Lea Primary School
Working in partnership with:
Church Street, Lea, Matlock
Derbyshire, DE4 5JP
Headteacher: Karen Maycock
Dear Parents,
Match Funding
We have been successful! After an absolutely amazing fundraising initiative by the whole
community, on Christmas Eve Derbyshire County Council rang to confirm that Lea Primary
had been successful in their bid and will match fund £25,000! A massive thank you must
go to Rob Tozer who has led this campaign from beginning to end and along with Matt
McKenzie, have written and submitted the application. Thanks must also go to many, many
parents, governors and members of the community who either raised funds or donated
money towards the cause.
Derbyshire County Council are meeting with us next Wednesday to start organising the
programme of work. I will keep you informed. Thanks to everyone involved once again.
Staffing
FOLS have once again continued the hard work in also raising funds for the school. Their
focus has been to help to enhance the computing resources for the children. Earlier in
the academic year they purchased 5 iPads and are now funding 20 new laptops. Fantastic
news and another huge thank you must go to them for their continued support and hard
work.
The FOLS AGM is on Wednesday 4th February at 7.30pm at the Jug and Glass.
Everyone is welcome – please join us!
Grit Bin
Another thank you………… to the Parish Council who have agreed to purchase a grit bin for
outside our school gates for use on the pavements around school. This will hopefully help
the arrival and departure for everyone on icy days.
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Residential Visits
Residential visits are unforgettable experiences for children, enriching the curriculum
even further allowing them to take part in memorable outdoor and adventurous activities
with their peers. We have the following visits booked:
Year 2 will have a 1 night sleepover at Lea Green giving them a ‘taste of being away from
home’. This will be from Thursday 14th May to Friday 15th May.
Year 6 children will be going to Whitehall Centre, Buxton for 3 days on from Monday 15th
June to Wednesday 17th June.
In previous years, Year 4 and 5 children (current Year 3 and 4 children) have visited PGL
in September for 3 days. However this year we are planning to trial something new! Now
Lea Green have erected a high ropes course and giant swing, many of the activities at PGL
are very similar to those that the children have already experienced or will get the
chance to experience on our whole school activity mornings at Lea Green. This coupled
with the fact that the cost for the PGL residential (including transport) was working out
at £210 per pupil and we are very aware of the expense to parents, led us to look at
alternative venues.
Therefore Lea Green have suggested a new experience. We are planning to take Year 3
and Year 4 children week commencing 7th July to stay at The Wharfshed on Cromford
Canal. Using that as their base, they will travel to Darley Abbey to canoe and dragonboat down the river and experience ‘real’ climbing on rocks and caving. In addition to this
we will be having BBQs and using the facilities of Lea Green such as the High Ropes
Course. Lea Green will be responsible for the activities and the catering. This trip will be
approximately half the cost of PGL whilst at the same time offering them some new and
different opportunities. We hope the children will enjoy it! Further information will
follow nearer the time.
Craft Club
We have kindly been donated a variety of craft materials and wondered if any
parent/grandparent would be interested in putting them to good use with the children
during lunchtimes? If you are interested, please come and see either myself or Mr
Woodruff
Staffing
Thank you to Mrs Maria Scrase who has left Out of School FAST Club this week. Maria
has worked with the children of Lea Primary for many years and will be sadly missed. We
wish her well and all the best.
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Next Charity Event
On Friday 6th February we are encouraging the children (and staff!) to wear red to school in
support of the British Heart Foundation. You may remember last year, Mrs Wylde’s daughter
Molly successfully underwent open heart surgery and the Wylde family have supported the
charity for a very long time. We would also therefore like to support them on the ‘Wear it Red’
day, asking the children to donate £1. Thank you in advance.
Future Dates
Tuesday 20th January – Holloway Playgroup will be visiting us.
Thursday 22nd January – Class 4 Young Voices Concert at Sheffield Arena.
Monday 26th January – Whole School Lea Green Activity Morning.
Monday 2nd February – Class 2 visit to Sheffield Industrial Museum.
Monday 2nd Feb – Years 3-6 ‘Big Cook Day’
Wednesday 4th February – Year 5/6 Football Team at the Arc Leisure Centre 4-6pm.
Friday 6th February – British Heart Foundation ‘Wear it Red day’
Friday 6th February – Mrs Needham leaves us (again) to go on maternity leave.
Mrs K Maycock
Headteacher
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