Weekly Update from Mr Meehan

Welcome back after the summer break. I hope you have had some super family time, and that you’ve enjoyed time with your children. I expect you are happy for them to be back at school though!

As we start out this year, our iShare theme is ‘Belonging Together’ and we will be exploring what this means for us at Christ Church in the coming weeks. Please see our new poster that encapsulates our updated school vision and this, together with our ‘Ways to Be’, will lead all we do in school.

This week, we have been talking with the children, in class and through collective worship, about our ‘seven norms’ that we are focusing on as we get started in this new year. 

One of these norms is about how we present ourselves in terms of school uniform, and we shared some of these planned changes with you before the summer break. Listening to parents’ feedback, we have added in to our updated list skorts for girls, and we know this is a welcome addition in terms of modesty and comfort. 

The children have been looking so smart this week, so let’s keep this up as we get into the year. Just another reminder regarding footwear: this must be completely black, including the sole, with no logos, as in our policy (see below). We will continue to review as we go through the year, but your support for this, and indeed all our ‘seven norms’, will be much appreciated in ensuring high expectations for all at Christ Church. 

We welcome to our staff team this week Miss Glennon, Miss Collins, Miss Pereira and Mr Bartlett. We also wish Mrs Hornby well for the next few months, as she begins maternity leave today, as she and her husband look forward to the birth of their first child. 

Whilst we are disappointed with delays to our junior playground development, we are looking forward to beginning a new project as a school called the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Programme; this will help us and enable us to ensure that the generous funds raised (so far!) by the PTA will go towards being creative in our planned re-development of the junior playground. More on this later in the term, but it’s also worth a mention that we have, for the first time, this year been awarded the Platinum Sports Award for our commitment to sport as a school. That’s a great commendation as we start a new year!

Have a great weekend and see you all back next week.

Our School Updates for Parents

Uniform 

This year, one of our ‘norms’ will be uniform and presentation, as presenting ourselves well is part of being our best, both individually and as a school. As we did at the end of last term, we want to remind parents of some of our uniform expectations (you can read all the details here):  

1. Trainers can be worn, but they must be completely black (including the sole) with no colour logos, this includes for PE. 
2. For PE: Navy blue (not black) football shorts or tracksuit trousers. No tight (cycling) shorts or leggings. 
3. Hair that is shoulder length or longer must be tied back. If a child does not have their hair tied they will be asked to tie it back, with an elastic band if nothing else.

*Opportunity to join our Office Team!*

We are looking for a colleague to join our fantastic office team. See here for more details. Closing date is Sunday 22nd September. Do speak to the office team if you have any questions. 

Nourish Roald Dahl Theme Day

Please see the attached menu for a special themed lunch on Thursday 12th September.

Food Safety

We have a number of children with food allergies and others with food intolerances and special dietary requirements. We rely on you to inform us of these - please log on to Arbor and check that your child’s details are up to date. We have a protocol for identifying these children during lunchtime: 

• At the Infants, Class teachers will provide children with a green band before lunch. 
• A comprehensive list of children with food allergies /dietary requirements, available to all lunch and kitchen staff, will be prominently displayed in the kitchen and serving areas. Any child with a green band will be checked by lunch staff against this list
• Nourish will provide a poster listing the allergens in each meal which will be displayed in the serving areas for easy reference. NB Nourish kitchens are nut free

We are a nut-free school as we have members of our community who have a life-threatening allergy to nuts. We have previously had an incident when a member of our community was taken to A&E by ambulance following a severe allergic reaction. This was caused by airborne exposure to, not even physical contact with, an item a child brought in for lunch.

So please, no nuts of any kind, or food items containing them, are to be brought into school either as snacks or in lunch boxes.

Medication

If your child requires regular medication / medication for allergies, please remember to hand this in to the school office as soon as possible.

Junior Pedestrian Gate 

From Monday, the large pedestrian gate at the juniors will be closed except between 7:30-9:10 am and 3:05-4:30 pm. Outside these hours, visitors will need to buzz in at the gate and also at the reception door.

Clubs this term

Clubs do not start until w/c 16th September. Most clubs still have spaces including:

• EDA Dance - both Infants and Juniors
• Drama - Year 1 and Juniors
• Chess
• Judo
• Cooking club
• Junior girls’ football
• Junior choir
• Year 2 choir
• Year 6 Handbells
• Good News Club
• Year 5 and 6 Football
• Year 3 and 4 Football
• Year 5 and 6 Netball

Parent Musicians Needed

We are looking for parents who may be current musicians or ex-instrumentalists to come in and show different instruments to the children. As part of the musical journey at Christ Church, there are several topics that involve listening to or finding out about orchestral instruments. If you play now and would be able to do a demonstration at some point, that would be fantastic - or if you have an instrument from your childhood that you could show to the children and demonstrate even a couple of notes that would also be really helpful. The children are always delighted to see different instruments and a very friendly audience! We are especially always looking out for slightly rarer instruments such as the bassoon / tuba etc, however all very welcome. If you are able to help at some point, please email Mrs Bond at lucy.bond@ccnm.uk.

Wider Community Updates

Christmas Card Competition

Kingston Council are again running their annual Christmas card competition for 2024 for all pupils to enter. Entries should be on A4 plain paper, with the entrant’s name, age, school and class written on the back and sent directly to the Guildhall in Kingston. The deadline for entries is 25th October. Please see the attached poster for more details.

The Rock Project - Local Music School

The Rock Project is a nationwide music school teaching 7-11 and 11-18 year olds how to play guitar, drums, bass and vocals, jam with a band, and at the end of the year perform at a concert for family and friends. Their aim is to not only teach music but also build confidence and improve self-esteem. Their junior and senior sessions run on Tuesdays at Richard Challoner School in New Malden, Wednesdays at St John's Church Hall in Worcester Park and in a few weeks they are opening a new school on Thursdays at Coombe Hill Juniors School in Kingston. Tutors are all professional musicians and have enhanced DBS checks. They offer a free taster session for all students as well as providing instruments for those who don't have them. To enquire or apply for a free taster session please visit their website or fill out this form.

Key School Dates 

• Wednesday 11th September - Carroty Wood Meeting @ 5:15pm (New)
• Monday 23rd - Wednesday 25th September - Y5 Trip to Carroty Wood
• Friday 4th October - Harvest Service @ 9:30am
• Tuesday 8th October - Reception Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Friday 11th October - PTA Break the Rules Day (New)
• Monday 14th - Friday 18th October - Chums Week
• Tuesday 15th October - Nursery Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Thursday 17th - Friday 18th October - Y5 Junior Roadwatch
• Monday 21st - Friday 25th October - Art Week
• Wednesday 23rd October - Parents’ Evening @ 3:45-6:45pm
• Thursday 24th October - Parents’ Evening @ 2:45-5:45pm
• Monday 28th October - Friday 1st November - Half Term
• Thursday 7th November - Leopard Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Monday 11th - Friday 15th November - Anti-Bullying Week
• Tuesday 12th November - Nursery Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Wednesday 13th November - Reception to Y6 Individual & Sibling Photographs
• Friday 15th November - Reception Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Monday 18th - Friday 22nd November - Y4 Learn to Ride Bikeability
• Monday 18th November - Nasal Flu Immunisations
• Wednesday 20th November - Reception Tour for Prospective Parents @ 9:30am
• Thursday 21st November - Learning Look @ 3:30-4:30pm (Updated time)
• Thursday 28th November - Antelope Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Saturday 30th November - Christmas Fair
• Monday 9th - Friday 13th December - Chums Week
• Tuesday 10th December - Junior Christmas Production @ 4:00pm
• Wednesday 11th December - Junior Christmas Production @ 6:00pm
• Thursday 12th December - Reception Nativity @ 9:00am
• Thursday 19th December - Church Service @ 9:30am
• Thursday 19th December - Term finishes early at 1.05pm (infants) and 1.20pm (juniors). Connect will finish at 5:15pm
• Friday 20th December - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Monday 23rd December - Friday 3rd January - Christmas Holidays
• Monday 6th January - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Tuesday 7th January - Spring Term starts