Charlton-on-Otmoor CE Primary School

Dear parents,

I would like to start by congratulating our Year 6 Hockey team for their amazing success in the North Oxfordshire In2Hockey finals. To get through to the next stage is a terrific achievement and we are all very proud of them.

Yesterday, all the children across the school took part in British Science Week 2020. The teachers arranged a variety of challenges related to our planet. The activities included a scavenger hunt focusing on the immediate world, making rockets without using fossil fuels, learning about the water cycle and building model boats to transport equipment to Antarctica. It was a hugely successful day and it will inspire the children to take an active interest in looking after our unique planet.

Today, we said goodbye to our student teacher, Miss Louise Goddard. Louise has been working with Mrs Ellam in Year 5/6 since January and has been hugely popular and influential in supporting the children with their learning. We would like to thank her for all her hard work and look forward to seeing her back at Charlton in the near future.

On a final note, I would like to inform you that I will now be running a homework club every Friday lunchtime. This club is open to all pupils from Years 1 to 6 however it is predominantly aimed at those pupils who, teachers inform me, are not completing their homework on a regular basis.

Have a great weekend.
Mr Griffin

The attendance this week is 97.20%. 

Following their victory a couple of weeks ago, the Y6 Hockey team took part in the North Oxfordshire In2Hockey finals at Cooper School on Wednesday afternoon.  They were up against the winners of the other groups in the area.  The team took the initiative to train during break times and work on their skills before the tournament yesterday.

This obviously paid off because they WON the tournament AGAIN!  Brilliant teamwork, fabulous effort and super sportsmanship won the day.  

WELL DONE Y6 Hockey team.  We are all very proud of you - you should be proud of yourselves. 

They are now through to the County level round, which takes place next Wednesday morning at Radley College (see email sent).  Go Charlton Hockey Team!

It's NEWT time again! (Now Everyone Writing together).  Based on a fun activity the children did during science day yesterday about the water cycle, children in KS1 and KS2 will be writing an explanation about how the water cycle works.  Ask your child to explain it to you.  Think about the vocabulary they might use in their writing and how they might structure their work.  We look forward to reading their fabulous writing that includes a variety of connectives (KS2 to include cause and effect conjunctions), is in chronological order, in the present tense and starts with an introductory paragraph.

Mr Griffin has organised a football match on: 

Tuesday 24th March at 3.45pm.

Charlton football club
vs
Dr Souths

A message was sent to the parents of the children involved (12th March). Please can you ensure that you send your consent to the office before the 24th March. Thank you

We are still looking for a cleaner to clean the school 2 hours a day. The appointed applicant will work in collaboration with Nikki (our Assistant Cook). If you (or someone you know in the community) would like to have more information about what the job entails, please contact Mrs Lambert in the office.

The parents' evening booking window will close on the 15th March. You can access the booking through the App or via the website once you have logged in. If you cannot remember your logging details, please contact Reception. Thank you. 

The PTA will be selling second hand uniform at parents' evening next week.

As you know our school is supporting the "Eat Them to Defeat Them" campaign to encourage children to eat more vegetables. Its award-winning and proven to make eating vegetables more fun.

Each week we will be focusing on a different vegetable but consumption of all vegetables are encouraged!

Week commencing:

16th March- Broccoli,
 23rd March- Tomatoes, 
30th March- Peppers

To find out more and for great recipes and expert tips please go to www.EatThemToDefeatThem.com 

Thank you 

REMINDERS:

- Monday = Multisports with Mr Wells = COST => £30. Please can you pay for the club if your child attends it, thank you.  

- Tuesday = Yr 1/2 & KS2 Singing Club & Private lessons with Mrs Roberts. Please can you pay for the club(s) if your child attends it (them), thank you.  

- There are no clubs on Wednesdays but the children can attend CAST.

- Thursday = Football Club With Mr Griffin. Please can you pay for the club if your child attends, thank you.

- Friday= Street Dancing with Rattle & Roll (please don't forget to pay Rattle and Roll directly if your child is attending the club).

****  Reminder that there will be no Street Dancing on 20th March & 3rd April (Rattle & Roll should have been in touch with you to let you know). ****

______________________________________________________________________________

After the Easter Holidays, the clubs will be as follows:

- Monday = Multiports with Mr Wells

- Tuesday = Singing with Mrs Roberts (Individual lessons and Club)

- Wednesday = NO clubs but CAST as usual

- Thursday = Cricket with Mr Griffin & Street Dancing (we have moved the Street Dancing from Friday to Thursday to avoid clashes with PTA & school events)

- Friday = No CLUB and No CAST.

Gardening sessions on Wednesdays are starting again after half term as follows:

18.03.20 = Yr3/4
25.03.20 = Yr5/6
01.04.20 = FSU

Thank you to everyone who came along and supported last week’s cake and book sale which the PTA supported year 3/4 with.  The event raised an amazing £170 and will subsidize their school trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.

We also held a uniform sale which was so well supported that we need more good quality uniform, please drop off at the school office.   Please note we’re currently not collecting unlogged white polo shirts. Next sale during parents evening next week.

The School Playground in need of some TLC (see picture below)

As mentioned last week we are now concentrating our efforts on raising money to improve the school playground.  So please keep on using or sign up to the Easy Fundraising and Amazon Smile schemes – we’ve raised over £600 since we signed up to these.

Ask friends, family, work colleagues etc if they would be prepared to shop using these and donate to Charlton on Otmoor School.  And if you fancy your chances winning £25,000 on the Cherwell Community Lottery buy a ticket for £1 with 50p being donated to the school.

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/charltononotmoor/

https://www.smile.amazon.co.uk

https://www.CherwellLottery.co.uk or telephone 01295 533322

The School Playground in need of some TLC

Upcoming Events, Save the Dates

Mufti Day – Friday 27^th March in return for some chocolate

Easter Fun – Friday 3^rd April

May Day Celebrations – Friday 1^st May

Coffee Church – Friday 15^th May

Summer fete – Saturday 6^th June

If you would like to speak to a committee member or find out more about the PTA please contact us via the playground, office or mailto:Charltonschoolassociation@gmail.com%20%20%20 https://www.facebook.com/groups/149362305695629/

We are delighted to attach the Term 4 newsletter from the Primary School Health Nurse team.

As you will note there are embedded links in the newsletter, which allow parents access to a wider scope of health information.

We would appreciate any feedback you have about the newsletters, please email SHN.Oxfordshire@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Please contact your School Health Nurse if you have any questions

Bicester School Health Nurses

- 17th from 3.30pm till 5.30pm & 18th March from 6.00pm till 8.00 pm = PARENTS' EVENING - you will be able to book your slot between 2nd & 15th March 2020

- 19th March = Yr1/2 Multiskills Festival at the Cooper School

-20th March = Mothers' Day Service and Lunch

- 24th March = Yr 5 trip to Gosford School to watch the school production "Hairspray"

-27th March = Mufti Day in return of Chocolate

- 1st April = Yr5/6 The Living Rainforest trip in Newbury (please can you send your consent & contribution if you haven't done it)

- 3rd April = Easter Church Service at St Mary's Church

- 22nd April = Yr 1/2 Waddesdon Visit

-28th April 2020 = Yr 3/4 visit to Stratford Upon Avon for "Getting to know Will Workshop"

- 1st May = May Day Celebration

- Attention: Monday 4th May is NOT a bank holiday this year

- 10th/12th June 2020 = PGL Residential Trip to Liddington for the Yr5/6. The form is available on the School Life App under TRIPS. Parentpay is already available for payment. You cannot pay with Childcare Vouchers for this trip.

- Friday 26th June = SPORTS' DAY

- Tuesday 14th July = Whole School Production 2.00pm & 6.30pm

- Friday 17th July = End of term

- 8th/9th October 2020 = Yr5/6 at Youlbury

* Isabel is not at school on Friday afternoon so she wasn't photographed.

Please see poster below.

Helen Arkell is the UK’s longest established and most widely respected charitable organisation for identifying and assessing dyslexia at all ages, and for teaching the next generation of experts in dyslexia. We are pleased to announce we are bringing a range of our highly-regarded dyslexia services to Oxford. Based in Summertown, Oxford, our team will be led by myself a qualified specialist teacher and assessor, and Special Educational Needs Coordinator of 10 years.

The key services available in Oxford are:

Dyslexia Assessments

We offer dyslexia assessments, provided by our team of highly trained Specialist Assessors and Educational Psychologists, who are professionally qualified to assess, report, and diagnose dyslexia.

Courses for Parents

Our ‘Help Course for Parents’ demystifies dyslexia, gives hints, tips, ideas and strategies to help parents support their children and guides them on the best way to work together with the professionals in their children’s lives. We will be offering this course in May and in June at the North Oxford Association Community Centre – details are on the attached flyer.

1:1 Parent Consultations

Some parents feel they don't know what to do or what the next step is and need some help or advice when they have concerns about their child. A consultation can provide valuable time to talk through concerns about their child's learning. The consultation takes place with an experienced professional who will discuss concerns that parents may have about their children, where dyslexia is either known or suspected, and may involve other difficulties with learning. We then work together to come to possible solutions.

We would be grateful if you can share the enclosed flyers giving information about the new Oxford hub with parents and carers to enable them to access support from a trusted and experienced charity.

For more information about the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity including training for teachers, please visit www.helenarkell.org.uk and follow us on Twitter @ArkellDyslexia, or contact me directly via email.

Please see the poster below.

We are putting on an event in Kidlington to encourage more kids to get out the house, be more active, make friends,  stop them complaining they are bored, and have less screen time, by finding a club where they can do something they enjoy. It is free to attend the event and is aimed at 5-16 year olds.

The local clubs will be offering taster activities to the children so they can see what they do and once they have spoken to a club they will be given a card to have a go on the 7.5m climbing wall.

If you would like some more information about the event before sharing it to parents, you can find out more at www.thekidlingtoncentre.com or https://www.facebook.com/events/186538602599557/

Please have a look at the poster below.

What: The Oxford & Cambridge Singing School Easter Course 2020

For: children aged 7-13

When: 6 & 7 April 2020

Where: Magdalen College, Oxford

Repertoire  -  Pergolesi's glorious Stabat Mater, some trad. African American songs, plus Hurford's Litany to the Holy Spirit.

What families are saying about us:

My son loved every minute of it - the teachers, the location, the music and even the music theory! He particularly commented on Edward's style of  conducting. He also really enjoyed the mini-concerts at the end of the day. It was stretching and satisfying in a glorious setting. He immediately said,  voluntarily - "I'd love to do it again!"  Mrs W.

My daughter loved the course. She liked the variety of activities, the fact she was always busy, and had the opportunity to learn different kinds of music.  Mrs F. 

My son has always been quite apprehensive about singing, especially in public and with other people, so the.. (course) week has been a very positive experience for him in terms of instilling his confidence to sing and increasing his appreciation of music. Thank you for all your wonderful work.  Mrs C.

As parents, we thought the daily performances were amazing (especially Stabat Mater learnt in one day!), it was lovely to see a group of children so enthralled with the music and their teachers, and the final concert at the end of the week was a lovely way to finish. They have been singing the pieces on and off ever since!  Perth parent.

My husband and I were blown away by how much the kids achieved during the few days they were singing together. We truly looked forward to hearing them every afternoon. Mrs P.

Bursaries are available on all our courses.  Booking is via our website -  www.oxbridgesingingschool.com or for more information, please email Samantha Wickham on Samantha@oxbridgesingingschool.com and I'd be happy to help.