From the Head

Suddenly we have reached the end of another term and the Easter holidays are upon us!

It has been another exciting term in school with lots of different things going on and all of the children have been involved in a wide range of experiences. There have been an amazing number of different activities going on and I am extremely grateful to the staff who give up their own time to organise and run these activities. Clearly not everyone can have the opportunity to represent the school in a team or have a main part in a show but we are delighted with the number of pupils who access the extra-curricular activities.



Now that many of the sporting activities for the winter season are over we would like to ensure that all school kits are returned to school. We are concerned about the number of kits that go missing and the state in which they are returned. School kits need to be rinsed through and left to dry. Please do not tumble dry any school kits as they will shrink. I would hope that pupils are proud to be asked to represent the school and would therefore look after any school kit they are given. Please return any outstanding kit on the first day of term and we would ask that you look around for anything extra you might have at home.



If you think you might be eligible for Free School Meals I would urge you to apply in one of the following ways:

• Online: At www.hertsdirect.org/freeschoolmeals

• Smartphone: Using the LookingLocal app available from app stores

• Digital TV: The Community Channel – Press the red button

• Wii/Xbox/PS3: At www.lookinglocal.gov.uk/hertsdirect

• Phone: 0300 123 4084 between 8am and 8pm Mon to Fri, or between 9am and 4pm Saturday



Could I give you another reminder about naming all items of uniform? Once the weather warms up we always have a multitude of red jumpers left lying on the field and if they aren’t named we have no hope of identifying them! Through discussions with the Governing Body and the School Council we have decided to gradually phase out the grey jumpers. We will not be ordering any more but children can continue to wear out ones they already possess. If you are buying new school shoes for the summer, please ensure they are sensible sandals. The children should not wear shoes without a strap and closed in sandals are much safer for playtimes. Also the holidays are an ideal time to have hair cut! It might be fashionable to have hair over your eyes but children do struggle to read the whiteboards if their hair is too long! If you have any uniform queries please contact the school.



Over the last year we have experienced a number of difficulties with ParentMail. It has not provided the service we were hoping for and therefore during the summer term we will be switching to a new provider – In Touch. We will be sending details out about this shortly and we will need parents to provide us with an email address you are happy for us to use for home / school communication.



Please remember that we cannot accommodate any vehicles onsite at the end of the day. This does include scooters and bicycles which are ridden round the playground whilst everyone is trying to go home. It would help us enormously if parents would stay within the pen or at the end of the path up to the back gate. Lessons do continue to 3.20 and it is very distracting to have children running up and banging on walls and parents talking right by open windows. Thank you for your help in this matter.



At the start of the Summer Term we will be conducting our annual on-line survey. Please look out for the details of this coming home.



We have managed to arrange a visit from Claire Lomas the paraplegic who took 17 days to complete the 2012 London Marathon wearing a ReWalk robotic suit. She is currently undertaking a 400 mile cycle ride to raise money for spinal research and she will be cycling through Hitchin on April 30th 2013. On that day she will visit school and take an assembly focussing on the need for perseverance and a determination to never give up. The School Council are putting together ideas of how they can support her fund raising efforts and they will share these with the school after the break. Hopefully everyone will support us in this worthwhile fundraising activity.



Thank you to all of you who attended Open Morning earlier this month. It was the busiest we have ever known and judging by the comments sent through on Twitter everyone seemed to have a great time.

‘Thank you for a lovely morning, a super learning environment with contented children’



With the summer term approaching, even though there is still snow outside, we are mindful of the inhalers we have in school for various children. Does your child need an inhaler? If so, do we have one in school? Have you signed a form at the school office? Is the inhaler still in date? Is it named? Are there any other factors we need to know about?



Over 9th, 10th and 11th April, Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) East of England will be at Bayfordbury running six environmental surveys and they would love you, your family and friends to join them for any or all of the sessions.

Join them to dig for worms, dip for pond life and much more at this free event which is suitable for adults and older children. Younger children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.

To register for one or more of the sessions, please sign up online at www.opalexplorenature.org/workshop-registration



There are a few dates coming up which we would like to emphasise:

• Monday 15th April 2013 – INSET School closed to pupils

• Tuesday 16th April 2013 – First day of term

• Saturday 20th April 2013 – Swingboats and roundabouts checked – can you help?

• Saturday 27th April 2013 – Joint Schools fete – Hitchin Market Square

• Tuesday 30th April 2013 – Claire Lomas to visit school

• Saturday 4th May 2013 – Musical Concerts – Christchurch – afternoon, St Mary’s – evening

• Saturday 15th June 2013 – Summer Fete



As many of you are aware, Miss Duncan is getting married during the Easter break. I am sure you will join me in wishing her all the best and hope she has a lovely day; we hope the weather warms up for her! After the holidays she will return as Mrs Victoria Wheat.



Please remember that if you have anything you wish to discuss with me, please do not hesitate to come and see me.



Mary Driver