The return from a well-earned Easter break couldn't have started better....

I received a letter from Kellogg's stating that we had won the 'BEST Breakfast Club of the East' Award. What a great commendation for the services and provision Mr Robinson provides. I have to say, it's always a joy arriving at school in the morning to children with smiles on their faces, upbeat music, and a whole manner of activities and physical challenges. Not to mention seeing children get a great nutritional start to the day. I think the wacky races on trikes, bikes and scooters have to be my personal favourite! I've not seen Mr Robinson win one yet though!

The warmer weather has also been a welcomed return and this has enabled our outdoor learning curriculum and provision to really come alive. Seeing the children outside, developing their physical, social and emotional skills is lovely to see and Miss Grist is certainly enjoying the development of Forest School.

This term sees the return of the annual Year 6 SATs tests; as we always say, this is not a defining moment for the children or the school, however, they have been working incredibly hard and I am in awe of their dedication and commitment to do their very best. Mr Bourne has been making it as less pressured as possible whilst obviously trying to prepare them as best he can. I walked into a Year 6 SATs session on Friday and it was lovely to see the children play 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' grammar style. When I left they had got to £250,000 and the children appeared to be enjoying themselves greatly.

Swimming has also begun for KS2 - all the nerves and anxieties were soon eradicated once they took the leap or splosh should I say. It's not until you look at the stats that one realises how important learning to swim is: 'Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death in children.' I'm so glad we chose to opt for more than the statutory norm (12 weeks of 45-minute sessions) because it's absolutely critical all our children should have the opportunity to learn how to swim and be taught how to stay safe in and around water. The feedback from the children has been great and they're really looking forward to the challenge of being proficient in the three key areas: 1. Performing safe self-rescue; 2. Swimming competently over 25 metres, and 3. Using a range of strokes effectively.

We have entered the Summer season and with this, I am aware that this can become a time when families decide to take their children on holiday. Whilst it is your prerogative as a parent to decide when you go on holiday I have to state that this can be an unsettling time and in light of the pandemic, children are still significantly grappling with a curriculum that has not changed a lot since prior to COVID. This means content being covered is still a huge challenge for the staff and children. The summer term is usually the term when children tend to make significant progress as a result of all the good work and foundations being laid since September. Please also be aware that should you wish to remove your child for a term-time holiday this will likely be 'Unauthorised' and it could end up in both parents receiving a 'Fixed Penalty Notice' of £60 per parent per child (if paid within 21 days, increasing to £120 between 21 and 28 days. The penalty must be paid in full and not by instalments.)

I do have one piece of sad news; unfortunately, our brilliant Office Manager Gina Bryne is sadly departing at the end of the week. Whilst Gina has only been with us for 5 months, she has been such a great addition to the team and she has been astonishing in the role of Office Manager. Whilst we are all really sad to see her go, we all wish her the very best in what is going to be a wonderful opportunity for her to work as an education officer in the Local Authority.

Please remember the 2 bank holidays coming up - this Monday 1st and Monday 8th for the King's Coronation.

Have a lovely week!

Mr F

Thursday 4th May - U11 Tennis event at Thurston Community College

Monday 8th May - BANK HOLIDAY - The King's Coronation

Tuesday 9th May - Friday 12th May - Y6 SATs Week

Wednesday 10th May - U9 Tennis Festival

Thursday 11th May - School Governors Meeting

Tuesday 16th May - Target Games Event

Thursday 18th May - U9 Quadkids Event

Tuesday 23rd May - U11 Quadkids Event

Friday 26th May - Last day of the half term

We're thrilled to announce that we have won Kellogg’s ‘Best Breakfast Club’ Award for East Anglia!

Mr Francksen, Mr Robinson and 4 KS2 pupils will be travelling to London by train, and the London Underground, where we will be receiving our award in the Houses of Parliament.

All expenses have been paid by Kellogg’s along with receiving a cheque for £1000.

It's such a great commendation and we can't wait to share our experience with you, soon!

Christian Aid Week this year takes place from 14th to 20th May 2023. Please give generously

to help others in great need. There will be:

 The usual house-to-house envelope collection on several streets in Haughley;

 A ‘pigeon pea’ scavenger hunt during the week;

 The chance to ‘go digital’ with the option of paying into an ‘e-envelope’.

Families in Malawi are paying the price of the global crisis. Food, fuel, fertiliser and school

fees have doubled in price in the last 12 months. And hard-working farmers are seeing their

harvests fail as the climate crisis brings increasingly erratic weather. The recent 'Cyclone

Freddy' has been devastating. Floods have washed away crops, over 500,000 people have

been displaced and hundreds have lost their lives. Your gifts this Christian Aid Week could

help farmers in Malawi plant better seeds, secure a fairer price for their crops, and build

happier futures for their children. £10 could pay for a 2kg bag of seeds to plant pigeon peas

– a hardy, drought-resistant crop. £50 could pay for pigeon peas and farming tools to feed a

whole family.

CAN YOU WIN THE HAUGHLEY ‘PIGEON PEA’ SCAVENGER HUNT?!!

The letters of ‘pigeon pea’ – the hardy variety of pea which will help to restore stricken Malawi farmers' and families’ livelihoods – will be hidden around the village during the week of 14th -20th May. Be the first to find them all, be the Scavenger Hunt Champion, and win £25! Entry is only £5 per person.

Forms to enter can be obtained from Haughley Post Office, St Mary’s Church, and members of St Mary’s PCC. They must be completed with the location of all the letters and returned with the £5 entry fee to Haughley Post Office by Monday 22nd May. Have fun!

we welcome back our very popular ...
Revd. Joe Hawes, the Dean of the Cathedral for communion at 11 o'clock

This is a benefice service at Haughley, so we'll welcome people from Wetherden and Stowpland too.

next weekend.....

Come and support the church's Coronation events:
- Friday: 7:30 concert: with choir, piano and ukulele band, including community singing
National Anthem, Jerusalem, Zadok, Sally Gardens, Ye Banks and Braes, To the Spring (Grieg), Loch Lomond, Men of Harlech, Greensleeves, Wild Rover, Clair de lune (Debussey), All through the night, Scarborough Fair, Gloria, Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory

- Saturday: 4 till 8:30 : refreshments at the COAL HOUSE: see the programme of events in the Parish News

the church will be serving ice creams, popcorn, tea, coffee and squash from the COAL HOUSE on the village green

- Sunday: 11 a.m. : the coronation church service

the Church of England's published service, with hymns "I vow to thee my country" and "Praise my soul the King of Heaven"

- Sunday: 11:30 till 2:30 : more refreshments at the COAL HOUSE: see the programme of events in the Parish News

once again, the church will be serving ice creams, popcorn, tea, coffee and squash from the COAL HOUSE on the village green

PRAYERS

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers ....

Russell Hall, Ann Smith, Lucy, Joyce Dade, Frances Waite, Reg, Allan, John and Jay

And recently departed ....

Elizabeth Gerard

Collect

Risen Christ,

faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:

teach us to hear your voice

and to follow your command,

that all your people may be gathered into one flock,

to the glory of God the Father.

Interregnum Prayer

God our Father, you have welcomed each one of us in Jesus and called us to be his body in this place. Send us your Holy Spirit, at this time of uncertainty and change, to fill us with vision and energy; make us faithful in prayer and worship, that we may be true to our calling to bring new life to our community. Guide with your heavenly wisdom those who are to choose a new Incumbent for this parish, that the one whom we receive may be a wise and gentle shepherd of your people: ready to serve us with joy, to build us up in faith, and to lead us by example in loving obedience to your son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please ensure your child has a healthy snack in school to have at break time - e.g., a piece of fruit, carrot sticks, muesli bar, yoghurt tube. No chocolate bars or crisps please, and nothing containing peanuts.

Younger children (YR to Y2) have fruit or vegetables provided by the School Fruit & Veg Scheme.

Please note, that any snacks brought in to school will be collected by the Class Teacher and handed out at break time. Therefore, please can you ensure that any tubs, bags, etc are named.

We are an allergy-aware school and would like to remind all families that there may be pupils in school with a nut allergy. If a child with a nut allergy comes into contact with nuts, or with a pupil who has eaten nuts, then this could lead to an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction to a trigger such as an allergy.

Because of this, the school cannot accept products containing nuts to be provided in lunch boxes or for eating at other times.

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