Emails sent to parents
| 20th November Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 25th November - Friday 29th November) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. Maple Class - Stay and Learn Session 2 Dear Maple Class Parents and Carers, On Thursday 5th December, from 2:00pm-3:00pm, you are invited to our second 'Stay and Learn' event in Maple Class. This is a great opportunity to spend the afternoon with your child, experiencing all the wonderful things that Reception has to offer. You will be able to engage in various learning opportunities with your child and hear about their favourite activities. At 3:00pm, while we complete our end of the day routines, we will ask the visiting adults to wait on the playground where you will be ready to collect your child as normal at 3:15pm. We kindly ask that one adult per child attends this event due to the size of the classroom space. However, please do not worry as we will be holding more events like this in the Spring and Summer term. Please email the school office to confirm whether or not someone is able to attend. If you are unable to attend for any reason, you are more than welcome to ask another family member to attend. Please let us know the name of the adult. This promises to be an exciting event full of Wintery learning and play. We look forward to welcoming you back into Maple Class! Best wishes, Miss Spencer Beech Class Church Visit Next week, during the school day, Beech Class will be visiting our local church in Chesterton (St Mary's) as part of our RE work on Celebrations. The children will be walking to the church with school staff and will be shown around by Reverend Gareth Miller, who the children already know from his visits to school for Collective Worship. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: REMINDER - Christmas Jumper Exchange Please remember to bring your old/unwanted (children or adult) Christmas jumpers to school (children to drop off on table in the school hall) today (20th November) and Thursday (21st November) and donate it to our sale. The elves from the School Association will sort everything and run the sale on Friday 22nd November at collection time (3.15pm). Only £3 per jumper! Cash or card accepted. |
| 19th November Primary Health Team Term 2 Newsletter Please click here for the latest newsletter from the Primary Health Team. Oak class World War 2 Day Please find attached letter regarding Oak class World War 2 Day. Please go online and make payment in the usual way via Scopay. |
| 18th November Message from Miss Spencer Hello Maple parents/carers, I hope you are all well. This is just a plea from the Maple team. If you have any Bug Club books at home that are not your child's current reading book, then please can these be returned to school. Your child should only have one Bug Club 'learn to read' book at any one time, which is their reading book for that week. If I do not get all the books back each week, it makes it tricky for me to reassign the books to children. Thank you for your support with this! Best wishes, Miss Spencer |
| 15th November Headlice We have been made aware of a case of headlice in Chestnut class. We would be grateful if every parent/carer would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. |
| 13th November Chestnut Class Visit to Oxford - March 25 Please find attached letter regarding a visit to Oxford for Chestnut Class. Please go online to give consent and make payment via Scopay in the usual way. Oak Swimming Lessons - Payment Reminder A reminder to please go online to make payment and give consent for Oak swimming lessons this term. We have attached the letter again for information. Maths Week We are very excited to be holding our third Maths Week at Chesterton School next week. We have planned lots of activities that I’m sure will continue to fuel your child’s love of Maths. We will be having our first House Battle of the year on Times Tables Rock Stars, using the story ‘How many jelly beans?’ by Andrea Menotti within lessons across the school, and holding a competition. Please see further information below. Maths Week Competition We would like to set children the challenge of finding evidence of Maths ‘in the real world’. This could be anything from spotting Roman numerals on a clock, to using money in a shop, to going on a shape hunt around the house. We want to promote just how surrounded by Maths we are! To challenge them further, they can think of a Maths question to go with their photo, for example: ‘If Miss Crockett buys a pencil for 15p and a pen for 20p, how much has she spent?’. Please send in photos of your child’s findings to the office by 3pm on Friday 22nd November. Remember to include your child’s name, class and house. House points will be awarded to each child who enters and certificates will be given to the most interesting and creative photos / questions. We can’t wait to see them! House Battle of the Bands After the success of previous years, we have again set up a Battle of the Bands competition on Times Tables Rock Stars for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. This time, each house will be going against each other! Will Buckle, Jersey, Squire or Penrose top the charts? The competition will start on the Times Tables Rock Stars website at 7am on Monday 18th November and will end at 7pm on Friday 22nd November. The aim is to answer as many questions as possible, in any game type. The winning house will have the highest number of correct answers per pupil. Please note, the competition only runs between the hours of 7am and 7pm each day, and only the points earnt in the first hour of gameplay each day will go towards the team’s total. Best wishes, Miss Crockett Maths Co-ordinator |
| 12th November Musical Sharing Assemblies On Thursday 12th December and Friday 13th December, we will be holding our Christmas instrument sharing assemblies, where we enjoy the fruits of our pupils' hard work and instrumental practice. In addition to those pupils who take part in lessons with our music teachers in school, we are inviting any pupils who play outside school to share their talents. If your child would like the opportunity to play something, they need to choose a short piece that they can play independently on an instrument that they can easily bring to school (unless it's a piano, in which case they can use ours!). Please email me (head.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk) with their name and the name of the piece. As you may be aware, there are now two performances due to the high numbers of pupils involved in playing instruments - which is fantastic! If your child plays the piano with Flora, or the guitar with Pijin, they will be participating on Thursday 12th. If your child learns a woodwind instrument with Csenge, they will be playing on Friday 13th. If your child learns an instrument outside of school and would like to participate, please let me know and I will allocate them to one or the other (unless you express a preference). If your child has just started to learn and are not yet confident enough to have a go, please don't worry as there will be many more opportunities. If you would like to know more about opportunities to learn an instrument, please contact the school office. If your child is playing, we would like to invite you to attend and have tried to give you a good amount of notice. The assemblies both start at 10.00, so please arrive at the school hall by 9.55. Kind regards, Mr Horner |
| 11th November Parents' Appointments Booking for Parents' appointment slots will close at 7.00pm today (excluding Beech class). |
| 7th November Anti-Bullying Week - Odd Socks Day - Tuesday 12th November Please find attached letter regarding Anti-Bullying Week and 'Odd Socks Day' on Tuesday 12th November |
| 6th November Christmas Jumper Exchange Did you know that 1 in 4 Christmas jumpers are thrown away and never worn again?! Let’s change that... Bring your old/unwanted (children or adult) Christmas jumpers to school (children to drop off on table in the school hall) on 20th and 21st November and donate it to our sale. The elves from the School Association will sort everything and run the sale on 22 November at collection time (3.15pm). Only £3 per jumper! Cash or card accepted. See our page. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 11th November - Friday 15th November) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 5th November Parent Governor appointment Please find attached letter regarding the appointment of our new Parent Governor. Parents' Appointments We would like to confirm that parents' appointment slots will go live at 5.00pm today (excluding Beech class). |
We will be archiving emails over one week old as they reach their 'sell by' date.
| 25th October Reminder - Parent Governor Election Please remember to cast your vote for the Parent Governor election by Monday 4th November. Envelopes should be posted in the ballot box outside the school office by 9am on Monday 4th November. Oak Swimming Lessons - Monday 4th November Please find attached letter regarding swimming lessons which start on Monday 4th November. Please go online to give consent and make payment via ScoPay. Holiday Activities Please find attached details of out of school activities this half-term. Bicester Lawn Tennis Club are holding a holiday camp. Please see the flyer for more information. The Red Cow in Chesterton are holding a Halloween Party. Please contact them directly if you would like to make a booking. Flyers have gone home with your child today. Year 4 Multi-Skills After School Club If you have returned the slip for your child to take part in the Multi-Skills After School Club, then we can confirm that they have a place, starting from Monday 4th November. We have re-attached the letter for information Secondary School Application Deadline is 31st October This email is to remind you that secondary school applications need to be submitted by the deadline of 31st October. Applications received after the deadline will be processed later in the year and are far less likely to secure a place at a preferred school. Please visit secondary school webpages for all relevant information and to apply online at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/secondaryadmissions Message from Mrs Caulfield I just wanted to personally thank you for the beautiful gifts and cards I have recieved from Beech Class. I have had a wonderful term teaching Beech Class and wish them every success for the rest of the academic year. Parents' Meeting Arrangements This email is to update you on the arrangements for Parents' Evenings taking place for all classes except Beech Class on Tuesday 12th November (3.30-6.00) and Wednesday 13th November (3.30-7.00). You will be able to book appointments on Scopay during the first week after half-term, so please look out for an email informing you that the system has gone 'live'. Rowan Class Forest School Please find attached letter about Forest School for Rowan class, which starts on Wednesday 6th November. |
| 24th October Bake Sale - Reminder A reminder of the Bake Sale at pick up today and tomorrow, organised by Maple and Beech classes. £1 for a regular cake and £1.50 for a larger slice, cash or card accepted. Please support if you can. |
| 23rd October Climate Action Day Update Following on from very successful Climate Action celebration last week, we would like to give you an update on the activities. View here We raised £170 on non-uniform day, which will go to the Canal & River Trust. Year 4 enjoyed a workshop on Monday by staff from the Trust, based on the Industrial Revolution and the part that canals played. All children had an assembly, again from the Trust staff, about how we look after the canals, pollution and how locks work. Here is the link for the charity if any parents would like to donate and missed sending in money on the day. Thank you for all of the fantastic photos that were sent in for the favourite waterways competition, all entries earned house points and prizes will be awarded this Friday during Celebration Worship. A group of 25 children enjoyed walking from the community centre for the first Park and Stride of the year on Tuesday morning, accompanied by Mr Horner, Mrs Salter, Mrs Durham and Mrs Caulfield. House points were awarded to all participants. View here Thank you for all your support for our Eco Council's activities, which help to raise the children's awareness of the issues that affect our planet and climate. Deadline for Ordering Meals for After Half-term is Tonight The deadline for ordering meals for after the half-term holiday (Monday 4th November to Friday 8th November) is tonight. Please go online and order in the normal way. Year 4 Monday Multi-Skills After School Club If your child is interested in participating in the Year 4 multi-skills after school club please return the slip to the school office by 9.00 am on Friday 25th October. Attached is the letter for information. Bake Sale - Thursday 24th & Friday 25th October Please find attached flyer about the up-and-coming Bake Sale. This will take place after school on Thursday and Friday and is organised by Maple and Beech. Please support if you can!  |
| 22nd October ACTION REQUIRED - Flu Consent Form REMINDER! We would like to remind you that the flu immunisation programme will take place at school on Thursday 24th October. If you would like your child to be immunised, please follow the instructions on the attached letter. Please note, the website will close 24 hours before Thursday so today is your last opportunity to register. New Lunch Menu We have just published the new menu on Scopay for next term. The deadline for ordering meals for w/c 4th November is tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. Please go online and order in the normal way. If your child has special dietary requirements, we will contact you separately. |
| 21st October Maple Stay and Learn - Tuesday 22nd October - Reminder Just a reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday 22nd October, from 2pm-3pm, you are invited to a 'Stay and Learn' event in Maple class. Please arrive at 2pm and wait by the main gates. We look forward to seeing you there. Hawthorn Trip - collection Hawthorn class are due to be back at school after their trip at approximately 4.00pm today. |
| 18th October Remembrance Poppy Display - reminder We have already received a large number of brilliant poppy designs and creations, and wanted to remind you that there is still time to create one over the weekend, ready for Monday. We have re-attached the letter and template for information. |
| 16th October Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 21st October - Friday 25th October) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. Message to Ash Class Parents Thank you for your commitment to reading with your children - it is great that they are keen to achieve their reading certificates. There appears to be some confusion about reading diaries, so we are emailing with some key information. Your child will be read with each week, with the class teacher, in a Guided Reading group. This is not counted as a 'reading night' – this is something separate that we will do in school. In addition to this, we will read with your child each term and determine when they will move up a book band level and inform you in their reading diaries. Some children may have some additional reading sessions with a volunteer reader. Please can we ask that you do not give out reading stickers (25, 50 etc), backdate reading from previous weeks, or change numbers of totals in reading diaries, as this is something that the staff in school will do? Please ensure that reading diaries are sent in to school every day - they will be checked on a Monday or Tuesday each week, but children may be asked to read on a different day. If you have any questions, please do contact us, as we are always happy to help clarify any confusion. Kind regards, Mrs Evans and Ms Gould Active Lives Survey (Ash , Hawthorn and Oak Classes) Please find attached letter regarding an Active Lives Survey which the school is participating in. Message from Miss Barrett Rowan Class have been busy making Ancient Greek clay pots and they have now finished this unit of work. The pupils will bring their pots home tomorrow (17/10/24). Could you please send your child in with a suitable container (hard lunchbox, Tupperware...) so they can safely transport their amazing pots home. All my best, Miss Barrett |
| 15th October Beech Class Parent evenings We would like to apologise to all parents who either came to their appointment last night and were cancelled or changed or had a phone call to postpone until a later date. Once the problem has been sorted out, we will be back in touch with those of you who have yet to have your appointment, to reschedule for next Wednesday evening or a more convenient time for you and Mrs Leonard, or for those who have already booked next Wednesday, I will confirm your appointment. Once again, thank you for bearing with us! |
| 12th October SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: KS1 & KS2 Light Party Dress Code Further to our previous email regarding the Light Party next Friday. The dress code for this event is Neon or White clothing. Remembrance Poppy Display Please find attached letter from Mr Horner on behalf of the Parish Council regarding creating a poppy display at St Mary's Church. A hard copy of the letter came home with your child yesterday.. |
| 11th October SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: KS1 & KS2 Light Party Please see flyer for the School Association Light Party which will be held on Friday 18th October. KS1 (Maple, Beech & Ash) 5.00 - 6.15 KS2 (Chestnut, Hawthorn, Rowan & Oak) 6.30 - 8.00 The event costs £5 which will include a snack. Please go online to Scopay to make payment and give consent. The deadline to book is Wednesday 16th October at 3.00 pm. Kind Regards, School Association Beech Class Teaching Arrangements - Autumn 2024 Please find attached letter regarding Beech Class teaching arrangements from the end of this term Pudsey Ramble in Burnehyll Woodland Please see below for details of a community event taking place on Saturday that has been organised in support of Children in Need. Kind regards, The Office Team On Saturday 12th October 2024, BBC Children in Need will be holding a nationwide appeal for donations towards this cause. Countryfile BBC Children in Need suggested a 'Ramble' as a way to raise funds. Burnehyll Community Woodland is not too far away; it runs along Vendee Drive. We plan to 'Ramble' through this Woodland from 10am onwards on that day (Saturday 12th October). Countryfile BBC Children in Need have suggested that ramblers might record their ramble, and only if they wish, send this recording to Countryfile for possible inclusion in a later programme. Please find below for the location details of the 'Ramble'.  |
| 10th October SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Bingo - cancelled BINGO cancellation notice We regret to inform you that due to low ticket sales, we must cancel the Bingo evening scheduled for tomorrow. We sincerely appreciate those who booked a ticket and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Rest assured, we will process your refunds promptly and will contact you directly with the details. Thank you for your understanding. Climate Action Day - Reminder Just a reminder of our Eco Council Climate Action Day competition. We have had some wonderful entries so far. If you are out and about over the weekend near a 'waterway', please do take some photos to share. If you missed them, further details of Climate Action Day on the attached letter. Favourite Waterway Photo Competition – Under adult supervision, we are encouraging children, with their families, to visit their favourite canal/reservoir/river/stream/lake that is local to them. We would love to see your photos of you enjoying your favourite waterway! Please email your photos into: office.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk. There will be house points on offer for all entries and prizes for the best ones. You could take part in the following activities whilst out and about too: Habitat hunt - Whilst enjoying your local waterway, how many different habitats can you spot? What wildlife did you see? Plastic challenge - Visit your local river or canal bank and, with adult supervision, carefully collect any plastic you see. Dispose of it safely and sustainably by taking it home to recycle. You can take pictures of your pick to encourage others to get involved! Make sure that you have suitable clothing or footwear and please wear gloves and/or use a litter pick to collect any rubbish. Do not collect it with your bare hands! Iain Horner |
| 9th October Parent Governor Vacancy Please find attached letter and details of the Parent Governor vacancy. If you are interested and would like to nominate yourself or another parent, please return the nomination form in a marked envelope by Tuesday 15th October. Hard copies of the form can be obtained from the school office. Vacancy Details and Nomination Form Headlice We have been made aware of a case of headlice in upper school (Oak and Rowan class). We would be grateful if every parent/carer would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. Please use this link.. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 14th October - Friday 18th October) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. BINGO! Final Reminder! This your final call for booking Bingo! Scopay will close at 3pm tomorrow (Thursday). Flyer attached again; in case you missed it! The School Association. |
| 8th October Parents appointments - Beech Class We wanted to let you know that Beech class parent appointments will be held on Monday 14th October (3.30pm - 6pm) and Wednesday 23rd October (3.30pm - 7pm). This is different to the other classes, which will be after the holiday. Appointments will go live on Scopay today (Tuesday) at 3pm. please go online and book your slot. |
| 7th October SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Reminder: Bingo Night Friday 11th October Chesterton School’s first bingo night is happening Friday 11th October! Don't forget to book your tickets via Scopay for this Friday's BINGO!! Eyes down at 7pm! Thank you for supporting the School Association. Macmillan Cakes needed! Please join us for coffee, tea and cake at our Macmillan coffee afternoon on Tuesday 8th October from 2.15pm onwards. Our School Council will be helping to run an informal afternoon for Chesterton families in the school hall. Please come along for a hot drink, chat and a slice of cake (or two!). We would be extremely grateful for any donations of cakes – large or small – that we can serve at this event to raise much needed funds for a fantastic cause. Please send any cakes into your child’s class at the start of the day on Tuesday 8th October. Any cakes left at the end of the afternoon will be sold on the playground in aid of Macmillan |
| 4th October Free School Meals Please find attached letter regarding entitlement to Free School Meals. Please note this is different to the Government scheme for KS1 children. Please read the letter carefully before contacting the school office. Rowan Greek Day & Food Tasting Session Please find attached letter regarding the Greek Day & Food Tasting session for Rowan class. We kindly ask that you go online via Scopay and give consent and make payment by Friday 1st November. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Rags 2 Riches Collection - 10th October Please see our poster regarding the Rags 2 Riches collection on Thursday 10th October. Please support if you can and bring your bags into school on the day. Please note that the school association will be holding a separate sale for Christmas jumpers later in November, so please do not donate these with your other rags 2 riches items. IMPORTANT REMINDERS - Photographs, Macmillan Coffee Afternoon etc School Photographs The deadline for ordering school photographs for free delivery to school is tomorrow (Saturday 5th October). Macmillan Coffee Afternoon Please join us for coffee, tea and cake at our Macmillan coffee afternoon on Tuesday 8th October from 2.15pm onwards. Our School Council will be helping to run an informal afternoon for Chesterton families in the school hall. Please come along for a hot drink, chat and a slice of cake (or two!). We would be extremely grateful for any donations of cakes – large or small – that we can serve at this event to raise much needed funds for a fantastic cause. Please send any cakes into your child’s class at the start of the day on Tuesday 8th October. Any cakes left at the end of the afternoon will be sold on the playground in aid of Macmillan. Packed Lunches and Break Time Snacks If providing your child with a packed lunch or snack, please ensure that no nuts or nut products (for example, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, chocolate/cereal bars containing nuts) are included. Chesterton is a nut-free school. Data and Contact Sheets - Beech to Oak Class The school office would be grateful if you could return any outstanding forms to the office by next Friday 11th October. Thank you to those parents who have returned the forms so promptly. Lost Uniform The school has already gathered a number of lost pieces of uniform since the start of term. Most of the items are unnamed so it is very difficult to return these to pupils. If an item of clothing is named, this is returned to the child's class as soon as it is found. Again, thank you to those families whose items are clearly named. Any non-logo uniform still 'lost' by Wednesday 9th October will be included in the Rags 2 Riches collection on Thursday 10th October. |
| 3rd October Maple Stay and Learn - Tuesday 22nd October Have you ever wondered what a day in Maple Class looks like? Well, this is the perfect event for you! On Tuesday 22nd October, from 2:00pm-3:00pm, you are invited to a 'Stay and Learn' event in Maple Class. This is a great opportunity to spend the afternoon with your child, experiencing all the wonderful things that Reception has to offer. You will get to engage in various learning opportunities with your child and hear about their favourite activities. At 3:00pm, you will be able to wait on the playground, where you will be ready to collect your child as normal at 3:15pm. We kindly ask that one adult per child attends this event due to the size of the clas Please email the school office to confirm whether or not someone is able to attend. If you are unable to attend for any reason, you are more than welcome to ask another family member to attend. Please let us know the name of the adult. This promises to be an exciting event and we look forward to welcoming you into Maple Class! Best wishes, Miss Spencer |
| 2nd October Climate Action Day Please find attached letter about this year's Climate Action Day. Message from Miss Baxter - Bikeability Please see attached letter from Miss Baxter regarding Bikeability, which takes place in June 2025 for Oak Class. Open Classrooms Afternoon - Tomorrow Just to remind you that straight after school tomorrow (3.15-3.45), your child’s classroom will be open to view what the children have been doing since the start of term. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 7th October - Friday 11th October) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order.> |
| 1st October Secondary transfer Applications can now be submitted for children to transfer from Year 6 to Year 7 at secondary school for 2025/26. Please visit secondary school webpages for all relevant information and to apply online at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/secondaryadmissions The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 31 October, and National Offer Day is 3 March 2025. Applications received after the deadline will be processed later in the year and are far less likely to secure a place at a preferred school. Author's visit The children in Chestnut, Hawthorn, Rowan and Oak class enjoyed a very exciting visit from author Matt Brown yesterday. He talked to the children about his books, how he creates his ideas and he even read them an extract from his newest Kevin the Vampire book. It was great fun and very interesting, which sparked a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. We finished the session with some questions and answers and, of course, a book signing session. It was great to see so many children collecting their books and having the chance to chat to Matt whilst he signed them. If you didn't buy a book before Matt's visit there is still the opportunity to purchase one. We will reopen the option on Scopay, which will remain open until 4th October. Kind regards Mrs Salter IMPORTANT: Girls' Football postponed!! If your daughter was due to take part in the Mr Horner v Mrs Tuffrey Year 5/6 girls' football today after school, it has unfortunately been postponed due to the persistent rain. Even though the forecast was pretty terrible, I left the decision a bit longer as I wanted to give us the best chance of being able to get a game in and the rain was only light at break and lunchtime. However, with the heavier rain this afternoon and the very muddy underfoot conditions, it doesn't look being very enjoyable. Mrs Tuffrey and I will get together and choose a new date soon and let the girls know. Please reply to confirm that you have received this message. If you are unable to collect your daughter at the end of the day, we will place them in Tree House. Thank you for your understanding. Best wishes, Mr Horner SCHOOL ASSOCIATION : AGM presentation Please find attached a copy of the School Association AGM presentation from last week. |
| 30th September Harvest reminder We would like to remind you that tomorrow, the children will be having their Harvest celebrations. I have attached the letter with details again for your information, we would appreciate any donations as listed for the Food Bank. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Bingo Night Friday 11th October BINGO! Scopay now LIVE! Chesterton School’s first bingo night is happening Friday 11th October! Eyes down for a night of laid back bingo with a musical twist and the chance to win £100 cash! £5 for 3 games! Please purchase via Scopay. This event is open to the public so please bring along friends and family for a fun night of BINGO! Bar will be available on the night - menu to follow shortly |
| 26th September Dear Parents and Carers, We are very excited to be welcoming Matt Brown, children's author, into school next week on Monday 30th September. Matt will be talking to the children in Chestnut, Hawthorn, Rowan and Oak class, telling them about being a writer and sharing some of his stories with them. It promises to be an exciting opportunity for the children to hear from a real-life author and hopefully be inspired to get creative with their own writing! Here is a link to Matt's website, if you would like to take a look: During the morning, there will be a chance for the children to purchase (and have signed by Matt himself) a copy of one of his Kevin The Vampire stories. These are on offer at a price of £6.50 (rrp £7.99). If your child would like a book, please login and pay on SCOPAY by 9am on Monday 30th September. Children will then be able to select their book on Monday. |
| 25th September CROSS COUNTRY CANCELLED TODAY Unfortunately, we have just been informed that the cross-country event at The Bicester School has been cancelled today due to the condition of the field. Please collect your child from school at the end of the school day. If you have any difficulties with collection at 3.15 pm, please email the school office. |
| 23rd September 2024 SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Update re AGM! This is to remind you about the School Association AGM to be held on Microsoft Teams on Thursday 26th September at 7pm. Please see the SA page for how to join in. Please join if you can, all support is welcome! Invitation to the Heyford Park School Secondary Open Evening Please find attached details of an open evening at Heyford Park School AND Open Evening and Mornings at Marlborough School for Oak Class. Chestnut Class - Stone Age Day Please find attached letter regarding a Stone Age Day for Chestnut Class. Please go online to give consent and make payment via Scopay in the usual way. Maple Class Curriculum Evening This is a reminder that Maple class will be holding their Curriculum Evening on Wednesday this week, 25th September, 5pm to 5.45pm!. A member of staff will meet you at the school gate and the meeting will be held in the Maple classroom. We hope to see you there! SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS Update! We wanted to remind you that the children will be having their portrait photos taken this Wednesday morning, 25th September by The School Photography Company. If you would like a photo taken with non-school age siblings, please arrive at 8.15am. There is usually a queue for this! Cross Country - update This message is for anyone involved in the cross-country event this week. One of the dates on the letter was incorrect and we just wanted to confirm that the correct date is the one on the permission slip - Wednesday 25th September. If necessary we will update nearer the time on weather conditions and if the event is cancelled. |
| 18th September Headlice We have been made aware of a case of headlice in upper school (Oak and Rowan class). We would be grateful if every parent/carer would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. Please use this link. |
| 17th September 2024 Message from Mr Horner Unfortunately, I am having to write to you again following multiple complaints, from our neighbours and other parents, regarding parking at both the beginning and the end of the day. I appreciate that shorter drop-off window has created more of a pinch point in the morning; this is something that we are looking at addressing if possible, but isn't straightforward. Please can I remind you (and any other adult who collects your child/ren) to ensure that you are not doing any of the following:
In addition to the above, we have had recent reports of cars mounting the grass verges adjacent to the pavement both before and after school. This is not only dangerous for the families walking to and from the school, who are using the path, but also hugely inconsiderate as residents have to maintain the grass areas outside of their own properties. Yesterday, a resident witnessed one parent rudely dismissing an elderly neighbour who challenged them on their parking. They had only just finished mowing the lawn and quite rightly felt upset by the lack of consideration. As our value of the term is 'Respect', a concept that we discuss regularly with the children and we hope to model to them, please can I ask parents to extend this to their behaviour to our neighbours? As always, the school will do its best to encourage safe and considerate driving and parking, but we really do rely on the cooperation of the whole school community, so please can I ask again that you take extra care in the roads around the school to respect pedestrians, other road users and our neighbours? The last thing that any of us wants is an accident where someone is injured or worse. The excuse that we/residents are often given is that parents/carers were 'running late' or 'I am only stopping here for a few minutes'. Neither of these are valid, and would be of no consolation to the victim of an accident. We would much rather an adult parked a bit further away from the school and arrived a few minutes late on those occasions, than leaving a vehicle in an inappropriate location. If you witness any inconsiderate or dangerous driving or parking, please report to the school office and we will do everything that we can to identify and speak to the individual/s involved. We will again be asking our neighbourhood policing team to support in monitoring the situation. However, their capacity for this kind of work is always limited. Governors and staff will also continue to do all they can to observe and challenge offenders however, as you can imagine, this takes away time from what we are supposed to be doing. Thank you for your cooperation, Mr Horner Message from Mrs Evans Dear Parents/Carers (Ash) As part of our DT project, the class will be making small vehicles from next Monday. We would be very grateful for any small carboard boxes or cardboard recycling donations. Thank you. With kind regards, Mrs Evans Join us for the School Association's Annual General Meeting! This year, we have decided to try a different approach and meet online, hopefully giving more of you an opportunity to join. You can decide how involved you want to be. You can take active part in the discussion or just listen to our updates. Whatever the level of your involvement, we would love to have you there! Date: 26 September Time: 7pm Location: Teams Meeting The meeting will take place on Teams. Please click on the link in the email sent to all parents, to access the meeting. If you don’t use Teams, please download the app and watch a short tutorial on how to use the application here. Agenda:
Come and meet other parents, hear about our achievements over the past year, and discuss the plans for the upcoming year. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to make our school the best place it can be! Flu Immunisation Update! We would like to further highlight information that is in the letter you have been sent regarding Consenting for your child’s flu vaccination. IMPORTANT- The link to the Flu Consent Form will close one full school day before the vaccination session on Thursday 24th October. If you would like your child to be vaccinated at school, please submit their Consent Form at least one full school day before this date and remember that this day may be in the week before depending on the day we are due to attend your child's school. Please do not contact the School Aged immunisation team by phone or email if you have missed this deadline the system will be not reopen until after the vaccination session in school has taken place. Once the session has passed you will be able to submit a Consent Form and you will receive information, via email, on how to book an appointment for the vaccination to be given in a Community Clinic. If you have already submitted your child’s consent form you DO NOT need to take any further action. Thank you School Aged Immunisation team |
| 16th September Email update! We wanted to let you know that a spam email has been sent out from the Business Manager email address regarding a drop box account. Please do not open the attachment. We are doing our best to solve the issue this end. Thank you to those who have emailed in about this. We also seem to have some issues with gmail accounts again. All messages will be posted on the school website, and if you would like us to add another email address, let us know. Our apologies for any inconvenience. Kind Regards For Year 6 Parents Please find attached information about an open evening at The Bicester School. Ash Class Trip Please find attached letter regarding the up and coming trip to Oxford Bus Museum for Ash Class. Message from Mr Horner Thank you for your efforts with arriving in time for the slightly earlier start to the school day. The shorter time on the school playground seems to be beneficial in terms of not having to stand around waiting for too long, especially with the colder weather coming up. Please can we make a request to parents and carers that, wherever possible, they leave the area in the driveway around the school gate once their child/ren is safely on the playground? For the children who are feeling a bit reluctant in the morning, it can be a bit daunting if they have to make their way through a congested area. As you will know, the staff on gate duty will do their best to help with any children feeling a bit anxious and also to take brief messages that need passing on to teachers, but we need to try to keep this area flowing as smoothly as possible. This, in turn, helps with supervision and keeping the gate 'secure'. We know that some parents may want to stay in the driveway until the bell goes, but please bear in mind that this often prolongs the separation process and any pupils who are a little bit upset on the playground are soon cheered up by friends or staff. Can we please also ask parents and carers to be mindful of staff vehicles when waiting at either end of the school day and ensure that younger siblings aren't playing around them, no-one is stood behind them, and that no-one is leaning against them? Many thanks for your support. Mr Horner and Mrs Salter |
| 13th September 2024 Message from Mrs Leonard Regarding Reading Books Beech Class children will be coming home with a couple of reading books from our 'Love to Read' collection today. These books are intended to be shared with you purely for enjoyment, rather than for the children to practise their decoding skills. However, there may be some super keen readers that want to attempt reading the words themselves, or have a look for some Tricky Words that they recognise! The children will receive a Bug Club decodable book after their guided reading session next week. ACTION REQUIRED - Flu Consent Form Please find attached letter regarding the Childhood Flu Vaccination Programme, which will take place at Chesterton on Thursday 24th October. This requires you to give consent online, all instructions are contained in the letter. |
| 9th and 12th September Headlice We have been made aware of a case of headlice in your child's class. We would be grateful if every parent/carer would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. Please use this link. |
| 6th September 2024 Beech Class Warwick Castle Visit - 16th October Please find attached letter regarding a visit to Warwick Castle. Please go online and give consent and make payment in the usual way. Beech Kings and Queens day We would just like to take the opportunity to remind you on Monday 9th September, Beech Class will be having their Kings and Queens day. On this day, children will have the opportunity to come to school dressed as King, Queen or Knight! Best wishes, Mrs Caulfield and Mrs Leonard Rowan Swimming Lessons Please find attached letter regarding swimming lessons which start on Monday 9th September. Please go online to give consent and make payment via ScoPay. Oak Forest School Please find attached letter about Forest School for Oak class, which starts on Wednesday 11th September. |
| 3rd September New children update! We hope you have enjoyed the Summer break and your children are looking forward to starting here at Chesterton! Wrap around care (Breakfast Club and Tree House After school club) will be available to your children from Friday 6th September (the children's first full day). If you wish to use the clubs this week, please let us know and we will book manually for you. When you receive your Scopay log on details, you will be able to book for next week. Payments can be made directly online or with a Government childcare account. If you make payment via this method, we will credit your Scopay when the amount shows on the school account. Please ensure you have submitted a registration form for wrap around care. One more note, Tree House finishes at 4.30pm on a Friday, so you can only book a half session. Any questions, please let us know. Maple 2024 I am sending the original letter regarding this week's school hours for your children. You will see that the start times are 9am and 12.30pm tomorrow, depending which house they are in. Thursday and Friday will be normal registration time of 8.45am. If you didn't fill in the manual order form for lunches at school, please remember to send in a packed lunch on Thursday and Friday. Please don't worry if you have concerns about the routine for the children for the first couple of weeks, feel free to call or pop into the office. |
| 2nd September 2024 Message from Miss Crockett Dear Parents and Carers, I wanted to say a huge thank you for your kind words and generous gifts at the end of the school year. I really appreciate it. It was a real pleasure to be part of your children’s journey through Chesterton School. I hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer break and look forward to catching up with the children on the playground! Best wishes, Miss Crockett New term update! We hope you have had an enjoyable Summer break and that the children are looking forward to returning or starting school on Wednesday! We have a couple of update/reminders for you: We have been notified that the roadworks in Chesterton have been extended until 20th September, so traffic will continue to be diverted from the junction with Vendee Drive. Please allow extra time to take the delays into consideration when bringing your children to school. Please remember that registration will now be at 8.45am, five minutes earlier than previously. Gates will continue to be opened at 8.40am. We will continue to keep the flow of information as smooth as possible from the school office. Please help where you can by notifying us as early as possible of any change to pick up arrangements and checking the website where possible for school updates/information. Thank you for your support. |
| 28th August REMINDER! School Meal orders. We hope you have enjoyed your Summer break and the children are looking forward to returning to school next week! Can we remind you that today is the deadline for ordering school lunches for the first week of term. If you are a new parent or have a child starting in Maple, you will have received a manual order form which should be returned completed by today. |
| 25th July Lunches for September We wanted to let you know that you can now order meals for your children in September (except new children). However, classes will not be updated until the beginning of term so new Year 3 will not yet reflect a charge. The deadline for ordering lunches via Scopay for September is Monday 26th August. Summer Events Reminders Please find attached details of events organised by the Diocese. Juggling John Music Summer Evening Picnic Invitation Thank You from the School Office We would like to say a big thank you to everyone for the gifts, cards and well wishes that we have received this week. They are all much appreciated. We hope that you all have an enjoyable Summer break and wish all our leavers the very best of luck in their next adventure! Best wishes Pauline Durham, Lynette Pull & Jo Davies School Administrators |
| 24th July Maple Memories As promised, I have attached the photos from the Maple Sharing Worship that highlights a few fabulous memories from the year. May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support this year. Starting at a new school is always daunting (for children, parents and teachers!), so thank you for making it so enjoyable. The Maple Class team want to wish you a very happy and relaxing summer and I am sure that we will see you again in September. Best wishes, Miss Spencer . SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: End of Year Newsletter Please find attached newsletter from the School Association |
| 23rd July Chesterton News July 2024 Please find attached an electronic copy of the Chesterton News, a hard copy of which was given to each family today. We would like to wish you all an enjoyable Summer break and Good Luck to all our Leavers with their next adventure! |
| 22nd July Message for Ash class Please may you send a spare bag into school tomorrow with your child as they will be taking home some of their school work and books from the academic year. Best wishes, Mrs Caulfield & Ms Gould . Message from Miss Spencer I would like to send home a PDF version of the photograph Powerpoint that we displayed during the Maple Class Sharing Worship. This will only be shared with the Maple Class parents/carers and showcases memorable moments from our year. If you DO NOT give permission for your child to be featured in the photos, then let us know by way of return email by 9.00am on Wednesday 24th July. I will then delete any photos containing your child. Thank you for your support. Best wishes, Miss Spencer . Letter for new Beech class Kings and Queens day on Monday the 9th September 2024 Reminder for current Ash class We wanted to remind you that when your children go into Year 3 (Chestnut), school meals will be chargeable and the children will no longer be given a free snack in the morning. Please see excerpts below from 'Happy, Healthy, Safe'. Snacks and Drinks We advise all children to bring in a transparent drinks bottle (containing water only) each day to ensure they have easy access to drinking water all day. A selection of free fruit/veg is provided for children in Reception and KS1 (Years 1 and 2) at break time. Older children can bring in a healthy snack of fruit or vegetables from home (separate to their lunch box) to eat at break time. Cereal bars or fruit-based sweets are not suitable as breaktime snacks. Meals are provided free for children in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 under the Government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. For other children, the cost is £2.60 per meal. |
| 19th July Pre-Loved Uniform Following on from previous years, we have gained a large amount of school uniform in good condition, either donated or lost (please, please name your items!). To help save our families money when the cost of living remains high, but also to think about sustainability, we thought it would be a good idea to offer this stock to you. The items have too much life in them to be simply thrown in the bin and, as it has the school logo on, it cannot be donated to charities/clothes banks. Rather than charge any amount for these items, we are offering them for free as we would prefer them to be used. If they are not worn out when your child/ren are finished with them, then please pass them on to someone else, or return them to school and we will find them a new home! See attached for the list of items. If there is anything that your child/ren could use now, or would grow into, please email the office with the item/s that you would like and we will send them home with your child or they can be collected from the office. Then make sure that you name them. Please make use of this scheme and do a little bit for our sustainable aims. Mr Horner and the Eco Council Out of School Clubs & Holiday Activities Please see below details of Clubs and Summer holiday activities in the local area. Dive into Excitement with Bicester Blue Fins! Bicester Blue Fins are thrilled to welcome young swimmers who have a passion for the sport to join our vibrant team! If your child meets the criteria outlined in the attached flyer, we invite you to contact us and schedule a swim assessment. We are excited to engage with students from your school and other local schools, encouraging young talent to flourish. If your child is eager to refine their technique, compete in a supportive environment, and make new friends, we can't wait to hear from you! Bright Sparks Events Glory Farm Holiday Club Kidz Zone Club - Langford Village Swimming Lessons - Bruern Abbey On-Track Tutoring Jamie Cassidy Soccer School School Uniform Letter Please find attached letter from Mr Horner regarding school uniform. Oak Class Last Week of Term Please find attached letter from Miss Baxter regarding the last week of term events and activities.. Reading books Over the Summer holidays I will be having an audit of our phonic books (both our 'Love to Read' and 'Learn to Read'). To support with this process, please could I ask that all reading books are handed back to your child's class teacher before the end of term? Thank you! Best wishes, Miss Spencer Parents' and Carers' Questionnaire Your child/ren will be coming home with a questionnaire that we would very much like you to complete and return before the end of term. I appreciate that it is slightly late in the term, but we would very much like to hear from you regarding a range of different aspects of school life. I have attached an electronic copy, should you need it. Many thanks in advance - we will be very grateful if you are able to take the time. Best wishes, Mr Horner |
| 16th July Reminder: Swimming Gala Wed 17th If your child is taking part in tomorrow's Hannah Barnes Swimming Gala, just a reminder of the details (letter attached). You will already have received this letter and signed a permission slip if they are participating. Please note that the children will need to be dropped off at the Leisure Centre at 9.00am, unless you have indicated that they require a lift from Breakfast Club. We will meet the children in the foyer and then take them through to the changing area. Parents are more than welcome to stay and watch. Please note that transport back to school will be provided via coach - there is no need to give your child a lift. If your child is unwell and can't take part, please email me as soon as possible (head.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk) as a replacement will need to be found. Kind regards, Mr Horner |
| 15th July Reading Awards Please find attached letter from Mrs Salter, regarding about Reading in school. Summer Party 2024 - Deadline is Tuesday to Book Your Place Last reminder!! Last reminder!! Last reminder!! Deadline for booking and paying for the Summer Party is tomorrow 16th July! Best wishes, The School Association. |
| 12th July Events in the Local Area Please see attached details of events in the local area over the coming weeks. Bicester Family Day Music Summer Evening Pedal Party Summer Fair Summer Party 2024 - Deadline is Tuesday to Book Your Place This is a reminder about the Summer Party on Friday 19th July! Please remember that the deadline for payment and booking is Tuesday 16th July via Scopay. Message to Ash Class Parents On Tuesday 16th July, please collect your child from inside the classroom not outside at 3:15pm, as we would like you to read their persuasive writing about their recycled, plastic purse that they have written. The children wrote this to try and persuade you to let them take their purse home, so please let them know if you agree after you have read their writing! If your child is at Treehouse that day, then we will send them home with a photocopy of the writing along with their purse Yours sincerely, Ms Gould and Mrs Caulfield Tree House Update This message is to confirm that there will be no Tree House on the last day of term (Wednesday 24th July). Children should be collected at the normal time of 3.15pm. I have removed any bookings and credited your accounts |
| 11th July Mathletics We wanted to let you know that your child’s Mathletics account will be refreshed on Monday 29th July, ready for the results from the next school year. Please find additional information here. Log-in information will be provided by your child’s new class teacher in September. Production Tickets Dear Oak and Rowan Families, Just a message to say that the children will be coming home today with their allocated tickets for our production of 'The Key Master', which is taking place next week. We look forward to seeing you there! |
| 10th July Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 15th July - Friday 19th July) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. End of Year Reports We wanted to let you know that end-of-year reports for all classes will be coming out today. Please note that an adult will need to sign for each report. Please let us know if another nominated adult is collecting your child's report. If your child is attending Tree House, their report will be available to collect at the end of the session. After today, they will be available for collection from the school office. |
| 9th July Message from Mrs Evans Dear Beech Class Parents and Carers, This term, in preparation for Year 2, all children have been reading in Guided Reading groups twice a week. However, we have only recorded the individual reading at school in their diaries. Thank you for your continued support with reading at home. Kind regards, Mrs Evans |
| 8th July Oak Swimming Monday 15th July. Next Monday will be Oak Class's final swimming lesson - when we will be focusing on water safety. Please can all children bring in some old clothes to use e.g. a pair of old pyjamas. Many thanks, Miss Baxter New Class Arrangements September 2024 Please find attached letter with details of New Class arrangements for September. Year 6 Camp Out - Reminder Thank you to those of you who have given consent and made payment for this. Please can anyone who has not yet paid go onto Scopay and give consent and make payment by the end of today. Message from Miss Baxter Next Monday, will be the Oak Class’ final swimming lesson - where we will be focusing on water safety. Please may all children bring in some old clothes to participate in this. E.g a pair of old pyjamas. Many thanks, Miss Baxter |
| 5th July Leavers' Hoodies Dear Oak Class Parents and Carers, I am emailing as I am aware that there have been some queries/complaints regarding the timing of the distribution of our Leavers' Hoodies. As per the original letter, which we sent early in the term to help with organisation, "Please be aware that the school will decide when the hoodies are handed out, so that the children don’t get into ‘leaver mode’ too soon!" I appreciate that this is open to interpretation, but we have been consistent in recent years with giving the hoodies out at the Year 6 Camp Out and we feel that this has worked very well in terms of balancing making an occasion of the 'giving out' and not giving the children the impression that they have already finished for the summer. In previous years, we have seen many of our former pupils wearing their hoodies long after they have left Chesterton, so we know that they will still get plenty of use from them. Whilst other schools may operate the process differently, Miss Baxter and I feel that this decision is right for Chesterton. I also would like to clarify that I have contacted some of our local secondaries regarding transition days and none of them that I have spoken to would allow Leavers' Hoodies to be worn on those occasions. Miss Baxter and Miss Barrett put a lot of effort in Upper School to maintain high standards of behaviour all the way through the Summer Term and this is one of the decisions that we feel helps maintain a positive and productive environment. Whilst you may not agree with this specific decision, we hope that you can appreciate the reasons behind it and the hard work (sporting events, Leavers' performances, Summer Party etc.) going into this term. These events often involve staff giving up their own time to ensure that your children have an enjoyable end to their time at primary school, filled with exciting events and extra-curricular activities. Thank you for your support on this matter; we look forward to seeing you at the leavers' events in the coming weeks. Kind regards, Mr Horner School Association: Summer Party The school year is coming to an end, and guess what? We’re throwing an epic outdoors SUMMER PARTY to celebrate! Friday 19th July KS1 (Maple, Beech & Ash) 5 - 6.15pm KS2 (Chestnut, Hawthorn, Rowan & Oak) 6.30 - 8pm Please pay via Scopay (deadline 16th July) £5 including a snack and ice lolly  |
| 3rd July Beech Class Sharing Worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Beech Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (5th July) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 8th July - Friday 12th July) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 2nd July Year 6 Camp Out Please find attached letter from Year 6 parents about the Camp Out on Friday 19th July. Ash Class information Please find attached enriched learning for Ash class - Summer Term 2. Our apologies for the delay in sending this. |
| 1st July Beech Class Forest School - Tomorrow Just a reminder that Beech Class are doing Forest School tomorrow instead of Wednesday this week. We have re-attached the letter for information, including what the children should wear for Forest School. |
| 27th June Team Superschools Final Reminder Following on from the gymnast visit for Team Superschools on Monday 17th June, this email is to remind you that the fundraising page closes at midday on Saturday 29th June. I am delighted to say that we are now at 93% of our target (although we would love to beat our target!). Thank you for your generosity so far. The new play trail is now finished and the children will be able to use it for the first time later this week, so please help us raise as much money as possible to help us pay for it. You can continue to collect sponsors and add to your child's fundraising page even after the event. Click on this link to add any sponsors that your child has managed to collect. |
| 25th June Book Fair update We wanted to let you know that we earned over £400 in commission at the recent Book Fair! This will be used to buy books for the classrooms along with money raised on World Book Day. Thank you to everyone for your support and for making this the most successful book fair yet! |
| 24th June School Association: Soak the Teacher Just a reminder that the Soak the Teacher event is straight after school today! Don't forget to bring your money! Maple Class Sharing Worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Maple Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (28th June) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. |
| 21st June Beech Class Trip - Earth Trust Please find attached details of a trip for Beech class to the Earth Trust. Please go online and make payment and give consent in the usual way via Scopay. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Soak the Teacher - CHANGE OF DATE Please note that the Soak the Teacher event has been rearranged to Monday 24th June straight after school. If your child is attending Tree House, they can also bring in a £1 to take part. |
| 20th June Musical Assemblies On Thursday 27th June and Thursday 4th July, we will be holding our next popular instrument sharing assemblies, where we enjoy the fruits of our pupils' hard work and instrumental practice. In addition to those pupils who take part in lessons with our music teachers in school, we are inviting any pupils who play outside school to share their talents. If your child would like the opportunity to play something, they need to choose a short piece that they can play independently on an instrument that they can easily bring to school (unless it's a piano, in which case they can use ours!). Please email me (head.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk) with their name and the name of the piece. As you will see, there are now two performances due to the high numbers of pupils involved in playing instruments - which is fantastic! If your child plays the piano with Flora, or the guitar with Pijin, they will be participating on Thursday 27th June. If your child learns a woodwind instrument with Csenge, they will be playing on Thursday 4th July. If your child learns an instrument outside of school and would like to participate, please let me know and I will allocate them to one or the other (unless you express a preference). If your child has just started to learn and are not yet confident enough to have a go, please don't worry as there will be many more opportunities. If you would like to know more about opportunities to learn an instrument, please contact the school office. If your child is playing, we would like to invite you to attend. The assemblies both start at 10.00, so please arrive by 9.55. |
| 18th June End of Year Procedures As we approach the end of the year, we will be updating and clearing this year's accounts on Scopay. Could you please check Scopay and clear balances if appropriate? Any outstanding balances or monies owing on school meals or Breakfast Club and Tree House will be carried over to next year, however we would ask that you clear your account before the end of term if at all possible. If your child is leaving, and you have credit on your account, it can either be transferred to a sibling still in school or refunded via the original method of payment. Please let us know if you have any queries as we can check individual accounts. School relies on parents to keep their Scopay accounts up to date and class trips and activities would not be possible without the voluntary contributions that we request. Thank you for your ongoing support. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Sports Day! We wanted to let you know that the School Association will be providing a BBQ and refreshments tomorrow for Sports Day, please see their page. Soak the Teacher Owing to the chilly weather, we had to postpone the Soak the Teacher event during the Summer Fair. But don’t worry! The forecast is looking up, and we’ve scheduled it for next Thursday (27th June) immediately after school. For just £1 you’ll get three chances to splash Mr Horner - a fantastic deal.  |
| 17th June School Association : Rags 2 Riches Collection 19th June A reminder that Wednesday is the Rags 2 Riches collection. Thank you for your support! |
| 14th June Sports Day on Wednesday 19th June Please find attached letter regarding details of Chesterton's Sports Day on Wednesday 19th June. Summer Fair arrangements Please see the School Association page Team Superschools Reminder Apologies that there may be a few emails from school today - there's always a lot going on in the Summer Term! This one is to remind you and your children that, on Monday (17th), we have our Team Superschools event taking place (see original letter). This will be a great way to kick off School Sports Week. We are raising money for extension of the Play Trail for the school. We are currently at 19% of our target (although, we would love more than our target if possible!). The new play trail is taking shape, with surfacing to be completed next week (see photo below), so please help us raise us much money as possible to help us pay for it. You can continue to collect sponsors and add to your child's fundraising page even after the event. Click on this link to add any sponsors that your child has managed to collect. We will send paper copies of the sponsorship form home today in case you need one. Please note that pupils should come to school in their P.E. kit on Monday, so check that they have brought it home with them today. They will not need their school uniform at all on Monday. Many thanks for your support, Mr Horner  |
| 13th June SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Dress Down Day This email is to remind you that it is Dress Down Day tomorrow, Friday 14th June. Please see the Dress Down Day poster for more information. |
| 12th June Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Monday 17th June - Friday 21st June) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. Suspected Case of Slapped Cheek in Maple Class Please be aware that we have a case of Chickenpox reported in lower school over the weekend. Year 5 Gosford School Welcome Event Please find attached letter from Gosford School regarding a welcome event. |
| 11th June SCHOOL BOOK FAIR! Last Day! Thank you to everyone who has supported the Book Fair so far! All commission earnt will be used to buy books for each class. We wanted to remind you that today is your last chance to buy, the Book Fair will be collected tomorrow. Ash Staffing Update! I am happy to announce that Mrs Caulfield is expecting her second child in the autumn. The Ash Class children are being told the exciting news today, so you may hear it from the children at the end of the day. This should not affect Ash Class' teaching arrangements for the remainder of the Summer Term, as Mrs Caulfield's maternity leave will not begin until next academic year. We wish Emily, Joe and Albie all the best for the future as they become a family of four. Team Superschools Please find attached letter from Mr Horner about our Team Superschools sponsored challenge.. Maple Class We have been made aware of a case of head lice in your child's class. We would be grateful if every parent would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. The School Association needs you! At the moment, they have only 9 volunteers for running stalls at this Saturday's Summer Fair and 11 stalls to cover! They really don't want to have to cancel any stalls. They would like at least 2 volunteers per stall, but more would be helpful to allow volunteers to have some more time off to enjoy the Fair themselves. All you need to do is click on this link and put your name and email address. Many thanks for your support, Mr Horner |
| 10th June SCHOOL: Chickenpox Please be aware that we have a case of Chickenpox reported in lower school over the weekend. SCHOOL: Ash Class Worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Ash Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (14th June) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. |
| 7th June Oak Swimming Term 6 SCHOOL: Suspected Cases of Slapped Cheek We have been made aware of suspected cases of slapped cheek in Hawthorn class. More information is available on the NHS website. Chestnut Class Roman Day Please find attached letter regarding a Roman Day for Chestnut Class. Please go online to give consent and make payment via Scopay in the usual way. SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Dress Down Day Please see poster from the School Association for Dress Down Day on Friday 14th June. Key Stage Two Tennis Club Please find attached letter regarding details of an after-school tennis club for Key Stage Two which starts on Friday 21st June. Places are limited and the deadline to apply online is Wednesday 19th June. |
| 6th June SCHOOL: Suspected Cases of Slapped Cheek We have been made aware of suspected cases of slapped cheek in Ash & Chestnut classes. More information is available on the NHS website. Message from Miss Spencer Next week as part of our learning about Life Cycles we will be looking at the book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. One of the activities we will be doing on Monday is making our own rainbow fruit skewers. The children will be selecting, chopping and assembling their own fruit skewer using the following fruits (subject to availability at the supermarket!): - Bananas - Strawberries - Kiwi - Tangerines - Grapes - Mango I have a list of medical information, but if your child is allergic to any of these fruits then please let me know via email. If your child can eat all of these fruits, then you don't need to respond. Thank you for your support. Best wishes, Miss Spencer |
| 5th June Oak Swimming Term 6 Please find attached letter regarding swimming lessons which start on Monday 10th June. Please go online to give consent and make payment in the usual way. |
| 4th June SCHOOL: Book Fair We would like to remind you that we will be holding our annual Book Fair, starting tomorrow after school and ending next Tuesday 11th June. I have attached the letter and book list again for your information, please support if you can. Every purchase goes towards commission that can be used to order books for the classrooms. |
| 24th May School Association : Rags 2 Riches Collection 19th June Please find attached poster regarding the Rags 2 Riches collection on Wednesday 19th June. This half term is the perfect opportunity to do a clear out and declutter while helping to raise money for your school! Please support if you can and bring your bags into school on the day. Kind Regards School Association Book Fair Please find attached a letter regarding a book fair that will take place in school, straight after half term. We have also attached a wish list form, which may be helpful to note down any books you would like to buy. Oak Class Trip Please find attached details of a trip for Oak class to The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Please go online and make payment and give permission in the usual way via Scopay. Beech Class Forest School Please find attached Beech Forest School letter, which starts on Wednesday 5th June. |
| 22nd May Deadline for Ordering Meals after Half Term is Tonight Further to our previous email on Friday regarding ordering from the new Summer/Autumn menu. To enable the kitchen to place their food orders, please go online and place your child's choices by this evening. As this is a new menu, the School Office are unable to order manually after the deadline as we will not know your child's choices. Therefore, if no option has been chosen, a packed lunch will need to be brought from home for the first week after half-term. Re-arranged May Day Celebrations Thank you for your understanding with today's postponement. Although re-arranging presents some challenges for us in school, we really don't want the pupils to miss out after all their hard work to practise their dances, especially our Year 6s. Therefore, the plan is to rearrange for tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 23rd May). The forecast looks a bit grey and cold, but hopefully dry! Unfortunately, due to staffing and Police availability to close the road, we are unable to do the full procession from the village green, so will be starting slightly later at school (1.30pm). We appreciate that some parents and carers will be unable to attend at short notice, so we will endeavour to take as many photos/videos as possible. All other arrangements remain the same. May Day Postponed Unfortunately, the weather forecast has worsened further, so we have taken the decision to postpone May Day. I will be in touch later on with details of plans to rearrange if possible, but wanted to give you notice before school so you can hopefully avoid sending in clothes/posies this morning. Please share on parents' WhatsApp groups if you can, as not everyone will see an email so early in the morning. Thank you for your understanding. |
| 21st May Year 1 Phonics Please find attached Phonics information from Mrs Evans May Day update As you may have noticed, the weather forecast is not looking too promising for tomorrow afternoon's May Day celebrations (see original letter attached). The forecast seems to be slightly uncertain, with the potential for significant showers, but also the chance that we will miss the worst of the rain. Therefore, we think it would be premature to make the decision to postpone today. We will make a decision tomorrow morning, based on the latest forecast, so please make sure that your children come to school ready for May Day to happen (see letter for details). If we do go ahead, rain could possibly bring an end/pause to proceedings mid-way through. In the event that we do postpone all or part of the celebrations, we will do our best to fit them before the end of half-term, but this will also depend on the forecast for Thursday/Friday. We appreciate that any changes may make it difficult for parents/carers to attend, so thank you in advance for your understanding. |
| 17th May New Summer/Autumn Menu - Starting Tuesday 4th June Today we have uploaded the Summer/Autumn menu onto ScoPay. This takes effect from Tuesday 4th June after half-term until the end of October. We will contact children with special diets individually as usual. The deadline for placing your orders for after half-term is next Wednesday 22nd May. The menu will also be on the school website under the parent tab. Please note that if you have ordered on the current menu up until July the choices have been removed from ScoPay and any money paid has been credited back onto your child's ScoPay account. Lost Property Left at Whitelands Farm Sports Ground A blue Adidas zip up jacket/hoodie was left at Whitelands after the Inter-house football yesterday. If this belongs to your child, please contact Whitelands directly to arrange collection. |
| 14th May Eco Council initiatives Just a couple of reminders about current Eco Council initiatives (see below). We are improving The Hope Garden further with a plant donation request and also encouraging our families to take part in No Mow May. We have already had a number of kind donations for the garden (link to up-to-date wish list below). If you haven't already donated but would like to take part, please let me know your plant selection as soon as possible. I have also heard from some families taking part in No Mow May. Please feel free to send me some photos as you go along, but we're especially keen to see the end results at the end of the month. More details for both are also available on the Eco Council page. Kind regards, Mr Horner Heyford Park School Year 5 Taster Day Please find attached a letter regarding an invitation to . Heyford Park School Year 5 Taster Day School Associaion: Bake Sale We would like to remind you that Rowan and Oak will be holding their Bake Sale on Friday 17th May after school. Cash or card accepted. |
| 13th May Message for Ash class As we prepare for Arts Week, please may we request for any clean, plastic bottle/milk lids to be sent in with your child. These can be sent in any time from now until Tuesday 4th June. Many thanks for your help, Mrs Caulfield & Ms Gould School Meals Update Please find attached a letter regarding school meal updates, which come into effect from Tuesday 4th June. Scopay will be updated to reflect these changes before half term. |
| 10th May Rowan Class Swimming - reminder Please can all children in Rowan class remember their swimming kits on Mondays. There are two more sessions this term. Please can you also remember to go online and make payment on Scopay if you haven't already done so. Rowan Class Trip - Reminder A reminder to please make payment and give consent on Scopay for the Rowan Class trip next Tuesday 14th May. School Associaion: We Need You It's just over a month until our annual School Association Summer Fair on 15th June. It is a big event with many elements and we will need lots of volunteers to deliver it safely and successfully. Please click for a volunteer sign-up sheet. This year, we are asking for more volunteers to make sure that people running the stalls can do it in shifts and be able to enjoy the Fair with their children and not be stuck at the stall the whole event! The more people we have signed up, the easier it becomes to everyone involved so please sign up to help if you can. Even help with setting up or cleaning after is appreciated. Please be aware that we will not be able to run the event if we don't have a sufficient number of volunteers, so thank you in advance for any help you can give. |
| 8th May Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (13th - 17th May) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. Lost Property The school has amassed a large amount of lost property over recent months! Where possible, the items have been returned to the children, but most are unfortunately unnamed and so it proves extremely difficult to match the items to their owners. For the rest of this week (Wednesday - Friday), tables will be placed onto the playground for parents to look through and hopefully find missing items. Any items that remain after Friday will be donated to charity or, where necessary, recycled. Please can we request that all uniform (including coats, PE kit, hats etc.) are marked with your child's name to ensure that these are returned swiftly to your child? Going forward, any items will be taken around to classes and, if these are unnamed and have not been claimed by the end of the week, will then be donated to charity. Kind Regards, Mr Horner Suspected Case of Slapped Cheek We have been made aware of a suspected case of slapped cheek in Beech Class. More information is available on the NHS website. |
| 7th May May Day! 22nd May Please find attached letter detailing arrangements for this year's May Day celebrations. Year 6 SATS week Please find attached Please find attached letter about Year 6 SATS which take place next week. |
| 3rd May Ash Class Trip Please find attached details of an up and coming trip for Ash class to The Natural History Museum at Tring. The cost of this trip is covered by the School Association. We just need the consent form at the bottom of the letter to be signed and returned by Wednesday 8th May. A hard copy of the letter will be coming home with your child today. Message from Miss Baxter Dear Year 6 families, At the end of every school year, we always like to show a montage of photos from throughout the group’s time at Chesterton to give them an emotional (and slightly embarrassing!) send off. We have many pictures from Upper School, but are lacking some of when the children were really little! Therefore, if you are able to send some on this occasion only, to Miss Baxter via email: sbaxter@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk , we would be very grateful. Anything school-related would be suitable, from first day uniform shots to Lower School nativity. If you have any particularly entertaining ones from more recently, we could definitely make room for them too! Please send in a maximum of 6 photos per child. The deadline for these pictures to be received is Monday 3rd June. Best wishes, Miss Baxter |
| 2nd May Urgent - Year 3/4 Boys' Football Postponed If your child was due to take part in the Year 3-4 football event at St. Edburg's this morning, it has unfortunately been postponed by the organisers due to the weather conditions. Apologies for the short notice, but we have only just been notified. We are hoping that it will be re-arranged - we'll let you know about a new date if this is the case. Best wishes, Mr Horner and Mrs Tuffrey |
| 1st May Head lice We have been made aware of a case of head lice in your child's class. We would be grateful if every parent would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. Revised Charges for Wrap-Around Care Please find attached letter regarding revised charges for Breakfast Club and Tree House which come into effect from Tuesday 4th June. Deadline for Ordering Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (Tuesday 7th - 10th May) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 30th April Culmington Update We're pleased to say that all of the Culmington residential photos are now on the school website. Enjoy! Best wishes, The Culmington Team Rowan Class Worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Rowan Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (3rd May) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. School Vision and Values We hope you agree that our whole school values (Respect, Compassion, Resilience, Hope, Integrity and Humility); are very much embedded into everyday school life at Chesterton.... Download the letter No Mow May! We are inviting you all to take part in No Mow May! This campaign aims to give wildlife a much needed boost during the summer. You can choose not to mow all of, or some of any green space that you have available. Download the letter |
| 29th April Trip Reminder! We wanted to remind you that Maple class will be going on their trip to Cogges Farm on Wednesday, we have attached the letter again for your information. Please remember to bring a packed lunch unless you have ordered a lunch through school. Summer Fair advertisement boards The preparations for our annual Summer Fair are in full swing! Last year some of you kindly agreed to have Summer Fair advertisement boards outside your houses. This year we will be working with IMS group and they are currently in design/production stage for the boards. We would like to use the same display locations as last year. Additionally, we are looking for locations in Upper Heyford (ideally on the main road/square), so please contact us on the email below if you can assist. If you previously had a board but would not like to participate this year (or moved) please email chestertonschoolassociation@outlook.com Kind Regards School Association Year 6 Leavers' Hoodies Today, your child will be bringing home a hard copy of the letter and order form for this year's Year 6 Leavers' Hoodies. We have also attached the details for your information. Please note the deadline for returning the order forms is Friday 3rd May. Culmington Update We have been made aware that not all of our Culmington photos have made it on to the school website. We are looking into this and will let you know when they are all available. |
| 24th April Deadline for Ordering School Lunches (29th April - 3rd May) is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (29th April - 3rd May) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 23rd April Missing Football Kit! Can we please ask that you check at home for any of the following football kit items that are missing: Kit 2 Purple Top - Puma top with a white number 2 on the back. Kit 15 Black Puma Shorts with the number 15 on the leg. 6 pairs of black puma socks. These are predominately black with grey toes and heels with a puma logo on the front. Thank you. |
| 22nd April Update Forest School! Please note that owing to the Sportshall Showdown, Forest School for Chestnut class will now take place tomorrow, on Tuesday 23rd April this week. |
| 19th April Seed spreader request A slightly strange request.... Along with Miss Barrett and Gardening Club, I am hoping to sow a large area of wildflower seed in The Nature Meadow next Monday. It would make our job much easier, and hopefully more successful, if we had a seed spreader (either hand-held or push along) to use. If any families happen to have one of these at home that we could borrow, it would be much appreciated. We will, of course, look after it well. Kind regards, Mr Horner Year 2 - 6 Running Club Please find attached letter regarding Running Club starting on the 30th April. Please note that the club will now be held on a Tuesday and is open to children in Year 2 to Year 6. Spaces are limited to 15. If you would like your child to participate, please go online and make payment in the usual way by Friday 26th April. |
| 17th April Cogges Farm Trip - Packed Lunch Reminder Just a reminder that if you would like to pre-order a packed lunch for this trip, which is provided by school, you must send in the attached order form to the office by Friday 19th April. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (22nd April - 26th April) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 16th April Wembley visit - child places remaining We have had a great response to our trip to Wembley next month for the women's FA Cup final and we now know the finalists (Manchester United v Tottenham). Thank you to those who have returned their slip and made payment so far. We have had a greater proportion of requests for adult tickets than in previous years, meaning that we have a surplus of child tickets, but no more adult ones available. Therefore if your child/ren would still like to attend, it may be possible for you to arrange with another parent or carer to supervise your child on the day. If this is the case, please let us know and specify the adult who will be responsible. Best wishes, Mr Horner Culmington Sharing Worship As previously mentioned on the school website, Chestnut & Hawthorne classes will be holding their Culmington visit sharing worship this Friday afternoon (19th April) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. |
| 4th April Chestnut Forest School Please find attached Chestnut Forest School letter, which starts on Wednesday 17th April. |
| 28th March Left over clothes from Culmington In school we have a collection of clothes brought back from the trip to Culmington. The items are not named and the children do not recognise them. If you think that you may be missing any items, please check with Miss Hawtin. The clothes will be kept until the end of the first week back after the school holidays. Easter Activities Bicester Town Council - Easter Egg Hunt - Wednesday 3rd April We are happy to announce that Bicester Town Council is holding a charity fundraising event in Garth Park. The Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Wednesday 3rd April from 11am to 3pm, during the school half-term. Funds raised will go to support a local charity, the Bicester Baby Bank. Please see the attached poster for more information. Harcourt Arboretum Spring Fair - Saturday 27th April 10:00—16:00 (Last entry 15:00) | Ticketed event Join us in a celebration of spring with a wander among the bluebells and a host of woodland crafts at the Harcourt Arboretum Spring Fair on Saturday 27 April. Enjoy local food and drink and explore 130 acres of woodland featuring some of the world’s rare and endangered trees. There will be hands-on activities for all the family, including straw weaving, wood turning, spoon carving and the always-popular petting zoo, all included with your ticket; a promenade performance of Fen Dance by the Café Reason Dance Theatre will entertain us in the afternoon. Book a tour with our team of volunteer guides and learn more about the origins and work of the Arboretum, or learn how to identify different species of tree. The Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum will return with their famous cake stall and tombola. Visit our specially selected local traders or stop by the Arboretum shop for a bottle of Physic Gin, organic olive oil or choose from our sustainably-sourced gifts such as picnic blankets and toys for budding botanists. Discover Bucks Museum This Easter Holiday we have 2 weeks jam-packed full of family fun and excitement. Join us for our Egg-cellent Easter Craft Activities, take part in our new exhibition This Fractured Land inspired art classes, celebrate Eid with paper craft, step back in time to Victorian Bucks plus make your own pet for National Pet Day! Enjoy our Easter Egg Trail on every day over the holidays and don’t miss our special Family Easter Eggstravaganza on Saturday 30 March! Don't miss out on all the family fun activities at Discover Bucks Museum this Easter Holiday. Wishing you all a Happy Easter. School Association Newsletter Please find attached the School Association newsletter. |
| 27th March Culmington Update! The coach has left Culmington and is estimated to return to school at 4pm. We will update you if this changes significantly. Photos and blog under Class Galleries SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: Reminder - Easter Egg Hunt If you have booked places for the Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow, this email is just to remind you of the details for tomorrow's event. Please note that the deadline for bookings was on Friday 22nd March at midday and no late bookings can now be accepted. Parents and carers should arrive to school for the usual pick-up time (3.15pm). Children will need to be accompanied by their parents to participate, as no staff will be available to supervise individual children. Please note that there will be no Tree House session as this is the final day of term. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight Please order meals for the first week back (Monday 15th April to Friday 19th April) by this evening (27th March). |
| 26th March Culmington Update! Please see below the update from Culmington last night. The staff are doing their best to upload pictures, but the wifi is proving difficult. We will let you know. What a wonderful start to our residential we have had! The children arrived at the manor raring to go and have already completed two activities. Group 1 and Group 2 started with archery and then headed to the obstacle courses. We enjoyed getting super muddy! Group 3 also took on the obstacle courses and then scaled the climbing wall. Groups 4 and 5 took on the climbing wall and the completed some team problem solving activities. Another highlight includes making our choices for dinner - we were very excited to be given a chocolate éclair for dessert! We have now settled into our rooms and are fast asleep! Maple Class Trip - Cogges Manor Farm Please find attached letter regarding the up-and-coming Maple trip to Cogges Manor Farm on Wednesday 1st May. You will notice that we are offering the facility of pre-ordering a packed lunch provided by school for the trip. We are attaching an order form which should be returned to the school office by Monday 15th April at the latest. You can of course send your own packed lunch. Any questions, please contact the school office. |
| 25th March Culmington Update! Just to let you know that the children have arrived safely, are settling in and getting ready for their first task! |
| 22nd March Rowan Class Swimming Please find attached a letter regarding Rowan Class swimming. Please go online to make payment and give consent in the usual way. Please note that the first swimming lesson will be on Monday 25th March. Palm Sunday & Community Cafe in Kirtlington Please find details below regarding Palm Sunday and the Community Cafe in Kirtlington. 'Families are invited to join the Palm Sunday procession in Kirtlington this Sunday, following a 'donkey' (actually, a pony) through the village to the church for a short service. Meet at 10.30 on North Green. There will be refreshments after the service. Parents and carers are invited to bring their pre-schoolers with them to the all-age community cafe in Kirtlington, Rise and Shine, which has home-made cakes and healthy snacks, fresh coffee, and activities and toys for the young ones plus a family story and singing time at the end. 9.15 - 10.45 every Wednesday in term time. Last one for this term on 27th March and re-starts on 17th April.' |
| 21st March IMPORTANT REMINDERS - Easter Egg Hunt/Photo Ordering/School Lunches Easter Egg Hunt The deadline for buying tickets for the Easter Egg Hunt is tomorrow, Friday 22nd March at midday. Please pay in the usual way via Scopay. Please ensure that you book by the deadline, as we cannot extend the date and some children have been disappointed by missing other activities so far this year. If your child has a younger sibling (not at the school) who would like to attend, please pay on Scopay. If the younger sibling has any dietary needs, please email the School Association at chestertonschoolassociation@outlook.com. Class Photo Order Please place your class photo order by tomorrow for free delivery to school. Deadline for Ordering School Meals Please order meals for the first week back after the Easter holidays by next Wednesday evening (27th March). |
| 20th March Headlice - Hawthorn and Beech We have been made aware of a case of head lice in your child's class. We would be grateful if every parent would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. Please use this link Final Reminders - Culmington Manor - Hawthorn and Chestnut Please find attached final letter about the Culmington trip. If you have any queries or concerns, please contact the school office by email: office.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk. REMINDER - Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for the last week of term (25th - 28th March) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 19th March Sportshall Showdown Update! If your child has received a letter for next month's Sportshall Showdown, you may have spotted a small error on the permission slip, as the date was incorrectly written as Wednesday 25th April. As per the main body of the letter, the event will take place on Wednesday 24th April. |
| 18th March Year 6 photos Following on from last week's class photos, we have realised that the order leaflet only showed one of the pictures that was taken of Year 6. They also had a leavers' picture taken. I am attaching a copy of an order form for the second picture. If you have already ordered and would like to change your choice, please email Debbie Kingsnorth at The School Photography Company on: dkingsnorth@schoolphotographs.co.uk by Wednesday 20th March, and she will change your order. Thank you |
| 15th March Parents' Evening Bookings If you have not yet booked a Parents' Evening appointment, please go online and book via Scopay. Online booking closes on Sunday 17th March at 5pm. Class Photographs Class photographs took place in school on Tuesday 12th March. Please use the information on the photo card if you would like to place an order. Sportshall Showdown A number of children will come home with a named letter today regarding the upcoming Sportshall Showdown event on Wednesday April 24th. As we are a relatively small school and the event involves 80 pupils, this competition includes nearly half of our pupils, and some children may be disappointed not to have been selected. We are keen to take as many pupils as we can, and would love to be able to take the whole school, but unfortunately this is not logistically possible. The aim of this event is to provide a platform for some of our keenest athletes to compete against each other, whilst also giving first opportunities to those who may not have taken part in such an event before. On this occasion, competitors aren't drawn at random. However, there is a significant amount of rotation from one year to the next and a large proportion of this year's athletes didn’t attend in 2023. In selecting the children, we try to look at giving some new children a chance each time. This may be because they are new to the school since the previous year, that they have impressed with their effort or ability in another area, because they were keen to participate last year and couldn't, or just because they deserve a turn. Opportunities increase as the children move through the school as we take a higher number of children from Upper School. For example, this year, every pupil in Year 6 has been chosen to participate. The reason for emailing is that we appreciate that there are always children who are disappointed to miss out, possibly because we didn't realise that they would be keen, and we would much rather know about this. If they have not been selected this year, and would like to be considered, please drop me an email or ask them to pop in to see me. In the event of illness or unavailability, we will obviously need to call on replacements and showing enthusiasm is a good way to be at the front of the queue! Failing that, we will certainly bear them in mind for future events. This was the case for a few children last year and they are hopefully pleased to have been chosen this time around. If your child has been selected, please return the permission slip as soon as possible (by Friday 22nd March at the latest), so we can pick the teams. If your child is not available / not keen to take part, then please let me know as soon as possible, so we can offer the place to someone else. However, if they are just a little unsure, and could be persuaded, then please speak to their class teacher or myself and we can hopefully explain the event and reassure them. |
| 13th March Deadline for Ordering School Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (18th - 22nd March) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 12th March Maple Class Reminder! Just a reminder that tomorrow, Wednesday 13th March, from 2pm-3pm, you are invited to a 'Stay and Learn' event in Maple class. Please arrive at 2pm and wait by the main gates. We will be ready to welcome you into the classroom to spend time enjoying all that Reception has to offer. We go outside in all weathers so please dress warmly and bring a coat! We look forward to seeing you there. Best wishes, Miss Spencer |
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11th March Message from Miss Crockett Can we please ask that the children bring in a container and apron tomorrow if possible? I have attached the letter about cooking again for your information. Class Photos We would like to remind you that tomorrow the children will be having their class photos taken. We will be starting at 9am with Maple class. Culmington - Final Payment Please ignore this message if your child is not going on the Culmington trip. Thank you for the payments that we have already received. Just a reminder that the final balance is due by the 18th March. If there is any reason why you cannot make the payment, please contact the school office as soon as possible. Parents' Appointments March 2024 This year, parents' appointments will be held during the week of 18th March 2024. For the first time we will be using online booking via Scopay. I am attaching a Parental Guide for your information, but please feel free to contact us if you have any issues. The appointments will be made available on Tuesday 12th March at 9am and close on Sunday 17th at 5pm. |
| 8th March Important Information - No Tree House (28th March) & School Photographs Tree House Please note that, as in previous terms, there will be no Tree House sessions on the last day of the Spring Term (Thursday 28th March). If a booking has been made, the office will cancel this and the balance will be returned to your Tree House account. Please note that this day is also scheduled to be the School Association Easter Egg Hunt. School Class Photographs - Tuesday 12th March The School Photography Company will be in school on Tuesday 12th March to take class photographs. Slips will be sent home with your child on Tuesday, if you would like to order these photographs Extreme Reading Competition Thank you for all of the Extreme Reading entries that we have received. If your child entered the competition, we would be grateful if you could email their photo to the school office as we would like to use the entries for a display. Kind Regards, Mrs Salter |
| 6th March Festival of Voices Concert & Choir Please find attached letter from Mrs Salter regarding the choir and the Festival of Voices concert. Deadline for Ordering School Meals is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (11th - 15th March) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 4th March Beech Class Animal Workshop 15-3-24 Please find attached letter about a forthcoming animal workshop for Beech class. This visit has now been posted on Scopay. |
| 1st March Comic Relief - Red Nose Day! Please find attached details of our Comic Relief activities on Friday 15th March SATs Information for Parents Dear Oak Class Parents and Carers, In addition to Miss Baxter's information evening on Key Stage Two SATs, please find a leaflet that gives you reminders on everything you need to know regarding the assessments. Kind regards, Mr Horner National Childhood Measuring Programme Please find attached letter and information regarding the NCMP which will take place in school on Tuesday 26th March for Reception and Year 6 children. |
| 29th February: Chestnut Class - Cooking Session Letter Please find attached letter regarding cooking sessions taking place for Chestnut Class. A hard copy of this letter will be coming home with your child today. World Book Day - Reminder Thursday 7th March This is to remind you that World Book Day is next Thursday 7th March. The deadline for the Extreme Reading competition is at 9.00 am Thursday 7th March. Attached is the letter for further information. Oak Class Reminder - The Living Rainforest Can we remind you that Oak class are going to the Living Rainforest tomorrow! Please remember that children need to be in school for 8.40 am, the bus will be leaving promptly at 9.00am! I have attached the letter again for your information. Children will need a packed lunch. |
| 28th February: Maple Stay and Learn - Wednesday 13th March As our first event was such a success, we will be holding another Stay and Learn session on Wednesday 13th March 2024, from 2:00pm-3:00pm. This is a great opportunity to spend the afternoon with your child, experiencing all the wonderful things that Reception has to offer. You will get to engage in various learning opportunities with your child and hear about their favourite activities. At 3:00pm, you will be able to wait on the playground, where you will be ready to collect your child as normal at 3:15pm. We kindly ask that one adult per child attends this event due to the size of the classroom space. However, please do not worry as we will be holding another event in the Summer term. Please email the school office to confirm whether or not someone is able to attend. If you are unable to attend for any reason, you are more than welcome to ask another family member to attend. Please let us know the name of the adult. This promises to be an exciting event and we look forward to welcoming you back into Maple Class! Deadline for Ordering Lunches is Tonight This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (4th - 8th March) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. |
| 26th February: Maple Class worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Maple Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (1st March) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. Lunch update tomorrow We wanted to let you know that tomorrow's main lunch choice has been replaced by pork sausages and mash, owing to supply problems. All other choices remain the same. Message from Miss Baxter Dear Oak Families, As part of our science topic (Animals including Humans) the children will be making fake blood in a bottle! Please could I ask your child to come to school next Friday, 8th March 2024, with a clear plastic bottle, around 500ml capacity, which has the label taken off. Many thanks, |
| 22nd February: Deadline for Ordering School Meals is This Evening This message is to remind you that the deadline for ordering school meals for next week (26th February to 1st March) is tonight. Please go on ScoPay to place your order. Help Needed from Year 1 Pupils Dear Beech Class Parents and Carers, I am writing to ask for your help. Chesterton has been chosen by Sport England to take part in the Active Lives Children & Young People Survey and our children in Year 2, 4 and 6 have already completed their surveys in school. The reason we need help from our Year 1 families is that we are only a few pupils short of reaching a milestone that will qualify us to receive the maximum number of credits to access new sporting equipment (see below). Here are some more details. Active Oxfordshire are working on behalf of Sport England, together with Ipsos MORI on the Active Lives Children and Young People Survey. This is a survey carried out in schools to gather information about the sports and activity participation of young people. What will the research entail?
For taking part in the survey, Chesterton will receive:
Chesterton’s data will contribute to a district level report which will help to inform future provision of sport and physical activity and the support that Active Oxfordshire can offer schools. As you know, we are committed to physical activity and sport, so we would like our pupils’ voices to be heard on the subject. Therefore, we are keen for as many children as possible to take part. If your child does participate in the survey at home, please email me at (head.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk) to let me know. House points are available! Kind regards, Mr Horner |
| 21st February: Scouting Founders Day Tomorrow - Wear Your Uniform We have been made aware that tomorrow (Thursday 22nd February) is a special day in the Scouting calendar as it is Founders Day. This is the birthday of Lord Robert Baden-Powell the founder of the Scout movement. Baden-Powell's wife also set up the Girl Guide movement and they also celebrate this day as World Thinking Day. We have not celebrated this day before in school, but have had a request from a local group leader that any members are allowed to wear their uniform to mark the day tomorrow. As we know that we have pupils who are members of other groups (Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides), we would like to extend the invitation to those children for this special occasion. Children should wear normal school shoes and please ensure that they have coats etc. due to the weather. Kind regards, Mr Horner A Few Requests Welcome back to the second half of the Spring Term. We hope that you had an enjoyable half-term break with your children. There are just a few reminders that we'd like to give regarding the start and end of the day.
Kind regards, Mr Horner and the staff team |
| 20th February: Children at risk through fuel poverty I am contacting schools in Bicester and the immediate surrounding areas as Oxfordshire County Council have received Home Upgrade Grant funding for domestic energy efficiency upgrades. We know there is a huge population of eligible residents in Bicester and in the surrounding villages, and children who attend your school may be living in cold, hard to heat homes, with little or no insulation. Through this grant, recipients can receive up to £38,000 worth of free energy efficiency upgrades, including insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps, plus more, and we want to make sure that those who need it, receive it - hence why I’m sending this email. This Grant aims to help homeowners/residents save money off their energy bills, reduce their carbon footprint, and provide warm homes for those at risk of fuel poverty. The eligibility criteria is as follows:
Our Oxfordshire County Council retrofit team would really appreciate it if you could spread the word about this scheme via your school newsletter, or by having a poster up in your reception areas. Anything you do would help make a difference to the wellbeing of children at risk of fuel poverty. If you do have any questions or wish to know more about the scheme/ discuss it in more depth, then don’t hesitate to contact myself or get in touch through our retrofit teams inbox on retrofit@oxfordshire.go.uk. Best wishes, Jasmine Bond-Kay Retrofit Programme Support Officer |
| 19th February: Message for all Parents Please find attached letter from Oxfordshire Health Service. Message from Miss Crockett We hope that your children have enjoyed reading the fairy tale books that they were gifted for Christmas. Next week, we will be beginning to explore them in our English lessons. Please can your child bring in their fairy tale book to share with the class. Best wishes, Miss Crockett Beech Class Sharing Worship As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Beech Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (23rd February) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. Ash Class Running Club Following on from Mr Horner's previous, there are still spaces available on running club that starts on Wednesday this week (it will be on Thursdays for the remaining weeks). Please sign up by tomorrow if your child is interested in coming along. Best wishes, Miss Crockett |
| 16th February: Ash Class Running Club February - March 2024 If your child has signed up for running club (see attached letter) , please note that for the first week only, there is a change of day. The club will take place on Wednesday 21st, rather than Thursday 22nd, due to Mr Warland's work commitments. All other clubs will remain on Thursday mornings (8.00-8.45). If your child hasn't signed up, please do so via Scopay. Places are limited. |
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9th February:
Chestnut Class Swimming Please find attached a letter regarding Chestnut Class swimming in Term 4. Please go online to make payment and give consent in the usual way. Hawthorn Forest School Please find attached letter regarding Hawthorn Class Forest School, which starts on Wednesday 21st February. Culmington Information Presentation - Wednesday 28th February Further to Mrs Salter's letter regarding the Culmington Manor residential. We are pleased to confirm that there will be an information presentation straight after school on Wednesday 28th February and parents and pupils are invited. World Book Day Please find attached details about World Book Day activities, which start on Monday 4th March. Oak Class trip Please find attached details of an up and coming trip for Oak class to The Living Rainforest, Newbury. Please go online to make payment and give permission in the usual way via Scopay. Fundraising Update! Following on from the magnificent efforts over the Autumn Term to fundraise for various good causes, we wanted to let you know how much was raised for each.
Thank you, Mr Horner Ash Class Staffing Update Just a short email to notify you that, after half-term, there will be a small change to the teaching responsibilities in Ash Class. Ms Gould will be taking over Wednesday morning from Mrs Caulfield, meaning that the working days are now as follows: Mrs Caulfield (Monday and Tuesday) Ms Gould (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) Mrs Hitchins remains as the main Ash Class Teaching Assistant and works five days per week. Beech Class update As you may be aware, Miss Phillips is expecting her second child (due early Summer). I'm sure that you would join us in congratulating her on this exciting news. As you may have noticed, Miss Phillips has been back in school over the past two weeks and we very much hope that she will be teaching the pupils on her normal days (Weds, Thurs, Fri) until she begins her maternity leave. Plans are already underway with regards to the recruitment of Miss Phillips' maternity cover and we will be in touch to inform you in due course. |
| 7th February: Ash Class Running Club February - March 2024 Please find attached letter regarding Ash Class Running Club starting on the 22nd February. Please note that the club will now be held on a Thursday and is limited to 15 places. A hard copy of the letter was sent home with your child today. If you would like your child to participate, please go online and make payment in the usual way. Deadline for ordering meals is this evening - Wednesday 7th February Please order meals for the first week back after half term by this evening, Wednesday 7th February. Term starts on Monday 19th February. Bake Sale Reminder A reminder of the Bake Sale tomorrow and Friday (8th & 9th February), organised by Chestnut & Hawthorn! Please support if you can. |
| 6th February: Message for Maple Parents We wanted to let you know that there has been a confirmed case of scarlet fever in Maple class. The symptoms have mainly been a high temperature which has been treated with antibiotics. Please be vigilant, if you are concerned, please contact your GP. Reminder Year 6 Parents This is to remind you that tomorrow is the deadline for ordering SATS books via Scopay. We will remove the ordering facility from Scopay tomorrow after school so that we can place our school order. Thank you. |
| 2nd February: School Association: Upcoming Events Next Week Please see our Events page of upcoming events in school next week: 1. Rags to Riches collection Monday 5th February 2. Nick Cope visit to reception/years 1,2 and 3 on Thursday 8th February 3. Chestnut and Hawthorn bake sale on 8th/9th February Oak Class trip - The Junior Citizens trip for Oak class Please find attached details of The Junior Citizens trip for Oak class. Please go online to make payment and give permission in the usual way via Scopay. Staffing update As you may be aware, Miss Daisy Trotter is leaving us at the end of this half-term to go travelling for a few months (we're all a bit envious!). This was pre-planned before her start with us in September and we were aware that her time with us would be relatively short, as she is then starting at university in the autumn. Although Miss Trotter has only been at Chesterton for a few months, she has made a very positive impact; not only to Ash Class where she spends the majority of her week, but also to Rowan and Oak Classes and wrap-around care. We were also particularly grateful for her role at the Kilvrough residential back in October. We may see her back at school in the summer when she returns from her travels but, if not, we wish Daisy all the best for when she begins her studies in Educational Pyschology in September. Mrs Hitchins has already settled in well to life in Ash Class and will be taking on the majority of Miss Trotter's responsibilities. Thank you for making her, and our other new staff, welcome since the New Year |
| 1st February: Message from Miss Baxter for Oak families Thank you for attending the Year 6 SATs evening last week. As requested, please find the dates of this years KS2 SATs below:
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| 31st January: Bicester Sportshall Athletics - Thursday 1st February If your child is attending the Sportshall athletics tomorrow morning, please bring a bag containing their school uniform to change into after the event. |
| 30th January: Message for Beech Class parents We have been made aware of a case of head lice in your child's class. We would be grateful if every parent would check their child's head and if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatment. More information is available on the NHS choices website. |
| 29th January: Oak Class Sharing Worship - Friday 2nd February As previously mentioned in the class newsletter and on the website, Oak Class will be holding their sharing worship this Friday afternoon (2nd February) in the school hall at 2.30pm. Parents & family are welcome to attend. 29th January: Rowan Class trip - Wednesday 28th February Please find attached details of an up and coming trip for Rowan class to Science Oxford. Please go online and make payment and give permission in the usual way via Scopay. |
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Chesterton CE Primary School Alchester Road, Chesterton, Bicester Oxon OX26 1UN Tel: 01869 252498 office.3082@chesterton.oxon.sch.uk |