Contents
- Elfis is back!
- Church Visits
- Staff Leaving
- Reading Champions
- Christmas Parties
- Victorian Day
- Golden Welly
- PTFA Christmas Raffle
- Art in KS2
- Advent Assemblies
- Please Remember
- Photo Gallery
- Diary Dates
Elfis is back!
I have some troubling news! That pesky Elfis has returned to Grange. Can you believe it? We thought he’d gone for good last year, but no- he’s back again causing mischief. He's been 'reorganising' classrooms! Look at some of the things he’s been up to. If you see him, please be sure to tell me immediately. Year 1 have been drawing maps so that he can find his way back to the North Pole.
Church Visits
Next Thursday, our Reception and Year 1 children will be walking to St Hugh’s Church to sing some Christmas songs and listen to a short Christmas message from the Vicar. The following week, on Thursday 18th December, our Year 2, 3 and 4 pupils will be travelling by Metro to St Thomas’ Church, where they will also sing carols and hear from the Vicar. We would love all our children to attend these visits. At Grange, we celebrate many different religious festivals such as Ramadan and Eid, Diwali, and Jewish New Year as we believe that understanding different beliefs and traditions is key to showing respect and ensuring everyone feels welcome. However, we understand that some families may prefer their child not to attend. If this is the case, please opt out on the Microsoft Form which has been sent out this week so we can make appropriate arrangements for children who remain in school.
Staff Leaving
We were very sad to say goodbye to Mrs Durr at the end of last week. She has been a fabulous Learning Support Assistant and has worked with so many children across the school over the years. As a qualified Occupational Therapist, she has always hoped to return to this career, and she has now secured an OT position at a local special school. They are incredibly lucky to have her. We will miss her tremendously but know she will be brilliant in her new role. We also have some more sad news. Mrs Turnbull, who has been part of Grange since 2015, has decided to take a career break from teaching. She has taught in every year group from Nursery to Year 4 and has been our PSHE Lead. Grange simply won’t be the same without her. Thank you, Mrs Turnbull, for everything you have done for our school and our children.
Reading Champions
In KS2 (Years 3 and 4), children take an Accelerated Reader quiz every time they finish reading a book at home. This helps us check their understanding and develop strong comprehension skills. We also award a trophy each month for the most words read and the most books completed. Cherry Class smashed it out of the park this month, well done!
Christmas Parties
Children can come to school in their party clothes on the day of their Christmas party. Please remember that they will still be playing outside during OPAL play, so footwear and clothing should be suitable for the weather. Children will enjoy party games in the hall and will have their party food in their classrooms. Below is a list of party dates, along with whether we are asking for a savoury or sweet food contribution. This could be sandwiches, cherry tomatoes, crisps, cakes, biscuits… or anything else you think they will enjoy. Please remember that we are a NUT FREE SCHOOL. We will make sure children know which food items are halal, vegetarian, gluten free, etc. If your child has specific allergies or dietary needs and you would prefer to provide their own packed party food box, you are very welcome to do so -just let your child’s class teacher or learning support assistant know.
Monday 15th Dec Year 4 Cherry- savoury Maple- sweet Tuesday 16th Dec Year 3 Willow- sweet Sycamore- savoury Wednesday 17th Dec Nursery, Reception, Year 2 Nursery- choose sweet or savoury Oak- sweet Beech- savoury Hazel- sweet Juniper- savoury Friday 19th Dec Year 1 Silver Birch- sweet Hawthorn- savoury
Children will have their water bottle at their party so please make sure this is in school on that day- party games are thirsty work!
Victorian Day
Year 4 stepped back in time on Thursday for a very formal Victorian-style school day, led by three exceptionally strict ‘teachers’! The children quickly discovered that presentation was taken very seriously in Victorian classrooms. A few were reminded about clean faces, tidy nails and good posture and some even practised perfect posture by balancing a book on their heads! Luckily, only a handful found themselves wearing the classic Dunce’s cap, all in good humour of course. To complete the experience, the children sampled some traditional Victorian “gruel” and learned just how different school life was in the past. The day was full of fun and learning as the children compared Victorian expectations to modern-day school life.
Golden Welly Award
PTFA Christmas Raffle
Christmas Raffle: The PTFA is still looking for raffle prizes, particularly vouchers for local businesses. If you are able to help, please drop any donated prizes at the school office. Thank you for your support!
Raffle tickets will be on sale next week on the yard for £1 a strip. Please bring cash! they will also be available to buy at Nursery, Year 1, 2, 3 and 4 Christmas performances. The raffle will be drawn on the evening of Wednesday 17th of December. Winners will be informed by email on Thursday 18th December. There are some fabulous hampers and vouchers from local businesses to be won!
Art in KS2
This week, KS2 welcomed Rhonda, the talented artist who runs our Art Clubs, into classrooms to share some of her wonderful skills with the children. She taught them how to draw Christmas Gonks and then how to give them a fabulous hairy beard! The results really were fantastic and the children absolutely loved creating them. She sent me an email after her visit to say: "What an incredible bunch of children you have! So nice to meet them all."
Advent Assemblies
In assemblies this week, we have celebrated Advent. We talked about waiting and what we felt like when we had to wait for something. The children came up with: frustrated, bored, impatient, a bit angry, tired, overwhelmed Then we talked about how we can use an advent wreath or an advent calendar to help us count down the time to Christmas. We lit our first candle on our wreath and will light a second one next week.
Please Remember
Please arrive on time at the start of the school day. School starts for all children in Reception - Year 4 at 8.45am. Doors close at 8.50am so that staff can start teaching. Any child arriving after this time will need to sign in late at the school office.
Photo Gallery
Diary Dates
Please note the change in start time for the Nursery Christmas performance from 2.30pm to 2.15pm
December
Monday 8th Year 1 Safety Works trip Wednesday 10th PTFA wreath making workshop Thursday 11th December Reception & Year 1 to visit St Hughes Church Thursday 11th December CHRISTMAS Dinner Day and wear a Christmas jumper/t-shirt or something that sparkles! Christmas Parties week beginning 15th December Christmas performances: Monday 15th 9.15am Year 4 Monday 15th 2.15pm Year 2 Tuesday 16th 9.15am Year 3 Tuesday 16th 2.15pm Year 1 Wednesday 17th 9.15am and 2.15pm Nursery Thursday 18th 2.15pm Reception Thursday 18th December Year 2, 3 and 4 go to church in Newcastle Christmas holidays 22nd December – 2nd January Back to school on Monday 5th January 2026
Credits:
© Grange First School