Weekly Update from Mr Meehan

It is difficult to comprehend that we are nearly at the end of the term, and this is the last weekly update of the term! We have a few more festivities to look forward to at the beginning of next week, before we break up, including our class parties and our end of term church service, led by Years 1 and 2. Our ‘Excellence Award’ winners will also be celebrated in collective worship next Monday. Add to all this, somebody special in a red suit and with an elf and a reindeer to accompany him, hopes to be popping in next week.

This week, it has been a festive feast of events, with our wonderful junior production, ‘Come on Christmas’, taking to the stage. The children sang their hearts out and told the nativity story so well. Well done to all the junior children and all our staff who helped put it all together. Thank you to everyone who has generously donated to cover the cost of this and future productions, if you have not yet done so, you can donate here. 

Wednesday was our Christmas Jumper Day. Thank you for your generosity in supporting our chosen charities Oxygen, Momentum and Unicef - see below for details of the money we raised! The children also enjoyed a tasty Christmas dinner on this very festive day, as well as showing off so many colourful jumpers.

Yesterday, our reception children were centre stage, performing ‘Wriggly Nativity’ to their parents, and what a joy this was - some real stars of the future! It was one of the slickest reception performances I have seen, and the children did themselves proud. 

Big congratulations this week to Elm house who were this term’s winners at both the infants and juniors with the most house points collected. These houses are today enjoying wearing a Christmas accessory and each child will receive a chocolate coin from the treasure chest of chocolate coins! The count is already on for next term…

As this term draws to a close, we are saying a very sad goodbye to one of our most long-standing colleagues at Christ Church, who has given an amazing 22 years’ service to our school and is now retiring.  Ginny Holden has been our IT technician at our school in this time, and has always been on hand to manage (and troubleshoot!) our technology. She has faithfully carried out her duties in school for so many years. We are very grateful to her for all her work and commitment and wish her a very enjoyable retirement in the new year.

Earlier this month, we talked in collective worship about the Advent candles of the Advent wreath representing hope, peace, joy and love, and of course, on Christmas Day, the middle candle is lit to represent the light of Christ coming into the world, as the promised Saviour. I hope and pray for all our families in this Christmas time ahead, in whichever ways you may or may not be celebrating this season, that, indeed, you will find hope, peace and joy and love in all your family times together in these coming couple of weeks. God bless you all and have a lovely Christmas.

MRS HEDMAN RECOMMENDS

‘I love you more than Christmas’ by Ellie Hattie

This is a joyful, festive story about a family of bears who love the celebrations of Christmas and spending quality time with each other sharing love, friendship, and the magic of this special time of year. Could there be anything they love more than Christmas? A lovely, heartwarming Christmas story for the family.

This book was recommended in the Year 2 curriculum email last week, but the message of the book is so lovely it needs recommending to everyone to snuggle up with this Christmas time!

Our School Updates for Parents

Christmas Jumper Day - Wednesday 13th December 

Thank you for supporting our chosen charities on our Christmas Jumper Day, and for your generosity. The amounts we have raised so far for each charity are listed below:

• Oxygen - local Christian charity supporting young people and their mental health £133.44
• Momentum Children’s Charity - regional charity supporting the work of families with children who have life-changing conditions or illnesses or cancer, working in partnership with local hospitals such as Kingston and Epsom £180.57
• Unicef - international children’s charity supporting children in areas of poverty and war £175.60

We plan to continue to support these charities into the coming term in 2024, inviting representatives from these charities into school to let us know more about their work.

Class Christmas Parties

Next Monday afternoon, classes will be having their Christmas parties. Children should come to school wearing appropriate party clothes. Father Christmas (plus Elf) will be visiting each class, starting at the infants. Snacks will be provided.  

Reminder of term end and term beginning

We finish next Wednesday 20th December at 1:05pm for infants and 1:20pm for juniors and 5:15pm for Connect.

With Monday 8th January being an INSET day, our new term begins on Tuesday 9th January at normal times.

Reverse Advent - last call!

This year, each class has been participating in ‘Reverse Advent’ which means that each day a child gives something to our Advent Calendar. All donations will be taken to the food bank on Monday, so Monday morning is the latest time for bringing in last donations.  Thank you for your support with this initiative. 

Reception Tour for Prospective Parents - Friday 12th January

If you know of anyone who is looking for a Reception place for children in 2024, please let them know about an extra tour we have added to our calendar on Friday 12th January at 9:30am. Anyone interested in attending should contact the school office to book a place.

School Photographs - Early Bird Discount Deadline Extended

Pret-a-Portrait’s discount for the recent school photos has been extended until 20th December 2023, so you can take advantage of the discount for longer. Head to their website https://www.pret-a-portrait.net/ and enter your sitting ID, the discount will automatically be applied. If you’ve misplaced your sitting ID, please contact Pret-a-Portrait directly on 0800 021 7626 or customerservice@pret-a-portrait.net.

PTA Book Sale

In the new year, the PTA would like to hold a book sale. If you happen to come across any books in reasonable condition over the holidays that you would like to donate towards the sale, if you could bring these to either school office in the new year, we would appreciate it.

Reminder – Primary School Applications 

For any parents making primary school applications for September 2024 entry, you can apply online here. The closing date for applications is 15th January 2024. You must submit your application and any supplementary information forms by this date. 

Last dates for clubs this term 

Please note the only club with a session still to take place this term is Junior Choir on Tuesday 19th December.

Wider Community Updates

Universal Free School Meals - Letter from the Mayor

Please see the attached letter from the Mayor of London regarding the Universal Free School Meals Programme.

Snow White - St James's Players Pantomime

Please see the attached flyer for details of a local pantomime taking place on various dates in January.

Free Hockey Trial Sessions

The Old Kingstonian Hockey Club is a small, local club, offering hockey for the whole family from the age of four. They are offering free trial sessions for junior players in January 2024. Please see the attached flyer for details.

Key School Dates 

• Monday 18th December - Class Christmas parties
• Tuesday 19th December - Church Service @ 9:45am
• Tuesday 19th December - Y4 Trip to the Rose Theatre to see Peter Pan @ 2pm
• Wednesday 20th December - Term finishes @ 1:05p.m. (infants), 1:20 p.m. (juniors) and Connect 5:15 p.m.
• Thursday 21st December - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Friday 22nd December - Friday 5th January – Christmas Holiday
• Monday 8th January - INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
• Tuesday 9th January - Pupils return to school