14th September 2005 NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents

Welcome back to another exciting school year. Last year was very busy and rewarding, notably academically, musically and in sport. We also achieved the Investors in People standards for a second time and realised our dream of a superb environmental resource in the Conservation Area. This year we look forward to facing new challenges and will continue to provide an excellent educational grounding for our children, and an environment in which they can all reach their potential.

I hope you all enjoyed the latest edition of the Ashill Gazette which highlighted the extent of cultural, sporting and academic achievement that all our children enjoyed. Thank you to all those responsible for producing such an enjoyable and informative magazine which seems to get better every year. Please feel free to look at all the new displays and photographs which have been put up in the school library area, which celebrate some of our work and activities from 2004-2005.

This term we welcome Alice, Gabriella, Joel, Madeleine, Molly and Olivia in Reception, Natasha in Year 2, Chloe in Year 5 and Stephanie in Year 6. We hope that they all grasp the opportunities open to them and have a happy social and academically rewarding time at Ashill.

Home School Agreement
If your child is new you will find a signed 'Home School Agreement' form attached to this letter. I would be grateful if you could sign this and return it to the school office as soon as possible.

Free School Meals
If you are claiming: Income Support, Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance, Child Tax Credit (not Working Tax Credits) and would like a free school meal for your child, please call into the office for an application form.

Activity Permission Slip
From time to time, the children will be required to work outside their immediate school environment to gain first-hand experience of the topic areas being taught. I would be grateful if you could sign and return the attached slip giving your permission.

The 'Workforce Remodelling' Process at Ashill School
You will find attached, a leaflet from Somerset County Council outlining changes that the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) have introduced with the aim of improving teaching and learning in schools. At Ashill School we have introduced the following changes to the way your child's schooling is organised and to the range of adults who are involved in their education. This will be reviewed annually -

· KS2 music will be taught by a Somerset Music IT specialist which will embed ICT in music through composing on the computer.

· 50% of the PE will be taught by PE specialist coaches from the Somerset Active Sport Partnership (SASP).

· I will be teaching singing throughout the school.

· Reception/KS1 art, design and technology will be delivered by our two very able and highly proficient Teaching Assistants after the lesson introduction by Miss Andrews and followed by a plenary (summing up) by Miss Andrews.

Please take time to read the attached leaflet which will give you the reasons and aspirations for Workforce Remodelling. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

School Topics for the Autumn Term
The following themes will be studied this term. These are identified in subject areas but will be taught as cross-curricular where possible and linked to a skills-based approach to learning.

Reception/KS1

Science - Growing plants
ICT -Instructions/writing and labelling,Changing fonts
History - Florence Nightingale
Geography - Life on an Island
RE - Special places/the world around us
Art/Design - Natural sculpture
Design Technology - Winding toys
Music - Exploring instruments and symbols

KS2

Science -Light and sound
ICT Yrs 3 & 4 -combining text and graphics/Manipulating sound
Yrs 5 & 6 -graphical modelling/analysing data and asking questions,using complex searches
History - The Tudors
Geography -Water
RE - Hinduism
Art/Design - Printing
Design Technology - Tudor houses
Music - ICT/composing

School Clubs
Please note that the following club lists, dates and times (which are also listed on 'Dates for your Diary'), and return the attached permission slip by Friday 23rd September 2005.

Dance Club - Years 1 - 3 - Miss Andrews
Mondays 3.30 - 4.15pm (KS2 Classroom)
Start Date: Monday 26th September 2005

Abigail, Ffion, Jacob, Adam, George, Liam, Declan, Grace, Natasha, Elliott, Ieuan, Richard, Emily

Netball Club - KS2 - Mrs Woodman
Tuesdays 3.30 - 4.15pm
Start Date: Tuesday 27th September 2005

Abigail, Finn, Lauren, Beth M. Ila, Liam, Bethany T, Jack, Louis, Chloe, Jamie, Rose,
David, Jessica, Sophie,Emily, Kim, Stephanie,Ffion

Multi-skills Club - KS1 (with Reception after half-term)
Thursdays 3.30-4.15pm - Brian Smith (SASP)
Start Date: Thursday 15th September 2005 - Cost £1 per session

The following children have brought back permission slips for this club -

Adam, Josh,Declan, Katie, Elliott, Madeleine (after half-term),George, Natasha,Ieuan, Olivia (after half-term),Jacob

Hockey Club - KS2 - Mr Scotney
Thursdays 3.30 - 4.15pm
Start Date: Thursday 29th September 2005

Abigail, Grace, Louis, Beth M, Ila, Richard, Bethany T, Jack, Rose, Chloe, Jessica, Sophie, David, Kim, Stephanie, Emily, Lani, Ffion, Lauren, Finn, Liam

Cookery Club - KS2 - Mrs Price - two weeks per child
With £1 per session payable for ingredients
Thursdays 3.30 - 4.15pm
Start Date: Thursday 29th September 2005

Abigail, Grace, Lauren T, Beth M, Ila, Louis, Bethany T, Jamie, Rose, Chloe, Jemima, Sophie, David, Jessica, Stephanie, Emily, Kim, Ffion, Lani, Finn, Lauren G

Gardening Club - KS2 - Ms Williams
Fridays 3.30 - 4.15pm (until half term)
Mondays 3.30 - 4.15pm (after half term)
Start Date: Friday 30th September 2005

Abigail, Jemima, Bethany T, Jessica, David, Lani, Emily, Lauren, Grace, Liam, Ila, Louis, Jack, Rose, Jamie, Stephanie

Initial interest is high for this club so further consideration needs to be given to the organisation. Further details to follow.

Harvest Festival
On Wednesday 5th October 2005 you are invited to join us in school for our Harvest Festival celebration, commencing at 1.45pm. This will be followed by an Auction of Produce. Please send all donations of produce with the children from Tuesday 4th October (non-perishable) or on Wednesday 5th October (perishable). All proceeds from the auction will be used to support our 'Operation Christmas Child' appeal.

We are also holding another of our 'famous' Harvest competitions as follows -

Rec/KS1 - collage of seeds, pasta and pulses (lentils) etc. on any theme.

KS2 - a vehicle from vegetables, fruit, nuts or seeds.

Please could the children bring their models/pictures in on Wednesday 5th October 2005.
They will be judged during the Harvest Festival and a prize given for a winning entry from each key stage - have fun!

New Classroom for Reception/KS1
As you are aware we are due to have our Reception/KS1 Elliot hut classroom demolished and replaced over the half-term holiday. However, due to the difficulty of position, County have informed us that they need more time for the job and therefore will start work on Thursday 20th October 2005. Due to the lack of suitable, alternative accommodation for the Reception/KS1 children, County have agreed that those children involved will not attend school on Thursday 20th October and Friday 21st October 2005. I hope that this doesn't cause too much inconvenience, but without agreeing to this time change the project could have been delayed probably into next year or beyond and I wasn't going to risk that.

P.E.
Reception/KS1 will need to bring socks and trainers on Tuesdays/Fridays and full PE kit on Thursdays. KS2 will need full PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Reception/KS1 Notice board
Please could parents of Reception/KS1 children regularly read the notice board in the classroom. This provides important information about what is happening in the class and requests for various items to support the children with their work.

Parents of Reception Children
While the children are getting used to the school routine, please could you send your child to school with a spare pair of underwear and trousers/skirt so they can change themselves should the need arise. This can be kept in a bag on their peg or in their PE kit.

Data Checking Sheet - Very Important
Would you please look at the enclosed Data Checking Sheet and amend or add any relevant information. It is essential that the details held on your child are kept up-to-date. Please return the sheet to Mrs Hood/Mrs Pitkin in the school office as soon as possible.

Homework
A reminder that homework will be set on a weekly basis for Years 1 to 6.

Year 1 Fridays - Spellings
Year 2 Fridays - Literacy / Spellings
Years 3 to 6 Tuesdays - Literacy
Fridays - Numeracy / Spellings

Winsham and Ashill Primary School Music CD's
With Christmas coming up, what could be a more ideal present for in-laws, friends etc than the above CD? Fourteen excellent tracks and all for £5. We have a limited number available for sale from the school office, so get yours now to avoid disappointment.

Tesco Sport Vouchers
As you have probably noticed from the banner at the school entrance, we are avidly collection the above. Please place your vouchers in the box provided in the library.

Holidays in Term-time
I have enclosed a leaflet from Somerset County Council emphasising the importance of school attendance. If you have any concerns reference the above, the point of contact at County Hall is Duncan Verwey - Tel. 01823 357867.

Key Stage 2 SATS / Year 3 - 5 Optional SATs
Please note that the above testing period will be from Monday 8th May 2006 to
Friday 12th May 2006.

Operation Christmas Child
In 2002, you may remember that the children took part in a project enabling them to send Christmas presents in shoe boxes to needy children in over seventy-five different countries throughout the world. This was very successful and the children loved doing it. This year I would like to repeat this venture. The contents of the shoe boxes should come from home but we will provide the box, a greeting card and wrapping paper for each box. The boxes will be collected at the beginning of November for their onward journey in time for Christmas. A shoe box may not change the world but to 40 million children who have received one since 1990, it has made a world of difference to their lives.

I have received a short video outlining this initiative and will be showing it to the children at assembly on Friday 7th October 2005 at 9.00am. Parents are also very welcome to attend this viewing.

Attached to this letter is one leaflet per child outlining the details of this venture more fully. Each leaflet also includes an address label, an envelope for a £2 donation (hopefully collected at the Harvest celebration) and a box label. Please keep these safe for later use. We will ask for them in school at the beginning of November.

Yours sincerely

DAVID SCOTNEY
Headteacher