Welcome Back – Happy New Year to you all. It was good to see the children looking so smart on their return to school. This newsletter is mainly key information that you need at this time of year.

Datesfor your Diary:

Thursday 5th January Whole school visit to Wyvern Theatre

Friday 6th January Guitar lessons startMaths games start

Monday 9th January Keyboard lessons start

Tuesday 10th January 5pm Whole Y6 SATs Parents’ evening

Wednesday 11th January Violin lessons start

Thursday 12th January Netball club starts

Friday 13th January Football club startsLast day for delivering community magazine competition entries to school

Monday 16th January Last day for entering the community magazine competition

Wednesday 18th January Tennis club starts

Wednesday 8th February Year 6 2nd instalment for Great Potheridge House due

Year 3/4 Production – Congratulations to all children in Silbury & Hackpen who performed so well in their production of Nativity Rock. A total of £67.75 was raised towards our sponsored child Surav.

School Defibrillator – A total of £88.45 was raised from the recent ‘dress down’ day. Thank you for your donations. We are now in a position to purchase a defibrillator and will let you know when this in place.

Maths Games – Parents are welcome to join their children in the classroom from 8.45am to 9.15am on a Friday morning to play maths games. These start from tomorrow. Children love this opportunity to work with adults. We understand that it is difficult for many parents to make this regularly but we encourage you to take part when you can as it does not need to be a regular commitment.

Mathletics – Our subscription for this service is due for renewal. We pay £3.00 per child to access this fantastic ‘online’ resource which is an effective way of improving children’s mental maths skills. Whilst £3.00 is exceptional value for money, we are aware that many children are not taking advantage of this. Mathletics remains high profile in school with a weekly competition in all classes. Could you please encourage your children to regularly use Mathletics; mental maths skills are one of the most important building blocks for future mathematical understanding and life skills.

Newsletter5th January 2017

Cold Weather – Please ensure children come to school equipped appropriately for the weather which has turned colder.

Extreme Weather – Any decision to close the school will be based on site conditions, including road conditions for staff and pupils. Could we please remind you that any school closure will be announced on the local radio, BBC Wiltshire and Heart FM.

We will use our text messaging service as our main communication to parents and place information where possible on the school website. Please ensure that the office has your up-to-date contact numbers.

Children absent from School – If your child is absent from school through illness, we ask that you contact the office by 8.30am on the day of absence. It is school policy to follow up any unreported absence.

Mobile Phones –Children should only need to bring mobile phones to school in exceptional circumstances. If your child needs to bring a mobile phone to school, please send a letter to the office. Children must switch their phone off and hand it into the office on arrival at school. Please note that ALL mobile phones should be clearly named.

Y6 Residential Visit – Please be reminded that the second instalment of £150 for the year 6 residential visit must be paid by Wednesday 8th February.

Road Safety - We have reminded all children that they should use footpaths when entering or leaving the school grounds, particularly around the roundabout and approach roads to the school. Could you help us by reminding your child of this or their own safety. Cars may be leaving the school site at the end of the school day.

After-School Clubs – The following clubs will be starting in the near future:

Netball Thursday 12th January 3.15 – 4.15pm Football Year 5/6 Friday 13th January 3.15 – 4.00pmTennis Wednesday 18th January 3.20 – 4.10pm

In the event that a club has to be cancelled we will do our best to contact parents so they can arrange collection of their child. Any child that cannot be collected early will be supervised until the end of the club time and will be expected to stay in school. In addition, we frequently remind children that they should return to school if the adult who is collecting them is not at the agreed

location. The same rule is applied for all after-school clubs.

Community Competition – Please encourage your child to enter the next community competition themed, ‘Winter into Spring’. They can write a few lines, in prose or verse, using related words to make an acrostic poem. Children can also create a picture, using crayons, paints, felt pens or collage. They can choose from inside your garden, in the countryside, in your town, home or some other place they know. The closing date is Monday 16th January 2017. Entries can be brought to the school office by next Friday 13th January and we will deliver them.

Music LessonsKeyboard/Piano tuition will start next Monday 9th JanuaryGuitar tuition will start tomorrow Friday 6th JanuaryViolin tuition will start on Wednesday 11th January. Please note change of days for keyboard.

Circus Skills Club - We've had a great response to the circus skills club which has been running all this term on a Wednesday lunchtime on the lower playground. 

The children have been trying out and practising; balancing things on their hands, ball juggling, scarf juggling and ribbon work, devil stick and Diabolo's which have been very popular. They have also had a great time making up new games with all the equipment! Thanks to the school for buying some extra equipment to meet the demand. It's not just been fun, these skills are helping our children to develop; hand-eye co-ordination, concentration, problem solving, cooperation, brain and body fitness. The club will continue next term, weather permitting and is open to all.

Thanks and regards – Dave Knight (Governor)

Weekly Newsletter

I wish for a copy of the newsletter to be emailed to the following address: ______________________________________(parent/guardian)

Child’s Name: _________________ Class: _________________

Andy SimpsonHeadteacher