Chair of Governors: Mr Mark Howarth Headteacher: Mr Dom Murphy Bishop Carpenter C E School School Lane, North Newington, Nr Banbury, Oxon, OX15 6AQ Tel/Fax: 01295 730404 Email: office.3302@bishop-carpenter.oxon.sch.uk Founded 1854 Newsletter th Friday 11 October 2013 Dear Parents/Carers, You are a lovely lot, you know, Harvest festivals, coffee afternoons, sprucing up the school, supporting the children at sports events – you do so much in so many ways. We’re a very lucky school. Thank you. Harvest Festival Your generous donations made a fantastic display for our harvest festival. My thanks to Mrs Davies for putting it all together. After the festival assembly, all of the fresh produce went to Katherine House Hospice, whilst the packaged foods went to Banbury Young Homeless Project. The lady who came to collect the tins and packets was quite overwhelmed and couldn’t stop saying thank you. The wonderful harvest plait baked by Ollie’s godfather has gone to Bloxham Church to be the centerpiece of their Harvest Festival this Sunday. Coffee Afternoon: A message from Miss Butland and Miss Timms Thank you to everyone who came to the coffee afternoon. It was fantastic to see so many people come and support the children. All the cakes and other goodies looked so delicious. We raised over £260 for Macmillan Nurses which is an amazing achievement. Thank you so much for all your help. Sport Well done to our Year 3 & 4 footballers who represented the school this week at a tournament held at Sibford School. We came fourth overall. I was proud of the children’s enthusiasm, determination and most of all their good behaviour. Thank you also to all the parents who helped and supported. Next we we have a rugby double-header with Yr 5/6 playing a match against St John’s Priory on Tuesday (2pm, school field – come and cheer!), followed by a tournament at the Warriner on Friday afternoon. Spruce Up the School There was a fantastic turn out for our Spruce Up the School Saturday. I’d put up an ambitious list of jobs, thinking that it would be good if we got through some of them. In the end, we got through almost all of them. We (deep breath) sanded down the friendship bench and the planters, cleared out and replanted the planters, swept up a vast amount of leaves, tidied up the verge outside the school, trimmed the shrubbery along the frontage, pruned the shrubs by the hall, put up a birdbox, cleared out and aerated the compost bins, planted loads of daffodil bulbs, swept through the outdoor area, pressure washed anything that needed pressure washing, strimmed anything that needed strimming, cleared out the playground gutters, tidied up the copse, pruned the tree in the quiet area, made a trip to the tip and put in the pond liner. And had a cup of tea! All that’s left to do is to paint the bench with wood preservative, and remove an obsolete bit of metal fencing near the pond. Thank you so much to everyone who helped. FoBCS Quiz Night Never mind your Mastermind or Million Pound Drop, this is the quiz of the year. Questions to answer, decisions to make (when do we play our joker?) raffle tickets to buy and fish & chips to eat. What more could you want? Chair of Governors: Mr Mark Howarth Headteacher: Mr Dom Murphy Communication Every spring, we send out a parental questionnaire, and we also send one to parents of leavers at the end of summer term. We are pleased with the positive responses to both questionnaires, but whilst it’s good to know that we’re doing well, we want to be the best we can be and would like your help to improve some of the areas of relative weakness. Only 86% of parents agreed with the statement I can raise concerns and they are dealt with. So, what can we do to improve this? I would be very grateful for your thoughts. I’ll have some pencils and paper available at the end of this afternoon’s assembly, and also at the start of school on Monday. E-mailed responses would also be useful. School Council We have got a very active School Council this year who are full of good ideas. Do have a look at their page on the school website and read what they are doing in their meeting minutes. Lunchtimes We have been trialling split lunchtimes this week, with Classes 1 &2 eating first, followed by Classes 3 &4. The run up to this was an interesting exercise in democracy, with children raising plenty of positives and plenty of negatives. Opinion before the trial was quite polarised, with few of the older children sitting on the fence. I even had one very well written letter from a pupil, arguing cogently against the idea. I am looking forward to hearing the views of pupils and staff at the end of the trial. Non-Uniform Day and Inset Day th Please don’t forget that the last day of this term is Thursday 24 October as the Friday is an INSET day. The Thursday is a non-uniform day. The School Council have decided that they would like to ask for donations to go to Clic Sargeant Cancer Research. We are asking for a minimum donation of £1.00 please. Singing Club th Unfortunately there will be no Singing Club on Tuesday 15 October as Mrs Brine is attending a course on that day. Book Fair Mrs Davies and some Year 6 children will be busy organising and planning our annual Book th Fair. This year the first day will be Wednesday November 6 . We are planning on opening after school on that day and running throughout the evening during Parents Evening. Strike Action th There is a day of teacher strike action planned for Thursday 17 October 2013 in our area. Most, if not all, of the primary schools will be open or partially open, but the Warriner will be closed. As far as I am aware, none of our staff are taking part in the strike. However, staff have the right to strike and if any teachers decide to exercise that right, I am not allowed to use nonparticipating staff to cover their classes. I intend to open the school as normal, but would operate a partial closure should any colleague elect to strike. Whilst we normally love visits from former pupils, we cannot have any pupils visiting on that day. The one exception is a pupil whose parent is a lunchtime supervisor, and he will be in school for the lunch period only. Parking on the playground Just a reminder that in the mornings the playground is open for everyone to park. However in the afternoons we ask that just Key Stage One (Classes 1 & 2) parents park on the playground. This is because everyone will be arriving and leaving at the same time and it would create massive congestion in the lane. Chair of Governors: Mr Mark Howarth Headteacher: Mr Dom Murphy Year 6 Secondary School Applications The Admissions Team at Oxfordshire County Council have asked me to remind parents that the st deadline for applications is October 31 2013. Backing Tracks I know there must be some Karaoke or Am-Dram fans out there. I need your help. I need some backing tracks for songs to use in our Key Stage 2 Christmas production. If you have, or know of anybody who might have, any of the following, preferably on CD, but if not, as a download, I’d love to hear from you. Double Trouble One I’m Getting Married in the Morning If I Were a Rich Man Big Spender Hopelessly Devoted to You Help Strangers in the Night I Want to Be Loved By You A Boy Named Sue Killer Queen One Rock & Roll Too Many 9 to 5 Holding out for a Hero You’ll Never Walk Alone Celebration (Celebrate Good Times) America Elvis Presley From A Chorus Line From My Fair Lady. From Fiddler on the Roof. Shirley Bassey/ from Sweet Charity. From Grease The Beatles Bert Kempfert From Some Like it Hot Johnny Cash Queen From Starlight Express Dolly Parton/Sheena Easton Bonnie Tyler From Carousel Kool & the Gang/Kylie Minogue From West Side Story Free Early Education for two year olds If you are in receipt of certain benefits your child may be entitled to 15 hours of free early education. There are criteria that have to be met to qualify for the benefit, which are the same that are used to establish eligibility for Free School Meals. If you would like further information please see the poster on the main door, or, alternatively, ring the Oxfordshire Family Information Service on 08452262636. Photographs th Nathan Allan will be coming into school on Thursday 7 November to take photographs of the children. He will be taking sibling groups as well as individual photographs. If you would like your pre school child/ren to have their photographs taken with older brothers or sisters you are welcome to come into school at 8.30am and Nathan will take these photographs first. Nathans photographs are always very popular and make great Christmas presents. New Pupil Welcome for Kajetan Dunst who will be joining Year 5 on Monday. Friday Assemblies (2:20pm unless otherwise stated) 18.10.13 Class 1 & 2 Assembly 25.10.13 INSET Day 08.11.13 General Assembly (Mr Murphy) 15.11.13 Grandparents’ Day 22.11.13 General Assembly (Miss Butland) 29.11.13 Family Service (2:15pm) 06.12.13 Christingle Service ( Broughton Church, 2:00pm) 13.12.13 Awards Assembly 20.12.13 Christmas Assembly (2:00pm) Chair of Governors: Mr Mark Howarth Headteacher: Mr Dom Murphy A few diary dates 15.10.13 18.10.13 23.10.13 24.10.13 25.10.13 05.11.13 06.11.13 07.11.13 11.11.13 13.11.13 15.11.13 29.11.13 10.12.13 16.12.12 17.12.13 18.12.13 19.12.13 Yr 5/6 Tag Rugby vs St John’s Priory School. Yr 5/6 Tag Rugby Festival @ Warriner 2:30-4:30pm. (Note date change). Yrs 1-4 Cross Country @ Warriner 10am-12 noon. Reading afternoon and Non-uniform day. INSET Day Yr 5/6 Cross Country @ North Newington. Parents’ Evening & Book Fair School Photographs. Individuals and family groups. Remembrance Service 11:00am. Children Singing for Children. Grandparents’ Day Yr 5/6 Swimming Festival @ Sibford Ferris. Yr3/4 Dodgeball Featival @ Warriner. Pantomime @ Chipping Norton (It’s behind you!) KS2 Performances KS1 Performances Christmas Lunch & parties. Non-uniform day. Term Dates for the year Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6 From Wednesday 4th September th Monday 4 November th Tuesday 7 January th Monday 24 February Tuesday 22nd April rd Tuesday 3 June nd INSET days Monday 2 September rd Tuesday 3 September th Friday 25 October th Monday 6 January nd Monday 2 June Bank Holiday Monday 5th May To th Thursday 24 October Friday 20th December th Friday 14 February th Friday 4 April Friday 23rd May nd Tuesday 22 July