7 February 2020

Dear Parents

As ever it has been a very busy week at school. In KS2, Year 5 have been raising the rafters with their singing in preparation for next week’s concert; football and netball practice is well underway for CTA sports competitions; Reception Class are preparing for celebrating their Fairy Tales work at an afternoon tea party with parents and Year 6 have been learning are focused on their SATs preparation showing great maturity and positive determination to do their very best. KS1 have been just as busy with fabulous phonic and writing work, showing great progress just in the few weeks since Christmas. I am sure they will look forward to everyone seeing their work at Parents’ Evening.

The long awaited and much prepared for ‘Motown’ Pyramid Concert has finally arrived! We look forward to a lovely day and evening with Year 5, starting with afternoon rehearsals before the evening concert. The children have worked exceptionally hard for this event under the guidance of Mr Mallinson, Mrs Freitas, Mrs Mound and Mrs Mallinson.A few tickets may still available from our school office and are open to all parents, family and friends of the school. The staff are all attending and I am sure will be glowing with pride! Please contact Mrs Brown if you would like to order tickets. We look forward to sharing the photographs and details of the day next week. Also something very new for this year is a live voting system for the theme of the 2021 Pyramid concert. See below for how you can choose next year’s theme!

Parents' Evening dates have been set for Tuesday 3 March and Wednesday 4 March. Please sign up for your appointment via the School life app. If you have any problems please contact the school office to assist with your password but they cannot book appointment times for you. Please also see the calendar tab on our website for further important dates this term.

Next Thursday and Friday 15 February, the new Trim Trail will be built in the KS2 playground. We are extremely excited and also so grateful to every one of you who has contributed towards the cost through attending the PTA events over the last couple of years. I am sure the children will enjoy this equipment which is also accessible to the KS1 children in their lunchtime play.

As part of our focus on further developing the children's outdoor play we are participating in 'Sports for Sport' fundraising. On February 28 the GB gymnast Dominick Cunningham will be coming to St Wulstan's to spend the day with the children. Dominick is currently training for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, his specialism is floor but has won many medals across all of the gymnastics disciplines.  The day will consist of an assembly led by Dominick and then sponsored gym activities for every child. Your children will bring home sponsorship forms for the day's activities and the monies raised will be spent on new playground toys and active life resources. We look forward to an exciting day!

Tuesday is our half termly PTA Cake sale morning with cake donations from Year 3 and Year 4 parents, thank you. If your child would like a cake please send them with 30p on Tuesday morning.

Sadly, last week’s ‘E safety presentation’ ,put on at school for parents, was very poorly attended but I am grateful to the few parents and teaching staff who did attend. Next Tuesday is 'Safer Internet Day' and every class will focus on the importance of keeping themselves safe whilst using the internet. It is apparent through teaching and discussions that some children are accessing inappropriate sites eg  adult Youtube clips and social media sites. However, even more worrying was the trusting manner in which many children across the school feel it is safe to give personal details to people with whom they played group games online. They quite innocently believe that people must always be exactly who they say they are, that is, children like themselves, with little or no understanding of the well hidden dangers. There are many websites offering guidance for parents https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/ which you may find helpful. Thank you for your support in keeping your children safe.

Next Friday we break up for half term. It is hard to believe we will have passed the half way point of the school year. Wulstan's Lodge is now taking bookings for Holiday Club. Please contact Sally Bache at Nursery for further information or telephone 01299 829032.

If at any time you have a concern or need to speak to me or your class teacher please do not hesitate to contact us.

K E Savage