Great Kimble C of E Infant School
G
K
Church Lane
Great Kimble
Nr. Aylesbury
Bucks. HP17 9TH
Telephone / Fax 01844 346189
E Mail office@greatkimble.bucks.sch.uk
Headteacher Mrs G Harrington
4th December, 2015
Dear Parents
Christmas Fayre
Thank you to everyone who made the Fayre such a wonderful afternoon. Santa’s grotto was amazing: I am
just relieved that Santa was able to make it to Butlers Cross at such a busy time of the year!! Despite the
howling winds the atmosphere inside was cosy and warm, the children had a truly lovely time: Reception
pupils have continued to discuss it during Show and Tell this week. I know that many new soft toys have
found some welcoming new homes just in time for the Festive season!
Christmas Party
Every year we hold a Christmas party in school. This year we are proposing holding it on Wednesday 16 th
December in the afternoon. On this occasion all the pupils go out to play at midday: staff then transform
the Year Two room by moving out all the furniture and setting up the tables so that all our children can sit
together. We will use the universal free school meals lunches but in addition to this we will add crisps,
chocolate biscuits etc. We will also have squash to supplement, as well as the usual juice and water. Staff
serve lunch, we play Christmas music and hopefully children enjoy the experience! The children then get a
short run around outside whilst we clear up and then the school is split in two for party games, such as
pass the parcel, musical bumps, musical chairs etc. You do not need to do anything for this event: however,
if your child has a Christmas Jumper that they would like to wear to school on that day then they are very
welcome. Can I warn you, however, that we hold Christmas craft week that final week of school so please
be prepared for glitter!!
Invitation
Hopefully next week you will be receiving an invitation from your child to come and enjoy a cup of squash
and some home baked goodies on the final day of the Christmas term. Pupils invited their parents last year
for the first time, and really enjoyed being the host or hostess, so we would like to repeat the experience.
During that final week all children across the school will bake goods: then on Friday 18th December we
would like to invite you to come into school at 11.15am onwards for up to 45 minutes. We will usher you
out at midday, which will give us enough time to ensure that pupils go to the toilet and put on coats ready
to come up to the church for a 12.15pm Carol Service. Then when the service is finished we return to
school, register the pupils and they are ready to go home with you for their Christmas holidays.
Clubs Next Term
I continue to be very grateful to members of staff and Governors for giving up significant chunks of their
own time to extend and enrich the learning opportunities for our pupils. I know that many families rely on
the after-school clubs to help with their working hours, as well as to encourage their children to try new
challenges. The following clubs will run in the first part of the Spring Term:
A member of the Risborough Liaison Group
Monday: 3.15 – 4.15pm
Tuesday: 3.15 – 4.15pm
Wednesday 3.15 – 4.00pm
Thursday 3.15 – 4.15pm
Maths Club: (Mrs Roberts and Mrs Harrington) ** There are 2 weeks this
half term where ALL staff are on INSET training with Princes Risborough
Liaison Group – the 18th January and 8th February. Apologies that the
after school club cannot run those days.
Gymnastics Club (Mr Mahay)
Karate (Mr Wilson)
Sewing Club (Mrs Dolan and Mrs Walsh) This club is open to Year 1 & 2
only.
Outdoors Wet and Windy Club (Mrs Harrington) only for those who are
happy to be outside, wellingtons and raincoats, getting exercise, fresh air,
etc.
One of our parents is kindly volunteering to run a football club on Wednesdays. I just need to finalise
details and I will get this to you as soon as possible.
Paper slips for these clubs will be outside Mrs Jeff’s office for parents to use: alternatively you are
welcome to send in responses by email. We will collect these up: we will try to ensure that all pupils have
the opportunity to attend at least one of their choices! We do need to have ALL FORMS RETURNED by
Monday 14th December: this will allow us to sort clubs by the end of term. Thank you.
St Nicholas’ Church
At the end of both our Christmas performances, on the 11 th and 14th December, there will be a collection
at the church. All monies collected are a contribution towards the electricity bill of the church: we use
the church on a very regular basis in December and Reverend Henderson is very good at ensuring that the
heating is left on for us. Therefore ‘Mary and Joseph’ will stay behind at the end of the production, whilst
the rest of our pupils walk back to church, with the collection plates. Thank you for your support.
E-safety and keeping your children safe
One of the greatest challenges for parents and schools is keeping our young people safe, especially when
using the internet. Staff have recently attended a number of courses and conferences where the
importance of teaching young children these vital lessons has been emphasised. It is worrying that in many
cases young pupils of junior age are accessing many unsuitable sites without their parents’ knowledge.
Owing to the importance of safeguarding we are proposing that James Down, an expert in this field, comes
to talk to parents on Wednesday 27th January, 2016 for a Digital Awareness Evening. As there is a cost
implication for this (the school will pay for this information evening) we need to gauge whether this is of
interest to you or not. Please will you complete the slip at the bottom of the newsletter, or email Mrs
Jeffs, or sign your name on the list by the front door when you collect your child from school. Thank you.
In the meantime, can I direct you to the very useful sites that are recommended for parents in Appendix
2 of our E-safety policy that can be found on the school website?
With kind regards
Gillian Harrington
Headteacher
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I would like to attend the Digital Awareness Evening on the 27 th January, 2016.
Signed: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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