PRESTWOOD INFANT SCHOOL
Smile, Enjoy, Achieve
NEWSLETTER 8
4th November 2016
Dear Parents,
A warm welcome back and a very full newsletter to get us straight back into things in what is always a very
busy half term for the school and the children. The Year 2 children have already had a trip to Woburn Safari
Park and preparations are underway for the Christmas Fayre and the always eagerly anticipated Christmas
Productions. Details on these and more below.
Preschool – Mrs Sharon and her team
The children all returned after the half term break full of exciting things to tell us. They have enjoyed going
on nature walks, talking about hibernation and looking at changes around them. Next week we are looking
at colours and rainbows and of course bonfire night. We have some extra sessions available in Preschool.
If anyone would like some additional sessions please let Mrs Sharon know.
Reception - Mrs Mason/Miss Bounds/Miss Hacking
This week we have been learning all about Guy Fawkes night and why we celebrate it. We used the
computers to paint pictures of fireworks and we also performed sound scapes in our classrooms. It
sounded like a real life fireworks display. We have enjoyed learning our numbers to 20 this week. We have
been counting, ordering numbers and learning about more and less. We also have some very exciting
news. We have started practising our Christmas performance! The children cannot wait to perform it for
you in December. We will send out a letter very shortly giving you more details. Just remember to bring
those tissues. They are doing an amazing job already.
We are also looking forward to sending your child's online learning journeys home soon. If you have not
supplied your email address yet please speak to Mrs Mason ASAP. You will receive an initial email for you
to confirm your identity. Once that has been done, we can send out your child's learning journey for you to
enjoy. We are very excited for you all. They are wonderful insights into your child's life at school.
Year 1- Mrs Smith/Miss Ford
After a refreshing half term break, Year 1 welcomes the world of WATER in their new half term topic. We
have started our literacy by writing about an imaginary Water Dragon and have been amazed by the quality
of writing some of the children have produced. We have explored 2D shapes and 3D solids and are
practising finding them in our environment. Algorithms have been followed as we have finally finished our
clay mice instruction videos and we can now begin learning about giving directions to Bee-Bots. We are
finding lots of clothes in classrooms after PE and clubs with no claimants so please do ensure all items of
clothing are named. The new homework grid is out this week for you to choose your own learning at home.
Please note that there is no Forest School next Wednesday for either class. Do enjoy the fabulous
fireworks this weekend - see you all on Monday.
Year 2 – Mrs Gresswell/Mrs Naylor
We have had a very busy and exciting week again! This started with learning about the Great Fire of
London. We have been investigating 2D shapes, deciding what their features are and naming them. We
have been analysing simple Newspaper reports and have begun to write our own. On Thursday, we
brought our “Fantastic Felines” topic to an end by visiting Woburn Safari Park, where we learned even
more about Wild Cats, as well as how to classify animals. Have a lovely Bonfire Weekend!
1
Staff Announcements
We are very pleased to announce that Mrs Julia Waugh has been appointed as our new school caretaker
and has been able to start at short notice.
We would also like to welcome two new lunchtime supervisors Mrs Jo France and Mrs Plernjit Piprakon
who have also started with us this week.
Please join us in welcoming these new members of staff to the school.
Vacancy at Prestwood Junior School
Prestwood Junior School has a vacancy for a cleaner. A copy of the job advertisement has been included
with this newsletter should you be interested.
Willow Club Christmas Shopping Childcare Services
Further to earlier communications Willow Club needs your responses back by Monday at the latest if you
are interested in taking advantage of their Christmas Shopping Childcare services.
Van Cols Photography
Photo order forms have arrived and been sent out in book bags today. Please ensure you return your
orders by Tuesday 22nd November.
New Friends (FPISA) Post box
To make it easier for the Friends to manage the returns for their events a new post box has been setup
outside the main door of the school. Please ensure you use this for FPISA returns from now on. Any
correspondence relating to school events or communications should continue to be directed through
teachers or the school office.
New School Uniform Supplier
Please note it will no longer be possible to buy School Uniforms from Brooks Leisure and a new company
has now taken over this service. Effective immediately Copperfields Clothing in Great Missenden can
provide all the school uniform essentials. They can be contacted at http://copperfieldsclothing.com or 0203
239 2082.
Forthcoming dates for the diary
Monday 7th November - Online Applications Open for September 2017 Intake
Online applications open for school places for Prestwood Infant and Prestwood Junior School for
September 2017 from 10am.
Thursday 10th November - Flu Clinic Year 1 & Year 2
The Buckinghamshire Healthcare Immunisation team will be running a Flu Clinic at our School on 10th
November for those children whose parents have consented to this.
Christmas Performances
The children have already begun to practise their songs for the Christmas concerts! We know they are
going to do us proud and we are so looking forward to sharing this joyous time of year with you all. We
have now finalised the dates for the Christmas performances as follows:
Preschool singing:
5th December, 1.30pm
6th December, 9.30pm
Reception:
7th December, 9.30am
8th December, 9.30am
Key Stage 1:
13th December, 2.00pm
14th December, 9.30pm
15th December, 2.00pm.
A letter providing more detailed information about all forthcoming performances will be sent out shortly.
2
New Club - Football/FA Skills Y2 Thursday lunchtimes (12-12.30)
Mark Rivers from the Football Association has been running a Girls Football/FA Skills for several years at
the Junior School. He would like to extend his services to Prestwood Infant School and offer a Thursday
lunchtime club from 12-12.30pm from next Thursday 10th November (mixed girls & boys/free of charge)
initially for Y2. A letter will go out next week with details on how to sign up for this club.
It's Fun To Be Fit!
At Prestwood Infant school we hope to promote active and healthy lifestyles. In the main corridor we have a
display to share examples of children being active outside of school. This might be a photo of them at a
football club or a gymnastics certificate; anything that shows that they have been active! If you have
examples of your child being fit and healthy outside school then we would love to see them. Please send in
copies (not originals) to Miss Bounds so that we can display them in school.
Poppy Appeal
As in previous years, we are pleased to be supporting the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Poppies will
be on sale to the children at the beginning of the school day from next Tuesday. Please support if you can
by giving children money to donate to the charity to buy a poppy. In addition, we have a school pack of
items including limited numbers of pencils, rubbers and rulers as well as poppy bracelets. The suggested
donation for these is £1 and as there is a limited supply we will limit purchases to one per child. Children
may wear these bracelets in school during the week but they will be asked to remove them if they become
a distraction. Remembrance Day, on Friday 11th November will be marked in school during assembly and
we will hold a short period of silence during this time.
Friends of Prestwood Infant School
Saturday 26th November - Christmas Fayre
Friends of Prestwood Junior School are busy planning their annual Christmas Fayre on Saturday 26th
November and have organised two mufti days on Friday 18th and 25th November. Over the next few weeks,
the class reps will be approaching you to ask for help in manning stalls. As always, we rely on your support
to ensure that these events are a success. A list of what the Friends have planned for this year and a list of
your class reps is on the school’s website (under Friends Committee) and the noticeboard outside the
school. A letter providing information about the Christmas Fayre and Storytime Grotto is attached within
the email containing this newsletter.
EasyFundraising
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online - from your weekly shop to your annual holiday - you
could be collecting free donations for Friends of Prestwood Infant School? There are over 3,000 shops and
sites on board ready to make a donation, including Amazon, John Lewis, Aviva, Sainsbury's etc.
It's as easy as 1, 2, 3...
1. Head to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/fpisa/ and join for free.
2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
3. After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to your good cause for no extra cost
whatsoever! We will be really grateful for your donations.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards
Miss Amanda Cook
Headteacher
3