Weekly Update from Mr Meehan

Welcome back after the Easter break, as we get going on our summer term ahead - and hopefully plenty of summery weather! I hope you and your children had some good times over the break, and some memorable times with family and friends.

As we begin a new term, we begin a new iShare Learning theme, ‘Windows, Mirrors and Doors’, so what does this mean? We will be learning together about our spiritual lives in looking out at the world (windows), looking and reflecting on ourselves (mirrors) and taking positive action in the world based on our own convictions (doors). Our Bible verse for this theme is , ‘For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has planted eternity in the human heart’. (Ecclesiastes 3 vv1,11)

Already, we’ve been getting started with some great learning across the school this week, including our reception children paying a trip to the Polka Dot Theatre on Wednesday; they saw a lovely, imaginative retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, which included a silly, but not scary, troll! I’ve also had visits from children in Year 1 this week gaining gold stickers for excellent maths and the progress in their writing - wonderful to see children starting the term right, and again this morning in celebrating with our first ‘Pupils of the Week’ this morning in collective worship (see below for the names), it feels like a very positive start to all the great learning that’s going to be going on this term!

Some Year 5 and 6 pupils enjoyed taking part in the borough’s first ever NFL Flag football competition on Tuesday and another Year 5 team scored some fantastic goals at the Y5 Battle of the Borough Football competition yesterday, making it through to the quarter finals of the cup. Well done to all children who took part.

Thank you to a wonderful group of parents who helped in clearing the area that used to be the pgi pen on the infant site over the Easter holiday. There is a great plan to transform this area into an outdoor nurture garden, and it’s wonderful to see it beginning to take shape. Thank you to all involved!

It’s also lovely to share some of our staff family news, with the news that Mrs Hornby, class teacher of Lynx class (Year 6), is pregnant with her first baby, and we wish her and her husband well at this exciting time. 

We are all booking forward to a busy summer term ahead; do make a note of all the dates relevant to your child with all that is going on. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend.

MISS CROOKE RECOMMENDS

The Book with No Pictures by B J Novak

This is a unique book without pictures, but plenty of fun word play and laughter.  Guaranteed  - a fun reading experience with your child!

Our School Updates for Parents

Class Mixing Protocol  

You may recall that we shared with you last year the expectation that class mixing during their child’s time at Christ Church is something we will be doing for each cohort during their time at Christ Church at least once. You can read our class mixing protocol which we introduced last year to understand more about the rationale and the processes involved in this. Our pattern, beginning this year, will be usually to mix classes when they complete Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5, unless there is a specific reason not to. Parents with children in these current cohorts will particularly want to read our protocol shared here and, as recommended, ensure class teachers are aware if you have any particular aspects pertinent to your child which you would like us to bear in mind in putting the new classes together. 

KS2 SATS - Volunteer Test Administrators Needed 

Year 6 sit their SATS in English and maths from Monday 13th May to Thursday 16th May. We need two adults in each room each day, one is always a member of school staff and one a volunteer. Please use the form that was sent via email if you are able to volunteer on any or all of the days. Training and refreshments will be provided.

Class Photographs - Wednesday 8th May

Pret-a-Portrait will be taking class photographs at our school on both sites on Wednesday 8th May 2024. Please ensure your child is wearing full school uniform. No P.E. kit should be worn; children will be able to do P.E. in their uniform on this day and can bring in trainers to change into.

Wider Community Updates

Year 5/6 Soloist Concert - Friday 7th June at 9am

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 by Tuesday 7th May (but sooner if possible). This will then give the teachers time to look through all of the auditions to choose a variety of performances for the concert, and allow time for rehearsing at school with the piano if needed. Parents will be invited to watch the concert as will the children's class mates.

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). Please note - this concert is for children in Year 5 and 6 only. The younger children will have another opportunity in the autumn term.

Turn up and play 

Please see the attached flyer for turn up and play session for Year 1s for 17th, 24th April and 1st May. The sessions are free and they are hoping this will lead to creating a U7s team for next season, for the Met Police Youth Football Club.

Action Theatre Club - May Half Term Workshops

Action Theatre are running a one day workshop on Tuesday 28th May at our infant site. Please see attached poster for details.

A.F.C Kingston Youth Football

Please see attached flyer for details of team trials in May for children in school years 1-10.

Kingstonian Cricket Club 2024 Sessions

Kingstonian Cricket Club will be holding 2024 summer sessions for their Colts’ section on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 17th/18th April through to 17th/18th July 2024 at Kings College Sportsground in New Malden. Please see attached poster and booking instructions for more details.

LYG Girls’ Football Trials

If you are a girl aged between 11-15 and love playing football, why not go along to the London Youth Games Team Kingston girls football team trials. Register your interest via the QR code on the attached flyer or go to https://www.kingston.gov.uk/parks-sports-leisure-1/london-youth-games.

Junior Summer Hockey 

The Old Kingstonian Hockey Club is a small, local hockey club that provides children from the age of four and up with the opportunity to learn and play hockey in a friendly and family-orientated environment. This term the club is offering Junior Summer Hockey for children in school years 4-11. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

May Half Term Swimming Lessons

Please find attached a poster advertising intensive swimming lessons at the Malden Centre, which are being run during the May half term holiday.

Soundsteps 

Soundsteps Music School are offering free piano/keyboard taster sessions. Please see the attached flyer for details.

HENRY Newsletter

The Kingston School Health Team and HENRY service would like to remind you of the offer for this summer term. They have two 8-week online ‘Healthy families growing up’ programmes and an ‘Understanding Children’s Behaviour’ workshop. All the information is in their newsletter attached.

Measles

Measles is an infection that spreads very easily. It’s unpleasant and can sometimes have serious complications. Having the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best way to prevent it. Anyone can get measles if they haven’t been vaccinated or they haven’t had it before. It’s most common in young children. Please could we ask that parents/carers check that they and their children have had two vaccinations. Please see the attached leaflet for more information on measles.

Key School Dates 

Summer 1

• Monday 22nd April - 3rd May - Y5 Bikeability
• Thursday 25th April - Y1 Trip to Wisley
• Thursday 2nd May - Squirrel Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Friday 3rd May - Y6 Doughnut Sale (New)
• Monday 6th May - Bank Holiday (School closed)
• Tuesday 7th May - Y4 Trip to BFI - Bonjour Les Amis
• Wednesday 8th May - Class Photographs
• Wednesday 8th May - Y5 Brightsparks Concert @ Royal Festival Hall
• Thursday 9th May - Y3 Trip to Natural History Museum (New)
• Thursday 9th May - Macaw Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Saturday 11th May - Wimbledon Singfest (Choir & Handbells)
• Monday 20th - Friday 24th May - Chums Week
• Thursday 23rd May - Eagle Class Worship @ 2:40pm
• Thursday 23rd - Friday 24th May - Y3-6 Grey Goose Archery Sessions
• Friday 24th May - Y6 Ice Pop Sale (New)
• Monday 27th - Friday 31st May - Half Term

Summer 2

• Monday 3rd June - Pupils return to school