Dear Parents,
This week has been a celebration of Harvest, with the children working together in their classes to choose a local charity to donate food to, and writing personal messages for the recipients. It has been lovely to hear their thoughtful responses about what Harvest means to them and their reasons for choosing the charities. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the food donations.
We have also focused on the vital topics of sustainability and how we care for our planet, with children learning more about where their food comes from, how we can improve the amount we waste and the ways we can make it go further.
This week has also been the start of Black History Month. This is a very important month in which we celebrate the amazing achievements of black men and women, past and present, who are far too often forgotten in the study of British history. St Edward's Prep want to help change this by not only celebrating and understanding black history, but by starting an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. The aim of the committee will be to promote positive representations to enrich our curriculum and to help our children understand and respect black lives and their stories.
Join the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
At St Edward's Prep we are committed to ensuring that all members of our community feel represented and that their voices are heard. We would like to invite interested parents to join staff and pupils in sharing their stories and experiences and helping to strengthen our work in this area.
If you would like to join the committee, please contact our Director of Pastoral, Sadiya Mahmood.
Changes to Morning Drop-off
From next week, morning drop-off after 8:15am will be at Western Elms gate for all pupils. Nursery parents will be allowed to accompany their children into school through the gate and leave them with the teacher on playground duty. The teacher will then ensure that your child is taken to nursery for you by an older pupil. This will help parents with children in multiple year groups, foster independence in our youngest pupils and ease congestion in the school office.
Bus Reminder
A polite reminder that all changes to buses must be made by 2pm each day. Unfortunately we are unable to add any children to the bus after this time and cannot guarantee that children will be removed from bus lists.
Open Day Reminder
Next Friday 14 October is our first Open Day of this school year and there will be no Celebration Assembly on that day. Thank you to parents who have volunteered to help welcome visitors to the event.
If you are still interested in registering for a place on the Open Day you can book online here and if you would like to be involved as a volunteer please contact our Registrar, Kate McKenna.
Flu Immunisations on Tuesday
Please remember that all parents from Reception to Year 6 need to complete the consent form for your child's flu immunisation by 9am on Monday 10 October. The immunisations will take place on Tuesday. If you have not yet completed the consent form we will not be able to allow your child to receive their immunisation and we will not be able to arrange an alternative date.
School Coats
A reminder that all children should have their school coat in school and that all items of clothing need to have your child's name on them.
School Photos - Last Chance to Order
If you have not yet ordered your child's school photos, the deadline has been extended until Wednesday 12 October. Order forms handed in or posted will now be charged a late order fee of £5 but you can order online for free using the button below.
Holiday Club Booking Open
We have an exciting timetable of sports and crafts activities planned for the October half-term Holiday Club. Running from Monday 24 to Friday 28 October for children aged 3-11, you can book a place for half and full days or for the full week.
For more information and to book your place, follow the link below.
Year 3 Parents' Evening
Parents' Evening for Year 3 has been rescheduled for Tuesday 11 October and you will have the same appointment time as before. If you cannot make your appointment or have not made one yet, please get in touch with Miss Clark.
Note to Year 5 Parents
As part of our Science investigation in Year 5, we will be studying how the body changes during adolescence and puberty next week. We will be looking at this from a scientific perspective and to gain an understanding of how the body changes in both boys and girls. There is nothing you need to do as parents but I thought you would like to know we will be discussing this and building on from what they learnt at the end of Year 4.
LAMDA Exam Entry Forms
Miss Rush has now sent out LAMDA exam entry forms to those she feels will be ready to work towards the November date. Please fill out the form by this Sunday 9 October. Anyone unable to attend, and all other LAMDA students, will be working towards the Spring Term date on Sunday 26 March, so please save the date.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing some of you at next week's Open Day.
Best wishes,
Jonathan