Friday Newsletter

1st December 2017

AWARD WINNERS

Well done to all of our award winners this week!

KS2 SINGALONG

We invite all parents, family and friends to join our Key Stage 2 children (years 3 – 6) next Friday afternoon at St Johns Church (Bedlington Station) from 1.30pm to come for a Christmas carol sing along. Reverend Ian has been in school to practice some of the songs with our children. The event is free but our PTFA will be selling tea/coffee with a mince pie for £1 – any funds raised will be split between the church and school. This will last around 45 mins to an hour and the children will then walk back to school with their teachers to get back for the usual home time.

MR MORRIS TO JOIN YEAR 5

After the Christmas holidays, year five will be getting a new permanent teacher – Mr Morris. Mr Morris has taught in key-stage two for several years at other schools across Northumberland and North Tyneside. He’s a keen sports enthusiast and has many memories of playing football/rugby at Gallagher Park. Mr McDonald will be leaving Stead Lane at the end of December. We’ve been very grateful for the work he’s done with our year five class and wish him all the best for the future.

MONGOLIAN YURT + RADIO NEWCASTLE

With the help of the PTFA and councillor Bill Crosby, our school has started work on a very exciting new outdoor learning environment – a traditional Mongolian Yurt! A Yurt is a large outdoor tent-like circular structure. It will have a wood burning stove and be large enough to fit a class inside. We think that this will provide a brilliant outdoor learning environment for our children and help to encourage more opportunities to learn outside also giving more opportunities for our children to be more active. Radio Newcastle will be visiting Stead Lane on Tuesday 5th December and our school will feature on the breakfast show live from 7.50 / 8am todiscuss our new outdoor learning environment – keep watching our twitter feed to see the structure being built over the next few days. Below is a picture of what a traditional yurt looks like:

MISSION CHRISTMAS

Thank you to everyone who has already donated a gift. If not it isn’t too late. We need new and unwrapped gifts suitable for children and young people aged 0-18 years. We have donation boxes in the main school entrance until they are collected which has now been changed toearly on Thursday 7th December so please hand any in before then. Thank you very much for your support.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT SESSIONS

We still have limited tickets left for our Craft Sessions next week so please call at the school office or complete a form and return it on Monday.

ELF SHELF

We are holding our annual Elf Shelf Christmas Shopping event for the children again this year, beginning Monday 4th December, where children in main school can bring money into school and choose a gift for parents/carers. Please see letter attached for more information.

PANTOMIME

Our Years 1, 2, 3, 4,5 & 6 pupils are attending a Pantomime on Friday 15th December 2017. If you have not already returned your child’s consent form to school, please do so as soon as possible to allow them to take part. Spare copies are available from the school office or online at

Thank you.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

Our Homework Club will not be on this Monday 4thDecember and Netball club is now finished for this year.Sorry for any inconvenience caused

WELLIES WANTED!

As Science leader in school I want to hold as many lessons outside as possible and don't want the good old British weather to hold us back! In order to help us get out in all weathers I am appealing for any wellies (or even waterproofs) you may have that your children have outgrown. This will give us a great starting point and help us keep everyone nice and dry while we explore the great outdoors.Thank you, Mrs Gary.

SUPER SCIENCE

I am going to start posting some science challenges on Twitter for you to complete at home. I would love to see photos of you completing the challenges at home so (with parental permission) please upload them in the comments section of the tweet I post. There will be merits or air miles awarded to those who take part. Your first challenge is coming soon, so let's see who will be our scientists of the future! Mrs Gray

HEAD LICE

Cases of head lice have been reported in school this week. Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat where necessary. Thank you.

MISSING

Reception children are missing a 5-6 year old jumper and 3-4 year old blue shorts. If your child has taken them by mistake please return to school. Thank you.

ATTENDANCE

Class attendance for week ending 24thNovember2017

Reception94.33%

Year 198.62%

Year 297.24%

Year 3100% WOW! Winners this week!

Year 496.45%

Year 593.5%

Year 694.67%

BEAT THE CHALLENGE

Class percentage for children who were on time for week ending 1st December 2017

Reception99.67%

Year 198.28%

Year 299.66%

Year 399.67%

Year 4100%WOW! Winners this week!

Year 597.5%

Year 6100%WOW! Winners this week!

There were 13 late marks in our registers this week. Please be punctual. This means your child is included in all learning and lessons are not disrupted by latecomers. Bell rings at 9.00am.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK

Year four are currently enjoying Diary of a Killer Cat. It is a funny book written by Anne Fine and we think it is better than the previous book we read by her called Bill's New Frock. If you want a giggle, give it a go!

Stead Lane Primary School - Elf Shelf

We are holding our ‘Elf Shelf’ shopping event beginning 4th December 2017 where children in Reception to Year 6 can bring money and buy presents for their parents/carers and/or grandparents for Christmas. Gifts are mainly for adults only.

We will have a selection of gifts to the approximate value of £1.00 each and children will be able to choose a gift, pay for it and help gift wrap it. The gift can then be taken home to put under your Christmas tree.

If your child would like to take part in Elf Shelf please complete the form below and return it to school with payment on Monday 4th December. (please note: this event runs for more than a week so your child may not get to choose their gift(s) on Monday – it takes place as and when there is time for each individual class)

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Elf Shelf - December 2017

My childwould like to purchase gifts from ‘Elf Shelf’. They would like:

A gift for a female adult – please enter amount: (£1.00 each)

A gift for a male adult – please enter amount: (£1.00 each)

The gifts are for: (please list names as the children sometimes forget who their gifts are for)

Name of child______Class______