Fairfields Primary School

Dear Fairfields Community,

Happy New Year and we hope you all had a lovely and peaceful Christmas break. Thank you from us all at the school for your kind gifts, cards and Christmas good wishes. It has been lovely to welcome the children back to school and hear all about their holidays.

The staff on the INSET have been busy updating First Aid training, as well as working with the Mental Health in Schools Team on a new wellbeing initiative, Back to Basics. We will be working on this in school and with parents in Children’s Mental Health Week in the last week of the half term so keep an eye out for more information soon.

Welcome New Staff

We are delighted to welcome Mrs Nijhuis to year 4 (New Delhi) and Mrs Perkin and Mrs Robak to year 1 (Warsaw). They have enjoyed their first week with the children and we would like to invite parents of children in both Warsaw and New Delhi into school from 3.30 to 4.00 on Wednesday 10^th January to meet their child’s new teacher, and to look around the classroom. Please come in through the office if you would like to join us.

Absence

Can I please remind parents and carers to phone or email the school if your child is going to be absent. For safeguarding reasons, if we don’t hear from you, we will try and contact you ourselves and if we do not get a response, we may complete a home visit, so it is essential that you let us know on the morning of the first day of your child’s absence if they are not in. Your child will be marked as unauthorised until we hear from you.

In addition, please be aware that penalty notices for reoccurring unauthorised absence will issued if needed.

Updates from year groups

All Year Groups

Please may we ask that all parents/carers who haven't filled in and signed the annual declaration forms, come and see us at the end of the day as we have a QR code that you can scan and use to do this. We still have many permissions missing which means we won't be able to take children to local visits or use their photos in any capacity (like uploading it on the website). Thank you. 

FS

FS staff would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  As children may have had new water bottles, bags, jumpers/cardigans and coats over the holidays, please could you check that they are all clearly labelled.  Many thanks.

Year 1

It has been wonderful to see the children after the Christmas break. We have had lots of fun this week learning about Florence Nightingale.

Year 2

Well done Year 2 for a great first week back. We are very proud of how well you have worked together to build your Tudor houses and how resilient you were when we burnt them down!

Year 3

Year 3 have had an exciting week back and are getting ready to become experts on Basingstoke town. Just to remind parents to check PE days as we have changed these for the term. Also, another reminder to not let your child under the canopy until their class teacher is outside. Well done year 3!

Year 4

Year 4 have made a great start to the term and our topic - Amusement. They enjoyed learning about sound, making their Ferris wheels move and the introduction to our new book. If your child would still like to come to the residential, please still send in the permission slips and deposit. If you want to meet to discuss anything, please see one of the year 4 team to arrange a suitable time. 

Year 5

It has been an exciting first week back in year 5! We have started our learning journey to Ancient Egypt and the children thoroughly enjoyed finding out about this ancient civilisation. They even explored the tomb of Tutankhamun!

Year 6

For Tuesday (9^th Jan), pupils will be learning about ancestry and we are requesting pupils bring in a photograph of a family member when they were 10/11 years old which will be used in a game. Please name photographs on the back and these will be returned to you the same day.

We have made a great start on our new topic learning about the natural world and evolution. Pupils created their own clay fossil and have impressed us with their knowledge. We look forward to learning more about Mary Anning and Charles Darwin over the next few weeks. 

Clubs

Just a reminder about the Young Interpreter club continuing this half term. If your child attended on the Monday sessions in the Autumn term please can they attend the sessions below. Please can you let Miss Moore know if your child is unable to attend for any reason. Young Interpreters who were not able to make this session will meet in school time with Miss Moore, similar to the Autumn term. 

Spring 1 term dates 

• 8/1/24 
• 15/1/24 
• 22/1/24 
• 29/1/24

Netball and rugby club will commence for the children already signed up on Thursday next week. Choir will also start next week on Wednesday. Football club will not run during the spring 1 term due to staffing and we will update you on when football club will start back again.

Other clubs will be organised in school in the coming weeks and we will communicate with you when they will begin soon.

Sing Star

Please see the attached form if you would like to sign your child up for Sing Star club.

Homework

This week, classes will send out topic homework only. The usual homework will commence from next week.

Sunflower Café

We are excited to let you know that we will be having a guest visitor in the Sunflower Café each half term. On Monday 15^th January from 8.40- 9.45 this will be the school nurse who will be available to chat informally to any parents about issues including fussy eating, toileting, sleep, low level emotional health and healthy lifestyles. Tracey will also be there for an informal chat and tea and coffee. Please do come along!

The Sunflower Café is open every Monday morning from 8.40am, and every Friday from 2.50pm. Come along and have a drink and a chat about anything you are worried about or would like support with.  

Other Information

Please find attached a flyer from Hampshire County Council about a free budgeting workshop if it is of interest to you.

Dates:

Wednesday 10^th January: Warsaw and New Delhi parents meet the new teacher (3.30pm-4.00pm)

Wednesday 10^th January: FS and KS1 handwashing presentation with the school nursing team

Monday 15^th January: School nurse parent drop in at the Sunflower Café (8.40am-9.45am)

For other key days, please look at the calendar on the website or the School Jotter.

PE Days are as follows:

FS: PE to start in summer term

Year 1: Tuesday (outdoor PE)

Year 2: Tuesday (indoor PE)

Year 3: Monday (outdoor) and Thursday (indoor PE)

Year 4: Wednesday (indoor PE)

Year 5: Thursday (outdoor PE)

Year 6: Monday (indoor) and Friday (outdoor PE)

Start and finish times are as follows:

Foundation Stage, Year 1 and 2: 8.40am- 3.10pm

Years 3- 6: 8.45am- 3.15pm

Please note that any attachments to this message may not be able to be viewed on some mobile devices. Please view the weekly update through the school website or Arbor if you are unable to access attachments through Jotter.

Have a great weekend and thank you for the continued support. We look forward to seeing you next week.

Mrs Vicky Hopkins