 |  | Junior Boys Bulletin | | | Mr Richards' Words Week 12 |  | | The run up to Christmas in a primary school is usually a rollercoaster ride of events. This week has certainly been a rollercoaster ride of emotions as well as events.
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| | | From the Office | A message from the Executive Head
Dear Parents and Guardians
As we approach the end of term, pupils and staff are busying themselves for what will be a very unusual Christmas for most of us. My sign off to you this calendar year contains important information for the holiday period and the Lent Term.
Like all schools around us, we have been affected by Covid-19, both in terms of our individual wellbeing and our provision. Due to your support as parents and the intelligent actions of your children, we have been able to run a fairly full programme and curriculum, although it was disappointing to have to close our Nursery this week, so close to the end of term.
From Thursday 17 December
The holiday period is beset with rules to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. Please follow this link, which offers guidance on the government's regulations for Christmas gatherings. The unsettling thought for all friends, families and schools is that the country may go into lockdown at the start of January if the rise in Covid cases surges, as has been suggested by 631many scientists. We sincerely hope this will not be the case, and that the Claires Court community can return as planned on Wednesday 6 January.
During the Christmas break Claires Court school will be closed, but you are still required to report a Covid-19 related matter throughout the holiday period, which is the statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). While the DfE states that schools need to have contact provision for six days after school breaks up, we would like to maintain this link with you for the duration of the Christmas holiday. If you need to report a confirmed Covid-19 case, please fill in our electronic form which will be sent to you in a separate email.
We will not be running a holiday club programme during the Christmas break. Very few parents requested this provision in our questionnaire and we would like to give our Nursery area a ‘reset break’ before returning in January.
The Lent term
It is our intention to offer an after school activity programme, Covid-19 restrictions permitting. Thanks to so many of you for sharing your preferences on our recent questionnaire. Based on your feedback and the practicalities, the activity offer will be a reduced programme, and we intend to have early buses running on Monday and Friday evenings. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be the activity days with a later bus service, although not as late as it was pre-Covid. Rather than leaving the Senior Boys site for the home journey at 5.35pm, buses will leave at the end of activities at 5.15pm, ensuring an earlier arrival home. More information will be available in the end of term information pack.
Each Division will have a slightly different activity programme structured according to the needs of the pupils and parents. This specific information will be shared with you on the last day of term. There will be no need to sign up to the activity programme before Christmas as, apart from study and wrap around care, activities will not begin until Tuesday 19 January. This will provide time in the New Year for pupils to choose options carefully and for the school to evaluate our provision according to which tier the borough is in at that time.
Our catering offer will remain the same as it is now in terms of weekly block booking, although the menu will alter slightly. However, the booking of this will be moving to the report portal, rather than via a 'google form' from January. The deadline for bookings remains 4pm the Thursday of the preceding week. Further details of this new booking system will be shared have been shared below but for now please ensure your child(ren)'s dietary information that we hold on the report portal is correct and up-to-date.
Finally
While Christmas arrangements and family ‘bubbles’ are going to ensure that this will be a holiday season like no other, I hope you are able to relax and enjoy time with family and friends where appropriate. I wish you all a safe and Happy Christmas.
Best wishes
Justin Spanswick
Executive Headteacher
Lunch Bookings from January
Next term, hot school lunch bookings will be made via the report portal (rather than google forms). You can book these in the same way you would book activities or study and after school care. A few points to note:
- The deadline for orders continues to be Thursday 4pm of the preceding week and bookings also continue to be made on a ‘one week block’ booking basis
- Please ensure your child(ren)’s dietary requirements held on the report portal are correct and up to date.
- You will need to ‘join group’ for a Monday lunch (either main/meat or vegetarian), which will then include your child for the full week Monday to Friday
- Lunches will automatically be booked for your child every week for the remainder of term, unless you choose to ‘leave group’ (this needs to be done prior to Thursday 4pm of the preceding week). This will permanently cancel your child’s lunch booking unless you ‘join group’ again
- Therefore if you wish to book lunches for the term for your child, you only need to ‘join’ the lunch group once, and this will automatically roll over week on week, so you are included and will be charged until you ‘leave’ the group. A help document can be found here
- Costs for the first week back in January (i.e. 6 - 8 January) will be done on a pro-rata basis. prorated accordingly.
Holiday club (Christmas 2020) questionnaire
Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent survey. Based on the feedback, there won't be a holiday club running during the Christmas break. We look forward to running again in 2021. Watch this space for details.
FoodShare collections
The last day for sending your donation of food is Monday 14 December. Thank you for your continued support.
St Lukes Christmas Tree Trail 9 to 24 December
We are participating in the St Luke’s Christmas Tree Trail, so please do get involved and support this lovely initiative from St Luke’s Church. Vote for your favourite tree here. You may have spotted our themed tree ‘Nature’ on our driveway which is Number 52.
Christmas Jumpers 14 to 16 December
Festive jumpers and Christmas hats can be worn all next week. Merry Christmas!
Wednesday 16 December - Last day of autumn term 2020
This is a full day of school ending at 4pm. May we wish you all a restful break with your family.
Lent term 2021
Commences Wednesday 6 January 2021
Key Stage 1 artist of the week
Harry Howard (2S) for his fantastic collage using perspective in his Christmas scene.
Key Stage 2 artist of the week
Marcus Ramsey (6O) for his excellent photo editing.
Rabbit awards
Awarded for kindness, helpfulness and compassion doing the right thing without being asked, it is what makes our school a wonderful environment. This week our rabbits have been awarded to Reception and Mr Pennington. |
| | | | | From the Chess Master | Thank you to all those who have signed up to lichess.org and have asked already to join the Claires Court Chess Club. I will be using this to organise this year's Delancey Chess first round event for Claires Court pupils. If your son would like to sign up it's not too late! Just go onto lichess.org and log in. I will be looking to start the competition in the new year.
As I have mentioned previously, there are still some over the board chess tournaments going on. One of these is being organised by a supporter of Chess at Claires Court - Joseph Conlon. His next Oxford tournament is open to all ECF Junior Silver Members (Junior Silver membership is available FREE to junior players who have not previously been members of the Federation in any category). You can sign up using this form.
Please do keep me posted with stories and pictures from any chess played over the festive period. Well done to all those boys who have been playing chess. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a much improved New Year! |
| | | | | Ridgeway, The Thicket, Maidenhead, SL6 3QE
Tel: 01628 327400 Email: juniorboys@clairescourt.comPlease note all our School privacy notices can be found here. Please ensure you keep you and your child's information up to date. You can login to the report portal to change any details or alternatively, please contact your school office. | | | | | | |
