1

(Houghton Conquest Lower School and Early Years Centre Newsletter (Week beginning Monday 8th July 2013)

Newsletter 38: Value of the Month: Freedom

Houghton Conquestival

The weather is looking good for the first ever Houghton Conquestival this Saturday. This promises to be a fun family event with bouncy castles, a sports area, disco, magician, guest appearance from Peppa and George Pig and lots more. We have 3 bands playing from 6pm; Bite the Bullet, The Noise Theory and Midnight Express and the raffle - prizes include a Kindle HD Fire, Music and Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit, MK Dons tickets, Millbrook Golf Club pass for four, Black Horse Voucher, Signed Luton Town Programme and lots more. Food is included in the ticket price but you need to bring your own refreshments. All monies raised will be put towards the school pirate ship appeal. Ticket sales are going well, you can buy them before hand at the village shop and any left will be available on the gate. Please support this event and help the PTA to raise the £6000 target for the pirate ship.

PTA

Sports Day: Weds 17th July 2013

Photography and video at the Sports day will be restricted this year. Please understand that this is becoming an area fraught with difficulties. If you would like to take your child’s photograph, please do so after the competition and only your own child’s photograph. Any team photographs will have to be agreed with the parents of the children in the photograph.

In preparation for Sports Day next Wednesday, children will be bringing home their PE Kit this Friday to give you an opportunity to check it and ensure that it is complete. Please bring it back into school on Monday as without it they will be unable to take part in Sports Day.

As the forecast for next week is for sunshine can you please ensure that on Sports Day that your child/ren have sun cream applied before school, that they have a water bottle in school and that they bring a sun hat with them.

We hope you can join us from 9.30am.

Early Years

Early Years Centre Events – Leavers Presentation

Please note the time of the Leavers Presentation is at 1.30pm (a change from 2pm) on Friday 19th July 2013. Swans will receive their Evidence folders, books, certificates and a Leavers medal (kindly sponsored by the PTA) at the Centre. Please ask a member of staff for the clipboard to inform us of who we will expect at the event. We need to plan for the numbers and arrange seating. Younger children booked into the session will also be in attendance as this will run as normal.

“Outstanding” Party for Early Years Centre

At approximately 2.15pm also on Friday 19th July we are pleased to invite you to join us, to cut the special cake and give out balloons to EYC children who have put their names down on the list in the Centre and are accompanied by a parent. This is an open invitation to all who attend the Centre to celebrate the award by Ofsted. We hope you can come along and enjoy the moment. The ‘party’ will end at 3pm; some children in session will be cared for until 4pm as normal.

Sessions for September 2013

All sessions that have been requested are confirmed for your child. Next term we will be asking parents/carers to sign the new session forms.

Teresa Davies - Senior Early Years Practitioner

Early Birds Morning Club from September

We are trying to find out if parents would like an opportunity to book on a half termly basis their child into an early birds club. Pupils would be able to come into school for 8.00am and receive breakfast.

The charge would be £3.50 for the session to include the cost of breakfast. We would need to have 8 pupils committed to coming at least 3 days a week to make this a viable service for the school to offer.

Please e-mail the school if this is a service you would like to take place and state your commitment to this by confirming you would take up the offer of a minimum of 3 days a week and pay a half term in advance.

The school will consider by Thursday 18th July whether there has been enough interest shown by parents and will announce the outcome in the final newsletter. We would aim to set the club up by Monday 9th September.

Value’s Balloons

We thought you would like to know that one of our balloons reached St Gabriel in Nord-Pas-De-Calais. It was found by 15 year old Nicolas near a beautiful dune on the beach.

Netball Tournament

Congratulations to Mimi Hollywell-Rolfe and Kyla Riley for taking part in the recent netball tournament in Westoning representing Houghton Conquest Lower School.

Annual School Reports to Parents

School and staff must treat all parents equally, unless there is a court order limiting an individual’s exercise of parental responsibility. Individuals who have parental responsibility for, or care of, a child have the same rights as natural parents to receive pupil reports. If you are a non-resident parent and you would like a separate print of your child’s School Report, please let the Administrative Office know and send us your postal address by email and we will make sure you receive a copy. Thank you.

Administration Team

Email:

Dates (new or changed dates in bold)

·  12th July: 9.15am – 2.15pm Year 4 Induction Day at Marston Vale Middle

·  13th July: Houghton Conquestival: A relaxed, fun and music-filled event for all the family (PTA)

·  15th July: Piano Tea Time Concert (4.30pm)

·  17th July: Sports Day (9.30am)

·  18th July: Alternative Sports Day

·  19th July: Leavers Presentation Afternoon at Early Years Centre at 1.30pm (amended time)

·  19th July: “Outstanding” Party at Early Years at 2.15pm

·  19th July: Annual School Reports to parents

·  22nd July: 2pm: Year 4 Leavers’ Assembly (Year 4 parents invited to join us)

·  23rd July: School Report Reply slips must be returned to school

·  24th July: End of term celebration assembly – all parents invited

·  Wednesday 24th July: Last day of summer term

·  Thursday 5th September 2013: School year begins

·  23rd September – PTA AGM 7.30pm, Committee Room, Village Hall, Houghton Conquest

Celebration Assembly Awards for week ending Friday, 5th July 2013

Robins: George White for a lovely piece of independent writing to name a dolphin.

Owls: Alfie Lovell for writing a superb caption independently.

Owls: Erin Huxford for good numeracy thinking.

Hawks: Oliver Browes for writing a super explanation report about how owls catch their prey.

Teaching Assistant Rewards:

Lewis Baker: evaluated his boat design and had a great explanation as to why he would change things.

Joshua Pestell: for thinking about and writing a very funny “Animal Muddle” poem.

Rosie Flint: for remembering to ask for help from an adult.

Jessica Webster: for perseverance in numeracy.

Midday Supervisory Assistant Award:

Ella Blow: for showing her value of friendship.

Donté Cole: for always being polite.

Reading Rewards:

Robins: Euan Phillips, Lewis Baker, Noah Arnold and Summer Nightingale

Owls: Jack Foreman

Miss C McCarthy

“Our vision is to be an outstanding school in all that we do. We will inspire and nurture a love of learning through a challenging and creative curriculum. Every individual will be recognised for their achievement and feel safe, secure and valued within our school family”