Dear parents and carers,
This is a slightly shorter newsletter than usual, but I just wanted to send a final communication out before the holidays so that I could thank you all for your commitment to the school and your chldren during this busy festive period. Your presence at events is so valued by us and the children and I know it can be such a difficult time to juggle so many things going on. and to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The Christmas Fair raised an incredible £1251.37 thanks to the hard work of the PTFA and all the volunteers that came in on the Friday to help but also thanks to all of you that came along and parted with your hard-earned cash. This money will not only pay for the coaches to the Macready Theatre but will also leave a little spare to contribute to other school projects or events in the new year.
This morning, we held our end of term awards assembly and lots of children received awards and prizes for being FABULOUS FARMERS! I won't spoil the suprise for you by telling you who won before your children get the chance to tell you themselves, but a huge congratulations to all the nominees and winners.
A special congratulations to Mr Issitt and Mrs Blackwell, who were the winners of the staff OVER & ABOVE awards this term, nominated by the children. Mrs Blackwell was nominated for her kindness and support for children, as well as all her hard work with the school choir. One child said "She helps people and when times are at the darkest, she always puts a smile on my face. Mr Issitt was nominated for all the hard work he does to keep our school safe, for how he looks after our chckens and for his smiley greetings on the gate in the mornings.
See you all in January!
Mrs Webb :)
Farmers Forever Moments
This past month has been full of fabulous FARMERS FOREVER moments - here is a quick overview in photos :)
Y3 and 4 Christmas Play
Y4 trip to Tamworth Castle
Macready theatre - A Festive Twist on the 3 Little Pigs
Christmas Dinner
Christmas Carols Concert
Christmas music showcase
CHARITY WORK
As part of our Farmers Forever ethos, we are keen to promote charitable work and fundraising with our pupils to help them develop a wider understanding of the world and a sense of social responsibility. Since the start of this academic year alone, we have raised money for 3 different charities (plus a harvest collection for the Foodbank) and used these as opportunities to discuss the work of these charities and why they are so important with the pupils.
If you add everything up, that is a huge fundraising total to date of.........
The Adventures of Chase
Chase very much enjoyed meeting lots of family members at the Christmas Fair this year and he has been getting into the Christmas spirit in his very own Christmas jumper!
He went with the year 5 and 6 choir members to Rugby Care Home and led the way, with Mr Webb. He also enjoyed getting lots of fuss from the residents after the performance.
Chase has also been very grateful for all the gifts and cards that he has received on his very first Christmas at AFJS!
Healthy body and mind
Sport and physical activity is an integral part of every school day here at AFJS! That is why HEALTHY BODY AND MIND is one of our school values. We provide as many different opportunities as possible for children to get active throughout the school day and it is our aim this year to try and get the School Games GOLD award. Here are a few of the HEALTHY BODY AND MIND opportunities that have been happening this half term
- year 4 came away from the sportshall athletics competition with silver!
- year 6 came away from the sportshall athletics competition with gold!
- year 3 and 4 also got gold in the speed stacking competition
Don't forget to bring your wellies in to pop on our new welly racks so that you are always ready for some outdoor activities!
While Christmas is a wonderful time for many, it can also be a time of loneliness, sadness and struggles. If you need some help over the Christmas holidays, here are some ways you can access support while school is closed.
If you or your child are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can contact the Rise Crisis Team by calling 08081 966796 and selecting 'option 2' at any time of the day or night. Please note that it is an advice-only service overnight from 8pm to 8am. In an emergency, call 999.
Side by Side is a supportive online community provided by CW Mind for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. You can access the community any time, including on Christmas Day and other bank holidays.
The Family Information Service phone line is a freephone number to enable anyone to contact them for support. You can call them on 0800 408 1558 with anything - even if they can't help, they may be able to point you in the direction of someone who can! You can also search their webpage for useful advice and links to places that can help with many areas of family life from debt and housing to SEND and family relationships. https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/children-families and you can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WarwickshireFIS/
Diary Dates
UPCOMING EVENTS - more information will be shared closer to the time but keep these dates in your diary
- Friday 20th December - break up for Christmas
- Monday 6th January - training day - SCHOOL CLOSED TO ALL PUPILS
- Tuesday 7th January - all pupils back to school
- Thurs 23rd Jan - Dogs Trust workshops for years 5 and 6
- Weds 29th Jan - Young Voices at the BP Pulse Arena
- Thurs 30th Jan - Y5 Pizza workshop day
- Tues 4th Feb - Y5 rainforest explorer day in hall
- Fri 14th Feb - mid year reviews out to parents
- WB 17th Feb - HALF TERM
Term dates for this academic year
Class assembly and open afternoon dates
Next term, class assemblies move to 2:50pm on a Tuesday.
- Tuesday 21st Jan - Mrs Bostock's class
- Tuesday 28th Jan - Miss Neel's class
- Tuesday 4th Feb - Mr Wolsey's class
- Tuesday 11th Feb - Mrs Watson-Tate/Mr Corbett's class
- Tuesday 24th Feb - Mrs Berry/Mrs Solomon's class
- Tuesday 4th Mar - Mrs Hartwell's class
- Tuesday 11th Mar - Mr Evan's class
- Tuesday 25th Mar - Mrs Beech's class
Open afternoons will be week beginnning 17th March and we will confirm specific days after Christmas, in the January newsletter.
Credits:
Created with images by Romolo Tavani - "Christmas Tree With Baubles And Blurred Shiny Lights" • obpia30 - "clock time alarm clock"