Key Dates
Monday 4th March
Year 6 SATs parent meeting at 8:50 am in the Large Hall
Tuesday 5th March
Year 2 visit to the British Wildlife Centre
Wednesday 6th March
Year 4 visit to the Polka Theatre
Careers Fair in school for Year 5 & 6
Thursday 7th March
World Book Day celebrations in school
Year 1 Foxglove class parent assembly at 9:00 am
Friday 8th March
PSA Bounce for Books event in school
PSA Year 5 cake sale
Wednesday 13th March
Year 4 visit to the Polka Theatre
Thursday 14th March
Year 6 Willow class parent assembly at 9:00 am
Friday 15th March
Red Nose Day - further information to follow
PSA Mother's Day Breakfast
Wednesday 20th March
Year 3 visit to Kew Gardens
Thursday 21st March
Year 5 Sycamore class parent assembly at 9:00 am
Friday 22nd March
HOME LEARNING SHOWCASE for Years 1 - 6
PSA Year 4 cake sale
Saturday 23rd March
Fern Hill Community Litter Pick - meet at school at 10:00 am
Easter Egg Hunt at school from 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Monday 25th March
Parents' Evening for Heather, Chestnut & Lime classes only
Tuesday 26th March
Parents' Evening from 4:00 to 7:00 pm
Wednesday 27th March
Parents' Evening from 2:00 to 6:00 pm
SCHOOL CLOSES AT 1:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY 27TH MARCH
Thursday 28th March - last day of term & mufti (non-uniform) day
SCHOOL CLOSES AT 1:30 PM
Friday 29th March - Friday 12th April
EASTER BREAK
Children return to school on Monday 15th April
Key dates for this school year are published here. Some of these dates are provisional, and all dates are subject to change — please refer to this newsletter and communications via ParentPay for the latest information.
Click here for term dates including INSET days.
Reminders
Parents' Evening
Parents' Evening will be held on Tuesday 26th March from 4:00 - 7:00 pm and Wednesday 27th March from 2:00 - 6:00 pm. Heather, Chestnut and Lime classes will have a different schedule for one of the days and if you have a child in those classes, you will already have received details of the change. Our Parents' Evening System will open for bookings on Monday 4th March. See below for further information.
Year group weekly news
Don't forget to read your year group weekly news, published every Friday afternoon on Google Classroom. You'll also find this half-term's Home Learning Grids. Children's work should be completed in time for the final Home Learning Showcase of the spring term, on Friday 22nd March.
The Sugden Road Sports Trust is offering free after-school hockey sessions at Surbiton Hockey Club, every Thursday from 4:30 - 5:30 pm during term time for children in Years 3 - 6. All abilities are welcome. Click here for further information.
The Eco Committee have been busy judging the bird feeders - look out for an announcement next week on the winner. We were very impressed with the entries! Thank you to all the families who joined our second Community Litter Pick last Saturday. Our next one will be held on Saturday 23rd March and everyone is welcome. We'll meet at 10:00 am at school.
Miss Evans' tip of the week: "Buy yourself a foldable litter picker and take it in your rucksack when you head out for the day! It's a fun and great way to keep our planet tidier and healthier!"
Save the date for World Book Day on Thursday 7th March!
On Thursday, we'll be celebrating World Book Day! Children (and teachers) are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. In the spirit of 'reading your way' and snuggling down with a good book, children are also welcome to wear their pyjamas (or anything that they feel comfortable in) for the day too. There are lots of lovely resources for families on the World Book Day website, including ideas for dressing up and tips on how to make reading a pleasure at home.
Don't forget about our two special competitions...
Book character egg competition
We'd love the children to have a go at home decorating an egg (or pebble) as a favourite literary character or topic. Their creations can be brought into school on Monday to be displayed in the library and celebrated on World Book Day itself.
Spark! Poetry Competition
Children can also enter our poetry competition, using the cover or title of one of the Spark! shortlisted books to inspire a poem that tells a story, develops a description or creates a mood. Poems should be written out on this entry form and handed to Miss Bennett or Mrs Rouillard by Tuesday 5th March. Their favourites will be entered into the Spark! Poetry Competition.
Bounce for Books
To end the week, the children will be bouncing for books! Thank you to the PSA for organising this fantastic annual event and to all the parents and carers who are volunteering to count the bounces.
Parents' Evening
Parents' Evening will be held on Tuesday 26th March from 4:00 - 7:00 pm and Wednesday 27th March from 2:00 - 6:00 pm. Heather, Chestnut and Lime classes will have a different schedule for one of the days; if you have a child in those classes, you will already have received details of the change. Please note that all appointments will be in person only and held at school.
You will be able to book a ten-minute appointment with your class teacher through our Parents’ Evening System, which will open at 12:00 pm midday on Monday 4th March. The booking window will close at midday on Friday 15th March. The link to book will be sent to you on Monday morning.
Please be aware that appointments are bookable on a first come, first served basis. We encourage you to arrive early for your appointment so that you can look at your child's class books before you meet with your teacher. If you are scheduling an appointment for more than one child, please leave a suitable time gap between appointments.
If your child has a SEND review, you do NOT need to book a Parents’ Evening appointment as well. You will be informed of the date and time of the review shortly.
On Wednesday 27th March, school will close at 1:30 pm for children in Reception through to Year 6. Nursery will run as normal until 3:25 pm. Tree Tops will run from 1:30 pm until the usual finish time of either 4:30 pm or 6:00 pm for existing bookings.
Helping Children with Worries
Achieving for Children (who provide children's services for the Kingston & Richmond Local Authority) are hosting two webinars next week, run by the Mental Health Support Team. The workshop will provide information for parents and carers on how to help their children deal with big feelings, worries and fears and offer practical ideas on supporting children to think more positively and develop their self-confidence. The workshop will also introduce some helpful cognitive behavioural therapy concepts. The webinar will be held online on Thursday 7th March at 6:00 pm and again on Friday 8th March at 9:00 am. It's free to sign up for either session - just click on the date links above.
Author Visit with Robert Tregoning
Our Year 1 and 2 children had a fantastic afternoon with Spark! shortlisted author Robert Tregoning on Tuesday. We enjoyed a colourful and interactive assembly on his brilliant book 'Out of the Blue' and then Year 1 made their own picture books about their favourite things. For those pupils who missed out on the book pre-orders, there are copies of 'Out of the Blue' available in school. The children will be reading all four of the Spark! shortlisted picture books and voting for their favourite - we can't wait to see which one they choose!
Book of the Week
‘Secrets of the Snakestone’ by Piu DasGupta
Inspired by the same legends that informed Wilkie Collins’s ‘The Moonstone’, ‘Secrets of the Snakestone’ is a thrilling, pitch-perfect middle grade adventure set in the streets and the sewers of Paris at the end of the nineteenth century.
Zélie has been sent away from her family in India to live in Paris and work as a maid. But when a boy appears out of the sewers with a mysterious locket belonging to her father, the two children are swept up in a breathtaking mystery involving a cursed stone, a dark secret society and a vibrant cast of circus performers. Zélie is a brilliantly bold and audacious narrator, balanced by the more careful and considered character of Jules.
Though it has a historical setting, this story combines a classic feel with contemporary pacing. This engaging, evocative adventure is perfect for fans of Sophie Anderson, Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Katherine Rundell’s ‘Rooftoppers’.
TEAM POINTS
The overall winner this week is HAMPTON
-
Kingston
326
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Coombe
244
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Richmond
314
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Hampton
349
PSA News & Events
Mother's Day Breakfast - tickets available this evening!
Tickets for our Mother's Day Breakfast for Fern Hill mums and female carers on Friday 15th March (7:45 - 8:45 am) will be available to book via this link from 6:00 pm this evening.
Bounce for Books - Friday 8th March
Don't forget to fill in your child's sponsorship form for Bounce for Books! You can pay in the sponsorship money, or simply donate, via this link.
Year 5 Cake Sale - Friday 8th March
Our Year 5 parents and carers will be baking and buying for you next week - come along after school on Friday to support them.
And huge congratulations to our Year 6 parents and carers who raised an amazing £455.42 in their cake sale last week!
Our School Lottery - first draw 9th March
Sign up to our school lottery in time for the first draw on 9th March! You could win a cash prize every month, as well as being in with a chance of the big jackpot of £20,000. The more people sign up, the bigger the monthly prize pot and the more money we raise for school! Sign up here.
Easter Egg Hunt for Nursery - Year 2 - save the date!
Our Easter Egg Hunt for children in Nursery through to Year 2 is planned for Saturday 23rd March from 12:30 - 2:30 pm. Further details and ticket link to follow!
Inspiration 