St Michael’s School

2 December, 2015

Newsletter No: 12

Christmas Fayre! We are nearly there! Dig out your Christmas jumpers, jingle those bells and get into the Christmas spirit this Saturday! The PTA have worked tremendously hard to put on this fabulous event, so please come along and support your school this Saturday:

SATURDAY, 5TH DECEMBER, 12 – 4PM

Roll up, roll up! Hottest tickets in Town! Reception Nativity: 1st and 2nd December By the time this newsletter is posted on the website, Reception will have completed their ‘sell-out tour’. Like all good theatre groups, directors, stage crew and artistes travelled the length of Chase Side to take their very own interpretation of the nativity to the appreciative masses. Of course, the reviews haven’t hit the press yet, but we wait in eager anticipation! Infant Christmas Show: 2pm on Tues 8th December and then 9.30am and 2pm on Wed 9th December Our very own, resident theatre group, known locally as ‘The Infants’ are, as I write, preparing for their own Christmas spectacular! The producers are keeping the script a closely guarded secret but I can guarantee there will be singing, dancing and acting. This reporter tried to find out what it was all about but the rehearsal area was cordoned off. I may have imagined it, but I thought I heard a baby crying! … You heard it here first! Ticketing arrangements: Allocation: 2 per family Apply with: Reply slip sent out already by letter to every child and also attached to this newsletter Extra seats: Released from today by Ms Ahmed

Nursery Christmas Songs Our smallest performers will be singing angelically for their parents on Friday, 4th December, 11:30am, in the Nursery (details on the board outside the Nursery classroom).

Junior Carol Services – at St Michael’s Church, 7pm as follows:

RAPHAEL Classes

Wednesday 9th December, 7pm

6M, 5HB, 4F, 3K

GABRIEL Classes

Thursday 10th December, 7pm

5S, 4G, 3B

The students of the Year Three theological college will be teaching the congregation about the events of that very first Christmas. Carols, candles, lessons and acting and, of course, the vicar spreading chaos … it is all part of a traditional Christmas at St. Michael’s. All junior children are expected to attend the relevant Gabriel or Raphael service. Infant children are welcome to attend with their families but this is not compulsory. No tickets are necessary, as this is a church service, not a show. However, please be aware that some pews are reserved for Year Three parents because Year Three will be leading the service. Years Four and Six should be taken to the church hall doors between 6.40 and 6.55pm. A member of school staff will tell them where to gather. Please do NOT enter the church halls until a member of staff is available at the door at 6.40pm. Year Five children will need to take their clarinets or saxophones directly into the church, using the rear door. One of the Year Five team will direct children accordingly. Year Three children should arrive at the church hall in full school uniform at 6:30pm. They should be handed over to a member of staff at the door to the church hall. Children can change into their costumes independently. Parents attending the service should wait outside the church (including Year 3 parents), at the Gordon Hill door until the vicar invites people in. Collecting children: Parents returning to collect children should do so at 8.00pm. Year Six will be dismissed first, then Year Four, then Year Five (when they have organised their instruments) then Year Three (when they have changed their costumes, so please wait in church where it is warm!) Please do not come forward until your child’s class is called. Remember: Six, then Four, then Five, then Three.

Junior Christmas Show: Tues 15th December at 9:30am and at 7pm, Wed 16th December at 7pm That very British tradition of singing, dancing, comedy, cross dressing and audience participation is about to hit the stage. Panto comes to St. Michael’s. Those well-known playwrights, Mrs Hillier and Miss Matthews have dusted off an old script, dragged out all the old jokes, chucked in a bit of slapstick and, lo, Cinderella returns to Enfield. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It will even make you groan but, at the end of it all … you’ll be glad you made the effort to get out of your armchair and head for a night at the theatre. As always, the pundits are speculating about the question on everybody’s lips… Just how will they manage to combine the nativity story with the story of Cinderella this year? Ticketing arrangements: Allocation: 2 per family Apply with: Reply slip sent out already by letter to every child and also attached to this newsletter Extra seats: Will be distributed from 9th Dec onwards by Ms Ahmed.

… and also in the news this week… Time to Talk Over the course of this last term, you may have heard your child mention something called ‘Time to Talk’. If children have any worries or concerns, or even just someone with whom to share good news, they can book a time with one of the Time to Talk staff (currently Mrs Cordaro, Mrs Russell, Mrs RochfordGardiner and Mrs Rolland). St Michael’s is proud to be a school that cares for the ‘whole’ child, not just English and Maths. In fact, we employed Mrs Cordaro long before it was the ‘done thing’ to have a PSA in school. Time to Talk is in addition to the time that Mrs Cordaro spends with children and/or families. Rest assured, Mrs Cordaro’s role will continue as usual.

Synagogue Visit 3B and 3K will be visiting Southgate Progressive Synagogue as part of their work about Judaism. 3B will be going on Monday 14th December and 3K on Wednesday 16th December.

Late Collection After School Please be aware that we have adopted the ‘Late Collection at the End of the School Day – Policy and Procedures’ from Enfield Council. It is available under the School Information > Policies tabs on the school website. The school day ends at 3.30pm and parents should not expect school staff to look after children after this time.

Winner The prize for spotting the governors in the playground last week was won by Mackenzie Wright in 1H. Mackenzie correctly spotted Mrs Doggett, Miss Matthews and Mrs Rolland. Next time, get a sticker for talking to a governor. Date and time to be announced. Year Two Singers Our singers are in such demand that we have had to split year two up! 2M will be singing at the Women’s Institute and 2R will be heading to Borrowdale Court during the next week.

Christingle Service – Sunday, 13 December Sunday, 13th December, 4pm at St. Michael’s Church. All welcome to this lovely service – please see the note in the Church section below for further details and for all of the dates of the Christmas events at St Michael’s Church.

Christmas Parties Class Christmas parties will be on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16th (apart from Nursery – theirs is in the morning). Each year group team decides on the format of their party and will inform parents of any requirements accordingly. Children should wear school uniform unless you have been specifically told otherwise.

Children in Need Many thanks for all your donations for the recent pyjama day. Am amazing £436 was raised for Children in Need.

Strengthening Families – Strengthening Communities Course This course is a 13 week course designed to help parents with many parenting issues and is held in the school. We have 2 places left on this course. A coffee morning will be held on the 8th December, from 9:1510:15am, to give parents more information on the course. Please do come along if you think you may be interested.

Parents’ Information Meetings Thank you to everyone who attended our information meetings on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon – about fifty people attended in total, so it really was great to see you all. As always, any comments that are made are discussed and where possible, action is taken. The following points were raised by a few people:

1) Maths Whizz: parents are unsure who has access to this resource, how it works for the individual child and how its impact is monitored. Maths Whizz as a teaching resource is available to all teachers and it is sometimes used to introduce or reinforce concepts within the classroom. For the past 3 years, we have also invested in the license for ‘Maths Whizz tutor’. Currently, children in Years 4 and 5 have access to this. They initially did an online assessment from which their particular areas needing further reinforcement were identified. From this, Maths Whizz generates individualised programmes for the children. Progress and usage is monitored weekly by Mrs Meager, our Maths TA, and by class teachers.

2) Spelling: parents commented that they miss having a spelling list. Whilst they understood the rationale for teaching spelling rules more regularly and in context, they do not know when each rule is being taught and therefore cannot help their children. We agree that it would be of great benefit for the work that is done in school to be reinforced at home. Whilst this is often done through homework, from now on, junior children will write the rule that they are learning in their planners with a couple of example words. For infant children, a note will be sent with their reading record or homework. If you are able to investigate other words with these patterns or put them into sentences for dictation, this would be very useful.

Copies of the Powerpoint presentations are available in the curriculum area of the website. Please note that there are also many other useful documents in this area that were referred to in the meetings, including Letters and Sounds, Support for Spelling and the Maths calculation policy.

Church News Christingle with Nativity Service, Sunday 13th December at 4pm St Michael's Church will be supporting The Children's Society with a Christingle Service to raise vital funds for some of the UK's most vulnerable children - in particular those who are homeless or runaways. The Christingle Service will be combined with a children's Nativity play and will be held on Sunday 13th December at 4.00pm, followed by refreshments. This is always a very special service and a highlight in the church's calendar. The service concludes with the lighting of the Christingle candles around the church - a magical moment which is very special for the children. If any children would like to help by collecting coins in a "Christingle Candle" money box for The Children's Society, these are available now from St Michael's Church and also from the school office. The "candles" can be returned either to the school office (by the end of term) or at the Christingle Service itself. If your child would like to take part in the Nativity, there are spaces available for Angels and Shepherds, they simply need to turn up at the service in their costume! For further information, please contact Jo Childs via the school office.

PTA News Christmas Cracker of a Christmas Fayre - Saturday 5th December Only three sleeps to go! We’ll look forward to seeing you at the Fayre on Saturday and we know it is going to be a great day for all. Many thanks to all the volunteers who have stepped forward to help on stalls – we really couldn’t do it without you. Bake Off We know we have some fabulous bakers among our school community, please may we call upon you again to donate your delightful cakes and biscuits - maybe even some mince pies - for us to sell at the Fayre. Contributions to be left at school on Friday 4 December. Christmas Fayre Grand Draw The list of fantastic prizes keeps growing – as well as Ipads and GoPro Cameras, we’ve now got some Millfield Panto tickets up for grabs – Oh yes we have! Don’t miss out on your chance of winning one of our wonderful prizes. Please return completed ticket stubs and money to the school office. Many thanks.

Reply Slips for Tickets

Infant Nativity Play - Tickets Please send me …………………….. tickets for the Infant Nativity Play on: Tuesday, 8th December at 2:00pm (Please circle as appropriate) Wednesday, 9th December at 9:30am Wednesday, 9th December at 2:00pm Child’s Name: ………………………………………………….. Class………………………………. ADDITIONAL TICKETS I would like ………. additional tickets if possible for:

Tuesday, 8th December at 2:00pm (Please circle as appropriate) Wednesday, 9th December at 9:30am

Wednesday, 9th December at 2:00pm

Community News Smith’s Uniform Sale Smith’s Uniform Shop on Lancaster Road are offering 15% discount on all school uniform on 5th December online and in store – so if your child has managed to grow out of their school trousers/shirt/jumper since September already, this might help!

Music activities at EMS Saturday Centre Enfield Music Service has its Saturday Music Centre at Houndsfield School’s Park Suite in Houndsfield Road, Edmonton, N9 7RA every Saturday during term time.

For pupils in School Years 3 to 6 Saturday Singers (10.20am to 11.20am) Youth Steel Pans Group (11.30am to 12.30pm) The Saturday Singers have fun singing songs in lots of different styles from around the world and members of the Youth Steel Pans group learn how to play together to make the exciting sounds of these very distinctive instruments. Students don’t need to have experience for either group – just enthusiasm. Saturday Singers and Youth Steel Pans always perform in the end-of-term concert.

For pupils in School Years 1 and 2 Music Clubs Music Club 1 (9.15am to 10.00 am) or Music Club 2 (11.30am – 12.30pm) The Music Clubs are perfect for children before they are old enough to have lessons on one particular instrument. The children listen, sing, play percussion and move to music, and at the end of every term they take part in the Saturday Centre concert. Why not bring your children along to see what these groups do? Then you could sign up for next term’s Saturday Centre which begins on 9th January 2016. You are also welcome to attend this term’s concert at 12.45pm on Saturday 5th December. The membership fee for each group is £46.00 per term (50% discount available for pupils receiving Free School Meals) Further details are available from Enfield Music Service 020 8807 8881 and www.enfield.gov.uk/music