St Francis Primary School - Letters

2012-01-30T11:15:00.001Z

Year 2/Letter 3

30th January 2012

Dear Parents

As part of our topic about Victorians we will be visiting Manor Farm. The children will experience a Victorian school activity in the schoolroom. They will also participate in a variety of Victorian activities led by Manor Farm staff. This will include pumping water and beating carpets.

Details of the visit are as follows:-

Venue: Manor Farm
Date: Wednesday 21st March
Transport: Coach
Cost: £11.85
Dress: Victorian style costume
Lunch: Please make sure your child has a TOTALLY disposable packed lunch and drink clearly labelled in their own named carrier bag. They have to carry it all day so if it can be thrown away quickly they will be much happier.
Adult/Child Ratio: 1:6

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible. Cheques to be made payable to St Francis School.
Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However, if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visit and return any money received.
We ask you to send your child without money as there will be no opportunity for them to visit the shop on the day.

Yours sincerely

Miss L Cutler Miss E Hayes
Class Teacher Class Teacher



Year 2 Manor Farm

Child _______________________ Class ________________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Manor Farm on 21st March
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £11.85 to cover the cost of the visit
*Please delete as appropriate
*I am/am not available to help on this trip and I have a current CRB certificate issued by St Francis School.

Signed _________________________

2012-01-24T10:49:00.001Z

18 January 2012
Dear Parents
Football Club Years 3 & 4

I am organizing an after school football club this term and next for Y3 and Y4 children on Monday afternoons. The club will be organised for 12 sessions. The club will end at 4.30 and children will need to be collected from school at that time. I have listed below the dates for the club but please note that due to other school commitments there are sometimes gaps between the dates.

If your child wishes to join the club please complete and return the form below. We will try to involve everyone who is interested. However, if the number of children wishing to join is so great that we can’t accommodate them all we will draw names out of a hat and have a reserve list.

Children need warm P.E. clothing to enjoy the club e.g. tracksuit, sweatshirt, gloves etc. Due to the weather children need to come prepared to play football on both the field, the playground and the school hall and will therefore need suitable footwear for both surface i.e. football boots and trainers.
Dates:
January 30th February 6th & 20th

March 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th April 16th, 23rd & 30th

May 14th & 21st

Yours sincerely

Mr R Fountain

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Year 3/Year 4 Football Club
I give permission for ______________________ to join Y3/Y4 Football Club and will ensure he/she is collected from school at 4.30 on the days the club is organised.

Name ____________________ Signed _____________________

2012-01-17T12:39:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 18 17 January 2012

Dear Parents

Speed Hump
Following the introduction of a zebra crossing for cyclists within the school car park, a small speed hump will also be installed at the entrance of the car park over the next few days. Together, the speed hump and zebra crossing are designed to make the car park a safer place for the children when accessing the school. However, the onus for the children’s safety still remains with all drivers to take the greatest care when using the school’s car park.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2012-01-13T10:21:00.001Z

Year 6/Letter 3

12th January 2012

Dear Parents

Year 6 will be celebrating VE Day on Wednesday 14th March as the culmination of our topic on World War II. During the day the children will take part in a variety of activities finishing with a VE Day street party.

The street party will have celebration wartime snacks, traditional sports and entertainments. We would like the children to wear wartime style clothing to give the day an authentic feel.

School will be providing a range of party foods typical of the time. However, if you would like to have a go cooking something with your child that they could bring in on the day, a wartime recipe sheet, along with an ideas sheet for wartime clothing, will be sent home with the children.

We would be very grateful for help during the afternoon, so if you would like to be involved pleased indicate on the form below and return it to school as soon as possible. (World War II dress is optional!!) If you would like to join us for the VE Day tea party at 2.30 pm then please complete the slip below as we will need to be aware of numbers.

Yours sincerely

Mrs D James Miss K Thorpe
Class Teacher Class Teacher



VE Day – Thursday 31st March – Year 6

Child ______________________ Class ____________________

I am able to help during the afternoon of Wednesday 14th March 

We/I will be attending the tea party at 2.30 pm on 14th March 

Signed _______________________

2012-01-13T10:19:00.001Z

Year 6/Letter 2

12 January 2012

Dear Parents

As part of our topic about World War 2 we will be visiting the D-Day Museum in Southsea. This will enable the children to have first hand experience of World War 2 artefacts and see the celebrated ‘Overlord’ embroidery.

Venue: D-Day Museum Portsmouth
Date: Wednesday 7 March – coach departs 9.00 am, arrives back by end of school day
Cost: £9.50
Dress: School uniform
Lunch: Packed lunch required
Adult/Child ratio: 1:8

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible. Cheques to be made payable to St Francis School.

Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visit and return any money received.

If you are able to accompany the children as a helper your time would be very much appreciated. You will need to have a current CRB clearance. Please indicate on the form below if you can help and we will contact you if you are needed.

Yours sincerely

Mrs D James Miss K Thorpe
Deputy Headteacher Class Teacher


Year 6 D-Day Museum

Child _____________________ Class ____________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit the D-Day Museum on 7 March 2012
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £9.50 to cover the cost of the visit
*I am able/unable to help with the trip. I have a current CRB certificate issued by St Francis School.
*Please delete as appropriate

Signed __________________________ Parent

2012-01-10T12:42:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 17 10 January 2012

Dear Parents

Advance notice of Mystery Week (Book Week) 6/2/2012 - 10/2/2012
As you may be aware at St Francis we hold a Book Week every other year. This year we are using mystery stories as a theme and combining books with other arts activities such as dance and drama.
Author Visits
We are pleased to have the poet Paul Cookson returning again and will be welcoming a new face to St Francis, the storyteller and author Chris Connaughton.
Book Sale
We will be holding a book sale on two evenings after school. Children will be given the opportunity to browse the books beforehand during the school day.
Dance and Drama
We will be working with staff from The Point and Thornden School.
Charity Book Sale
Some of the children have suggested we hold a charity book sale. We will be asking children to bring in, with parents’ permission, a maximum of two books in good condition and age appropriate which will be sold in school for 20p a book.
Dressing up Day
We will be holding a dressing up day and asking children to come dressed as book characters which the other children will try to identify.
Competitions
There will be a number of competitions running during the week starting with a design a poster competition which runs until 16th January. Children have been given full details which are also on the website.

We are anticipating a fun week with lots of activities for the children to enjoy.

Zebra Crossing
For a number of years parents have expressed concerns that children cycling to school have to cross the front of the school car park to access the cycle shelter. Having reviewed the situation the Governors have decided that the quickest and simplest solution is to create a Zebra Crossing for the cyclists within the school car park.

This will cross, inside the car park, near the entrance and exit, allowing cyclists to walk their bikes across, away from the road. The Zebra Crossing will be completed this week, weather permitting. Motorists entering and exiting the car park have to give priority to users of the Zebra Crossing. The use of the Zebra Crossing will be monitored and reviewed within the next twelve months.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2011-12-14T11:30:00.001Z

Year 1KL / Letter 1

14 December 2011

Dear Parents,

Miss Lane has decided to reduce her teaching next term by one day a week to spend more time with her young son. Miss Gravely, who will be returning to work full time next term following her recent illness, will teach Miss Lane’s class on a Friday. The two teachers will plan the work together and Miss Gravely has already spent time in the class getting to know the children.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new arrangements please contact the school office.

Yours sincerely

S.J. Shepherd

2011-12-14T11:29:00.001Z

2011-12-12T10:58:00.001Z

Year 5 Letter 3 Art Topic

9th December 2011

Dear Parents,

Our art topic for the Spring Term is to create an underwater scene using fabric and embroidery skills. This work will compliment our Geography studies on St Lucia. The children have already designed their seascapes and are now ready to start cutting and sewing their pieces.

As you can imagine 32 children with needles and thread each requiring help will certainly keep me on my toes! We would appreciate any help you might be able to give, either as a one off session or on a regular basis over the following 6 weeks until Easter, to work with a small group of children.

Our art sessions are on a Wednesday afternoon, although if you are able to come in on a different afternoon it will still be possible for the children to do their sewing with you then.

If you feel you are able to help, then please fill in the slip below and return it to me with your child. Alternatively just pop in and see me to arrange a suitable time.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs Bond (Mrs Parkes’ class) Mrs Ward
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Year 5 Letter 3 Art Topic

Name: …………………………………………………. Class ……………..

Please indicate which weeks you can help on, any or all would be great!

Class Week 2 -
11/1/2012 Week 4 –
25/1/12 Week 5 –
1/2/12 Week 6 –
8/2/12
Mrs Ward’s
Class
2.00pm-3.25pm
Mrs Parkes’
Class
1.00pm-2.30pm

2011-12-05T11:22:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 14 5 December 2011
Dear Parents

Christmas Fayre
Thank you and very well done to everyone who made Saturday’s Christmas Fayre such a wonderful and successful occasion.

Parentmail
The school’s preferred method of communication with parents is Parentmail. It is fast and saves a great deal of money and time on photocopying. If you have not used Parentmail in the past but are now able to do so please send your email address (es) to school on the slip below.

We are able to send communications to more than one email address if supplied e.g. home and work.

Children’s coats
Please ensure that your child brings a coat into school now that the weather is more seasonal. Although it’s only a short dash from the car park to the school door in the morning the children do spend a considerable time outside during their day in school.

School Uniform
All items of clothing and equipment brought into school need to be clearly labelled with their owner’s name. Please include in this exercise any new school shoes you may buy over the Christmas holiday – there are many examples of the same shoe (and size) in the school!

Mrs Bond
At the end of this term Mrs Bond is retiring from full time teaching. Although she will work for a day a week during the spring term we will be marking the occasion of her retirement in December with a presentation of a gift from all of her colleagues and the school community. If you would like to make a contribution to her retirement gift please send it to the school office in an envelope marked with Mrs Bond’s name.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Parentmail
Please use the following email address (es) to send school communications to me via Parentmail

Email ____________________________________________________

Name _______________________________ Name of Child (ren) __________________________

2011-11-30T11:10:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 12 29 November 2011

Dear Parents

Christmas Party

Christmas parties have been arranged for the children on the following dates:
Reception and Key Stage 1 -13 December; Y3 & Y4 -14 December; Y5 & Y6 - 15 December

On the afternoons of the parties it would be very helpful if I had some volunteers to set up the party teas. If you are able to help on one of the days please complete and return the form below. I will contact you with further information, including times, if your help is needed.

For their party children can bring in non-uniform to change into after lunch.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher
 -----------

Christmas Parties

Name …………………………………………..

Telephone Number ………………………….
Child’s name …………………………………. Class ………………..

I am available to help on the following day(s)

FS/KS1 Party - 13 December •
Y3/4 Party - 14 December •
Y5/6 Party -15 December •

(Please tick appropriate box)

2011-11-30T11:09:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 13

Dear Parents,

We have been invited to contribute some of our artwork towards a County exhibition to celebrate the Olympics in 2012. The project is called “Rings” and takes its theme from the logo of the Olympic Rings and the artist Francoise Dupre. The exhibition will take place in the Winchester Discovery Centre and The Great Hall throughout July 2012.

During the week of January 23rd 2012 each class will spend a morning making a large number of rings, created essentially with textile techniques of wrapping and French knitting. Whilst the school will be providing much of the required materials for the rings, it would be extremely helpful if you could also send in suitable materials to supplement our resources.

Possible rings
Cardboard tubes Unwanted bangles
Sellotape insides Wire
Old cds Tyres
Strong card

Materials
All materials need to be in the colours of the five Olympic rings (blue, yellow, black, green and red)

Wool
Pages from magazines
Ribbon

Anything really that you think would be suitable! Please send any items into your classes at the start of next term. Let the class teacher know if you are willing and able to help!

The rings will be made on the following mornings

Tuesday 24th January – Year R and Year 1
Wednesday 25th January – Year 2 and Year 3
Thursday 26th January – Year 4 and Year 5
Friday 27th January – Year 6

Thank you for your support. If you have any questions please see Miss Cutler or Mrs James.

Yours Faithfully

Mrs D James
Deputy Headteacher

2011-11-23T08:23:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 11

23 November 2011

Dear Parents

Email Chain Letter
A parent has brought to my attention a chain letter being sent to and by children in school via their own home email addresses. He became aware of it because of the anxiety it has raised for his child who was not able to sleep because of fears that the contents were true.

The title of the email is ‘NO PEOPLE – Your going to die.’ It tells the children that unless they pass the message on they will be killed.

If your child has access to an email account please check that they have not received or sent the letter. Many children will see the chain email for the nonsense it is but it may be worrying some and your child may need reassurance. We also need to break the chain.

If you have any concerns please contact the school office.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2011-11-23T08:22:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 10

22 November 2011

Dear Parents

Industrial Action 30 November
The Industrial Action planned for 30 November will have an impact on St Francis School with some members of staff not being available for work on the day and the school therefore, will be partially closed.

The latest information I have is that the following classes will not be open and children in those classes should not come into school and parents need to make alternative arrangements:-

YR Mrs Watson; Y1 Miss Lane, Y1 Mrs Kelly, Y3 Mrs Greenham, Y4 Mr Fountain and Y4 Miss Holness.

I will keep parents informed of any changes to these plans following ongoing negotiations between the Government and Unions.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y5 Mrs Parkes

2011-11-11T10:29:00.003Z

Year 5KP

11 November 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 10th February 2012

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mrs Parkes’ class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 10th February. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y6 Mrs James

2011-11-11T10:28:00.003Z

Year 6DJ

11 November 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 3rd February 2012

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mrs James’ class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 3rd February. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y2 Miss Hayes

2011-11-11T10:28:00.001Z

Year 2EH

11 November 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 20th January 2012

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Miss Hayes’ class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 20th January. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y3 Mrs Carter

2011-11-11T10:27:00.005Z

Year 3RC

11 November 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 27th January 2012

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mrs Carter’s class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 27th January. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y1 Miss Lane

2011-11-11T10:27:00.001Z

Year 1KL

11 November 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 13th January 2012

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Miss Lane’s class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 13th January. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Y4 Letter 2 Swimming

2011-11-11T09:28:00.002Z

Year 4/ Letter 2 11 November 2011

Dear Parents

As part of the National Curriculum the children in Year 4 currently go by coach to Fleming Park Sports Centre for swimming lessons. It is a statutory requirement that schools provide swimming instruction during Key Stage 2. All children therefore, are involved in the swimming course unless they have a relevant Doctor’s note which states they cannot take part in the activity. Year 4 will have 10 weekly lessons commencing Wednesday 4 January until Wednesday 14 March.

Your child will require a suitable costume and towel. Please ensure these items are named with a sewn in label. Please provide a swimming hat for children with long hair. Fleming Park have stated they would prefer that all children wear a swimming hat although they will not enforce this.

Although swimming is part of the National Curriculum it is very costly to arrange. It would be greatly appreciated if you could send a voluntary contribution towards the cost of transport to and from the Centre. A donation of £3.00 per session is required if possible. This can be paid by a cheque for £30.00 payable to St Francis School.

Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Swimming Year 4

Child ___________________________ Class __________________________

I give permission for my child to travel by coach to Fleming Park Sports Centre.

*I do/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £30.00

Please also indicate the level your child is at i.e. non swimmer
can swim a width
can swim a length
can swim several lengths
can swim many lengths

2011-11-08T11:22:00.001Z

Whole School Letter 9

8 November

Dear Parents

St Francis School Association
At the St Francis School Association AGM yesterday evening the school was presented with a cheque for £10000. This is a fantastic amount of money and all the children will benefit from the equipment it will buy. Amongst other things this equipment will include new audio equipment for every class, updating of some of the PE equipment used in the hall, renewing and improving the green area in the KS2 playground, new outdoor play equipment for Y1 and some exciting, new hardware for use in ICT.

The recent Ofsted inspection reported that St. Francis is an outstanding school. I believe that a significant aspect of that judgement was their finding of a whole school community ethos. St Francis School Association has always been a rich part of the whole community, adding to what we bring together for the children. On the occasion of celebrating another great year for the Association I wish to thank everyone who plays a part in it, from committees past and present to the parent who helps out for an hour or so at an event. Your support and commitment does make a difference.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2011-11-01T13:02:00.001Z

Whole School/ Letter 8

1 November 2012
Dear Parents

Ofsted Report

I’m delighted to inform you that the report of the recent Ofsted Inspection of St. Francis School has now arrived in school. A copy will be sent to parents this afternoon. The last part of the report is a letter to the children from the Lead Inspector.

Thank you for all your support through the process and I hope you have as much pleasure, reassurance and confirmation as parents reading the report as we did as staff. We are an Outstanding School.

Yours sincerely,

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2011-10-20T13:58:00.001+01:00

Year 5/ Letter 1Historic Dockyard

20th October 2011

As part of our topic on the Victorians this term we have planned a visit to HMS Warrior at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Thursday 10th November.
The children will take part in a workshop where they will be able to handle artefacts and take part in role play activities based on the life of a Victorian naval officer. This will be combined with an accompanied visit to relevant parts of the ship.

Venue: Historic Dockyard Portsmouth
Date: Thursday 10th November
Time: Leave school 9.15, arrive back at approx 3.15pm
Dress: School uniform
Lunch: Packed lunch in a named disposable carrier bag
Adult/child ratio: 1:8
Cost: £10.00

Please send your contributions and completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible.
Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visits and return any money received.

Yours sincerely

Mrs K Parkes Mrs K Ward
Class Teacher Class Teacher


Year 5 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Child ________________________ Class _______________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Thursday 10th November
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £10.00 to cover the cost of the visit.
*I am/am not available to help on this trip (a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).
*Please delete as appropriate

Signed ______________________ Parent

2011-10-20T12:42:00.001+01:00

Whole School Letter 6 20 October 2011

Dear Parents

National School Meals Week

As part of National School Meals Week you are invited to join your child for a cooked school lunch or their own packed lunch on Wednesday 9th November.

The school meal that day is fish & chips. As we expect large numbers that day please complete and return the confirmation slip below to the school office by 2nd November.

Once we have had the confirmation of numbers we will contact parents to give a time to come for lunch.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher


National School Meals Week

I will/ will not be joining my child(ren) for a cooked lunch/ packed lunch on Wednesday 9th November.

My child(ren)_____________________________ will/ will not require a cooked school meal.

Parent name_________________________________

I will/will not require a cooked school meal and enclose £2.40 to cover the cost of the adult meal.

2011-10-19T12:24:00.001+01:00

Whole School Letter 4

19 October 2011

Dear Parents

On Tuesday 15 November the photographer will hold an evening session for parents who wish to be photographed with their children. This session will be between 6.00 and 7.30 and because of possible demand will be done on an appointment system. The family group photograph consists of children, up to 2 adults but no pets. The photographer will arrange the sitting and then take a couple of photos. The proof photograph will be available in plenty of time to allow families to buy for Christmas.

To keep waiting times to a minimum we are making appointments for groups of families in blocks of 15 minutes, each family will take only a couple of minutes to be photographed. If you wish to have your family group photograph taken please print off, complete and return the form below. Please help the school by ticking as many appointment blocks as possible. An appointment time will be sent to you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Family Group Photographs 15 November– appointment blocks

Name ____________________________ Child’s Class _________________________

6.00 – 6.15

6.15 – 6.30

6.30 – 6.45

6.45 – 7.00

7.00 – 7.15

7.15 – 7.30

2011-10-17T11:28:00.001+01:00

Operation Christmas Child
17 October 2011

Dear Parents

St Francis School are once again taking part in Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse which enables you to send a Christmas present in a shoebox to a needy child somewhere in the world. Your shoebox could light up a face in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

What you have to do to join in Operation Christmas Child:

Find an empty shoebox and wrap it in Christmas paper. (You must be able to take the lid off)

Decide whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and their age category.

Fill the box with a variety of gifts from the suggested gift list. This list includes small toys, cuddly toys, school supplies (such as pens, pencils, crayons, paper).

You may also want to enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself.

Enclose £2.50 to cover the costs of getting your shoebox to the child.

Bring the Christmas shoebox to St Francis School by Friday 11 November.

Your shoebox gift could really make a difference to a child this Christmas. If you would like to fill a box please return the slip below to the school as soon as possible and we will give you a brochure with full instructions and a label for your gift.

Yours sincerely

Mr S J Shepherd
Headteacher


Operation Christmas Child
We would like to send a Christmas present in a shoebox to a needy child somewhere in the world. Please give us a brochure with full instructions and a label for our gift.

Child ___________________________ Class ______________________

Signed __________________________ Parent

2011-10-17T11:22:00.001+01:00

17th October 2011

Dear Parents

Steve Cole visit to St Francis this Wednesday 19th October

Just to remind you that Steve Cole will be visiting St Francis on Wednesday afternoon. Steve is a very popular author in school, with children especially enjoying his Astrosaurs and Cows in Action books.

At the end of the performance pupils will be able to purchase one of Steve’s books and have it signed by him. Most of his books are priced at £4.99. If you would like your child to purchase a book please send cash or cheque payable to P&G Wells, to their class, in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name. It would be helpful if you could also write on the envelope the name you would like inside the book when Steve signs it.

We look forward to hosting this event and hope that your child will find it fun and inspiring.

Yours sincerely,

SJ Shepherd
Headteacher

Steve Cole Visit to School

2011-10-11T11:49:00.000+01:00

Dear Parents

Popular author Steve Cole to visit St Francis

Back in the summer term a number of children from St Francis entered a competition run by Random House Publishing to celebrate the publication of popular author Steve Cole’s 20th book. They were looking for the country’s biggest ‘Astrosaurs’ fans and the children were asked to design their own Astrosaurs character.

The prize for the winning 20 superfans included a visit to their school from Steve Cole.

We are delighted to tell you that one of our pupils was amongst the winning 20 superfans with her ‘Munchasaurus’, and Steve Cole will be visiting St Francis on 19th October 2011 at 1.15pm.

Steve is a very popular author in school with children especially enjoying his Astrosaurs and Cows In Action books.

At the end of the performance pupils will be able to purchase one of Steve’s books and have it signed by him. Most of his books are priced at £4.99 and another letter will follow with further details.

We look forward to hosting the event and hope your child will find it fun and inspiring.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y4 Miss Holness

2011-10-10T14:03:00.001+01:00

Year 4 VH

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 25th November 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Miss Holness’ class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 25th November. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y5 Mrs Ward

2011-10-10T14:01:00.001+01:00

Year 5KW

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 18th November 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Miss Wards’ class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 18th November. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y3 Mrs Greenham/Mrs Dicker

2011-10-10T14:00:00.005+01:00

Year 3SD/EG

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 11th November 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mrs Greenham / Mrs Dicker’s class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 11th November. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y1 Mrs Kelly/Mrs Martin

2011-10-10T14:00:00.001+01:00

Year 1FK/SM

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 4th November 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mrs Kelly/ Mrs Martin’s class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 4th November. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y4 Mr Fountain

2011-10-10T13:59:00.001+01:00

Year 4RF

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 14th October 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Mr Fountains class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 14th October. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Assembly Invite Y2 miss Cutler

2011-10-10T13:58:00.001+01:00

Year2 LC

5th October 2011

Dear Parents

Assembly Friday 21st October 2011

You are invited to join the rest of the school to watch Miss Cutler’s class assembly at 9.00 am on Friday 21st October. The assembly will last approximately 20 minutes and provides an opportunity for the children to share their work with the rest of the school.

On arrival please go to the hall and sit in the chairs towards the back of the hall. Due to noise levels we ask parents, where possible, not to bring younger children or babies. If this can’t be avoided, pushchairs should be left outside the school in dry weather. If younger children or babies become restless please take them out of the hall in consideration of the children doing the assembly. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

2011-10-10T13:55:00.000+01:00

Whole School Letter 3

10 October 2011

Dear Parents

Please find attached a letter from Ofsted explaining about the inspection which will be undertaken at St Francis CE Primary School this week on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 October. The school will also be sending out a hard copy of the leaflet School Inspections, a guide for parents and carers.

The letter includes a questionnaire for parents and carers. I would encourage you to complete and return the questionnaires to support the inspection process.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Dear parent or carer

Inspection of St Francis Church of England Primary School by Ofsted

We have just told your child’s school that we will inspect it on 12 to 13 October 2011. The lead inspector will be Paul rushforth. We are writing to you because we would like to know what you think about the school. Please take a few minutes to read the leaflet which came with this letter. It explains why we inspect schools, and what happens during an inspection. The school can give you this letter and the leaflet in languages other than English. These are also available on our website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.
Your views about the school are important to us

If you are a registered parent or carer of a pupil at the school (including pupils on sick leave or who are temporarily excluded), we are interested to know what you and your child think is good about the school, as well as anything that you would like to be improved. You can tell us your views by filling in the questionnaire over the page.

Please provide just one answer to each question even if you have more than one child at the school. You can add further comments by writing in the comment box at the end of the questionnaire.

Please return the questionnaire to the school in a sealed envelope, marked ‘confidential’ and addressed to the inspection team. If possible, please return your questionnaire by 1pm on 12 October as this will give the inspection team more time to consider your views. However, we will consider all questionnaires which arrive during the inspection. If concerns are raised about child protection, we may have to pass the information we receive to social services or the police.
Questionnaires will be confidential to the inspectors. We will not reveal your identity, even if the inspectors discuss with the school any issues that you raise. The inspectors will use the questionnaires to help make their judgements. There will also be one page in the published inspection report which summarises the way that parents and carers have answered the questions, including the number of responses we received.
Speaking to an inspector

It may be possible to speak to an inspector during the inspection, for instance at the start of the school day. Inspection administrators will be happy to make the necessary arrangements or to pass on messages to the inspectors if you are unable to speak to them in person. You can contact the administrators on 0117 311 5278. will be pleased to receive your comments, but cannot deal with complaints about individual pupils or settle disputes between you and the school.

Thank you for taking the time to fill in the questionnaire.

Yours faithfully

Tribal

Questionnaire for parents and carers

Please read the following statements and tick the answer which best fits what you think about the school. Please only tick one box per statement. If you cannot answer leave it blank.

(Please tick.) Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
1 My child enjoys school
2 The school keeps my child safe
3 The school informs me about my child’s progress
4 My child is making enough progress at this school
5 The teaching is good at this school
6 The school helps me to support my child’s learning
7 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle
8 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example, changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment)
9 The school meets my child’s particular needs
10 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour
11 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns
12 The school is led and managed effectively
13 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school
14 If you want to explain any of your answers, or if there is anything else you want the inspection team to know, please tell us here. If you have concerns about child protection, we would advise you to contact your local authority designated officer in children’s services. If you mention a child protection issue here, please include your name.

Would you have preferred to fill in this questionnaire on a secure website, and then submit it directly to Ofsted?
Yes □ No □

2011-10-07T11:57:00.001+01:00

Year 6/Letter 1 6th October 2011

Dear Parents

As part of our science topic we will be visiting Intech in Winchester. The children will take part in a Magnets, Motor and Electricity workshop, explore the interactive exhibits and visit the exciting planetarium.

Venue: Intech, Winchester
Date: Tuesday 29th November
Time: Leave school 9.30 am, arrive back 3.00 pm
Cost: £13.50
Dress: School uniform
Lunch: Packed lunch in a disposable carrier bag
Adult/child ratio: 1:6

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible. We also need parent helpers, so please indicate below if you are available to help.

Some children will need to be transported by car and the current law requires that children under the height of 135cms should use a correct child restraint i.e. a booster seat or cushion appropriate for the weight of the child, with a seatbelt. We will advise you if your child is going to be transported by car and, if needed, we would ask that you provide a suitable booster seat or cushion.

Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visit and return any money received.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely

Mrs D James Miss K Thorpe
Deputy Head, Year 6 Teacher Year 6 Class Teacher


Year 6 Intech

Child _____________________ Class _______________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Intech on Tuesday 29th November
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £13.50 to cover the cost of the visit
*I am/am not available to help on this trip and I have a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).
*I do/do not give permission for my child to be taken by car.

*Please delete as appropriate

Signed ……………………………………… Parent/Guardian

2011-09-29T13:39:00.001+01:00

Year 4/ Historic Dockyard Portsmouth 7th September 2011

Dear Parents

To support our topic on the Tudors the following visit and additional activities have been organised to provide the children with first hand experience of life at this time.

We will be visiting the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth to carry out workshops in the museum. Later on in the term a Tudor Minstrel will be visiting the school so the children can join in a workshop on Tudor dance, music and costume. It would be helpful if, on Tuesday 15th November, you could send your child to school dressed in appropriate costume as much of the day will be spent “in role”. This does not have to be too elaborate – there were more peasants than noblemen!

Venue: Historic Dockyard Portsmouth
Date: Tuesday 11th October.
Time: Leave school 9.05 am. Arrive back for end of school day
Dress: School uniform
Lunch Packed lunch in small backpack (Please include a small snack for your child to eat mid morning)
Adult/child ratio: 1:6

Visitor to St Francis: Tudor Dance and Music workshop
Date: Tuesday 15th November.
Total cost: £11.00

Please send your contributions and completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible.

Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visits and return any money received.

Yours sincerely

Miss V Holness Mr R Fountain
Class Teacher Class Teacher


Year 4 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Child ___________________________ Class __________________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Tuesday 11th October.
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £11.00 to cover the cost of the visit.
*I am/am not available to help on this trip. (a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).
*Please delete as appropriate.

Signed _____________________ Parent

2011-09-29T13:38:00.001+01:00

Year 3/ Chandlers Ford Visit

20 September 2011

Dear Parents

In Geography we are making a study of Chandler’s Ford. We will be walking to Chandler’s Ford and collecting information for our topic on the morning of Thursday 13 October, (Mrs Greenham / Mrs Dicker) or Friday 14 October (Mrs Carter).

Please ensure children wear suitable shoes and have a raincoat.

We need people to assist with these visits so if you are able to help out please indicate on the slip below and we will contact you shortly. (A current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).

Yours sincerely

Mrs Carter Mrs Greenham / Mrs Dicker
Class teacher Class teacher



Year 3 Chandler’s Ford Visit

Child ________________________________ Class ________________________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Chandler’s Ford on 13/14 October

*I am/am not able to help on the morning (9.00 am – 12.00 am) I have a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School.

*Please delete as necessary.

Signed ______________________________ Parent

2011-09-29T13:37:00.003+01:00

Year 1/Letter 1 26th September 2011

As part of our Art topic we will be visiting Southampton Art Gallery on Thursday 13th October for the morning. We will leave school at 9.15am and return at 12.45pm.

We will have two workshops which will include a tour of the gallery and appreciation of some of the paintings and sculptures, followed by a practical session of mono-printing inspired by work from the gallery.

The cost of the trip, which includes transport and workshop sessions is £9.20. Children will need a packed lunch to eat at school.

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible. Cheques to be made payable to St Francis School. Please let us know if you can help on the day on the slip below. (A current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Martin/ Mrs Kelly Miss Lane
Class Teacher Class Teacher


Year 1 Art Gallery Visit

Child _______________________ Class __________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Southampton Art Gallery on Thursday 13th October
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £9.20 to cover the cost of the visit
*I am able/unable to help on this trip. I have a current CRB certificate issued by St Francis School.
*Please delete as appropriate

Signed ______________________ Parent

2011-09-29T13:37:00.001+01:00

16 September 2011

Dear Parents
It is with much sadness that I am writing to inform you that Mr Shepherd will be retiring as Headteacher of St Francis Primary School with effect from 31st August 2012.
I am sure you will agree that he has provided St Francis School with very strong leadership, which has resulted in it being the outstanding school it is today. There will be the opportunity to acknowledge this during the summer term.
The Governors will now start the process of appointing a new Headteacher for St Francis School who will take up the position with effect from 1st September 2012.
Please be assured that you will be kept informed during the appointment process and that the children’s education and wellbeing will continue to be at the forefront of our considerations.
If you have any comments or concerns please contact me.
Yours faithfully

Fiona Grove
Chair of Governors

2011-09-29T13:36:00.001+01:00

Whole School Letter 2
22 September 2011

Dear Parents

Harvest Festival
A reminder that the children will be celebrating Harvest Festival tomorrow, Friday 23 September. As in previous years the school would welcome gifts of tins of food to be used in the assembly and later to be donated to raise funds for the Tremona Road Children’s Unit at Southampton General Hospital. Gifts of food should be brought into classrooms tomorrow.

Uniform
After only three weeks of the new school year there are many items of school uniform in lost property without the names of their owners. Please check that all items of clothing brought into school are clearly labelled with your child’s name. Clearly labelled items are always returned to their owners. Items of school uniform which are not named are eventually sold in the 2nd Hand Uniform sales.

Yours sincerely,

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Year 2 - Vally Park walk

2011-09-14T15:43:00.002+01:00

Year 2 Letter 2

8 September 2011

Dear Parents

In Geography we are making a study of our local area. We will be walking around Valley Park and collecting information for our topic.

Wednesday 5th October Miss Hayes class 1-3 pm
Thursday 6th October Miss Cutler’s class 1-3 pm

We need people to assist with these visits so if you are able to help out please indicate on the slip below and we will contact you shortly.

Yours sincerely

Miss Cutler Miss Hayes
Class Teacher Class Teacher



Year 2 Local area visit

Child ________________________________ Class ________________________________

I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Valley Park.

Wednesday 5th October Miss Hayes’ class
Thursday 6th October Miss Cutler’s class

I am/am not able to help on the day

Signed ____________________

Year 4 - Portsmouth Dockyard

2011-09-14T15:41:00.002+01:00

Year 3 - Art Gallery

2011-09-14T15:40:00.002+01:00

Year 3/Letter 1

6 September 2011

Dear Parents

As part of our topic on Impressionism we will be visiting Southampton Art Gallery. The children will work with an artist on colour mixing and mark making. They will also tour the Art Gallery with an Art Historian, allowing us to take full advantage of the Gallery’s temporary Impressionism exhibition. If the weather is clement we will have lunch in the park across the road, otherwise we will use the education room in the art gallery.

Venue: Southampton Art Gallery
Date: Tuesday 27 September
Time: Leave school 9.20 am, arrive back 3.00 pm
Cost: £8.50
Dress: School uniform
Lunch: Packed lunch in a disposable carrier bag
Adult/Child Ratio: 1:6

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope as soon as possible.

Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visit and return any money received.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely

Mrs R Carter Mrs Dicker/Mrs Greenham
Class Teacher Class Teacher



Year 3 Southampton Art Gallery

Child _______________________ Class _________________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Southampton Art Gallery on Tuesday 27 September
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £8.50 to cover the cost of the visit.
*I am/am not available to help on this trip. (a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. A form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks).

*Please delete as appropriate.

Signed _____________________ Parent

Year 2 local visit

2011-09-14T15:33:00.000+01:00

Year 2/Letter 1

6 September 2011

Dear Parents

In Geography we are comparing two locations in the local area. We will be visiting ‘Eling’ as part of this study on Wednesday 12 October

Venue: Eling
Date: Wednesday 12 October
Time: Depart school 9.15 am, arrive back 3.00 pm
Cost: £5.60
Dress: School uniform, waterproof, wellingtons
Lunch: Packed lunch

We need people to assist with this trip so if you are able to help and have a current CRB check please indicate on the slip below and we will contact you shortly.

Please send your contribution and the completed reply slip below in a clearly labelled envelope before Friday 30 September. Cheques to be made payable to St Francis CE School.

Under present legislation we can only ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards school visits. However if insufficient contributions are made we will cancel the visit and return any money received.

Yours sincerely

Miss Cutler Miss Hayes
Class Teacher Class Teacher


Year 2 – Eling

Child ________________________ Class ______________________

*I do/do not give permission for my child to visit Eling on Wednesday 12 October 2011
*I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £5.60 to cover the cost of the visit.
*I am/am not able to help.
*Please delete as appropriate.

Signed _______________________ Parent

Little Princess

2011-09-14T15:25:00.002+01:00

Y1 – Y6 Letter 1

7 September 2011

Dear Parents

A Little Princess – Friday 16 September 2011

We have arranged a live theatre performance of A Little Princess for the children in years 1 – 6. It is great to be able to provide the children with live theatre but unfortunately this is very expensive and we would ask therefore that parents contribute £1 per child towards the cost of the performance.

Yours sincerely

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

……………………………………………………………………………………….
A Little Princess

I enclose/do not enclose a voluntary contribution of £1.00

Child_________________________________________ Class ____________

Whole school letter 1

2011-09-14T15:24:00.000+01:00

Whole School Letter 1
6 September 2011

Dear Parents

A very warm welcome from everyone at St Francis School to you at the start of the 2011 / 12 school year. I hope everyone had the opportunity to enjoy some moments of rest and relaxation over the last few weeks. I wish to take this opportunity to extend a special, warm welcome to the many parents and children new to the school.

I apologize for the length of this first letter but it does contain important information for the start of the new school year.

School Information
It is important that we have the correct contact details for all parents and carers, so we can keep you informed of any disruptions and contact you if your child falls ill during the day. Next week we will send home a form with the contact details we hold for your child(ren) for you to check and update if needed.

Parent/Teacher Appointments
The first Parent/Teacher Appointments of the year for all children are planned for:-
Tuesday, 20 September and Thursday, 22 September.

This meeting is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s new class teacher and to provide him/her with your view on your child’s strengths and areas for development. It will also provide the teachers with an opportunity to let you know how the new school year has started and answer any general questions you may have. The meetings are timetabled to last 10 minutes and if you believe a longer meeting is needed please arrange a date and time during this meeting. If this principle is followed no one will have to wait more than a few minutes for their appointment.

Appointment lists will be available to sign up against from Tuesday, September 13, in the link for KS2 and on the classroom doors for KS1 and the Reception Classes.

Names and Absences
Please remember to label everything your child brings into school, clothes, shoes, books, equipment etc. etc. Labels need to be checked and renewed very regularly. It’s amazing how many identical sweatshirts we have in the school!

A reminder also that for health reasons, children should have a change of footwear for P.E. and Games and long hair should be tied back at all times. Jewellery should not be worn at school. If children have pierced ears they should only wear stud earrings at school and be able to take them out themselves when doing P.E. If your child can’t take the studs out please remove them at home on the days she / he does P.E. Children should not wear nail varnish.

It is also very important that you inform the school that your child will be absent from school on the morning of the first day of absence. The office has an answer machine to help parents report absences. The information can also be sent by email to the school to:-
adminoffice@st-francis-pri.hants.sch.uk .

Nut Allergies
A small but significant group of children suffer a very severe, even life threatening, response to nuts. For instance children touching a nutty chocolate bar and then their lips can suffer swellings in their throats causing breathing difficulties.

To help us manage the situation please remind your children that for safety reasons they should not share their lunch or snack with other children, however kind and generous it may appear to be. It is also very helpful, when and if possible, food and snacks brought into school do not contain nuts.

Lunches
A reminder that the cost of a school lunch is £2.00. Payments must be made by cash or cheque in advance and sent into school with your child and given to the class teacher or directly to the school office. Cheques should be made payable to St. Francis School and can be paid in weekly, monthly or half termly amounts. Please ensure that your child’s name is on the envelope that’s contains the cash or cheque for his / her lunches.

Healthy Snacks
Through the Government’s sponsored scheme we provide every child in Reception and KS1 with a piece of fruit or vegetable as a mid morning healthy snack. In KS2 children have the option to buy a range of healthy snacks during morning playtime. These are freshly made bread roll 30p, fresh fruit pot 30p, a drink of milk 30p, fruit juice 30p, a small bag of raisins 20p and a slice of pizza (Thursdays only) 40p Where children bring in their own snack from home I hope that parents will support the school’s aim of establishing the habit of Healthy Eating by providing their child with a healthy snack option i.e. fruit or vegetable.

Mobile Telephones
Generally there is no need for children to bring a mobile telephone into school. However, if there is a special reason why they do, the telephone should be handed into the school office for safe keeping.

Harvest Festival
The children will be celebrating Harvest Festival on Friday 23 September. As in previous years the school would welcome gifts of tins of food to be used in the assembly and later to be donated to Tremona Road Children’s Unit at Southampton General Hospital. Gifts of food should be brought into classrooms on Thursday 22 or Friday 23.

Car Park Safety
For the safety of St. Francis School’s children all car drivers coming onto the school site must give way to pedestrians and cyclists. There were a few incidents last term where drivers insisted on turning into or out of the car park even though children were taking their bikes across the entrance gap to get to the cycle shelter. Please accept that pedestrians and cyclists have priority. It is also important to ensure the children’s safety by parking before dropping them off.

Parent Helpers
Teachers will soon be sending out letters providing details of how parents will be able to help in class.
Under Child Protection requirements a current CRB certificate, issued by St Francis School, is needed by volunteers. If you do not have a current CRB certificate a form is available from the school office and the process takes 3-5 weeks. Once received the certificate needs to be registered in the school office.

Privacy Notice
Attached to this letter is an updated Privacy Notice required to be sent as part of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Dates
The five In-service Closure days this school year are 3 and 4 October; 23 January; 25 June and 23 July. Attached to this letter is a fuller list of dates for the school year, it is also available on the school web site. From time to time the dates on this list have to be changed but all changes will be communicated in advance.

Curriculum Overviews
This Half Term’s curriculum overview for your child will be sent home tomorrow and will also be available on the school website.

Yours sincerely,

S J Shepherd
Headteacher

Privacy Notice - Data Protection Act 1998

We St. Francis Church of England Primary School are the Data Controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act. We collect information from you and may receive information about you from your previous school, Hampshire County Council. We hold this personal data and use it to:

• Support your teaching and learning;

• Monitor and report on your progress;

• Provide appropriate pastoral care, and

• Assess how well our school is doing.

This information includes your contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information and personal characteristics such as your ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information.

We will not give information about you to anyone outside the school without your consent unless the law and our rules allow us to. We follow the Hampshire Children’s Trust policy on Information Sharing & Confidentiality which can be viewed at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/information_sharing_policy_2009_-_trust_version.pdf

We are required by law to pass some of your information to the Local Authority and the Department for Education (DfE).

We also have local arrangements in place where the school exchanges limited information with the school nurse, the St. Francis School Association and other professionals working in and with the school.

If you want to see a copy of the information we hold and share about you then please contact Mrs Dunnings.

If you require more information about how the Local Authority and/or DfE store and use your information, then please go to the following websites:

For Hampshire County Council

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/education/schools/schoolsdataprotection/fairprocessing.htm

and for the DfE

What DfE does with pupils' and children's data
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/datamanagement/privacynotices/pupilsdata/

Who DfE passes pupil data to
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/datamanagement/privacynotices/pupilsdata/thirdpartyorgs/

If you are unable to access these websites, please contact the LA or DfE as follows:

• Barbara Sorkin
Data Protection & Quality Adviser
Children’s Services
Elizabeth II Court (East)
The Castle
WINCHESTER
SO23 8UQ
Website: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/learning
email: Barbara.Sorkin@Hants.gov.uk
Telephone: 01962 845554

• Public Communications Unit
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Website: www.education.gov.uk
email: info@education.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0870 000 2288

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2011/2012
2011
September
5 Start of Term
14 St. Francis School Association (SFSA) Circus Event
15 Curriculum Evening Reception Parents 5.00
15 Meeting Y5 parents re IOW visit 6.15
16 Theatre visit – The Little Princess
19 SFSA Committee meeting 7.45
20 Parents’ Evening
22 Parents’ Evening
23 Harvest Festival
26 – 30 Y5 IOW
October
3 & 4 In-Service Days
12 SFSA - 2nd Hand uniform sale
14 SFSA – Film night
18 School photographs
24 Half Term
November
7 SFSA AGM 7.30 – 8.00
15 Family Photographs 6.00 – 7.30
15 Y5 Parents Evening – Sex Education 6.30 – 7.00
18 SFSA Coffee morning 9.00 am in staffroom
25 Non uniform day
25 SFSA Craft night
December
3 Christmas Fayre 12.30 – 3.00
6 FS & KS1 Christmas concert – dress rehearsal
7 FS & KS1 Christmas concert 2.00 pm
8 FS & KS1 Christmas concert 10.00 am
7 – 9 SFSA – Parents’ presents sale
8 KS1 Christmas Lunch
9 KS2 Christmas Lunch
13 FS & KS1 Christmas party
14 Y3 & Y4 Christmas party
15 Y5 & Y6 Christmas party
16 End of Term 1.30

2012
January
3 Start of Term
TBC SFSA – Children’s Disco
16 SFSA Committee meeting 7.45
23 In-service day

February
6 – 10 Book Week
7 Parents’ Evening
9 Parents’ Evening
TBC SFSA Bingo / game night
TBC SFSA sweet sale
13 Half term
March
12 SFSA Committee meeting 7.45
TBC SFSA 2nd Hand uniform sale
TBC SFSA Parents Quiz Night
20 Music Concert 7.00 pm
21 Music Concert 9.00 am
23 SFSA Easter Eggstravaganza
29 Easter Egg Competition
30 End of Term
April
16 Start of Term
23 SFSA Committee meeting 7.45
May
7 Bank Holiday
9 Parents’ Evening – Reception Children Sept. 2012
14 Walk to School Week
28 Intercultural Week – The Olympic Games
The dates for KS2 SATs have not been published yet.
June
4 Half Term
13 Y6 parents meeting re London Residential Visit
13 SFSA Committee meeting 7.45
20 -22 Y6 Residential visit to London
25 In-service day
27 KS1 Sports Day 1.15
28 KS2 Sports day 1.00
29 Non uniform day
July
3 Y6 Secondary School Induction Day
6 Annual reports sent home
6 Summer fayre & BBQ (Friday evening)
TBC Children’s Disco
11 Y6 Concert
12 Class Lists sent home
18 Class swap
19 Y6 Leavers’ service
19 Y6 Leavers’ Party 5.00 – 7.00
20 End of Term 1.30
23 In-service day

September
3 Start of 2012 – 2013 School Year