Dear Parents and Carers,
We had a wonderful week welcoming many of you into school for the Parent-Teacher Meetings that took place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. It was a pleasure to see so many of you and I hope you enjoyed discussing your child’s progress and how they have settled during this first term with their teachers. Events like this only strengthen our school-home partnership, so thank you for your support and the big role you play in your child’s education.
A special thank you also goes to our Reception parents, who joined us for the Handwriting Workshop on Thursday. We hope the session gave an insight into how we support early writing skills in school and some useful strategies to support your child at home if you wish.
We had a very useful Parent Council meeting on Tuesday morning, where we were able to share details of our school priorities and some of the plans for the year. It was also great to receive some feedback from our parent representatives who spoke to us about a range of things including swimming, drop off and collection, milk and snacks and our Friday open door sessions. We have listened to all the points raised and are already busy making plans to address these areas following these discussions. If you would like your voice heard and you can spare about one hour per half term to be a parent councillor, please let us know and we will be in touch.
We have a busy week when we return from the half term on Tuesday 5th November.
Tuesday 5th November is our School Photo Day. Please ensure your child comes to school dressed smartly and ready for their individual photographs. This is a great opportunity to capture those special memories, so we are sure the children will want to look their best in their school uniforms! Please refer to our letter that came out this week for more details around sibling photographs.
During the first week back, we also have new parent tours starting for next year’s Reception cohort. It is always a pleasure to show off our school and our children, who always demonstrate all of the brilliant things Hamstel has to offer.
On Friday 8th November, its our non-uniform day when we also ask children to bring a gift for the Christmas Fair. We hope you have seen our letter with more details that came out this week but all donations are gratefully received.
And so… we reach the end of the first half term of this academic year and what an eventful one it’s been. Your children have settled back into school life and have represented our school marvellously and when we return, it seems unbelievable to say that we start the build up to the most exciting time of the year...CHRISTMAS!
Don’t forget that school is closed to the children on Monday 4th November for a staff INSET day but we look forward to welcoming you all back on Tuesday 5th November.
Have a great half term, enjoy the break, rest and recharge and we will see you again soon!
Scott Roche
Principal
Diary Dates
October
- Monday 28th - Friday 1st November - October Half Term
November
- Monday 4th - INSET Day
- Tuesday 5th - Individual & Sibling Photos
- Fire Safety Assembly
- Wednesday 6th - School Nurse Drop In Sessions
- Friday 8th - Non-Uniform
- Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Monday 11th - Friday 15th - Anti-Bullying Week
- Monday 11th - Remembrance Event
- Tuesday 12th - Odd Sock Days
- Year 2 Library Visit
- Wednesday 13th - KS1 World Kindness
- Year 2 - Reading Rocks Day - 9am
- Year 2 - Reading Rocks Day - 2.15pm
- Friday 15th - Children In Need
- Year 2 Library Visit
- Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Monday 18th - Friday 22nd - Road Safety Week
- Monday 18th - Year 2 Library visit
- Wednesday 20th - Year 1 Maths Workshop for Parents - 9am
- Year 1 Maths Workshop for Parents - 2.15pm
- Thursday 21st - Reception Phonics Workshop - 9am
- Reception Phonics Workshop - 2.15pm
- Friday 22nd - Jacqui Story Box Assembly
- Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Monday 25th - Reception Walk to Post Office
- Wednesday 27th - Christmas Fair
- Friday 29th - Dodgeball Event
- Open House Session - 3.15pm
December
- Friday 6th - Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Thursday 12th - Christmas Jumper Day & Christmas Dinner
- Friday 13th - Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Thursday 19th - Year 1 Christmas Crafts
- Friday 20th - Open House Session - 3.15pm
- Monday 23rd - Friday 3rd January - Christmas Break
February 2025
- Monday 17th - Friday 21st - Half Term
- Monday 24th - INSET Day
April 2025
- Monday 7th - Thursday 17th - Easter break
- Friday 18th - Good Friday
- Monday 21st - Bank Holiday Monday
May 2025
- Monday 5th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Monday 26th - Bank Holiday Monday
- Tuesday 27th - Friday 30th - May Half Term
June 2025
- Friday 20th - INSET Day
July 2025
- Tuesday 22nd - Last Day of Term
- Wednesday 23rd - INSET Day
Nursery
We have made it to the end of our first half term in Nursery. The children have settled in extremely well and have all made progress. This week we have been learning about farm vehicles and have enjoyed listening to ‘I’m the tractor driver’ and naming different vehicles that were in the book.
In maths we have been looking at quantities of objects and saying which group has more and which group has fewer.
We have been learning about the Bible story of Noah’s Ark.
We hope that you have a lovely half term.
Letters sent home this week
Rainbow & Starlight
Rainbow
Rainbow Room has continued learning about 'The Gingerbread Man' and his adventures. The children enjoyed making some gingerbread man biscuits and decorating them with icing, they made some salt dough decorations and made some lovely artwork from the story. The children have enjoyed making some Halloween decorations and are excited to hang them up at home. The children have been working very hard continuing their learning of cvc words, sentence building and number activities, pencil control and sequencing continuous patterns. We have continued to look at things that float and sink, light and heavy, rough and smooth. The children have experimented with different items to test the theory and have enjoyed seeing different outcomes. It has been a very busy term for the children, and I hope they all have a lovely break.
Starlight
This week we have continued reading ‘The Gingerbread Man.’ The children made/wrote sentences to match pictures showing the beginning, middle and end of the story. We decorated our own gingerbread men using icing and raisins, and best of all - we ate them!
We had Outdoor Learning on Monday. It was very muddy, but the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
We continued learning about floating and sinking. We carried out a science experiment to find which material would be the most suitable for the Gingerbread Man to use for a boat to avoid being tricked by the fox.
Thank you for your support this half term. We hope you have a lovely break.
Reception Year
This week we have been learning about travelling through space in spaceships and rockets and reading the book ‘Whatever Next!’ In writing we have been writing a list of things that we would like to take space, remembering to use our Fred Fingers to help us say the sounds in each word.
In PSHE we have been learning about what it means to keep something private and talk about the NSPCC Pants rules.
In maths we have been representing given numbers with our fingers without looking and comparing two sets of objects, saying which one has more.
In RE we have been learning about the Bible story Noah’s Ark.
In art we have taken part in our first observational drawing lesson, and everyone has drawn a pumpkin.
How to help at home
Handwriting: practise writing the long-legged giraffe letters j and y
Reading: continue to listen to your child read their books, especially over the half-term break. Practise the first 25 single set 1 sounds at home as well as the QR codes for the virtual classroom.
Maths:
- say a number and ask your child to hold up the correct number of fingers.
- make two groups of objects. Which one has more?
Reminder: Individual photos are on Tuesday 5th November.
All children in Owl class to wear their school uniform instead of their PE kit.
Letters sent home this week
Year One
In literacy this week we have been continuing with ‘The Gingerbread Man’. Our focus this week was to retell the story. We discussed that every story has a beginning, middle and end and sequenced pictures in the correct order. We then made a plan of what our story was going to include, for example some story language like ‘Once upon a time’. We used our plan to write our own story of The Gingerbread Man.
In Maths we have been consolidating our understanding of addition and subtraction within 10. We have been looking at the relationship between the two and creating number families.
After our fruit tasting last week, we designed and made fruit kebabs which were delicious and a lovely treat to end the term on.
Have a fantastic, well rested half term!
Letters sent home this week
Year Two
What an exciting end to our half term! The children had a wonderful time at Hyde Hall at the beginning of the week and came back with lots of exciting talk about their day. The children loved exploring the variety of activities the volunteers and staff had put on for them, these all linked with our science learning around animal and plant habitats.
The children continued to think about their visit back in the classroom in Literacy. In our lessons the children recounted and explored the activities they took part in, what they saw and the order of the day. Using photos and discussion the children sequenced the events and thought about key vocabulary to show the sequence e.g. First, Then, After that. The children then wrote up their recount using their plans.
In Maths this week the children have been continuing to practise and apply their subtraction skills using a variety of pictorial and written methods. There has been some excellent maths learning in Year 2 over the past few weeks and the children have demonstrated and talked about their learning confidently.
In Art the children have been learning about the famous artist Quentin Blake known for his illustrations in lots of Roald Dahl books. The children have completed an artist study, finding out all about the artist first before looking at his piece called Three Little Owls. The children explored this piece then recreated their own version. The children are very proud of their final pieces.
Have a lovely well-deserved rest in half term Year 2 and we look forward to seeing when we return :)
Reminder: Outdoor Learning is the first week back.
Fox Class will join Hedgehog Class on Thursday 7th November due to our INSET Day. All other Year 2 days will continue as normal.
Letters sent home this week
Outdoor Learning
- Monday 4th - INSET DAY
- Tuesday 5th - Badger
- Wednesday 6th - Squirrel
- Thursday 7th - Hedgehog & Fox
- Friday 8th - Otter
PE
Reception
- Monday - Kingfisher
- Tuesday - Owl
- Wednesday - Peacock
- Thursday - Woodpecker
Year 1
- Monday - Heron
- Tuesday - Dragonfly & Newt
- Wednesday - Duck
- Thursday - Newt & Heron
- Friday - Duck & Dragonfly
Year 2
- Monday - Squirrel & Badger
- Tuesday - Dragonfly & Newt
- Wednesday - Duck
- Thursday - Newt & Heron
- Friday - Duck & Dragonfly
Fire Safety
Whether it’s during a major event like bonfire night or simply while using a heater on a chilly day, fire safety is a vitally important topic on which to educate children and young people. One mistake with fireworks, electronics or open flames can have catastrophic consequences: damage to property, serious injury or even worse.
As parents and educators, it's vital that we teach the children in our care how to protect themselves around fire and flammable materials in a mature and responsible manner. This guide offers expert advice on how to educate children and young people on fire safety, detailing what precautions can be taken to keep them as safe as possible when exposed to fire-related dangers.
Online Safety
Roblox is one of the most popular video games on the market. By 2020, the game’s makers were claiming that more than half of children in the USA were playing it. As a ‘sandbox’ title, Roblox offers a huge amount of creative freedom: it lets players create their own gaming experiences with the Roblox Studio to build custom levels and games, which can then be shared with other players online. Roblox fosters creative thinking and enjoys a robust online community of fans.
In the guide, you'll find tips on avoiding potential hazards such as online daters, in-app purchasing and contact with strangers.
Dinner menu
Week 1
Tuesday - Hame & Cheese Pizza with Baked Wedges - Margherita Pizza with Baked Wedges - Pata & Tomato Sauce - Ham Sandwich - Cheese & Tomato Bloomer - Carrots & Sweetcorn - Apple Crumble and Custard
Wednesday - Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes & Gravy - Squash & Lentil Lasagne - Baked Jacket Potato with Baked Beans - Tuna Sweetcorn Baguette - Cheese Sandwich - Seasonal Greens & Cauliflower - Cherry Cornflake Cake
Thursday - Chilli Con Carne with Steamed Rice - Vegan Bean Chilli with Steamed Rice - Pasta & Tomato Sauce - Tuna Mayonnaise - Cheese Salad Wrap - Broccoli & Carrots - Chocolate & Pear Sponge
Friday - Breaded Fish Fingers with Chips & Ketchup - Vegan Goujons with Chips & Ketchup - Baked Jacket Potato with Grated Cheese - Ham Sandwich - Egg Mayonnaise Baguette - Peas & Baked Beans - Banana Flapjack
Freshly Baked Bread: Carrots & Beetroot or Wholemeal Bread
Extra Second-Hand Uniform Sales added due to popular demand.
Our lovely PTA have signed us up for Asda Rewards Cash Pot - if you usually shop there please consider adding Hamstel Infant School so we can have a chance at some extra funds.
How does Asda Cashpot work?
Asda's new Cashpot for Schools initiative has raised almost £1million for UK primary schools in its first 72 hours. The industry first campaign sees Asda donate 0.5% of the value of its customers shopping to a primary school of their choice – every time they shop using Asda Rewards.
For full details on how to use this Reward Scheme follow the link to Asda
Messages from the Office
School Tours for Reception September 2025
If you or anyone you know has a child who is starting school next September, please let them know we have our school tours available for bookings.
Hamstel Junior School Tours
If you have a child in our current Year 2 you may be interested in signing up for a tour of the Junior School. Mrs Farrell, Headteacher has arranged a number of dates. Please contact the Junior School office to book a place.
Lost Property
The lost property box can be found at the main school office and already has lots of 'lost' items in it.
To ensure that any of your child's items are returned safely to them in class please check that their name is clearly labelled on every item.
Medicines
If your child requires medication during the school day or during wrap around care please bring it to the school office, a parent or guardian will be asked to complete a permission form.
Antibiotics - in general if a child has been prescribed antibiotics to be given three times a day these can be given at home. If it has been prescribed to be given four times a day then we are happy support with this. Please bring the antibiotics in their original bottle to the school office and the parent or guardian will need to complete the permission form.
Please note that in general we will only be able to support with giving prescribed medicines. For all other medication please contact the school office to discuss your child's needs.
Community Information
Attendance
Attendance Overall
Reception Year: Woodpecker Class - 98.7%
Year 1: Heron Class - 97%
Year 2: Hedgehog Class - 98.4%
Whole School: 94%
If your child is going to be absent from school please contact the school office by 9am and leave a message on our answerphone or via ParentPay giving your child's name, class and specific reason for their absence.
Any planned absence for example medical appointments should be advised to the school office with a copy of the confirmation letter or text being provided. For other absence i.e weddings, holidays etc then a Leave of Absence Request form should be completed in advance. Copies of this can be obtained from the school office.
Clubs
Teacher Led Clubs
Full details of our teacher led clubs has been sent out to parents/carers with children in Year 1 and Year 2.
All teacher led after school clubs finish at 4.15pm, children will be brought to the front of the school by the Club Leader for you to collect.
Premier Education
Please note: all before school clubs run by Premier Education have been cancelled for the remainder of this term. It may be that due to low numbers these will not restart. However we will keep you updated with any changes.
All after school clubs are continuing as normal, Premier Education will arrange catch up sessions and advise all those affected.
New club offers from Premier Education for after the half-term break.
For clubs after school run by Premier Education collection is from the Infant School Hall. Enter through the Poynings Avenue gate and walk across the playground. Children will have been escorted to the club by school staff for the start.
Collection time for all Premier Education after school clubs is 4.15pm. Premier Education staff will telephone parents/carers of any uncollected children after 5 minutes. Any child not collected after 10 minutes will be escorted to Hamstel Infant School & Nursery After School Club and a fee of £7.00 will be charged.
If you are unavoidably delayed please telephone the school emergency telephone number on 07526 079300 to speak with a staff member of our After School Club.
Bricks4Kidz Club
New club offers for after the half-term break.
Bricks4Kidz Club is held in our Welcome classroom. Collection for this club is from the Reception Learning Garden (No mow) outside Woodpecker Class.
Collection time for the club is 4.15pm. Any child not collected after 10 minutes will be escorted to Hamstel Infant School & Nursery After School Club and a fee of £7.00 will be charged.
If you are unavoidably delayed please telephone the school emergency telephone number on 07526 079300 to speak with a staff member of our After School Club.