St Luke's C of E Primary School, Glossop

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

13.1.22

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year. It feels very odd to be wishing you that on the 13^th of January but my good wishes are still real. I hope we all have a good year in 2022 that our dreams stay big and our worries stay small and we never have to carry more than we can hold. I know there will be ups and downs across the year but I hope that at the end of the year we can all say on balance this year has been ok.

The children have come back in ready to learn, which is fantastic. A number of them have been given smart watches for Christmas that connect to the internet and or can take pictures or films. I would ask that the children do not wear these to school but keep them for home.

Swimming re-starts next week on Thursday 20^th for Year 2 and Year 6. They have five weeks of swimming up to half term.

Before we broke up for Christmas I received a number of complaints about the parking outside school. Please remember not to park on the pavements or block people’s drives. It is often better to park a little bit further from school and make sure everyone is safe.

Just a reminder that holidays during term time are not something I can authorise, the rules state:

In September 2013 the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 came into force. These regulations make it clear that Headteachers should not grant approval for any leave of absence during term-time, including holidays, unless there are exceptional circumstances. These regulations also state that holidays cannot be authorised retrospectively.

Any requests should be on an official school absence request form and handed into the school office for consideration prior to any holiday/leave arrangements being made.

You may be issued with a Penalty Notice should leave be taken which is not authorised. If unpaid this could lead to prosecution under section 444(1) of The Education Act 1996.

As you know the number of Covid cases across the county is very high and I know a number of people had covid over the holiday. Since coming back we have already had a number of cases reported to us. Please remember to follow all the guidelines and keep vigilant. The rules for primary school children are that if they are a close contact of somebody who has tested positive they can continue to attend school as long as they have a daily lateral flow test for 7 days. If the test becomes positive or they develop symptoms they must isolate. The isolation period is 10 days unless they test negative with a lateral flow test on day 6 and day 7. These rules also apply to vaccinated adults.

Covid has led to more people becoming eligible for free school meals. If you think your child might be eligible you can apply at checking@derbyshire.gov.uk, by phone 01629 536400/535743 through the website www.derbyshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals . Please do apply if you think your child might be eligible even if they are in Key stage 1 and already get a free meal, as school receives additional funding.

PAS is restarting after school clubs next week. I have attached all the information. You can book a place by going on www.pas.uk.com/onlinebookings

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

16.12.2021

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the last Thursday of the term as next Thursday we are all having a day off in Lieu of the extra bank holiday the country has been given for the Queen’s Jubilee which falls in the summer half term. The children finish on Wednesday 22^nd December and return to school on Monday 10^th January.

Thank you to the choir for their beautiful singing this week. I know people enjoyed listening to them.

The children are having Christmas parties Y3&4 Friday 17^th, Y5 & 6 Monday 20^th, Reception, Y1 & Y2 Tuesday 21^st. The children can come to school in party clothes that they are able to work and play out in on the day of their party.

As you are aware the carol service on 22^nd December will be live streamed here is the link to it.

Mr H is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: StLukesChristmasService

Time: Dec 22, 2021 09:20 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78525939360?pwd=cXlYUnhBV0loRDhVWmQyeDhwSWxzZz09

Meeting ID: 785 2593 9360

Passcode: 46Jgqt

We are hoping to start at about 9.20. We will not open the zoom until the last minute to give us the maximum time. Remember we will try to get all the children on the stream at some point in the service but we cannot guarantee it.

As we have not been able to have you all in school or church this year we are hoping to hold an outdoor sing to finish the school term, covid and the weather permitting. At 2.45 on Wednesday 22^nd we will bring the children out into the yard for a Christmas Sing if you are free and would like to join us for this covid safe event please do join us in the yard. I would only ask that you keep a sensible distance from each other and the children.

If you have still got outstanding dinner money debts please pay them as soon as possible. It would be great to start the year with a clean sheet.

The PTA have now sent home all the mugs that were ordered. If you have not received your order please let the office know.

I have been asked to share the information below with you:

School age children living in Derbyshire who receive benefit related free school meals will be able to take part in free Christmas holiday activities available at community centres and schools across the county.

The free sessions include a healthy meal at breakfast or lunchtime and seasonal activities including trips to attend pantomimes, outdoor activity centres, concerts as well as sports and craft clubs.

Across the county there are more than 19,000 free places available at 80 venues four days per week.

The sessions are all free for families who claim benefit related free school meals. Places are available on a first come, first served basis, with a limited number available for any school age children living in the county.

A limited number of food and activity hampers will be available for children who are unable to attend the face-to-face sessions.

Registration is easy – parents can visit the it’s about me derbyshire website to find out more.

If I don’t see you before we finish, I hope you have a lovely Christmas filled with love and with space for you to pause and reflect and I wish you all the best for the new year.

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

9.12.2021

Dear Parents,

Thank you so much to everyone who helped with the fair, who came to the fair or who supported us in anyway. It was so nice to see so many people safely around school. A number of people said how much they had enjoyed having the fair outside so we will have to consider it for the future. Father Christmas was a very popular visitor so the PTA have organised our traditional letters to Santa. If your child puts their letter in the box in the playground with £1 Santa will read and respond to it. Please remind them to put on their full name and class to help him reply to the right child.

Hopefully the weather will improve over the next few days and we will not have to put ark building on the curriculum. The children have been very good about having wet play when it has been just too horrid to go out. We do always try to get the children out so please try to send them in with suitable outdoor clothes.

We are nearly at party season. On 17^th December the children in Y3 & Y4 will have their parties. It is Y5 & Y6s turn on Monday 20^th and the children in Y1, 2 and Reception will have theirs on Tuesday 21^st. On the day of their party the children can come to school in party clothes. Please remember they will be having a normal school morning including playing out so whatever they wear will have to be suitable for that.

We finish for Christmas on Wednesday 22^nd December. That day we will be going over to church for our carol service which we will be live streaming for you. We will try and get all children on as we would in an in person carol concert. The carol service will not be recorded so there are no issues around retained images of children. We would ask that nobody tries to record the service themselves just as they wouldn’t if they were in church. We will also be having Christmas Dinner that day. Remember if you do not tell the office your child is not having Christmas Dinner we will assume they are.

If you owe any dinner money please can you organise payment so that we can balance our books.

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes

St Luke’s CE Primary School Newsletter

2.12.2021

Dear Parents,

So here we are in December which means the Christmas Fair is almost here. We are keeping all our fingers crossed that it stays dry on Friday 3.30 – 5.30 so we can enjoy some festive fun together in the playground.

Yesterday we held our traditional House Christmas Tree make. I am sure you will be as impressed as I am by the quality of the children’s work. They had so much fun working together to make them

Today is the last swim before Christmas for Year 6 and Year 2. Both classes will have another five weeks of swimming after Christmas from 20.1.22 to 17.2.22.

Thank you so much for the amount you have raised for the Glossop Jog. So far St Luke’s have raised £1,739. There are still a few children who haven’t returned their sponsor money so that total should go even higher.

The PTA have a last message for you before the fair:

We are very excited to announce that we have 150 Christmas mugs all ready for collection at the Christmas Fair tomorrow. The mugs do come in a box but please come prepared with a bag to carry them home in. We will place one final order for mugs on Monday the 6th so please get your order forms in to us as soon as possible. If you cannot come to the fair, we will send your mugs home with your children in the following weeks. We had pre ordered 150 mugs but need more than 200 so please be patient as we get the final ones ordered and rolled out. Father Christmas will be at the fair from just 3:30-4:45 so pop over to see him at the grotto early! No booking required.

We look forward to a fun festive fair tomorrow! Please do stick around, even if it’s just for a little bit as we’ll have lots to do for everyone!!

Stay happy and healthy

Alice Littlehailes