Key Dates
Tuesday 24th January
Reception visit to Kingston Fire Station
Wednesday 25th January
Reception visit to Kingston Fire Station
Thursday 26th January
Clover class parent assembly at 9:00 am in the Large Hall
PSA meeting in school at 7:30 pm
Friday 27th January
PSA Reception Cake Sale at 3:15 pm
Monday 30th January
National Child Measurement Programme - height and weight check for Reception & Year 6
Tuesday 31st January
Parent Volunteer Introduction & Training at 2:30 pm
Wednesday 1st February
Parent Volunteer Introduction & Training at 9:00 am
Year 6 visit to the Junior Citizen Scheme
Thursday 2nd February
Bracken class parent assembly at 9:00 am in the Large Hall
Friday 3rd February
Parent Council meeting at 9:00 am
Tuesday 7th February
Year 1 Victorian Childhood workshop in school
Thursday 9th February
Heather class parent assembly at 9:00 am in the Large Hall
AF Steadman Author Visit for Years 5 & 6 in school
Friday 10th February
Home Learning Showcase in school for Years 1 - 6
Monday 13th — Friday 17th February
HALF TERM HOLIDAY
Monday 20th February
CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL
Thursday 23rd February
Yew class parent assembly at 9:00 am in the Large Hall
Friday 24th February
PSA Second-hand Uniform Sale at 3:00 pm
PSA Year 5 Cake Sale at 3:15 pm
Key dates for the spring term are available to view here.
Reminders
Starting Nursery in September
If your child was born between 1st September 2019 and 31st August 2020, they can join Fern Hill Nursery in September 2023. Applications for a place are made directly to the school using the online form. The closing date for applications is Friday 3rd March 2023. We are running a series of school tours for families interested in applying, and you can book a place here. Further information on admissions to Nursery is published on the school website.
Home Learning
This term's Home Learning Grids for children in Years 1 to 6 are published on the Google Classroom. All work should be completed for the children's Home Learning Showcase on Friday 10th February.
Attachments
Parent Volunteers January 2023
Young Artists Summer Show Poster
Your year group weekly news is published every Friday at 5:00 pm on your child's Home Learning Google Classroom. You should sign in using your child's school Google Account - you can find their login details in the front of their Home School Diary.
Over the half-term break, Mother Nature Science and Masquerade Theatre Arts will be running activities in school. For further information, please see the school website.
Royal Academy of Arts Young Artists' Summer Show
Now in its fifth year, the Young Artists’ Summer Show is a free, open submission exhibition for students aged 4–19 studying in the UK.
Submitting artwork is completely free and is done online. Just follow this link and select Fern Hill Primary as your school. For children 12 or under, entry must be completed by a parent or guardian. Registration and submission is open until 29th March 2023.
Each student can submit one artwork and there is no theme. When you enter, you’ll be asked for an image of your child’s artwork plus some information about the piece such as title, size, and a little text about it. It will be seen by a panel of judges and arts professionals and the selected pieces will be displayed online and on-site at the Royal Academy of Arts when the exhibition opens in July.
Please let us know if you submit artwork on your behalf of your child, so we can have our own exhibition at school too!
The second Parents' Evening of the school year will be held immediately before the end of this term on Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th March.
Further information and details of how to book an appointment will be sent after the half-term break.
Please note that school will close early on Thursday 30th March at 1:30 pm for children in Reception through to Year 6. Nursery will run as normal until 3:25 pm.
Arrangements for Tree Tops on Thursday 30th March
On Thursday 30th March, Tree Tops will run two sessions: an Early Half session from 1:30 – 4:30 pm and a Full session from 1:30 – 6:00 pm, with no additional charge for the extended provision. Nursery children may join the sessions as usual from 3:25 pm.
To ensure appropriate staffing, the usual Tree Tops deadline will not apply for Thursday 30th March. All bookings must be made and paid for through ParentPay by midnight on Sunday 12th March. This is the cut-off point for a place on Thursday 30th March. Thereafter, to make a booking, you should email Tree Tops to request a place on the waiting list. Bookings made through ParentPay after this deadline will be automatically cancelled.
Please note that on the last day of term, Friday 31st March, school will also close early at 1:30 pm for ALL children, including those in Nursery. Tree Tops will run just one session on that day, from 1:30 - 4:30 pm. The usual three-day booking deadline applies.
Book of the Week
'Skandar and the Unicorn Thief' by AF Steadman
Skandar has always wanted to be a unicorn rider, but he thinks he's missed his chance when he is barred from the entrance exam. But then a mysterious knock on the door gives him an opportunity to find his own unicorn soulmate and train in the Hatchery on the mysterious island. The only downside is that he has to hide who he is in order to be allowed to stay. But while Skandar tries to make friends and bond with his unicorn, the island is at risk from a dangerous foe, 'The Weaver', who is attacking sentries and stealing unicorns.
'Skandar and the Unicorn Thief' features a wonderfully imagined world, full of excitement, danger and terrifying unicorns! Lots of fun.
~ Mrs Rouillard, School Librarian
AF Steadman Author Visit to Year 5 & 6 - Thursday 9th February
Year 5 and 6 parents, don't forget to order your signed copy of 'Skandar and the Unicorn Thief' through ParentPay by Wednesday 25th January. Copies of the book will also be available in the library for pupils to borrow after the visit.
If you would like to volunteer to help in school, supporting the children with their reading or in the classroom, please complete this form. You will need to attend one of the short introduction and training sessions Mrs Davies is running on Tuesday 31st January at 2:30 pm and Wednesday 1st February at 9:00 am. For safeguarding purposes, all volunteers in school must complete this training so if you are already volunteering in school and were not able to attend one of the sessions in October, please complete the form to indicate which of these additional sessions you will attend. Thank you. For further information, please refer to the letter from Mrs Davies attached below.
TEAM POINTS
The overall winner this week is KINGSTON
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Kingston
356
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Coombe
275
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Richmond
247
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Hampton
214
PSA News & Events
PSA Meeting - Thursday 26th January at 7:00 pm - please note earlier start time
Come along to school on Thursday for our next PSA meeting which will be held from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. We would love to see some new faces and have lots to discuss - hope to see you there!
Comedy Night POSTPONED
Due to an unforeseen clash of Comedy Night weekends with other schools, and with the will to include as many people as possible, we have had to make the disappointing decision to reschedule Fern Hill PSA’s own Comedy Night. A huge thanks to those of you who bought tickets already - you will be refunded - and apologies to all who were busy planning their nights.
Fear not, with as much babysitter notice as possible, we aim to present an exceptional evening of entertainment for your friends, family and lovely neighbours later this year, so keep a look-out for a Save the Date notice soon. Top comedians, live on your doorstep, for a fraction of the cost of a trip to the Comedy Store, with the added bonus that you are belly-laughing whilst raising money to benefit your children's education….what’s not to love? We’ll see you there…eventually!
Inspiration 