Dear Parents
It’s hard to believe that we’ve only been back a month …so much seems to have happened already!
All of the children have been improving their ukulele skills under Mr Lynch’s tuition and their playing is becoming much more tuneful. The younger children are having to work really hard to play some of the chords.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended the FOHS Treasure Hunt. The predicted bad weather didn’t deter people from participating and certainly didn’t spoil the fun. Thanks to FOHS for organising another great event, which raised £200 for school funds.
This week Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have been enjoying their Bikeability training and now have a better understanding of the Highway Code, as well as being much more confident cycling on the road.
Mr Sheehan has been coaching many of the KS2 pupils in football skills as preparation for the Centurion Tournament at Scampton. The children are extremely excited about the opportunity to represent their school.
We have been invited to Hackthorn Hall again on Tuesday to pick apples from the Hall’s orchard. We had such a lovely time last year and are really looking forward to visiting again. Please make sure that your children wear suitable footwear.
Don’t forget that it’s the Harvest Festival Service in the church on Friday. We look forward to seeing many of you. Please note that there will be NO Goods works assembly on this day.
Mrs K Appleby, Headteacher
Governor’s Thoughts for the Month
There is no more important activity for preparing your child to succeed as a reader than reading aloud together. Fill your storytimes with a variety of books. Be consistent, be patient, and watch the magic work.
Continuing the fantastic work done by the school in our homes, by reading to our children, will stimulate their imaginations and expand their understanding of our world. Even after children have learnt to read, continuing to read to them beyond their reading level will stretch their knowledge and motivate them to expand their abilities.
I have seen first-hand just tonight how much of an impact being read to can have on a child. Listening to Joshua tell me precisely what had happened in the two separate books that have been read at school recently, felt reminiscent of a sugar-fuelled episode!
But not only does it help our children’s reading development, it also improves their spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary abilities.
All parents lead busy lives and although things can get hectic, you should try to read with your child at least once a day at a regular time. However don’t be discouraged if you miss a day or can’t keep to a regular schedule. Just try and read to your child as often as you possibly can.
Mr D Gibbs (Chair of Governors)
Friends of Hackthorn School
FOHS held their AGM on Tuesday 17 September Many activities were planned for the next few months, details of which can be found in the latest FOHS newsletter.
Please feel free to come along to the next meeting at school this Monday 07 October at 3.45pm. New recruits to the committee are always most welcome.
Forthcoming Events
Pre-School Art Afternoon for Autumn – Friday 18 October from 1.30-2.30pm: Don’t forget to spread the word about our Autumn Art afternoon to parents of pre-school children coming up to foundation stage age. This is always a popular event so it is important that places are booked.
Harvest Festival – Friday 11 October, 2.00pm: The school will be holding its annual harvest festival in the church on Friday 11 October at 2.00pm. Once again children are asked to bring fresh food or tins of food as their harvest offerings. Children should bring their offerings to school on the morning of Friday 11 ready to be presented during the service. All parents and friends are invited to attend the service.
Parents may, as usual, take their children home directly after the service if they wish. The remaining children will go home from school in the usual way at 3.30pm.
Please complete the attached consent form and return it to school BEFORE the day of the service so we are fully aware of your arrangements, ideally by no later than Wednesday 09 October.
Reminders from the School Office
Please could parents who have yet to complete and return the paperwork which was sent out at the start of term, do so as soon as possible. We need to ensure that we have a record of the correct information for all pupils on file, particularly with regard to emergency contact information and current medical information.
The annual ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoeboxes will be distributed to pupils as usual during morning assembly on Friday 18 October. Please remember to return your filled and wrapped boxes to school by 15 November.
Dates To Remember
07 Oct FOHS Meeting – 3.45pm
10 Oct Deadline for Parent/Teacher Interview booking slips (plus consent slips re. Harvest Festival)
10 Oct Wrates School Photographer – 1.45pm
11 Oct Harvest Festival – 2.00pm (NO Good Works Assembly)
15 Oct Parent/Teacher Interviews
16 Oct KS2 Football Tournament at Scampton School – 3.30pm
17 Oct Parent Teacher Interviews (& Flu Immunisations)
18 Oct Operation Christmas Child attend Good Works Assembly
18 Oct Pre-School Arts Afternoon 1.30-2.30pm
18 Oct Last Day of Term
28 Oct School closed for INSET Day
29 Oct Back to School
01 Nov FOHS Film Night
15 Nov Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to be returned
12 Nov Curriculum Information Evening (Y2 & Y6 Parents) – 6pm
22 Nov Young Shakespeare Company (KS2)
02 Dec Winter Fayre
11 Dec KS1 Nativity Dress Rehearsal
12 Dec KS1 Nativity Main Performance (2pm)
13 Dec Christmas Jumper Day
16 Dec Christmas Pre-School Arts Afternoon
17 Dec Christmas Pantomime Trip
18 Dec Christmas Party
19 Dec Last Day of Term
Parent/Teacher Interviews – Tuesday 15 & Thursday 17 October
Parent/teacher interviews this term for KS2 parents will take place during the school day on Tuesday 15 October between 1.20-3.30pm and from 3.45-4.45pm. KS1 are also holding a late parents’ evening from 3.45-6.45pm on Tuesday 15 October.
On Thursday 17 October parents’ interviews will take place for KS1 during the school day from 1.20-3.30pm and from 3.45-4.45pm. KS2 are holding a late parents’ evening that day from 3.45-6.45pm.
Please indicate (by ticking) your preferred time for an appointment in the grid below. You will then be designated a ten minute time slot (for each child) within that hour.
We will try our best to allocate time slots within your desired period, but there may be instances when this cannot be possible.
We had a significant number of parents who returned their forms late last time and were requesting appointments on the actual day. Please be mindful that teachers plan for parents’ evenings in advance and change their family commitments to accommodate appointments, so late changes are difficult to organise. Please therefore return your completed forms as quickly as possible and by Wednesday 09 October at the very latest.
We should be able to confirm your appointment time by Friday 11 October.