Archive for December, 2020

Newsletter 17/12/2020

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

17.12.2020

Dear Parents,

Well here it is the last newsletter of 2020! What a year it has been, so many highs, so many things to be proud of and so many challenges to face. I wish I could say the challenges would all be gone as we go into 2021 but we all know that is wishful thinking. It makes the Christian Christmas message of forgiveness and hope so much more important. (I am a bit annoyed with Boris Johnson because he referenced the song I was going to use in this newsletter today in his speech yesterday, grrr, honestly I had planned this before then.) At the weekend I was listening to Kylie Minogue’s version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and thought how apt it was for this year with lines such as;

‘Next year all our troubles will be miles away’

‘Faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more.

Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow.

Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.’

Here is a link to her version of this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K4_1zMu-Cg I hope we all manage to enjoy and make the most of our pared down Christmas this year and can hold on to that hope for the future.

Tomorrow we are holding our carol service online at 9.15 here is the link to it https://youtu.be/cOFX5j0BLnA it is locked down at the moment and will be opened tomorrow. Please be forgiving and remember we are not the BBC. The children have written all the readings and have done a great job. The words of the carols are on the screen so you can sing along as we will be doing in our own bubbles in school. Thank you so much to Mr Holt for the hours he has spent editing this.

Remember if your child tests positive for Corona Virus up to and including 24th December you need to let me know either by texting the school texting service or by emailing headteacher@st-lukes.derbyshire.sch.uk . If your child develops symptoms and you are having them tested it would be really helpful if you let me know just so I don’t have a surprise amount of work on Christmas Eve!

Derbyshire County Council has asked me to share the information below with you.

If you are a family on a low income you could get food vouchers for your children over the Christmas period. The money to pay for these vouchers has come from the government through its COVID-19 winter grant scheme which is over and above the other support schemes already provided by Derbyshire County Council. The family of every child who gets free school meals in Derbyshire schools because of low income can get a £30 food voucher for the Christmas holidays. You will get another voucher in February if you are still eligible, the amount will depend on the number of children who qualify at that time. Some other families are also eligible based on financial hardship. You will receive vouchers if you meet one of the following criteria:

• Have a child aged 3 to 18 in a Derbyshire school (nursery to year 13), eligible for free school meals because of low household income.

• Have a child aged 3 or 4 not in a Derbyshire school nursery that receives free childcare and qualifies for ‘pupil premium’ based on low income (this is sometimes called ‘economic funding’).

• Have a child aged 2 that is eligible for free 2-year-old childcare because of low household income.

You do not need to do anything if your child already meets these criteria (see our website for full terms and conditions). We will contact you and you should receive a payment by email or text message that should arrive by 21 December 2020. If you have children and you do not currently claim free school meals or means tested free childcare you may still be eligible. For full details of the scheme or to see what help and support is available, please visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/winter

If you still owe any dinner money please can you pay it as soon as possible.

Have a lovely break if you can and I look forward to seeing you all on 4th January.

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes


Newsletter 10/12/2020

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

10.12.2020

Dear Parents,

Well here we are contemplating the last week of term next week. What a term it has been! Thank you all for all you have done for the whole community by following the guidelines school has put in place such as the one-way system and the staggered beginning and end of the day. Whilst I am thinking of that if your child is being picked up by someone else please can you let them know about the system just so we can keep all visitors to the site safe.

For most of this term we have had very few children late for school, the staggered start has helped you get your child to school on time, but over the last few weeks a number of families are starting to arrive after 9.05. I understand that very occasionally there are good reasons for being late which we accept but please can I remind you that it is your responsibility to get your children to school on time.

This week we have been thoroughly enjoying the Carrot Productions Snowman streamed concert. Thank you so much to Zoe Bowers who organised it for us.

Next week we are doing our best to keep as many Christmas traditions alive as possible whilst remaining covid safe. Our Plans are:

Each class to watch ‘The Snow Queen’ online. Thank you to the PTA for funding this.

I believe that Santa is going to try to fit in a zoom meeting with us. We know he is very busy preparing for Christmas but he says he just might squeeze us in.

On Wednesday 16th Y5 and Y1 are going to have their parties.

On Thursday 17th it will be Y2, Y3, Y4, Y6 and Reception’s turn

All parties will be in class bubbles and the children will not mix with another bubble. On the day of the party the children can come in their party clothes. Please bear in mind that normal school life will happen in the morning including PE for those who usually have it, that playtimes will still need to be on the field, and that the classroom windows have to be open for ventilation. In other words a strapless ball gown and stilettoes is probably a bad idea!

On Friday 18th we are holding our Carol Service. This will be streamed to each classroom and to you. The link will be sent out. The children will not be mixing with other bubbles.

Also on Friday 18th we are having our Christmas Dinner. We have ordered a dinner for everyone who has not told us they are having a packed lunch. If you remember I asked you to let the office know if you did not want your child to have Christmas Dinner. This year we will not be able to all be together but we will still make it festive in everyone’s classroom.

We finish for Christmas on Friday 18th and school will reopen on Monday 4th January.

The Government has asked that all covid cases confirmed in the first 6 days of the holiday (up to and including 24th December) are reported to school so we can inform any contacts of the need to isolate to protect others. As the office will not be staffed over the Christmas break, please do not leave telephone messages. Instead please text the school text service or email me on headteacher@st-lukes.derbyshire.sch.uk . I can then pick up your message and take any necessary action. I am hoping that you will all remain fit and healthy and fully able to enjoy the holiday.

The Government has given schools the option of swapping a future Inset Day to Friday 18th December to allow school’s responsibility for track and trace to end a day earlier. In making a decision about this, we have taken into account the following:

– The resulting need for some parents to arrange childcare at short notice.

– The current attendance levels within the pupil and staff community.

– The existing training plans for the remaining 3 Inset Days.

– The plans already in place for the end of term.

We have decided that we will open as usual on Friday 18th December.

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes


Newsletter 03/12/2020

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

3.12.2020

Dear Parents,

Here we are again on another Thursday! I hope you have all had a reasonable week, given how dark and dismal it has been reasonable feels like a win. I hope you are all enjoying your advent calendars, yes I know some of you have your own so you don’t have to steal the chocolate from the children.

This week we have been making our annual Christmas Trees.

Due to covid restrictions and keeping in our bubbles we have made them in our classes this year not in our houses. We are all looking forward to being able to work in our houses again once the restrictions are lifted. As promised here are the trees:

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes


  • Calendar

  • Copyright © 1996-2014 St Luke's C of E Primary School, Glossop. All rights reserved.
    iDream theme by Templates Next | Powered by WordPress