RISELEY C. of E. LOWER SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER
7th October 2016
Class Information Evenings
Thank you to those parents who came to the Class Information Evening for parents of children from Year R to
Year 4 on Monday and Tuesday last week. We hope you found the evenings helpful as we work together to
support your child. If you missed the evening and would like some information please speak to the class
teacher.
Harvest Festival
Thank you to everyone who supported our Harvest Festival at the Church last Friday and also our Harvest
Celebration at school for our Senior Citizens. Thanks too for those who provided cakes for the refreshments,
they were much appreciated.
Parents’ Consultation Evenings
Parents’ consultations for Reception and Years 1, 3 and 4 will take place on Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th
November from 3.30pm – 6pm on Tuesday and from 3.30pm – 7pm on Thursday. We hope that all parents
will make an appointment to attend on one of these evenings. Please indicate below the times which would
be convenient. Forms should be returned by Friday 14th October so that appointments can be arranged and
returned before half term. Appointments are arranged at ten minute intervals and will take place in the
children’s classrooms where children’s books can be viewed. We do hope that your children in Years 3 to 4
will accompany you as we feel that, in most cases, children could be involved with the discussions.
Our Move to Primary Status and the Margaret Beaufort site in September
I wanted to reassure parents that plans for the move to Margaret Beaufort are progressing. Over the summer
2017 we will be moving down to the Margaret Beaufort site as a whole school. All our staff and children will
be moving there, using part of the Margaret Beaufort building and a new build on the site. Once the project is
completed we will be in a totally new school building and the original Margaret Beaufort building will be
demolished.
I have been involved in a number of meetings over the last few weeks and the building plans are moving
forward and will be going to planning shortly. I will let you know as soon as I have more information.
We have started the recruitment process for teachers as we are appointing three teachers for Years 5 and 6.
I attended the Year 5 parents evening down at Margaret Beaufort this week and was able to speak to familiar
faces and some new ones! Watch this space!
Fiitball
The children in Y1, 2, 3 and 4 had the opportunity to learn a new game last Wednesday when Tony McCool
(inventor of the game) came into school to coach the children in 'Fiitball ', a fast - moving team game
combining elements of netball, basketball and American football. The rules were simplified for the younger
children whilst the KS2 classes learned how to play the full game. Kelly Rolfe, from the School Sports
Partnership, popped over in the afternoon to see this new sport for herself. A few photos can be seen on the
Partnership's Twitter Account at @BedfordSSPs. Mrs H King
Comics and Magazines
If you have a stash of old comics and magazines gathering dust at home, please feel free to recycle them in
our direction! Any donations will be most gratefully received - collection point is the Y3 classroom please!
School Photos
Braiswick Photographic will be collecting photo orders from school on Friday 14th October so please return
proofs ahead of this day as there is usually a surcharge for late orders.
Clothing
Please make sure all your children’s clothing is named. We have made a fresh start with our lost property box.
At the end of last year there was a large number of cardigans and sweatshirts without names, some brand
new and not reclaimed. If they are clearly named they can get back to their owners quickly!
PTA News
Thank you to those who attended our AGM meeting last week. Not many parents attended but I am very
pleased to say that we were able to form a committee. I am sure as parents and certainly as a school we
appreciate all the work our PTA does to support our school. Your continued support for the PTA is
appreciated.
Book Fair
Our Travelling Book arrives next Wednesday. The PTA will be selling the children’s books after school on
Thursday 13th, Friday 14th and Monday 17th in the school hall. On Friday we will have a second hand uniform
sale and will sell refreshments. Donations of cakes or biscuits would be welcome. Please bring them in to the
school office.
Bonfire Lunch
The kitchen will be serving a Bonfire Lunch on Thursday 3rd November to include Bangers and Mash, Cheesy
Catherine Wheel and Mash, Sweetcorn or Baked Beans and Starburst Jelly. On Monday 7th November they will
serve pizza to replace sausages on this day.
Car Parking
The staff car park has become more congested recently. Please be especially careful at the busy times and
particularly for the Hotshots morning club. We had a near miss recently when an unattended child was
running across the car park to the gate. Try to avoid using the car park if you can, it is essentially a staff car
park and there are only limited spaces left for parents unfortunately. Do try to walk to school if you live near
or consider sharing lifts.
It is also that time of year again when we need to remind drivers not to drive on to or park on the grass at the
end of the car park. It does get muddy very quickly following rain and we have already had a parent let us
know that they got stuck on the grass this week. Please be considerate when the car park is busy so that
drivers do not feel compelled to use the grass to move out of the way.
Children arriving at School Late
We have a number of children who have been arriving late to school. Punctual attendance is important to us
and your child. It can be quite unsettling for the children when they are arriving when a lesson has already
started. Can I remind parents that the classroom doors open at 8.45am although our official start time is
8.55am. Thank you for your co-operation.
If your child is having a school lunch and they are late arriving at school for any reason, please remember to
let us know before 9.20am. After this time the kitchen will have planned their dinner numbers and may not be
able to provide a lunch.
News from All Saints
ABC (adults, babies and children) meets again on 19th October from 9am in the church room at All Saints. The
dates for the rest of term are November 16th and December 14th.
Free coffee and bacon sandwiches, good company, Bible stories and activities for babies and young children.
Do give it a go, we would love to see you. Enquiries to Lynda Simister, telephone 708341.
All Dads and Me Saturday Breakfast Club
All Dads and Me meets once a month for Dads (inc Grandads) and their pre-school children at the church. Lots
of fun is had by all including play, crafts, story time for the children and the ever popular bacon rolls and fresh
coffee/tea for Dads!! The next meeting will be a week on Saturday 15th October, followed by 19th November
and December 17th. We look forward to seeing you!

Parents Evening
Child’s name……………………………………….. Class……………. Child’s name………………………………………. Class……………..
Child’s name………………………………………. Class…………….
Tuesday 8th November (tick all possibilities)
2.00 – 3.30pm (Year 2 class only)
3.30 – 4.30pm
4.30 – 5.30pm
5.30 – 6.00pm
Thursday 10th November (tick all possibilities)
3.30 – 4.30pm
4.30 - 5.30pm
5.30 - 6.30pm
6.30 – 7.00pm
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Allocated Appointment Time (to be completed by the teacher)
Child’s name(s)…………………………………………………………………………………….……………
Tuesday 10th November
Miss Curtis
Mrs Wingerath
Mrs King
Mrs Short/Mrs Beechinor
Mrs Brown
Time
Thursday 10th November
Miss Curtis
Mrs Wingerath
Mrs King
Mrs Short/Mrs Beechinor
Mrs Brown
Time