Autumn Term 5/12/14
Dear Parents,
Attendance award
Congratulations to Year 4 who achieved 99.7% attendance last week, very well done!
GPA Christmas Fayre
A gentle reminder that the GPA will be holding its Christmas Fayre on Saturday 13 th December. We hope that you will be able
to make it! There will be a variety of stalls available for you to peruse, refreshments, children singing and, of course, Santa’s
grotto!
There will be a new area for your children to visit this year – The Elves’ Factory! Children can pay 50p to come into the factory
without their mum or dad, select a gift that they think one of their parents may like and then have assistance from a grown up
to wrap it up ready for Christmas 
To support the tombola at this event, we will be holding a dress down day on Friday 12th December. On this day, children can
come in their own clothes to school (rather than uniform) as long as they bring an item for the tombola e.g. bubble bath, pack
of biscuits etc.
Christmas Performances – information
Our Christmas performances take place next week and we are looking forward to welcoming you all to share them with us –
they really are lovely! To ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time, can I ask you to help us by doing the following:
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Please do your best to bring your children back to do their evening performances even if you are not coming to watch.
Why not make use of the time and do some Christmas shopping? A couple of children have hinted that they are ‘not
bothering to come back’, one class in particular is potentially going to be missing 7 children! This has a huge impact
on the rest of the class, who will be used to performing altogether. Whilst I am well aware that we cannot insist that
all children are here, I would ask you to consider the rest of your child’s classmates.
Ensure children are brought to the evening performances on time – they need to be in classrooms for 4.30pm. If your
child is late it will make them, their friends and teacher anxious.
Please take small children out of the hall if they become particularly noisy – our children have been practising really
hard to use big voices but competing with a squealing toddler is sometimes just too difficult and distracting.
Absolutely no photographs are to be taken during the performance, either using mobile phones or cameras. This is for
child protection reasons; please do not make it awkward for us or you by us having to remind you. There will be
plenty of opportunities to take photographs of your children individually before or after the performances.
Make sure that you have booked a ticket for the performance that you are attending and bring your ticket with you.
Please ensure that you pick children up on time after the evening performances, children will be ready for collection
from their classrooms at approximately 6.15pm. Please pick up from the rear classroom doors.
Please do not leave the performance just because your child’s class has performed – this is really bad manners and
distracting for everyone. It is also really unfair for those older children who are just as entitled to perform in front of
as full an audience as possible.
There are still some tickets remaining for the performance on Monday morning or Wednesday afternoon if you require
additional tickets.
Pantomime
The whole school had a great time at the pantomime on Wednesday – oh yes, we did! A massive thank you to GPA for funding
the entire event – entry tickets, coach journey and ice-creams. Staff from the Everyman Theatre and Marchants Coaches
commented on the impeccable behaviour of our children – so well done everyone!
Annie DVD
We have had a few glitches in the copying of the performance of Annie Junior, but we now appear to have sorted them so we
are making a concerted effort to attempt to get your copies to you before the end of this term. Apologies for the delay and
thank you for your patience.
Autumn Term 5/12/14
Talent shows
Our talent shows will take on a slightly different appearance this year. During the last week of term, each House will have its
own talent competition heat, where the children will perform in front of the children in their House. Two acts from each heat
will then be chosen to take part in our Talent Show Final on the last day of term. If your child is interested in taking part,
please encourage them. We are looking forward to being entertained by singers, dancers, musicians, comedians, gymnasts,
poets, actors and much, much more! Good luck everyone! A separate letter has been sent home with the application form.
GPA School disco
We are looking forward to seeing the children back at school later for the GPA disco; please make sure that you have returned
your permission slip. A reminder of the times:
KS1 6-7.15pm
KS2 7.30-9pm
A big thank you to GPA for organising the event and to the wonderful GPA members, parents and staff who have given up their
time on a Friday evening this close to Christmas to help to support the event.
Construction Club
There will be no construction club next week (Tuesday 9 th December).
Message from Father Richard
There is a Christingle (‘Christ-light’) Praise Service on Sunday 14 December at 5.00 pm. With a live music group and wellloved worship songs, we celebrate Jesus as the Light of the World with a ‘Christingle – an orange symbolizing the world we live
in, a red ribbon for the love of God surrounding the world, four fruit lollipops for four seasons and all the gifts God give us,
and a glow-stick for Jesus who brings light into the world. It is a fun, lively, and moving service for young and not so young, in
the wonderful surroundings of Saints Philip & James, Parish Church (Anglican). We are the local church serving the people of
Up Hatherley & The Reddings in southwest Cheltenham. www.saintsphilipandjames.org.uk
Book Club leaflets
You will have received book club leaflet on Tuesday. These are due back on the 9 th December.
Kind regards, Nikki Hill, Headteacher
TERM 2
8/12/14 9.30am Christmas performance
9/12/14 5.00pm Christmas performance (children at school for 4.30pm)
10/12/14 1.30pm Christmas performance
11/12/14 5.00pm Christmas performance (children at school for 4.30pm)
12/12/14 Kidz R Uz Christmas Disco
13/12/14 GPA Christmas Fayre
15/12/14 KS1 party
15/12/14 Ash Talent Competition heat
16/12/14 KS2 party
16/12/14 Sycamore Talent Competition heat
17/12/14 Cedar Talent Competition heat
17/12/14 School Council Christmas Fayre
17/12/14 Progress reviews home
18/12/14 Willow Talent Competition heat
18/12/14 Merit assembly
18/12/14 Governor tea party
19/12/14 Talent Competition final
19/12/14 School finishes 2pm
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU HAVE MISLAID A LETTER THAT HAS BEEEN SENT OUT TO YOUR CHILD’S YEAR GROUP,
THESE CAN BE FOUND IN THE VIRTUAL BAG ON THE SCHOOL WEBSITE www.greatfieldparkschool.com