28 Nov 2008 - Newsletter highlights - 28th November 2008

Christmas Performances

The dates for the Christmas Plays are:

Year 3 - Journey Through Victorian Times

Wednesday 3rd December at 2.15pm

Reception - Wriggly Nativity

Tuesday 9th December at 2.15pm

Year 1 and Year 2 - Christmas Around the World

Wednesday 10th December at 2.15pm for Year 1 parents

Thursday 11th December at 2.15pm for Year 2 parents

Year 4 and Year 5 - Shepherd Boy

Tuesday 16th December at 2.15pm for Year 4 parents

Wednesday 17th December at 2.15pm for Year 5 parents

If anyone has already booked time off work to attend and finds they have chosen another Year Group’s day, then please get in touch and we will make sure we accommodate you.

Carol Services

This year we have decided to have two separate Carol Services, so that more people can be accommodated in our Parish Church. The Infant Service will be on Wednesday 17th December, and the Junior Carol Service on Thursday 18th December. Both will take place at 9am, and children should be brought straight to the church rather than being dropped off at school. As usual, we would be very grateful for offers of support in accompanying the children back to school. Please contact your child’s class teacher if you are able to help. Thank you.

Visits and Visitors

This week the Year 3 classes enjoyed a talk about Victorian railways from Mike Stratford, one of our Governors.

The Eco-Group have been working with Anne Johns, from the Highways Department, in connection with the school’s Travel Plan.

On Tuesday, the Year 4 children had a fascinating visit to the Jamia Al Kareem Mosque in Gloucester.

Parent Consultation Evening

The postponed Parent Consultation Evenings for Y3T have been rearranged for Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th December. Please sign up for an appointment.

Christmas Fayre

Please support the Friends’ Association at the Christmas Fayre tomorrow. Members of the Committee have worked extremely hard to prepare for this event, and would love to see you between 2pm and 4pm.

Cathedral Concert

The concert in Gloucester Cathedral in which our Choir is performing ‘No Wars Will Stop Us Singing’. starts at 2.30pm, and although admission is by ticket, the seats are not allocated, so it would be a good idea for people to arrive early. Tickets are available through school, and we have been asked to limit each family of a Choir member to a maximum of two. If there are any spare tickets available later on, we shall let you know.

Our contribution will be towards the end of the programme. Mr Groves will be singing The First Mercy by Peter Warlock and then the Choir will sing the song for World Peace Day. Following these items there will be a hymn and a blessing before the concert finishes. We have arranged for the bus to collect us at 4.10pm to return us to school. If you are collecting your child from the Cathedral at the end of the concert, you should please meet him/her in the Chapter House.

Year 6 Parents

Please remember that the closing date for applications for secondary schools is FRIDAY 5th DECEMBER.

Class Assembly

Y1B is presenting their Class Assembly next Friday at 9.55am. Please remember to sign the list outside Mrs Beacham’s classroom if you would like a seat.

Musicians

46 of our musicians visited the Get Together Club at the Village Hall yesterday, and entertained some of the older members of the local community with Christmas music. Many thanks to Mr Abrahams who provided keyboard accompaniment.

Testing

Accompanying this Newsletter you should find a letter and a questionnaire from the National Association of Head Teachers concerning testing in primary schools. You may be aware that the Government recently announced that national curriculum tests (SATs) for 14 year olds would be ended—but that both SATs and league tables would continue in primary schools. The NAHT letter explains, through answering some frequently asked questions, why the Association is campaigning for the abolition of SATs in primary schools as well as in secondary schools. You may be interested to know that neither SATs nor league tables exist in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

Here at Upton, we put an increasing emphasis on Assessment for Learning, which enables us to have a clear idea of where to plan the next stage of learning for every child. We are always concerned to keep you up to date with your child’s progress through our consultation evenings, through end of year reports and through conversations we have throughout the year.

I should be very grateful if you would please read the information carefully and complete and return the questionnaire by next Friday. Thank you