Newsletter
Thursday 9th September 2010

Welcome back to all our pupils and families. In particular, we would like to welcome all the new families and members of staff joining our school this term.

Leavers Gift to the Senior School
Mr Oldroyd would like to thank the Leavers from last term for the very special benches they have bought for us.  These will be very welcome for those watching our sports teams in the future.

Senior School Choir
Choir will now be starting at 8.15am MONDAY mornings and will be run by Mr Kotz and Mr Roberts. Children  need to go to their form cloakroom first to deposit school and sports bags and then go straight to the Oakery Studio to register with Mr Kotz.

PRE PREP

Drop Off

School is open from 8.30am for all the Pre Prep pupils.  There is the 'Early Birds' option from 8am for pupils who have parents who both work. (Please see Mrs Shea to book this facility)
Nursery children and parents should use the front Pre Prep entrance only. Kindergarten children may be taken directly to their classrooms in the back garden.  Reception, Forms 1 and 2 pupils should enter the school via the back door which leads directly to their cloakrooms. To ease congestion in the corridors Reception pupils may go up the main stair case whilst 1L, 2B and 2CT pupils should use the back stairs. 

Collection

Nursery and Kindergarten children must be collected form their classrooms.
All the other children should be collected from the playgroud.  The school day finishes at 3pm for pupils in the Nursery and Kindergarten staying for the afternoon, 3pm for Reception pupils and 3.15pm for those in Forms 1 and 2.

After School Care
All children with siblings in the Senior School staying after 3.15pm must be registered for Late Stay (collection by 4pm) or Little Oaks (collection no later than 6pm).  Please ensure that the children and their teachers know their
after school arrangements.  This must be in writing for pupils in Nursery, Kindergarten and Reception.
Mrs M. Shea

Please can these be returned to Form Teachers or either office as soon as possible.

Medical Information
Please ensure that Mrs Betts, the school nurse and your child's Form Teacher know of any special medical condition or diet.  There are a number of children in the school who have allergies and we can make arrangements to suit an individual's needs.  We welcome meetings between school staff, parents and specialist medical staff to make sure that everyone is informed of signs, symtoms and treatments.  The best arrangements are preventative measures; therefore we would urge parents to be mindful that break-time snacks and 'packed lunches' for school trips should be NUT FREE.  In the case of birthday celebrations, please consult your child's form teacher before bringing in cakes, biscuits etc.

Car Park
The school fields will seldom be used for extra parking from next week due the ground becoming wet.

Senior school pupils are encouraged to use the 'drop off' zone in front of school house.  They can safely walk along the pathways to their classrooms with the benefit that you will not have to search for a parking bay.
If you do need to park and take your child into school try to leave the car park as quickly as possible please.  We realise that there are no white lines but please think about spacing as there are often many large gaps between cars.
We ask that you do not park at the sides of the main exit as this does not allow cars to leave in both directions and speed up departure.  A jam can occur when cars are unable to exit to the right due to the build up of traffic on the road. 
 

Out of School Hours

Classrooms will be locked from 6pm onwards during the term time week and all weekend.  Occasionally, staff will be at the school, but we cannot guarantee that someone will be here when you need access.  Please ensure that pupils take home all that is needed for the evenings and weekends.  If either of the school halls has been booked for parties, then those concerned will be contacted by Miss Peirce and given keys and a care of premises letter as appropriate.

Attendance/Absence/Off Games
If a pupil is to be away through sickness or coming in late because of a dental/doctor appointment, etc. the school office should be notified by 8.45am. 

Parents who wish their child to be excused from playing games or taking part in PE lessons are asked to send a written note in their child’s student planner to their Form Teacher.  Pupils are unlikely to be excused games without this note. 
Parents are asked not to arrange for family holidays that conflict with school attendance.  It can be disruptive to the children’s progression throughout the curriculum and they can miss out on enjoying the many activities organised at the end of each term.  In special circumstances, where parents find it impossible to comply with this request, a leave of authorised absence must be requested in writing from the Headmaster or Mrs Shea as appropriate (form obtainable from the school offices). The school is being increasingly put under pressure by the authorities not to authorise absence for family holidays.

Senior School
Details of activities will be published on the school web site, in the school office and in individual classrooms. 

Senior pupils may attend the first ballet, judo and fencing lessons in the first week as a taster session.  Additional charges apply to these sessions (added to end of term invoice).

Ballet

Ballet classes will commence on Monday 13th September. 

Form 2                                     1pm – 1.45pm                Senior Hall     

Nursery & Kindergarten           1.45pm-2.15pm             Pre Prep Hall     

Nursery & Kindergarten           2.15pm-2.45pm             Pre Prep Hall 

Reception                                2.45pm-3.30pm             Pre Prep Hall   

Form 1                                     3.30-4.15pm                  Pre Prep Hall     

Forms 3 & 4                             4.15pm-5pm                  Pre Prep Hall

Form 5                                     5pm-5.45pm                  Pre Prep Hall

Judo
Judo Classes will begin on Monday 13th September

Year 2                3.15pm-4.15pm        School Hall
Year 3 & 4          4.15-5.00pm            School Hall
Years 5-8           5.15-6.00pm            School Hall

Fencing
Fencing lessons will begin Thursday 16th September. These will be at lunchtime in the school hall for Forms 3 and 4
4.15-5.15pm in the school hall for Forms 5 and above.  Taster session for all those who would like to have a try are available next Thursday.

Student Planners/Contact Books
All pupils in Years 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 have been given a student planner.  Details of their homework are written here and parents are asked to check that this work is done and use the blank pages for correspondence with the school office and teaching staff. Please take some time to look through them as they contain some useful information.

Individual Music Instrument Lessons
If your son/daughter would like to learn to play an instrument please call in to see Mrs Underwood or email her on registrar@theprep.org.uk  with your interest.  Many of the peripatetic teachers now have vacancies because of Year 6 and 8 moving on to their new schools and would welcome new musicians.

Parent Information Evening – Wednesday 15th September

Nursery, Kindergarten and Reception starts at 7pm.  Please go to your child’s classroom.  Please note that this is a changed date to the one published on the web site last term.

Parent Information Evening – Thursday 16th September

Year 3 starts at 7.00 pm

Year 4 starts at 7.20 pm

Year 5 starts at 7.40 pm

On arrival, please make your way to your child’s classroom where there will be an introduction from the Headmaster and then a short presentation from their Form Teachers on life in their new class. 

Parent Information Evening – Tuesday 21st September

Year 1 and Year 2 starts at 7pm.  Please go to your child’s classroom.

Parent Information Evening – Thursday 23rd September

Year 6 starts at 7.00 pm

Year 7 starts at 7.20 pm

Year 8 starts at 7.40 pm

On arrival, please make your way to your child’s classroom where there will be an introduction from the Headmaster and then a short presentation from their Form Teachers on life in their new class. 

Haller Charity Skydive
Lyn Witton from the Pre Prep School will be doing a Tandem Skydive on the 19th September to raise money for our school in Mdengerekeni. She is hoping to raise enough to buy more much needed equipment.  Please sponser her by going to www.justgiving.com.lyn-witton

Diary Date
Please put a very important date in your dairy - Friday 5th November -  is our Bonfire and Firework Night. Refreshments are available from 6pm followed by the procession by Form5 pupils with the guy and then the fireworks begin from 6.30pm onwards.  Tickets will be available shortly.