  The children have made some beautiful decorations out of recycled materials and staff have decorated the school so it looks and feels special for the children.  See a sneak peak of staff ‘Decking the halls’ here:

In-between making Christmas decorations and practising for their Christmas nativities, the children have been busy with assessment in maths and reading – the data from these assessments will help teachers plan the learning over the next term to be more targeted for the children’s individual needs.  Well done to all the children for working so incredibly hard and taking everything in their stride.

GRAND HAMPER RAFFLE

Thank you for your generosity in donating treats for our Hamper Raffle! The Hampers look great! Our raffle ends tonight at 8pm and we’ve sold 928 tickets so far: will we reach £1000? You may purchase any last-minute tickets here:

https://raffall.com/273091/enter-raffle-to-win-grand-hamper-raffle-hosted-by-tracy-othen

CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES

Our EYFS/KS1 Nativity and KS2 Nativity concerts are always a very special occasion for us all.  The singing in school sounds incredible and you will be in for a real treat!  Bring your tissues as it’s always emotional when we all come together at this time of year.  The performance times for parents are as follows:

Performances at Holy Trinity Church

• Monday (05/12/22) 1330-1430: Performance for EYFS parents
• Tuesday (06/12/22) 1000-1100: Performance for Year 1 parents
• Tuesday (06/12/22) 1330-1430: Performance for Year 2 parents
• Thursday (08/12/22) 1000-1130: Performance for Year 3 parents
• Thursday (08/12/22) 1330-1500: Performance for Year 4 parents
• Friday (09/12/22) 1000-1130: Performance for Year 5 parents
• Friday (09/12/22) 1330-1500: Performance for Year 6 parents

Guidance

• Please be kind and only attend your child’s nativity
• Please aim to attend the performance set aside for your child’s year group.
• For those wishing to see siblings, you may be able to see them all in one EYFS/KS1’s nativity (Monday and Tuesday) includes EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 in the same show.  KS2’s Nativity (Thursday and Friday) has Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 in the same show.
• Those of you with a child in each Key Stage can, of course, see both shows
• The KS2 children will be performing all around the church and in the aisles, so every seat in church will have a good view, including those at the very back of the church.

Arriving early

• The doors to the church will open 10 minutes before each performance.
• Please do not arrive early for a good seat. The doors will not be opened early and there is not a lot of room to wait outside the hall.  We need to escort all the children in beforehand through the same entrance and allowing parents in early often causes problems for the children when getting ready.
• There will be teas and coffees on offer for those waiting to enter the church

Photography

• You are, of course, allowed to take photographs of your children performing.
• Please do not, however, post these on social media as you may have other children in your photos.

Church donations

• Holy Trinity are finding it extremely difficult to fund the church running costs this year as the cost of energy rockets. We are incredibly grateful to them for allowing us to use the church again this year, despite the difficulties they are facing.  As well as heating and electricity costs, they also have a leaking roof, so we are asking that parents kindly make donations on the day they visit as a way to say thank you to the wonderful people at Holy Trinity Church.

ELFRIDGES

Today we are launching payments for Elfridges.  As a festive treat for the last week of term we will be running ‘Elfridges’ in school time.  The Coach House will be decorated and transformed into the Elves’ Grotto where children can shop for Christmas Gifts for loved ones and family.  Every child in school will visit and there will be a selection of gifts for all the family (sorry no pets this year).

Children love this experience and it is lovely to see them choosing gifts for members of their family.  It teaches the children the value of kindness and giving gifts rather than receiving them and is also a school fundraiser raising money for equipment and author visits.

Please see the video produced by some cheeky elves!

https://youtu.be/msTJphqew70

Gifts cost £2.50 each and can be purchased on Parent Pay via your child’s account.  (The cost includes the gift, wrapping and a small donation to school.)  Please purchase these next week so we have an indication of numbers and are ready to open the Grotto on Monday 12^th December.  You may purchase 1 or more gifts if you wish and we will have a class register recording the number of gifts purchased for each child.

It is important to us that every child in school is included in this experience and enjoys the Grotto visit.  We ask that if you are able to purchase a gift for your child, then please support this school event.  If not, please don’t worry we will ensure every child takes a gift home.

We really couldn’t do this without your support, so thank you!

All that remains for me to say is, have a lovely weekend whatever you are up too and we all look forward to seeing you in Church next week.

Your sincerely,

Mr T Larkham

Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carers,

CHRISTMAS EVENTS UPDATE

It’s a very busy time for everybody at the moment, both at home and in school, so here is a reminder of everything you need to know for next week.  As always, the website calendar is up to date if you are ever unsure about anything.

https://colehamprimary.co.uk/home/parents-area/calendar/

Grand Hamper Raffle

There’s only 1 week left before the Grand Hamper Raffle is drawn on Friday 2^nd December at 8:00pm!  We can’t believe how quickly Christmas has snuck up on us and we’re not ready at all for this!  Please can you help spread the word? We desperately need hamper donations and to sell tickets.  If you are able to contribute we would really appreciate it.

Heres a reminder of the themes below:

• EYFS & Y1 – Kid’s Hamper
• Year 2-Chocolate Lover’s Hamper
• Year 3 Pamper Hamper
• Year 4 Men’s Hamper
• Year 5 Savoury Treats Hamper
• Year 6 Christmas Hamper

Children may hand in any donations to their class teacher.

There are 9 hampers up for grabs!  The raffle is open to anybody.  Tickets cost £1 each and can be purchased via the ‘Raffall’ website, please see the link below:

https://raffall.com/319373/enter-raffle-to-win-grand-hamper-raffle-hosted-by-tracy-othen

If you would like to buy tickets, you will need to sign in with your name and email address and then click “Enter” to purchase tickets.

We couldn’t hold this event without your kind generosity!  All money raised will purchase playground equipment, new lego and reading projects.

Thank you for your support.

KS2 Pantomime Visit

Next Wednesday 30^th November Years 3, 4 ,5 & 6 will all be visiting the Theatre to watch Beauty and the Beast show, finishing at 4:30pm.  Coaches are booked to bring the children back to school for approximately 5:15pm.  It will be dark and we need to release the children safely after they have collected their belongings from the classrooms so please do not wait on the pavement for the coaches to arrive.  We will open school gates as normal and you should collect your children from the playground where you would normally pick them up.  Children in Year 6 will not be able to walk home and will need collecting please. 

Year 4 Roman Day

Next week Year 4 are having a Roman Day to mark the end of their history topic.  Children may come to school in fancy dress.

• Dolphins-Tuesday 29^th November
• Whales-Thursday 1^st December

Please can we ask that children bring in a cereal box to school for crafting and for a contribution of £4.20 towards the workshop on ParentPay if you are able too.

Eco Council Drop & Swap Recycling Scheme

The Drop & Swap trolley in the foyer will be used to collect any Christmas Clothing you no longer need and you may have a look to see if anything takes your fancy!  This is a great way to recycle children’s outgrown Christmas Jumpers.

Christmas Shoeboxes

We will be working with the charitable organisation ‘Little Bags of Kindness’ to support people in our community who need some festive cheer and help this Christmas.  If you would like to fill a Christmas Box or Gift Bag at home for a child in need, we will be collecting these in the school foyer in the run up to Christmas.

Christmas Performaces & Elfridges

Our Christmas Performances are coming up soon so don’t forget to see the dates on the website Calendar page.  These are being held at Holy Trinity Church.  More about these and Elfridges next week.

We hope you have a lovely weekend and I’ll see you at the school gates next week.

Kind Regards,

T Larkham

Mr T Larkham

Headteacher

As part of the school’s programme of teaching pupils about different places of worship, we have arranged for Year 5 to visit Singers Hill Synagogue in Birmingham to learn about the Jewish faith, Judaism.  Leopards will be visiting the synagogue on Thursday 8^th December; and Lions will be visiting the venue on Thursday 15^th December. In order for us to arrive at the synagogue for 10.00 am both classes will need to come in to school by 8.15 am on the day of their trip. The coach will depart at 8.30 am sharp.

As we will not be returning until mid-afternoon, children will need a packed lunch. No glass bottles or fizzy drinks please. Pupils eligible for Free School Meals will be given a packed lunch prior to departure.

The cost for this trip is £16.70, which includes transport, insurance and workshop fees. Payment should be made via your child’s ParentPay account, in the usual way prior to the date of the trip. Although costs for trips are voluntary, in reality the school has no other means of funding these trips. We hope that everyone can contribute to the trip in some way.

Please note that this visit is covered by the Annual Consent Form for Trips/visits & Medical Information. Please notify the school immediately if there are any changes to your contact/emergency contact details or medical information, or if you do not wish your daughter/son to participate in this trip or any of the stated activities so we can make alternative arrangements for them.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Hilbert

Administration Manager

Dear Parents and Carers,

KS2 (Years 3 to 6) will be visiting Theatre Severn next Wednesday afternoon (30th November) to see the pantomime.  We hope to take all the children, but if you would rather your child did NOT attend, we need to know so that we can organise provision for them in school.

If you haven’t let us know already, please fill out the attached form.  The form will close at 12 noon on Thursday 24th.  It will be assumed that all children will be attending, apart from those that have let us know otherwise.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=jsPPYiPIp0GTv3qo35-Q0HvHVEDjq29JqHy5GTwutbRUMTQxRFpNWExDVTgxNFFPWllESVhIQk8yTi4u

Best wishes

Coleham School

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 4 pupils,

I am writing to let you know that in Year 4, children take part in the Multiplication Tables Check in June. The purpose of the check is to determine whether your child can fluently recall their times tables up to 12, which is essential for future success in mathematics.

The test compromises of 25 questions that will be answered online, and should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.

For the full official guidance and information, please refer to the following link: Multiplication tables check: information for parents (text version) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

In school, we have supporting your children in their times table learning for many years, with in-class times tables challenges, discreet teaching of the times tables and by providing access at school and at home to apps and resources that encourage quick recall of times tables facts.

Here is a reminder of some of the resources available to you to use at home:

• Times Tables Rockstars – this can be accessed via your online browser or by downloading the app. Your child will have been shown how to use this app at school and will be very familiar with it. You should be able to find their username and password within their reading diary. If not, please contact me or the class teacher and we can find it for you.
• Hit the Button – again this can be used via your online browser for free, or via the app. This is a great resource for quick recall of times tables facts.
• Numbergym Table Trainer (please ask your class teacher for each unique username and password)
• Squeebles – there is a specific times tables app dedicated to learning the times tables. YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE USE OF THIS APP.

The multiplication check is nothing for you or your child to worry about, however frequent practice at home will help them be even more prepared when the time comes. Nearer the time, in school the children will have chance to have a few official trial attempts so they are familiar with how the test will look.

Yours Sincerely,

Maria Stennett

Maths Co-ordinator

Dear Parent/Carers,

CHRISTMAS EVENTS UPDATE

Grand Hamper Raffle

Thank you for bringing donations into school for our Grand Hamper Raffle. It is very much appreciated.  Here is a reminder of the themes below, however there’s no need to stick to these if you have something else suitable to donate at home:

Our Grand Hamper Raffle is now live!

We have just 2 weeks to spread the word and sell tickets.  Can you help us? You could win one of 9 festive hampers, jam-packed with all the treats you need for Christmas.

Please watch this video, to tell you all about it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5OGfxCtWUY

We would love it if you and your family are able to purchase tickets.  We know that Christmas brings extra costs and so there is no pressure to buy tickets: you can help our cause by sharing our video with friends and relatives.  The raffle is open to anybody.  Tickets cost £1 each and can be purchased via the ‘Raffall’ website, please see the link below:

https://raffall.com/319373/enter-raffle-to-win-grand-hamper-raffle-hosted-by-tracy-othen

The “Raffall” website is easy and secure. If you would like to buy tickets, you will need to sign in with your name and email address and then click “Enter” to purchase tickets.

‘Raffall’ will draw the winners on Friday 2nd December at 8pm so tickets will be on sale over the next TWO WEEKS ONLY!

We couldn’t hold this event without your kind generosity!  All money raised will purchase playground equipment, new lego and reading projects.

Good luck everybody and thank you for your support.

Christmas Shopping Thursday 24^th November

We have some gorgeous Christmas and homeware gifts that were donated to us by Shrewsbury Interiors store Dutch Living.   If you fancy a bargain, please pop into the school hall after collection on Thursday 24th November at 3:20pm to grab a bargain!   After School Club pupils will be your lovely Sales Assistants and we hope to help you out with some Christmas gift bargains whilst raising funds for schools.   Everything is under £5 and when its gone, its gone! CASH ONLY.

Eco Council Update-Drop & Swap Recycling Scheme

We have a new campaign for our Drop & Swap recycling initiative.

We are no longer collecting shoes and instead will be collecting CHRISTMAS CLOTHING for all ages. Think Christmas jumpers, novelty hats, party frocks, PJ’s – anything for the festive season.  Please drop off at the Drop & Swap trolley in Reception and also come and have a look if anything takes your fancy! We want clothing to go to new homes and be used again, helping us all to be more eco-conscious and sustainable in our fashion choices.  Please help the Eco Council by joining in!

Christmas Shoeboxes

We will be working with the charitable organisation ‘Little Bags of Kindness’ to support people in our community who need some festive cheer and help this Christmas.  If you would like to fill a Christmas Box or Gift Bag at home for a child in need, we will be collecting these in the school foyer in the run up to Christmas.  These parcels will be passed on to children referred by Shropshire Mental Health Support, families in The Womens Refuge, children in emergency foster care and families under the care of local support workers.

Mrs Stennett has made a video about this project showing pupils how to make a ‘Christmas box’. You can view this here:

https://youtu.be/996NbFK6bHM

Pantomime

A reminder that the children are going to the pantomime soon: KS2 are going first on 30^th November; and EYFS/KS1 later in December.  This is an extra special event, it can cost over £100 for a typical family to go to the pantomime so this is a great opportunity for our pupils to visit the theatre with discounted school tickets.  This is not linked to the school curriculum and so we ask that families please support us with the ticket cost if they are able too. This can be paid via your child’s ParentPay account.

The remainder of this half term is a busy time for us and we have lots and lots going on for Christmas, so we will continue to send you regular updates.  ELFRIDGES IS COMING SOON!

Kind Regards,

T Othen

Miss T Othen

Business Manager

Dear Parent/Carer

Our school has been given the opportunity to take part in a national project, which is being run locally in partnership with Shropshire Council and West Mercia Police.

Operation Encompass is a process whereby the police and the council will inform a member of staff if a child or young person has experienced any domestic abuse incident. This will be done prior to the start of the next school day. Information sharing between professional agencies allows school staff to provide emotional and practical support to their pupils experiencing domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse can broadly be defined as ‘any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour; violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who have been intimate partners or family members. This can include, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse – psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional.’

Operation Encompass ensures that a member of the school staff, usually the Designated Safeguarding Lead, is given special training, to enable them to liaise with the police and council in receiving and using the information that has been shared, in confidence.

The sharing of details under Operation Encompass is permitted under Statutory Safeguarding Legislation and in respect of local authority schools under the Crime and Disorder Act (for the prevention of crime) and doing so without the child’s or parent’s consent is permissible under both pieces of legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

We want to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe, that where necessary, this will be beneficial in helping us to achieve that goal. Please contact me, the school’s Safeguarding Lead, should you wish to discuss the content of this letter.

Attached is a list of local and national advice and support agencies who can help those who may be affected by domestic abuse.

Claire Jones

Headteacher

Please click on doc below for Safeguarding Contact details:

Operation Encompass & Safeguarding Contacts

Dear Parents/Carers,

I write to let you know that I will be stepping down from my role as Headteacher of Coleham Primary School at the end of this academic year in order to take on the full-time role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the 3-18 Education Trust.

I am delighted to announce that Mr Larkham will be taking on the full-time role of Headteacher at Coleham from September 2023.  As you know, Mr Larkham has been my Deputy for a number of years now and, for the last 2 terms he been leading the school for 2 days each week, while I have been working part-time as Deputy CEO of the Trust.  Mr Larkham knows the school and the community incredibly well and I am sure that he will do an excellent job, continuing to lead the school from strength to strength.

My role within the trust will also allow me to continue supporting Coleham with regular drop-ins and ongoing School Improvement support so I am not going to disappear altogether!

I have worked at Coleham since 2010, when I took up the post of Deputy Headteacher, taking over as Headteacher in 2014.  I have loved every minute of my time here.  The school is an incredibly special place, full of wonderful children and a wonderfully committed staff team.  I feel honoured to have led them over the last 9 years, during which the school has been on a fantastic journey, always striving to be better and provide the best possible education to our children.  I have seen hundreds of children pass through the school and built relationships with many, many parents, always feeling well supported by the parent body and the Coleham community as a whole.

I will miss the school very much but feel privileged to be able to continue working alongside the Senior Leadership Team over the coming years.

Thank you for your ongoing support; it is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Jones

Headteacher

School photographers, Active Photographic, will be coming in to school on Tuesday 15^th November to take individual photographs of our pupils and, if requested, sibling photographs (Coleham pupils only).

If you DO NOT want your child to have their individual photograph taken or you WOULD LIKE A SIBLING GROUP PHOTOGRAPH taken, please click on the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/vcUtN2aM02

Unless notified otherwise by close of play, Monday 14^th November, all pupils will have their individual photo taken on 15^th November.

PLEASE CAN CHILDREN WEAR THEIR SCHOOL UNIFORM ON THIS DAY.

Year 1 and Starfish class have PE on this day but they will do PE in their school uniform.  They may bring trainers with them into school.

School has been busy this week, the children have thoroughly enjoyed our Careers Week and I have enjoyed listening to the children starting to rehearse songs for our Christmas performances with Mrs Porrett.  Here are some updates and news items from the week:

Careers Week

Thank you so much to all parents/carers who attended school this week to talk to the children about their careers.  We are so thankful to have parents involved in helping us deliver real life experiences to the children.  We have had fascinating talks from an Author, a Fashion Designer, a Doctor and a Helicopter Engineer to name just a few.  I’m sure these memories will stay with the children for years to come and inspire them to have ambition when they consider their future careers.

Ms Evans’ Retirement

Ms Evans will be retiring from teaching at Christmas time and so Whales Class in Year 4 will be having a new Class Teacher from January 2023.  Ms Evans has worked at Coleham for 29 years and has taught many, many children during her time here.  We will all be very sorry to see her leave us – her dedication, enthusiasm and calm manner has been greatly appreciated over the years and she will be missed by all of us.  I am sure that you will join me in wishing her the very best of luck as she moves onto her next chapter.

We have recruited a new teacher, Miss G Jones who will be joining us as Whales’ new Class Teacher.

Tuesday: Odd Socks Day

Next week is Anti-bullying week in school and we will be planning activities around this in classrooms.  Tuesday will be Odd Socks Day, so please encourage your child to come to school wearing odd socks.  They can be long or short, bright or whacky!  We want to raise an awareness that we are all different and that children should be themselves, accepting of one another and celebrate difference. The school photographers will be in on Tuesday taking individual/sibling photos of our pupils. This will not be impacted by Odd Sock Day as photos are taken from waist-up only.

Football/Pokemon Cards

Over the last few weeks, many children have been bringing cards into school to swap with each other.  Whilst we appreciate that many children enjoy playing with these during breaktime, and we normally encourage children to work together on similar interests, they have unfortunately caused some issues and arguments between the children.  Therefore, we think it is best for the children keep their cards at home for the time being and we ask that you do not allow your children to bring them in.  From Monday, cards will be confiscated and returned to parents at home time.

Class DoJo

We continue to use Class DoJo to share work regularly with you.  Please may we request that this platform is not used to send messages to staff.  If you would like to speak to your child’s class teacher, please try catch them in the morning or after school when your children are released.  If you are unable to do that, or would prefer to email your child’s class teacher, please send an email to our admin address: (admin@col.318education.co.uk).  Alternatively, please call the school office and we will arrange for your child’s class teacher to call you back.  We are really keen to maintain a good work-life balance for our staff and this is the reason why we ask that you don’t use Class DoJo as a messaging device.  Thank you for your understanding.

Parked Cars

Please can we remind you to switch off your engines if you are waiting near to the school in your vehicle.  We would like to keep the air around school as clean and pollution-free as possible: idling cars pollute the air for pedestrians and also our neighbours who live along Greyfriars’ Road.

Drop and Swap

Our Drop & Swap recycling trolley in School Reception is full of shoes and trainers which urgently need a new home.  Please come and look next week and take anything you can re-home before it is cleared away.  Our next campaign for Drop and Swap is Christmas Clothing which we will be starting to collect shortly.

Christmas events

Christmas is soon approaching and we are looking forward to our Christmas Performances at Holy Trinity Church and to taking the children to the pantomime.  Please make payment for the pantomime as soon as you are able to.  Staff have started recording for our annual Christmas Video which is our special surprise to the children and to you all.  Other events/activities include: a Grand Hamper Raffle; our ‘Elfridges’ shopping experience for the children; and some Christmas Community work which includes the ‘kindness shoeboxes’ that we collected last year for children that need it most in our community.

The Grand Hamper Raffle

Preparation for the Grand Hamper Raffle starts this week.  We know that the cost of living is a worry for us all and always appreciate any support you are able to offer, whether that is donating a small item or unwanted gift you have at home, purchasing a ticket or promoting the raffle to friends and family.  The School Budget is challenging this year: this fundraising will help us purchase any extra books and equipment needed.

We would be really grateful if your child or family could bring into school a voluntary donation to go into a Hamper.  Teachers will start to collect these in class from Monday.

The themes for each hamper are below along with a few suggestions. 

There is no need to stick to the theme if you have something else suitable to donate.  Thank you so much for supporting this.  A separate letter, next week, will launch the raffle online for ticket purchases.

I hope that you all have a good weekend and look forward to seeing you at the school gates next week.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Jones

Headteacher

School photographers, Active Photographic, will be coming in to school on Tuesday 15^th November to take individual photographs of our pupils and, if requested, sibling photographs (Coleham pupils only).

If you DO NOT want your child to have their individual photograph taken or you WOULD LIKE A SIBLING GROUP PHOTOGRAPH taken, please click on the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/vcUtN2aM02

Unless notified otherwise by close of play, Monday 14^th November, all pupils will have their individual photo taken on 15^th November.

PLEASE CAN CHILDREN WEAR THEIR SCHOOL UNIFORM ON THIS DAY.

Year 1 and Starfish class have PE on this day but they will do PE in their school uniform.  They may bring trainers with them into school.

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is hard to believe that we have reached half term already: it has been action packed and busy but very enjoyable.  The children and staff are certainly ready for a good break and I am sure that you are too.

Today we have enjoyed our whole school Diwali Day, organised by Miss Melville our RE curriculum leader.  The children have explored the festival of Diwali through taking part in a range of activities and have also enjoyed a special lunch menu too.  They have certainly learnt a great deal about this special Hindu festival and enjoyed dressing up in their own clothes for the day.

New School Website

We hope you are using the new school website.  All events, trips, dates and letters are uploaded here and then forwarded onto you, meaning that it is up to date at all times and can be your first port of call for any query.

Parents’ Evening

Please remember to book in your parents evening appointments as these will take place after half term.  The link can be found in the ‘Parents Area’ on the school website.  They will take place on:

• Wednesday 2nd November: 4:00 pm – 7:20 pm
• Thursday 3rd November: 4:00 pm – 7:20 pm

School Uniform

Please ensure that your child comes to school in the right uniform each day.  It is really important that all children have a Coleham jumper or cardigan (with the school logo), not a generic blue jumper.  Please also ensure that your child comes to school wearing plain black footwear.  Please click on the following link to view a list of our uniform: https://colehamprimary.co.uk/home/joining/what-you-need-to-buy/

Everything is available to buy at local supermarkets, except the school jumper.  We are keen for our children to look smart for school and also feel a sense of belonging by wearing the appropriate school uniform.  We keep spare logo jumpers in school if you ever need to borrow or replace any lost jumpers. If you would like some support financially with school uniform, please contact the school office or let me or Mr Larkham know; we are happy to help.

Careers Week

We have our Careers Week taking place after half term.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our children to hear about many different and exciting careers.  Many of you have jobs that the children will never have considered before, and you may be the inspiration a child needs!  We’d love to see as many families getting involved as possible, so please do contact the school office if you would like to share your stories of working life with the children.  It is never too early to inspire our children to follow their dreams.  We are looking for some more half an hour visits with years 1, 2 and 3.

Remembrance Day

After half term, we will be commemorating Remembrance Day and will be supporting the Royal British Legion charity with their Poppy Appeal fundraising.  The School Council will visit classes in years 1-6 with Poppy merchandise after half term.  If children would like to bring in small change, they can purchase poppies, snap bands, wrist bands etc. The suggested donation for items is between £1 and £1.50.

All that remains is for me to wish you a restful and relaxing half term break and I will look forward to seeing you at the school gates when we return on Monday 31^st October.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Jones

Headteacher

The School Nurses will be visiting the school on Wednesday 9th November to administer the yearly flu vaccinations for all children in school.

Please see attached letters from the NHS, your child will receive a paper consent form over the next couple of days. Please return it to the class teacher ASAP.

2022 10 20 Flu Letter NHS

2022 10 20 Flu Consent

Thank you

Attention ALL Families – This a fantastic opportunity!

We have been contacted by The AIM Group who deliver Free Online Level 2 Accredited Courses, along with a range of other qualifications that may help with developing your own careers.  Some of our staff and parents have previously taken up these courses and would recommend them.

Here’s some of the most popular subjects available:

• Children and Young Peoples Mental Health
• Understanding Autism
• Specific Learning Difficulties
• Behaviour That Challenges in Children
• Bullying in Children and Young People
• Adverse Childhood Experiences
• Nutrition and Health
• Allergy Awareness

These are just the popular qualifications, but they have over 40 available!

The qualifications are completed within a 6–12 week period in your own leisure. They are equivalent to a GCSE Grade C. You can do as many as you like, however you can only do one at a time.

The only criteria you must meet to be eligible, is: 

Aged 19 or over on or before 31st August 2022

Have lived in the UK/EU for 3+ years

Not already on a Government funded course

If you or anyone in your family are interested in undertaking one of these free online courses or would like further information, then please complete the following link ASAP. This will then allow The AIM Group to contact you to discuss and get you started on your chosen course: https://theaimgroup.co.uk/booking-form/0014J00000qDbko

If you have any questions prior to expressing interest, call Shane Cooke on 0203 900 3091 extension 249 or drop him an email at shane.cooke@theaimgroup.co.uk

Dear Parents and Carers,

House Competitions!

This week the children have enjoyed coming together in their school houses for our first House Competition of the year.  The KS1 children sang ‘The lighthouse’ beautifully with Quarry narrowly pipping Darwin to the House Trophy.  The KS2 children welcomed guest judge, Dr Sarah Browne from Shropshire Music Service, with Greyfriars being victorious and winning the KS2 House Trophy.

In other competition news, Mr Venn has been running a ‘Daily Dash’ competition, and the class with the most runners participating will be receiving an extra PE lesson from him.  Please do join in with your children, if you can, at 8:30 am!  Please remember that the big corner gate is open at 8:30 am and is only for Daily Dash participants.  Please wait until 8:40 am to enter the school site if your child is not taking part, as there will be no staff supervising until 8:40 am.

New School Website

We hope you are using the new school website, all events, trips, dates and letters are uploaded here and then forwarded onto you, meaning that it is up to date at all times and can be your first port of call for any query.

Please remember to book in your parents evening appointments as these will take place after half term.  The link can be found in the ‘Parents Area’ on the school website.

Upcoming Events

• Relationships and Health Education Parents Information Evening

When: Wednesday 19^th October at 3:45pm to 4:30pm

Where: Owl’s Classroom with Mrs Field

Find out how Relationships and Health Education is taught in school.

• Diwali Festival Day

When: On Friday 21^st October we will be celebrating the festival of Diwali across the school.

During the day, each class will explore the festival of Diwali through taking part in a range of activities and there will also be a special menu that day for lunch.  Please see below:

Diwali Lunch Menu

• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Chickpea Masala
• Poppadoms & Naan bread
• Pilau rice
• Peas & sweetcorn
• Indian Honey Cake
• Jelly & fruit

We will be moving the usual Friday menu of Fish, chips and pizza to Wednesday instead next week.

The Diwali Festival Day will be a non-uniform day.  As Diwali is a festival of light, we would like the children to come into school dressed in white, yellow (or gold!) to symbolise light.  Please don’t go out to buy anything new – a normal white polo shirt would be fine.  We hope that it will be a wonderful day to end the half-term on.

We are really excited to celebrate this festival with the children, and will share our celebrations and learning with you via ClassDojo and Tapestry.

Yours Sincerely,

Claire Jones

Dear Parents/Carers,

Coleham Choir Trip

Following the success of Year 4 trip Shropshire Sings in June, we have formed a school choir to take part in the amazing ‘Young Voices’ event on Wednesday 11^th Jan 2023.  This is a very exciting concert held at Resorts World, Birmingham where children from many schools come together in the concert venue to sing (please see attached flyer).

As a member of the Coleham Choir after school club your child has been selected to go on this special trip.  The children have already started learning the songs they will be performing on the night. It will be an experience not to be missed!

We expect full commitment from everyone taking part: both in attending the Coleham Choir club leading up to the event for their rehearsals; and in learning the words – both at school and at home (if you have SPOTIFY, search for Young Voices 2023 and you’ll find the playlist).

11^th January will be a long day and a late night for the children: they will be leaving around 12.30pm, following an early lunch, and will return to school around 10.30pm/11.00pm.  Parents/Carers will be able to park in the school car park to await the collection of their child.

The cost of the trip is £22.25 including ticket and coach travel, payable via your child’s ParentPay account.

We really hope that you can support us with payment for your child. Although costs for trips are voluntary, in reality the school has no other means of funding these trips.  We hope everyone will contribute in some way towards the cost.

School will fund a ’Young Voices’  T-shirt pack costing £15 for every child.

Families are also able to purchase tickets for this event if they wish to attend, but please be aware that you will need to make your own way to and from the venue. Adult tickets cost £23 each and must be ordered via the school.  We realise it is a long way to travel in the evening and an expense for families so there is no obligation for families to attend.  If you would like to order any tickets please make payment on Parentpay and we will order these on your behalf. Please note that the tickets will be issued on a first come first served basis so if you are wanting to go we recommend you place your ticket order quickly. Please order by no later than 4^th November.

If you are attending the concert, please note that you will not be able to collect your child from the venue: all participating children will travel to and from the venue on the coach with school staff.

Please note that this visit is covered by the Annual Consent Form for Trips/Visits and Medical Information. Please notify the school immediately if there are any changes to your contact/emergency contact details or medical information, or if you do not wish your son/daughter to participate in this trip so we can plan accordingly.

Young Voices is a terrific day out and one that the children will never forget.

We will, of course, remind you of all the details closer to the event.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Hilbert

Administration Manager

Dear Parent/Carer,

KS2 Pantomime Trip

This year the children are in for an extra special treat as we have arranged for the whole school to go and watch Beauty and the Beast Pantomime at the Theatre Severn.

The trip will take place on Wednesday 30^th November. The children will walk to the theatre after lunch to watch the 2:00pm showing and will return to school by coach for 5:00pm.

The cost of the trip, including theatre tickets (discounted for school pupils) and the transport cost for returning from the theatre, is £14.10 per child. Although costs for trips are voluntary, in reality the school has no other means of funding these trips.  We hope everyone will contribute in some way towards the costs: the trip is set up on ParentPay to enable you to select the amount you are able to contribute. We really hope that you can support us with payment for your child, however small.

School will provide a half time interval treat for the children.

Please note that this visit is covered by the Annual Consent Form for Trips/Visits and Medical Information. Please notify the school immediately if there are any changes to your contact/emergency contact details or medical information. If you do not wish your son/daughter to participate in this trip please let your child’s teacher know as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements for them.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Hilbert

Administration Manager

Dear Parent/Carer,

EYFS/KS1 Pantomime Trip

This year the children are in for an extra special treat as we have arranged for the whole school to go and watch the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ pantomime at the Theatre Severn.

The trip will take place on Tuesday 13^th December. The children will travel to the theatre after lunch to watch the 2:00pm performance and return to school around 5:00pm.

The cost of the trip, including theatre tickets (discounted for school pupils) and transport costs to and from the theatre, is £15.80 per child. Although costs for trips are voluntary, in reality the school has no other means of funding these trips.  We hope everyone will contribute in some way towards the costs: the trip is set up on ParentPay to enable you to select the amount you are able to contribute. We really hope that you can support us with payment for your child, however small.

School will provide a half time interval treat for the children.

Please note that this visit is covered by the Annual Consent Form for Trips/Visits and Medical Information. Please notify the school immediately if there are any changes to your contact/emergency contact details or medical information. If you do not wish your son/daughter to participate in this trip please let your child’s teacher know as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements for them.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Hilbert

Administration Manager