The Tackley Times
September 2012
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Headteacher’s
introduction
2
Assemblies
3
Awards
4
School Uniform
5
School Dinners
6
Local Visits
Permissions
7
School Admissions
8
Music Lessons
9
Swimming
10 Class Newsletters
11 Extra-curricular School
Activities
12 Diary Dates
17 School Term Dates
Volume 2 Issue 1
Head’s First Word
Dear Parents & Carers
Welcome back to a new school year. I hope you have all had a
relaxing summer and are ready for the challenges of the year
ahead.
I would like to welcome back Mrs Edginton who is the teacher in
Class 3 with Mrs Hodsdon, and also welcome Mr Watt to the staff
team who is Class 5 teacher and deputy-head. We have also
welcomed Mrs Rolfe who will be working in Class 3 as a Teaching
Assistant, Mrs Petersen, who will be teaching in Class 2 on a
Monday afternoon and Class 4 on a Tuesday afternoon and Mr
Baulch who will be teaching in Class 5 on a Tuesday afternoon.
Congratulations to Mrs Phipps, who is expecting her first baby in
January. The teachers have exciting topics planned for the
children this year. You will receive more information on these at
the end of this week.
This year we are introducing one or two new initiatives and
cracking down on a few existing ones! We will be monitoring
closely school uniform, including PE kits, nail varnish and
hairbands and celebrating neat handwriting with a pen licence
and children’s birthdays in Friday assemblies. All the details have
been collated in a Families Handbook which will be distributed at
the end of this week. We hope that the handbook makes clear all
aspects of school life from the words in the lunchtime prayer and
school term dates to when to inform the school if your child is ill.
It continues to be a pleasure and a privilege to be Headteacher of
Tackley School. We are a strong team of individuals who work
hard to provide the very best for all your children in our care.
My door is always open should you wish to discuss anything, or
indeed share a cup of coffee!
VALUE OF THE MONTH
PERSERVERANCE
“to keep going when
things are difficult”
If you would like a copy of the newsletter emailed to you, please
send your email address to: [email protected] and
we will add you to the distribution list. Your child will still receive
a printed copy of the newsletter.
Yours sincerely
J. Chalmers and Tackley Team
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The Tackley Times
ASSEMBLIES
This term our Collective Worship theme is Perserverance. Listed below are the dates when your
child’s class will be leading the Friday assembly at 9 am. We do hope you will be able to join us.
Tea & coffee is served after the assembly with Mrs Chalmers
Date
Class
Friday 12th October
Class 3
Friday 19th October
Class 5
Friday 9th November
Class 4
Friday 23rd November
Class 1
Friday 30th November
Class 2
AWARDS
Children will be given awarded school certificates this term for 
Writer of the week
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Mathematician of the week
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Reader of the week
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Star of the week
OTHER INFORMATION
School uniform – as it is the start of a new school year, can we remind parents and carers that
jewellery, with the exception of small earring studs (which must be removed for PE and swimming),
and nail varnish are not permitted at school. Children should also come to school wearing suitable
footwear which is waterproof - no open-toed-footwear is allowed because of health and safety
concerns. For full details, please refer to the Families Handbook which will be sent out this week.
If your child uses the Heyford Park bus, please could you ensure that they know whether they will
be travelling home on the bus each day for the bus register.
School Dinners - School dinners are £2 per day and must be paid for in advance. We would
appreciate payment by cheque if possible (payable to Oxfordshire County Council). We don’t mind
cheques for 1 dinner. If you are paying by cash, please place the correct money in a sealed
envelope with the child’s name and school dinners on the envelope. Can we also ask you to
please make sure your child knows whether they are a school dinner or packed lunch each day
and whether they would like the meat or vegetarian choice.
Local visits permissions – each year we ask for permission to take children out on local visits in
Tackley by foot as part of their curriculum studies. All visits will be fully supervised and will be
dependent on the weather. Can we ask you to sign the enclosed permission slip to allow your child
to take part in these visits which will cover the complete academic year from September 2012 to
July 2013. This year, we have also included requesting permission for photographs and videos to
be taken of your child for use in school literature and the school website.
School Admissions September 2013 -The Admissions team at Oxfordshire County Council have
written to parents regarding secondary school places for September 2013 and once again online
applications are being encouraged. It is vital that online applications or paper forms are submitted
by the deadline which is 31st October 2012 to ensure your child is allocated a place. We will be
sent a small number of paper application forms which will be available from the office later in
September. There will be a prospective parents’ evening at The Marlborough School on Thursday
4th October for parents of Year 6 children and opportunities for parents and children to visit on
Tuesday 9th and Thursday 11th October from 9-10.30 am. The Marlborough will be sending further
information about this to us shortly for onward distribution to parents.
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Music Lessons - Music lessons start week commencing 10th September. Year 3 children will be
taking part in the music service VIP programme whereby the whole class are taught the violin or
cello. Wind instrument lessons this year start on Monday 17th September.
Swimming - Children in Year 5 & 6 will swim at Kidlington & Gosford Pool from Friday 14th
September. A separate letter has been sent to parents and carers of children in these year groups
with further information about the swimming lessons.
Class Newsletters - Each class will send out a newsletter on Friday 14th September detailing
what they will be covering this term with a homework timetable and suggestions for ways in which
you can continue to support the home/school learning partnership.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
This term the extra-curricular school activities available are:
Monday
Lunchtime Netball club for children in KS2 - years 3-6 at
12.30 pm with Mrs McManus 16 places available. Starts
Monday 17th September.
Two Step Break Dancing classes will be on Monday in
the School Hall from 3-3.45 pm, starting Monday 17th
September for 5 weeks. The cost is £25 for the five week
course (cheques payable to Two Step Dance).
Tuesdays
Lunchtime Glee Club with Mrs Hollis 12.30-1 for children
in years 3-6 – starts Tuesday 18th September
Roller Sports Club with Mr Baulch Multi sports club for
boys and girls in years 3-6 starts Tuesday 11th
September 3.05-4.30 pm. Cost £42 for 12 weeks. Places
are limited, so please return your application form and
payment to the office as soon as possible.
Wednesday
Football club for children in KS2 - children in years 3-6
with Mr & Mrs Sale at 12.30 pm (20 places available).
Children must have shin pads to take part. If your child
has football boots, please can they bring these. Starts
Wednesday 19th September
Thursday
Gardening Club with Mrs McManus at 12.30 pm. All
children are welcome to join in – starts Thurs 20th Sept.
Italian cookery club with Mariella Bliss from 3-4.30 pm for
children in years 1-6. There will be a charge for this club
– we will send out further information, including details of
when the club starts and the charges as soon as we
receive it. Places are limited, so please look out for forms
and return then straight away if your child would like to
join this club
Please complete the enclosed forms to allow your child/children to participate in these clubs.
Confirmation of places for the clubs will be sent out to you before they start. There is an
expectation that your child will attend every session. Once your child’s place is confirmed, please
can parents send us written confirmation should their child decide to no longer take part
Nits – we have noticed an outbreak of nits. Please can all parents check their child’s hair and treat
where necessary so that we can try to stop them in their tracks! Regular combing through with
plenty of conditioner can help prevent them returning.
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The Tackley Times
Diary Dates
FORTHCOMING DATES
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The next mobile library visits 26th September
Fri 14th September – swimming starts for Class 5
Sat 22nd September – PTA Yard Sale 2-5 pm
Thurs 27th September – PTA meeting 7.15 pm – everyone welcome
Friday 28th September – Class 5 trip to Hill End – 9 – 6 pm
Weds 3rd October – 8.45 am Phonics presentation for parents of children in Class 1 – followed
by coffee
Tues 23rd October – 4.30-7 Parent Consultations
Weds 24th October 3.30-5.30 Parent Consultations
Thurs 25th October Harvest Service at St Nicholas Church followed by tea at school – all
parents and carers welcome
Fri 26th October – inset day – school closed
Tues 6th November – individual and family photographs
Fri 30th November – PTA Pamper Evening
Fri 14th December – 9.30 am – Class 1 Nativity
Tues 18th December – 1.30 Years 1-6 Xmas Concert; 6 pm Years 3-6 Xmas Concert
Thurs 20th December – 1 pm class parties
Fri 21st December – Christmas Carol Service at St Nicholas Church
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Term 1 Weds 5 September to Thursday 25th October 2012
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Term 2 Monday 5th November to Friday 21st December 2012
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Term 3: Monday 7th January to Friday 8th February 2013
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Term 4: Monday 18th February to Thursday 28th March 2013
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Term 5: Monday 15th April to Friday 24th May 2013
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SCHOOL TERM DATES FOR 2012/13
th
School closed bank holiday Monday 6th May 2013
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Term 6: Monday 3rd June to Friday 19th July 2013
VILLAGE HALL CAR PARK SAFETY - The Village Hall car park is extremely busy, particularly in
the mornings as children arrive for school and in the afternoons as children leave school. Please
can parents ensure that their children are supervised at all times in this area. Please can we ask
parents to take extra care when driving in the Village Hall car park.
CHILDRENS CHURCH - Children's Church is held on the fourth Sunday of each month at St
Nicholas, Tackley during the 11 am service. All children are welcome
SCHOOL UNIFORM is available to order: from Brigade Clothing Ltd.
02476421083 or www.brigadedirect.uk.com
Please make sure all uniform is named
Telephone No.
BICYCLES – Please can parents remind their children that all bicycles should be parked neatly in
the cycle racks. No bicycles should be left on the ground or near the playground gate because this
is dangerous and is a trip hazard for both parents and children. Children cycling to school must
wear a cycle helmet.
PARKING IN ST JOHNS ROAD – please can we ask parents not to park in St John’s Road,
except for the layby area, in the mornings and afternoons when dropping off and collecting
children. The school coach is having difficulty getting through and has damaged residents’
property. Parking just before the school where the road curves makes it particularly difficult for the
bus to get through without mounting the pavement. Oxfordshire County Council has now become
involved. Please can we have your support by not blocking the b