Weekly Parent Bulletin - Friday 28th February 2025

Welcome to our new online weekly parent bulletin!

Our aim is to provide a 'one stop shop' for parents with all the key information you need to know for the week ahead - importantly with the addition of key year group notices as and when deemed necessary by Year Teams.

Today we kicked off our World Book week celebrations with a visit from the brilliant Roving Bookstore. As part of their visit, children were treated to some incredible author workshops from the inspirational Catherine Barr. A reminder you can pop into our hall after school to meet Catherine and buy signed copies of her book. Catherine's non-fiction books are inspired by her conservation background and scientific research. The talks were incredibly inspiring and very fitting with our #EarthCharter ethos.

In the section below titled 'Whole School Reminders' you'll spot links to the curriculum briefings for this half term from each year group. Most videos are less than 5 minutes to watch, but contain all the key information you need for your child's learning for the next 6 weeks. If you ever find yourself asking your child "what did you do today at school?" and are met with a blank face - the information in these videos can help nudge responses with prompts around key topics and events. Well worth a watch.

We have also added our new electronic calendar to the website (click here). This calendar is colour coded to make it simple for parents to spot whole school or year group specific events.

I'd like to make parents aware that Miss Langridge and Mrs Sharp are sadly leaving us. As two of our 'Avonwood Originals' with over 10 years expereince here, they will be sorely missed. Miss Langridge is moving to new role a school nearer home and Mrs Sharp is moving to a promoted role in childcare. Miss Langridge's last day is Thursday 6th March and Mrs Sharp departs on Friday 14th March. I'm sure you will join me and thanking them both for their years of dedication and service to helping our children and supporting families. They are much loved members of staff! We are conducting TA interviews next week and will share details about their replacements asap.

Next week is a festival of book related events, but the key one for parents to note is on Friday. Children can come to school in the costumes, bring their character pebbles / potatoes and you can pop in to join your child in our reading cafes. It should make for an exciting end to the week!

Wishing you a great weekend!

Mr Jackson

Whole School Reminders

World Book Day - Friday 7th March

Dress Up Day

We are asking children to dress up as either a book character or as a piece of vocabulary (children could add some sort of ‘sign’ to their outfit to say what word they are). We encourage as much creativity as possible! There are many examples online if you are unsure where to begin. The outfit could be as simple as choosing a word such as ‘sporty’ and wearing sports clothing, sweat bands, leg warmers etc or it could be more complex such as ‘extravagant’.

Pebble / Potato Characters

We are challenging all children to paint/decorate a potato or pebble as a character from a book or a scene from a book. They can be as inventive as they like! When these are brought in, we will be holding a potato/pebble exhibition in the hall for all the children to see everyone’s work inspired by their favourite books. Year 6 Reading Ambassadors will be selecting their favourite design from each year group and a prize will be awarded courtesy of Vanessa from Pop-Up Bookshop.

Parent Reading Cafés in Classrooms – 14:30-15:00

Pop into classrooms to read a book with your child and enjoy some refreshments! We would love for adults to bring in their favourite childhood book to share with their child if possible. We will also be using this time to show off some of our World Book Day creations!

Curriculum Briefings

Our latest curriculum briefings are now available on the school website.

Proud moments - PE display

On our new hall PE display, we have an area to showcase children's recent external sporting achievements. If you have any photos of your child with their certificate or trophy, please send this to the office (office@avonwoodprimaryschool.org.uk) or bring it in to their class teacher. We already have some cheerleading, slalom racing and football achievements - we would love to celebrate more! Miss Short (PE Lead)

The Great Avonwood PTA Bake Off

A date for diaries - Monday 31st March. More details to follow soon. Ready... Steady... Bake!

Weekly Year Group Updates

EYFS

No updates this week

Year 1

No updates this week

Year 2

No updates this week

Year 3

Reading Records: It has come to our attention that a number of children are not bringing in their reading records on a Monday. A reminder that reading records are checked by class teachers every Monday to track how many children have completed their 'High Five.'

Elm Reading Records also need to be handed to the Elm class teacher every Friday to change their current reading book (Willow class hand theirs in with their reading record on a Monday).
Swimming questionnaires need to be returned by Friday 21st March.
A reminder that a payment of £5 needs to be paid via parent pay for the Year 3 sleepover and slips need to be returned by Friday 28^th February (today).

Year 4

Parent Talk on Year 4 Residential - Thursday 6^th March at 18:15pm in our main hall. This presentation is not recorded, but we will share slides afterwards.
PE kit this half term is only needed on Tuesdays, as Fridays (our second PE day) is also Forest School.
Forest School Clothes - Friday Friday 7^th March is a little tricky as it is World Book Day dress up as a book character or a word AND forest school - perhaps bring a sensible pair of shoes and a warm coat.

Year 5

No updates this week

Year 6

Please can children bring in a set of plug in 3.5mm headphones if you have them on Wednesday next week. Only send them in if they are low in value and happy to take the risk of damage in school. If any children do not have headphones, we'll provide some in school.