As I write this, we are awaiting the pizzas for the Year 4 sleepover and I can hear excited cries as the children play in the playground. The supersonic science professor is setting up his show in the hall. It promises to be a great time, even if ‘sleepover’ might not be the best description!

Welcome back to the last half term of this school year! Everyone has certainly been busy this week and there has been a particular focus on enjoying books. Nursery have enjoyed using the story of Brown Bear, Brown Bear to go on a hunt around the garden and Reception have also been using Clean Up by Nathan Byron for inspiration and brainstormed ideas of how to solve the issue of litter filled beaches. You may see some of the posters they have created around school. Year 1 have written some very thoughtful letters to Goldilocks explaining how her visit made the Bears feel and Year 2 have impressed their teachers with their imagination and creative ideas when writing their own story Through the Mystery Door. Year 3 are now experts in calculating the time whilst Year 4 have successfully completed their times tables check. We were most impressed by the calm way in which they engaged with this. Their times tables knowledge is the best we have seen in a Year 4 class. Year 5 have been reading ‘Wolf Brother’ using drama and close reading to understand how Michelle Paver has created such a detailed world and Year 6 have, of course, been busy rehearsing for their leavers’ performance.

Well done to our Y5 and 6 netballers this week, who won their game with a 9-8 result against Green Lane on Tuesday.

Last Parent Representatives’ Meeting of the Year

Today we held the last Parent Representatives’ meeting of the year and indeed my last Parent Representatives’ meeting ever! I would like to thank everyone who has over the years taken on this role and given their time to compile questions and comments and to feedback to individuals. Here is a link to a summary of the discussions. Mr Duncan, Business Manager, was able to join us for the section about school uniform and he has contacted the suppliers on your behalf. I will pass on all the other comments and suggestions to Mr Meehan, as he plans with Mr Burkinshaw for the Autumn Term.

Junior Summer Concert - Monday 4th July - 7pm Junior School Hall

We are delighted that we will be able to hold a summer concert this year and look forward to celebrating the many talents in the school. Please save the date. Junior choir, orchestra, handbells and recorder groups will all be performing. 

Reminder: Singing at the Summer Fair - Saturday 18th June

• 2:30 p.m. - Reception, Years 1&2 singing 
• 3:15 p.m. - Junior choir singing 
• 4:00 p.m. - All children (R-6) can sing

Children do not need to wear school uniform. 

Reminder: Music Soloists Concerts - Friday 1st July 

9 a.m: Years 4 and 5 /10:30 a.m: Years 3 and 6

If your child plays an instrument or sings and they would like to take part, they can send in an audition video to Mrs Bond (lucy.bond@ccnm.uk) by Monday 13th June. This will then give the teachers time to look through all of the auditions and choose a variety of performances for the concert.  Parents will be invited to watch the concert, as will the children's chums and classmates. 

If your child is choosing a song, please consider the length (maybe stick to one or two verses and a chorus). Also please make sure the lyrics are appropriate and the song can be sung easily by a child (some pop songs are not suitable for young' voices).  The children may sing in a group with friends if they can arrange a video audition together.

We will be available to accompany instrumental pieces and songs if needed, but music will need to be provided (or a backing track found).

Considerate Parking

Please can we remind parents/carers not to park in front of our neighbours' driveways and drop off and pick up time. We have again received complaints that residents have been prevented from getting their vehicles in or out of their driveways. We will advise neighbours to contact the police if they are obstructed.

Unwanted Visitors

We have reports of a number of children across the school with head lice. Please would all parents check their children’s heads for either lice, small eggs that attach themselves to the hair follicles or for live insects. If all parents check their children regularly and treat as soon as possible, the number of cases will go down. For details on what to look for and how to treat them please use the NHS website.

Pop Up Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic for 5 to 11 year-olds 

HRCH NHS Trust will be holding a Pop Up Clinic for Covid 19 Vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds and young people aged over 12 years at Ellingham Primary School on Sunday 19^th June 2022. Please see the attached flyer for details.

Tabitha White

Headteacher

Key Dates - Summer 2022 

• Tuesday 14th June - Y1 "Fairytale Forest" Workshops
• Tuesday 14th June - Y6 Performance - 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday 15th June - Year 4 - Trip to All Saints Church, Kingston
• Friday 17th June - Enterprise Day
• Saturday 18th June - Summer Fair @ Infant site - 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Monday 20th June - Kingston Schools' Singing Festival (Y2 and Y5 & 6 choir)
• Monday 20th June - Year 3 - Trip to Hogsmill River
• Tuesday 21st June - Y5 Gazelle Class - Science Taster Session at Coombe Girls' School
• Thursday 23rd June - Y2 & Y4 Country Dancing Festival - 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Friday 24th June - INSET Day (School closed)
• Tuesday 28th June - Y5 Antelope Class - Science Taster Session at Coombe Girls' School
• Tuesday 28th June - Y6 Performance - 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday 29th June - Y6 Performance - 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday 30th June - Y6 Visit from Lavender Hill Magistrates 
• Thursday 7th July - Infant Sports Day
• Friday 8th July - Infant Reading for Pleasure day: children are welcome to wear fancy dress
• Monday 11th - Friday 15th July - Y6 Trip to Isle of Wight
• Monday 11th July - Reception Parents meet Y1 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Tuesday 12th July - Y1 Parents meet Y2 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Wednesday 13th July - Y2 Parents meet Y3 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Thursday 14th July - Y3 Parents meet Y4 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Friday 15th July - Nursery Fun Day
• Friday 15th July - Mufti day and Y3, Y4 & Y5 Disco - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Juniors
• Monday 18th July - Juniors Sports Day
• Monday 18th July - Y4 Parents meet Y5 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Tuesday 19th July - Y5 Parents meet Y6 Teachers - 3:45 p.m.
• Wednesday 20th July - Children meet new class 
• Wednesday 20th July - Y2 Disco - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Juniors (Year 2 children can wear their own clothes for the day)
• Wednesday 20th July - Y6 Leavers’ Celebration for Y6 parents and children - 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday 21st July - Parents’ Open Afternoon
• Friday 22nd July - End of Year Service - 9:45 a.m. 
• Friday 22nd July - Y6 Leavers’ Event - 2:00 p.m.
• Friday 22nd July - Early Finish
  Please remember, as is usual, school will close early on the last day of term, at the following times:
  • Infants @ 2:15 p.m.
  • Nursery @ 2.20 p.m.
  • Juniors @ 2:30 p.m.
  • Connect will start at 2:15 p.m. and run until 5:15 p.m.