St Luke's C of E Primary School, Glossop

St Luke’s Newsletter

3.12.15

Dear Parents,

Well unbelievably here we are in December again with the busy season of advent well and truly started. Our choir started it off for us in fine style at the Glossop lights switch on. Despite torrential rain, howling gales and technical hitches they sang like little angels and did us proud. Congratulations to them and the parents and supporters who braved the weather to listen to them. If you didn’t manage to catch their performance they will be singing again at the Christmas fair, the carol service, the Methodist Church Christmas tree festival (11am Friday 18th) and St Luke’s Church Candlelight Carol Service 6.30 Sunday 20th.

The footballers were also braving the weather on Friday night. The final results of the tournament are still not in but our boys accredited themselves very well. Thank you to everyone who helped make their participation possible especially Mr Warburton and Mr Dunkerley and the parents who provided transport and touchline support.

The younger children are preparing for their performance next week with the Thursday performance sold out and only a few remaining tickets for the Tuesday and Wednesday.

Harriers are leading our assembly this Friday so do join us if you can.

Remember after school clubs finish this week and do not restart until the week beginning 11th January.

We have been offered a free trial of a texting service so please make sure we have the right mobile number for you. If you are not sure we have send it in to the office.

The houses have again excelled themselves with the Christmas trees they have made. If you get the chance to pop into the hall to see them please do so. There are six very different but all very stunning trees.

Remember next Friday 11th is both Christmas dinner day and the PTA Christmas Fair. If your child usually has packed lunch make sure you have booked a dinner for this day. It is a lovely event when the children and staff eat together, pull crackers, complete a quiz and enjoy each other’s company.

In the last week of term we have the Christmas parties Y5/6 on Tuesday 15th, Y3/4 on Wednesday and Reception Y1/2 on Thursday. On the day of their party the children can come in party clothes or get changed at lunchtime. Please remember when planning outfits that the children will be having a normal school day in the morning.

We finish for Christmas with our traditional carol service on Friday 18th at about 9.15/20. Please do join us for this very special event.

Mr Montgomery will be leaving us at Christmas we will be welcoming a new teacher Mr Cooke in January. Mr Montgomery has worked at St Luke’s for a lot of years and taught many of your children. If you would like to send a donation in towards a leaving gift please do so in a marked envelope by Friday 11th December.

Alice Littlehailes

St Luke’s Newsletter

26.11.15

Dear Parents,

It was lovely to have so many visitors on Tuesday for our open afternoon. I hope all of you who came enjoyed seeing school at work.

Congratulations to the football teams who are braving all sorts of weather to play in the Friday league. I know the hope is to finish all the matches this Friday. We are all eagerly awaiting the final result.

Letters have gone out this week about tickets for the Christmas play staring all the children in Kestrels, Peregrines and Ospreys. If the letter did not make it home, I found some in the entrance hall, let us know so we can give you another. Remember you need to get this letter in by Monday 30th as spare tickets will be allocated after this date.

Some parents have asked if their child needs to be at the performance if their parent is not watching it. All the children have an important part to play and if someone is not there it spoils it for all the other children and parents. Please make sure they are at every performance. If any of the performances are a problem for you please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to help.

Eagles are leading our Assembly this Friday, 27th November and Harriers the week after 4th December.

The choir are singing in Norfolk Square on Saturday at about 3.50 as part of the lights switch on celebrations. Do come and support them if you can.

On the morning of Tuesday 1st December the children in Ospreys are going to a multi skills event at Glossop Leisure Centre. Please could they be at school by 8.50 in their PE kit on that morning. We will open the doors at 8.40 to give them time to get changed. They will be back in school in time for lunch.

You should have received a flyer about a Christingle Service at St Luke’s Church on Thursday 3rd December straight after school, doors open at 3.45. Christingle services are a lovely part of the run up to Christmas so do go if you can.

Congratulations to Mrs Hillier who has been awarded Specialist Leader in Education status by the Department for Education in recognition of the quality of her work in Early Years. This means she will help other schools provide the high quality provision she does. We are all delighted for her.

All out of school clubs will finish on Friday 4th December and not restart until the week beginning 11th January. Gardening Club will not restart until the spring.

Alice Littlehailes

St Luke’s Newsletter

19.11.15

Dear Parents,

Thank you very much for your generosity, school raised over £200 for Children in Need.

Today is World Toilet Day and it seems a good day to remind you of the difference you have made to Sanitation around the world. There are four communities who now have access to a safe toilet thanks to you. I know a number of families are twinning their own toilet with one needed in the third world increasing the number of communities benefiting from improved sanitation.

Well done to the Year Fours who bravely came back to school for a sleepover on Friday. I know they all had a great time and were very proud of their achievement. It is no small thing to sleep away from home with a group, but now they are ready to embrace the opportunities offered by longer residentials in Years 5 & 6.

Our mud larks, or cross country team as they are more often known, did really well on Tuesday coming sixth in the High Peak. Thank you to Mr Warburton and the parents that made this possible. I do hope the mud comes out of your cars!

This week has been anti bullying week. We have been focusing in on online safety. If you would like more information about keeping your children safe online the NSPCC website has lots of good information. Their netaware page includes information about sites your children may talk about going on which you, and defiantly I, have little knowledge of. If you want to check if something is appropriate this is a good place to start. I am attaching the use of IT agreement that we ask the children to sign up to so you can see the rules we have at school.

Remember next Tuesday is open afternoon when anyone who would like to come and see the school at work is very welcome to pop in between 1.30 -3.00. Do let anyone applying for a place next year know about this event.

Parents of our fabulous choir members please remember to return the slip to let us know you have received the letter about the festive bookings!

Peak Performers Choir is looking for new members. This is a choir of young people aged 7-13 that meet on Wednesdays between 6-7 at Partington Theatre Club Room to sing together. If your child is interested more information can be found by ringing the choir director Brenda Pickford on 01457 856851 / 07975856424

There was a brief and windswept PTA meeting this week. It was mainly looking at arrangements for the Christmas Fair on Friday 11th December 5-6.30. If you are available and would like to help with this event please let the office know.

Alice Littlehailes
 

ICT Pupil Acceptable Use Policy Agreement

The school will try to ensure that pupils will have good access to ICT to enhance their learning and will, in return, expect the pupils to agree to be responsible users.
Acceptable Use Policy Agreement
I understand that I must use school ICT systems in a responsible way, to ensure that there is no risk to my safety or to others.
For my own personal safety:
• I understand that the school will monitor my use of the ICT systems
• I will treat my username and password like my toothbrush – I will not share it, nor will I try to use any other person’s username and password.
• I will be aware of “stranger danger”, when I am communicating on-line.
• I will not disclose or share personal information about myself or others when on-line.
• I will tell an adult if I see any unpleasant or inappropriate material or messages or anything that makes me feel uncomfortable on-line.
I will act as I expect others to act toward me:
• I will respect others’ work and property and will not access, copy, remove or otherwise alter any other user’s files.
• I will be polite and responsible when I communicate with others, I will not use strong, aggressive or inappropriate language.
• I will not take or send images of anyone without their permission.
• I will only use my personal hand held / external devices (mobile phones / USB devices etc) in school if I have permission
• I will not install or attempt to install programmes of any type on a machine, or store programmes on a computer, nor will I try to alter computer settings.

I understand that I am responsible for my actions, both in and out of school:
• I understand that the school also has the right to take action against me if I am involved in incidents of inappropriate behaviour, that are covered in this agreement, when I am out of school and where they involve my membership of the school community
• I understand that if I fail to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy Agreement, I will be subject to disciplinary action. This may include loss of access to the school network / internet, suspensions and contact with parents.
Student / Pupil Acceptable Use Agreement Form

Please complete the sections below to show that you have read, understood and agree to the rules included in the Acceptable Use Agreement. If you do not sign and return this agreement, access will not be granted to school ICT systems.

I have read and understand the above and agree to follow these guidelines when:
• I use the school ICT systems and equipment (both in and out of school)
• I use my own equipment out of school in a way that is related to me being a member of this school eg communicating with other members of the school, accessing school email, VLE, website etc.
Name of Student / Pupil (print please)

Signed Date

St Luke’s Newsletter

12.11.15

Dear Parents,

The Year 6’s arrived back in school tired but proud having spent three days at Whitehall on a residential doing adventurous activities. Well done to all of them and a huge thank you to the staff who gave up their time to make it possible. Tomorrow the Year 4’s will be spending the night in school enjoying their first residential.

Gardening Club are collecting materials to make wind chimes and wind catchers for the sensory garden. If you have any unwanted tins, keys, buttons or CDs they would be very grateful for them. They also would be grateful for any plant pots.

The boys did very well at football last Friday and they have more league matches this Friday and next. We have also been offered the chance for a B team to join them so even more children can take part. We wish them all luck.

We are through to the High Peak final for the cross country which will be held next Tuesday. Good luck to all the members of the squad.

Tomorrow is Children in Need day. This year we are offering you the chance to get rid of all that annoying loose change by bringing it in to school. We are aiming to make a Pudsey picture out of it.
The Kestrels will be leading our assembly on Friday 13th and the Kites on Friday 20th. You are very welcome to join us for these.

The PTA meeting tonight at 7.15 will be in school not at the cricket club as originally planned.

If you would like to order a copy of your child’s school photo remember they need to be in tomorrow, Monday at the latest.

Further to my plea last week for people to apply for free school meals, even if their child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, if you are in receipt of Universal Credit I believe you are eligible. Please do apply if you even think you just might qualify as it makes a substantial difference to the money we have available to help your child.

Next week is Anti Bullying Week. This year we are focusing in on online bullying and how the children can stay safe. We will be reminding them that the minimum age for platforms such as Facebook is 13, not to give out personal information, not to meet up with people they have got to know online and to report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Alice Littlehailes