Weekly Update from Mr Meehan

Welcome back after half term. I hope you and your family had a good half term, and are enjoying the opportunities that the slightly improving weather has been offering. 

As we now move into the period of time in the run up to Easter known as ‘Lent’, I am sure many of you enjoyed some pancakes on Shrove Tuesday!  As we approach Easter, our new iShare Learning theme is ‘Amazing Grace’ and we have been finding out in worship this week more about this most famous hymn of that name, and its composer, John Newton; this hymn is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year.

There has been some great learning going on this week across the school, which has included our Year 2 children having a trip to the Polka Theatre yesterday to see Jack and the Giant, which I know they very much enjoyed. Many of our children have also shown off some amazing artwork this week for our sea creatures art competition, and there are many very strong entries to choose from.

In other news - in fact, to stimulate some creative newspaper writing in Year 5 - a man with a water pistol appeared in the Year 5 classrooms this morning!  Curiously, Mr Duncan from the office could not be found around this time… We also have some of our Year 5 and 6 children out today with Mr Newman representing our school at Kingston’s Premier League Primary Stars tournament and we wish them success in this. In addition, well done to our Year 4 footballers who made it through to the quarter finals in the competition at Richmond and Kew Football Ground on Wednesday.

Thank you to the PTA today for organising our Break the Rules day - the first one I’ve experienced! It’s been good fun, and a good way to raise more funds for projects in school. Looking at the hair styles and socks styles, I can see we are a creative bunch!

Following our ‘Writing to Change the World’ week, we have assembled a governors’ judging panel that will be meeting next week to select the best writing from across the school (including the adults competition). There will be some exciting prize giving later in the term to celebrate the winning pieces. Well done on all the children’s efforts! We will share the news of winners and prizes in a few weeks.

Next week is also World Book Day on Thursday 2nd March; we will be celebrating this day over both Thursday and Friday so no class misses out.  Take a look at the attached fliers which outline how we are celebrating this event:

• Early Years & Y1
• Years 2 - 6

Key Updates for Parents

Church/School Prayer group

Jointly between our school and Christ Church, we are beginning a new prayer group this term, which will be an opportunity to meet to pray for our school. The prayer meeting will be at the church and be jointly hosted by myself and Rev Stephen, and will meet about three or four times a year. The first one is Wednesday 15th March at 8pm-9pm. It is open to any parents, church members or friends of the school who would like to take a bit of time to offer up the school in prayer.

Birthday book-giving reminder

Just to remind all our parents, including families new to our school, that we encourage the giving of a book to the class on your child’s birthday. Each year group has a list of books for you to choose from.  We discourage the giving of sweets, both because of allergies in school and our focus on healthy-eating. 

Reminder: Parents’ Evening

This term we have the following online opportunities for parents to meet with their child’s teacher and discuss how your child has settled in to the class and to talk about their learning:

• Tuesday 7th March (4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) - All classes (no SEN appointments)
• Wednesday 8th March (3.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.) - All classes (except Mrs Roe’s Y6 maths) & SEN
• Thursday 9th March (3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) - SEN appointments only

All appointments will be online video appointments and will need to be booked through SchoolCloud, an intuitive and easy to use online appointment booking system. You should have received a separate email with further details and instructions for booking your appointment.

Please note that school closes 1 hour early on Wednesday 8th March to accommodate parents’ evening.

Learning Look 

Like last term, we are also providing an ‘in-person’ opportunity for the children to show off their learning, when you are invited into their classrooms and to look at work in their books. This will be on Thurs March 30th between 4.30pm - 5.30pm. Please note that this begins strictly at 4.30pm and we cannot accommodate entrance into classrooms before this time. We know the children will enjoy showing you their learning!

Music Soloists Concert - Friday 10th March in the Junior Hall

We can now confirm the timings for the soloist concert as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. - Years 4 and 6
• 10:30 a.m. - Years 3 and 5

Parents of children performing are very welcome to come along and watch. Thank you to all of the children who sent in audition videos. We will let you know by the beginning of next week if your child is taking part.

Save the Date: Wimbledon SingFest - Saturday 13th May

Exciting opportunity for the Junior Choir! - We have been invited to sing at Wimbledon SingFest which will be happening on the afternoon of Saturday, 13th May and will involve members of the Junior Choir - more details will follow after half-term but please keep the date free if you are interested.

PTA Quiz Night
A reminder that Friday 17th March will be the much anticipated PTA Quiz night!

Reminder: Cake for the Quake - Saturday 25th February

On Saturday 25th February there is a ‘Cake for The Quake’ event being held at The New Malden Methodist Church on the High Street, from 10am until 12 noon. All proceeds will also be donated to the UNHCR. Do pop in and buy some tasty bakes and a cuppa. Organiser, Helen Cleaves, has set up this justgiving page if you’d rather give that way. Please see attached poster, designed by Alice Walker.

Junior Bake-Off Opportunity

Love Productions is looking for competitors aged 9-12 for the new series of Junior Bake-Off. I know there are many mini Mary Berry’s at the school who would love the chance to showcase what they can do. The deadline for applications is Sunday 12th March. Please see the attached poster for details.

Volunteer Reading Circle

Do you love reading? Could you spare one hour a week, starting next half term? We are currently hoping to recruit some additional volunteers (parents, grandparents and or carers) to help support reading.  This would be an afternoon slot and we are hoping for a regular weekly commitment of 1 hour.  We will provide training.  You would need to have a DBS, which we can help you with.  If you are interested or have any questions, please email office@ccnm.uk ref: Volunteer Reading Circle.

Bike Marking Event at Kingston University

The Kingston and Sutton cycle team are running an event at Kingston University on the 1st March offering Bike Security Marking, which has been shown to reduce bike thefts by over 80%. This is being offered at a discounted rate for Kingston school families and staff. Please see the attached poster for details of how to book. 

Free Hockey Trial Session

The Old Kingstonian HC is a local hockey club, providing community hockey for all ages and abilities. They would like to invite interested students to their free trial session this Sunday, February 26th. Please see the attached poster for details.

Halliford School Open Events

Halliford School have informed us that they are hosting a whole school Open Morning tomorrow, Saturday 25th February and Visitor Mornings in March and May. Please see the attached poster for further details.

End of term

Please note in the dates below, as previously advertised, our new ending time on each final day of term, which will be 1.15pm for infants and 1.30pm for juniors. Please note these times for both Friday 31st March at the end of this term and Fri 21st July next term. On these days, Connect will run until 5.15pm.

Key Dates - Spring 2023

• Wednesday 1st March - Tiger Class Worship @ 2:45pm
• Thursday 2nd March (& Friday 3rd) - World Book Day
• Monday 6th March - Junior Orienteering Morning
• Tuesday 7th March - Parents’ Evening - 4:00 - 7:00pm
• Wednesday 8th March - Parents’ Evening - 3:00 - 6:00pm (School closes 1 hour early)
• Thursday 9th March - SEN Parents Evening appointments - 3:00 - 6:00pm
• Thursday 9th March - Owl Class Worship @ 2:45pm
• Friday 10th March - Junior Soloists Concert - timings tbc
• Monday 13th March - Infant Orienteering Morning
• Thursday 16th March - Y1 ZooLab African Safari Workshop
• Thursday 16th March - Lion Class Worship @ 2:45pm
• Friday 17th March - PTA Quiz Night @ 7:30pm
• Tuesday 21st March - School Concert (Evening)
• Thursday 23rd March - Fox Class Worship @ 2:45pm
• Saturday 25th March - Easter Egg Hunt
• Thursday 30th March - Learning Look - 4:30 - 5:30pm
• Friday 31st March - Easter Service @ 9:45am
• Friday 31st March - Term finishes at 1.15pm (infants) and 1.30pm (juniors)