Kirk Fenton News
11th November 2022
Please look on our website www.kf.starmat.uk for up-to-date information.
Dear Parents / Carers,
What a week we have had in school!
As you are aware we have had an Ofsted HMI with us this week for two very full days of inspection into every aspect of our school. The report of his visit will be available to parents in around 6 weeks time and will be made available to all parents at that point. In the meantime, I am very proud of our pupils and staff as always and they showed our school in the very best light.
Year 3 (Zephaniah) had a great afternoon at the area sportshall athletics competition on Thursday afternoon. They took part in a range of events and represented our school with perseverance and respect. Well done to them!
Looking ahead, on 25th November we have a sleep expert in school to run a workshop designed to help parents understand and support childhood sleep problems. The event is open to everyone and will be from 8:45 straight after drop off until 11am. I think this will be a really useful workshop so please do try to come.
Finally, we are seeing a rise in the number of children wearing smart watches in school and lessons are being disturbed by parents messaging their child during lessons. Please ask children not to wear these watches for school. We have plenty of clocks should they wish to know the time and parents can contact the school office if you need to be in touch with your child as a matter of urgency.
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Karen Williams
Head Teacher
Good Work Awards
This week's certificates were awarded to the following children:
Donaldson - Cezar and Alice
Hughes - Oliver and Darii
Coelho - Paul and Theo H
Rosen - Eddie and Lyla
Milligan - Matthew and Alex
Zephaniah - Ava and Bella
Shakespeare - Mabel and Archie
Angelou - Liv and Max
Hot Chocolate Friday
Well done to the following who earned the hot chocolate award:
Donaldson - Lucy
Hughes - Austin
Coelho - Martha
Rosen - Evelyn
Milligan - James
Zephaniah - Lyla
Shakespeare - Luca
Angelou - Penny
Winning Team
England Rocks
We're celebrating Maths Week England by taking part in a friendly times tables (and division) competition. The competition runs from 07:30 GMT Monday 14th November to 19:30 GMT Wednesday 16th November. It's all done online via play.ttrockstars.com.
Children can play in any gamemode with every correct answer to a multiplication or division question, earning themselves, their class and the school a point. The Times Tables Rock Stars platform will calculate the class average (the number of correct answers per pupil in the class who play during the competition hours, subject to a daily 60-minute limit (see below)). Winning classes in the school and in the competition as a whole will be the ones with the highest average.
To support player wellbeing, there is a daily time limit of 60-minutes per player. In other words, each player can earn competition points for up to 60-minutes between 07:30 GMT and 19:30 GMT on 07:30 GMT Monday 14th November to 19:30 GMT Wednesday 16th November. Once the player goes beyond 60-minutes of play on that day, they will still earn coins but will no longer earn points towards the competition.
In the spirit of the competition, please don't play on their behalf but by all means encourage and support them to the extent that it doesn't cause high stress levels or impact on family plans.
Athletics
Year 3 did a superb job representing Kirk Fenton at our Local Sports Hall athletic event. They participated in relay races, throwing and jumping events and we were so pleased to see how respectful they were. Well done Milligan class.
'I really enjoyed it.' Luke
'I felt nervous but it was really fun. The hardest part was the obstacle race, it was really tricky.' Harvey
'It was really fun, I like the long jump the best!' Mollie
Message from Head Pupils
We have had a very exciting week as the poppy selection box has been brought round by various staff and the Head pupils. We are very proud and pleased to say that the manners from younger children have been impeccable. The amount of money we received was unbelievable and will go to a very good course. We look forward to another brilliant week after the weekend!
Head Pupil certificates went to Raven L and Charlie P
Niamh and Lillie
Poppy Competition
A big thank you to all the children who entered our poppy competition. It was hard to choose the winners because there were so many fantastic entries!
Mrs Westfeld
The winners are:
KS2
1st: Evie H (Year 4)
2nd: Aoibhe (Year 4)
3rd: Oscar (Year 3)
KS1
1st: Seb (Year One)
2nd: Eva (Year One)
3rd: Betsy (Year One)
Eco News
Yesterday we had an amazing Eco worship run by our newly founded Eco-Committee members. We have already completed an audit and made an action plan for this year. Waste, energy and transport.will be our focus areas, hopefully resulting in us achieving the Green Flag Award.
Yesterday we talked to the school about 'Switch off' Fortnight which will take place from Monday 14th November for 2 weeks. We are hoping to reduce the amount of energy we use in school by remembering to switch of lights, screens and plug sockets. We will let you know our results!
We also launched a competition yesterday. The children have brought home a frame to decorate in the theme of Switch it off! Entries need to be returned to school by Tuesday. The winning frames will be reproduced and put around the school to remind everyone to switch off. There will also be small prizes for the winners.
We will keep you posted about further Eco events.
Thank you
Mrs Slater, Mrs Clarke, Mr Archibald and the Eco-Committee
Christmas Items
EYFS/KS1 Nativity
EYFS Nativity
Tuesday 6th December, 2–2:45pm
KS1 Nativity
Wednesday 7th December, 2–3pm
Thursday 8th December, 9:30–10:30am
A letter with further details will be sent out soon
Nasal Flu Vaccination
Wednesday 16th November
See email on how to give your consent.
Christmas Card, Tags, Mugs and Coaster Orders
Online shop closes 19th November
Non-Uniform Day
Monday 5th December
Please bring in a chocolate donation for Friends Christmas Fair chocolate tombola
EYFS Nativity
Tuesday 6th December, 2–2:45pm
KS1 Nativity
Wednesday 7th December, 2–3pm
Thursday 8th December, 9:30–10:30am
Whole School Pantomime Visit, York Theatre Royal
Friday 9th December
Friends Christmas Fair
Friday 9th December, after school
Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day
Thursday 15th December
Wear your Christmas jumper with your school uniform.
KS2 Carols in the Playground
Friday 16th December, 2.30pm
Break Up
Friday 16th December, 3.20pm
Training Day
Tuesday 3rd January
Term Begins
Wednesday 4th January
Parent Coffee Morning - mental health focus
Friday 6th January, 8.45am
Primary School Reception Place Applications
Submit your application by 15 January 2023
Open Classrooms
Friday 3rd March, 3pm
Homestart
Homestart is a charity that provides support for parents and families and operates in our area.
Please click on the link below for 'tips for parents page' which includes some nice short videos about what the charity can offer:
https://www.home-start.org.uk/Listing/Category/tips-for-parents
New volunteers are always welcome also and full training will be given. Please contact Homestart directly if you are interested.
Staff Thank You's
If anyone would like to say thank you to or has any positive comments for a member of staff then please complete and submit the form below.
Christmas Fair preparations are well underway, and we are really looking forward to hosting the first Christmas Fair since 2019. Year 6 students have kindly drawn some fabulous posters to promote the fair.
Keep a look out in your book bags for information on how to book your Santa slot, and raffle tickets - both will be coming home in the next couple of weeks.
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook to be the first to find out about the fabulous raffle prizes available.
Requests for help
If we have any budding bakers, or anyone willing to do some baking, or volunteering, for either the Christmas Fair or at the Nativity performances, please do get in touch.
We are also hoping to get together some class reps for each class/year group who can help us let people know about upcoming events - we have reception to Y3 covered. If anyone is willing to be the class rep for Y4/5/ or 6 please let us know - all we'll ask you do to do is share messages to your class what's app groups to help get messages to parents who miss the newsletter content.
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Registered charity no: 1154660
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The easiest ways to raise funds for us is to register with Easy Fundraising and raise money as you shop online at no cost to you and search online with Easy Search
www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/kirkfentonparochialvoluntarycontrolledprimaryschoolchurchfenton
Like us on Facebook for up-to-date information www.facebook.com/FriendsOfKirkFenton
STAR MAT Vacancies
Please click on the following link for details of our current vacancies:
COMMUNITY
St Mary's
Can you believe that we already find ourselves a third of the way through November and that we're now looking firmly towards the end of the year? I don't know about you, but around this time of year I often reflect back on what has happened earlier over the course of it, as we also prepare for the festive season ahead.
This Sunday, the 13th, is of course Remembrance Sunday, and which invites us to give thanks for the lives of all who paid the ultimate price in past conflicts, for our freedom today. Special services will as ever be taking place around our whole benefice, and this includes a service at St Mary's Church Fenton beginning at 10am, and with the anticipated two minutes silence in remembrance of the fallen at 11am. As our minds turn to these things, it's also important for all of us to give thanks for all who give their lives in service to our country in the armed forces today. And with international events being what they are, we continue to pray for peace to not only be present within our own land, but across the whole world too.
But before we know it we'll find ourselves once more in December, with children no-doubt dreaming of a visit from Santa in readiness for Christmas morning. But before we get there, we welcome in the new Church year on Advent Sunday, which this year falls on 27th November. This will also be the day on which we'll be celebrating our Christingle service, and it would be wonderful for you to join us then at St Mary's at 10am. We'll be thinking about the meaning of the Christingle, and what it continues to say to us today. Everyone who comes along will have the opportunity to make a Christingle during the service, and everyone is truly welcome.
Also of special note is our 4pm Church Nativity Crib service taking place on Christmas Eve. A magical occasion when we retell the Christmas story, and really enter into the spirit of the festive season. As always, do keep track of everything going on at St Mary's Church through the links below, and I'm always delighted to hear from anyone who might like to get in touch.
I hope to see many of you over the next couple of months ahead – either at school, around the village, or in church; and wish you all a peaceful rest of November, and a fun-filled December when it arrives.
With very best wishes – Rev'd Paulie.
www.facebook.com/churchfentonchurch