Category Archives: Headteacher’s Weekly Blog

Welcome back! I hope 2015 is a Happy New Year for you all!  I am looking forward to welcoming everyone back for the new term ahead.

I do hope that you all had a wonderful holiday.  Thank you so much for all the cards and presents that were given to the staff from the children. We were all very touched by your thoughtfulness and kindness.

This week at Copthorne

Forest Schools

Forest Schools will resume on Friday for Year 4.  The children will go to St Ives in Bingley to take part in Forest School activities as part of their work in class.  The weather has now turned much colder so children will need to be wrapped up warm. I am looking forward to hearing all about their adventures.

School finishing times

Lessons finish at 3pm for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children. Please be aware, therefore, that children will not be out of school until a couple of minutes after this time as, once lessons finish, children have to collect their belongings and coats etc. We look forward to your support in this matter. Thank you.

Dates for your diary

Fluoride Varnishing Programme

Children in the Bradford and Airedale district have high levels of tooth decay.  To help fight tooth decay in young children the NHS has started a special programme for 2-4 year olds.

The Fluoride Varnish Dental Team will be visiting Foundation stage on Monday 12th January to recruit children to the programme.  They are hoping to meet as many parents as possible for consent to apply the fluoride varnish to their childrens’ teeth.  The fluoride in the varnish will help to keep their teeth strong.  The team will then come back into school on Monday 19th January to apply the varnish.

I hope you all have a lovely week

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everybody and welcome to our final blog for 2014! This week promises to be a very exciting and fun filled week with lots of Christmas activities for staff and children.

Comenius Visit

Last week we welcomed into school our Comenius partners.  I would just like to thank all our wonderful pupils and staff for what was an amazing 2 day visit Everybody worked so hard to make the visit such a success. The presentations on Friday – including Reception’s nativity play – were particularly impressive and all of our visitors remarked on how polite and well-behaved our children were. They were also very impressed with the quality of our pupils’ work as well as the school as a whole. Well done everybody!

This week at Copthorne

Goodbye Miss Bray

This week we say goodbye to Miss Bray who will be leaving Copthorne to teach in Dubai.  Miss Bray has worked at Copthorne for 4 years and all the staff and pupils will miss her greatly.  Thank you for all your hard work at Copthorne and we hope that you will come back and visit us and tell us all about the exciting work you have been doing in Dubai.  Good luck Miss Bray!

This week we have a very exciting week planned and with lots of different activities happening each day.  Please find below a list of what will be happening:-

Monday 15th December: Magical Monday: Wear a crown or tiara like one of the 3 kings.

Tuesday 16^th December: Tinsel Tuesday: Wear something sparkly e.g. a piece of tinsel.

Wednesday 17^th December: Wrapping Paper Wednesday: Wear a paper hat made from wrapping paper.

Thursday 18^th December: Trimmings Thursday: Decorate yourself with a Christmas bauble or tree decoration.  Please avoid those baubles which may shatter! Our Christmas meal will be held today.

Friday 19^th December: Festive Friday: Wear your party clothes for our Christmas celebrations. We will also be holding a whole school assembly where staff and children will have our annual Christmas sing-a-long.

Exceed Football Competition

On Wednesday 17th December our Year 5 and 6 football team will be taking part in a cup competition against Farnham Primary School at Grange Technology College.  We wish them the very best of luck and I am sure that, as always, they will be wonderful ambassadors for our school.  Good luck!!

May I take this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable and relaxing holiday and thank you for your continued support.  School will open again on Monday 5th January, 2015 at the usual time.

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everyone and I hope you have had a lovely rest over the weekend.  I cannot believe we are in the month of December already, how quickly this year has gone by! We have, as usual, another busy week ahead of us at Copthorne.

Ladies’ Night

I would just like to say a big thank you to all the parents and staff for making our Ladies’ Night a huge success.  The evening was fabulous and all the models in the fashion show looked amazing.  Thank you to the ladies that did make up and hair and a special mention to Miss Nisar for organising the evening so well. I am already looking forward to next year’s event!

This week at Copthorne

Reception are going on a bear hunt

This week our Reception children will be visiting Judy Woods as part of their topic this term which is bears.  While the children are at the woods they will be exploring the natural environment and going on a bear hunt!  They will also be taking part in activities such as leaf rubbing and a sound and nature walk.  I hope the weather stays dry for them. 2R will be going to the woods on Monday afternoon and  1R will be going on Thursday morning. I hope you have a lovely time and hope you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the bears!

New to English Exceed Christmas Party

The Exceed Alliance is hosting a Christmas Party which will take place on Tuesday 2nd December at the Khidmet Centre to which our New to English children are invited.  The children will enjoy drinks and snacks and will take part in activities such as games, singing, dancing and will also have a visit from Santa Claus! The children have been making decorations and hats in school and parents were invited into school last week to help the children make buns for the party.  I am sure the children will have a wonderful time and will come back to school full of Christmas spirit.

Forest Schools – 3 Larch

As part of the creative curriculum this year, Year 3 children will take part in a Forest school session.  The children will go to St Ives in Bingley to take part in Forest School activities as part of their work in class.  The weather has now turned much colder so children will need to be wrapped up warm.  Some of the children visited St Ives last week and they thoroughly enjoyed working outside in the natural environment. The visits will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Year 1 Time Travellers

This half term, Year 1’s Curriculum focus in Time Travellers which includes learning about schools in the past.  To support their work they will be going on an educational visit to the Bradford Industrial Museum on Wednesday and learning what a Victorian school day was like. The work the children will be doing is part of the statutory National Curriculum and will support their work in history and will help to stimulate their writing.  I am sure they will have a very educational day learning about what life in schools used to be like.

Year 3 Visit to Cadbury World

Year 3 have been learning about robots this term and on Thursday they will visit Cadburys World in Birmingham where they will see real life robots in action and will also tie in with their class novel “Charlie and the Chocolate factory”. This will be a very exciting visit for the children and I know they have worked really hard fundraising to help fund this trip. I do hope they have a lovely visit but try not eat too much chocolate along the way!

NSPCC Number Day

On Friday we will be holding a Number Day in school to help raise the profile of Maths in school and raise funds for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.  NSPCC Number Day is a fun, nationwide maths fundraising event for children and young people of all ages. On that day we will be asking for a small donation of 50p and children can come to school dressed in casual clothes but they must have a link to numbers.  For example: a football shirt with a number on.  Children will be playing maths games throughout the morning and competing in a quiz to find the Mathematician of the year. I am sure this will be a very enjoyable and educational day for everyone as well as raising vital funds for a very worthwhile charity.

I hope you have a lovely week

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everybody and welcome back to another exciting week at Copthorne. I hope you have had a lovely weekend and are ready to begin a new week.

Children in Need

I would like to say a big thank you to all the children and parents for making a really big effort last Friday for Children in Need, it was an absolutely amazing day.  You all looked wonderful and I am sure we will be talking about “the best assembly ever” for a long time to come.  I am pleased to inform you that the total amount raised was an overwhelming £800.  Once again, thank you for your generosity as always. 

Firefighter Charity Collection

I am delighted to inform you that the amount raised from the charity bag collection was £77.  This is a fantastic amount and will go towards school funds.  Thank you once again for your generosity.

Year 3 Residential – Bewerley Park

Today, 20 of our Year 3 pupils will be taking part in a residential trip along with other children in the Exceed group.  The children will be staying at Bewerley Park in North Yorkshire until Wednesday and will be accompanied by Mr A Khan and Miss Armitstead. The other schools involved in this trip will be Horton Grange, Farnham and Princeville Primary School.  This residential is a wonderful opportunity for our children to stay away from home for a short time with their classmates and to experience a fantastic range of activities.  In the past visits, we have found that the children have an amazing time and develop so much confidence and independence by taking part.  I hope they have a fantastic learning experience and have lots of fun!

‘Believe in Bradford’ Conference

On Tuesday 18th November, eight children will be going to Dixons Trinity Academy to attend the ‘Believe in Bradford’ conference.  The conference will be delivered by staff from the Interfaith Education Centre Team and will support and enhance their R.E. learning. This full day conference will be interactive with lots of opportunity for talk, sharing ideas and discussion. It will culminate with pupils from different schools collaborating to create pieces of art work on the theme ‘Believe in Bradford’.

Go Copthorne!!

On Wednesday 19th November our Year 5 and 6 football team will be playing football in an Exceed Football League game at Grange Technology College. They will be playing against Princeville Primary.  We wish them the very best of luck.  Go Copthorne!!

Learning Workshops

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week, 1R and 2R will be holding learning workshops in school.  Parents received a letter last week inviting them to attend the workshops. The workshops will be split into two halves.  Teachers will model a phonics session, which will pay particular attention to activities which can easily be adapted at home.  Then there will be demonstrations on how to complete word books and homework with children. Parents will also be introduced to Primary Essence.  This is an online system used in Reception to record Teacher’s observations of children’s learning.  At the workshop you will receive logins which can be used to access the system from home and comment on your child’s progress. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to become involved in their child’s learning.  I look forward to seeing as many parents and carers throughout the week.

Dates for your diary:

Comenius Balloon Release

On Friday 12th December we will be welcoming into school our friends from the Comenius project.  To coincide with the event, there will be a competition to see which balloon travels the furthest with a fabulous prize for the three balloons which are returned from the furthest location.  Balloons will be sold in school to staff and pupils and a tag will be attached to the balloon.  The cost of a balloon will be £1 and the money raised will go towards raising funds to buy playground toys.  If you would like to purchase a balloon, please complete the reply slip on the bottom of the letter that was sent out last week.

I hope you have a lovely week

Mrs Shepherd

Welcome everybody to a new week, I hope you all have had a lovely weekend and managed to stay warm and dry away from Saturday’s rain.

Firefighters’ Charity Collection

Thank you to everybody who brought in unwanted bags of clothing for the Firefighters’ charity collection.  The response, as always, was fantastic.  Once we have been advised of the amount that was raised I will let you know.

Congratulations Miss Wood!

I am delighted to inform you that one of our Year 6 Teachers, Miss Wood, has had some fantastic news this week.  She has been studying part-time for her Masters degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and this week she received the news that she had not only passed her degree but she was also awarded a merit.  Miss Wood has worked extremely hard as well as being a very committed teacher and thoroughly deserves this recognition.  Well done Miss Wood, Copthorne is very proud of you.

My School CD

Last week in school we had our very own professional mobile recording studio.  Each class recorded  the songs that they had been learning and practising in their music lessons. The children had a fantastic experience and I would like to thank them for their enthusiasm and for making the CD such a success.  You will have received a letter last week with information on how to buy the CD at a cost of £7.99.   These CD’s will be sold on a first come, first served basis so make sure you order your copy to avoid disappointment.  Whilst the CD is a great memento for the children, we are sure you will enjoy it too. It will also make a great present for loved ones. 

This week at Copthorne

Year 1 – Creative Curriculum Assembly

On Thursday 13th November Year One will be holding an Assembly on their Creative Curriculum topic “The Netherlands”. The children have been researching how the Netherlands compares to our local area.  I do hope as many parents and carers as possible will be able to attend for you to see how hard the children have been working and how much they have learnt about one of the countries from our Comenius project. The assemblies will be held at 9.15am and 2.15pm.  If you are attending I would kindly ask that you arrive promptly so as not to disturb the children after they have begun the assembly.  Thank you for your cooperation and I look forward to seeing you.

Children in Need 2014

On Friday 14^th November  we will be supporting ‘Children in Need’ throughout school. Children in Need is a charity that provides funding, support and resources for children around the world who are living in poverty. We know that you will support us in trying to raise as much money as we can for this worthwhile charity.  This year the theme is “Superheroes” so children can come to school in non-uniform and wear something relating to this theme if possible.  We suggest a minimum donation of £1 per child but anything you donate will be gratefully received. 

During the day we will be holding ‘The Best Assembly Ever’ which has been organised and will be run by members of our School Council. The event promises to be lots of fun whilst raising awareness of this worthwhile cause. I am delighted to tell you that we have won a Children in Need Surprise Box for our proposed assembly. The box includes lots of goodies to help us raise money so it promises to be a great event.

We will also be holding a cake decorating competition. Children can decorate a large cake or small buns with anything relating to the superhero theme and bring them in on Friday morning.  These will be judged by myself and the best decorated cakes from each year group will win a prize.  The cakes will then be available to buy in a bun sale at break time to raise money for Children in Need.

There will also be a Children in Need shop with pens, pencils and wristbands to buy so children can bring some extra money to buy these. Items range from 50p to £2.00.

Thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to seeing everyone in non-uniform.

I hope you all have a super week

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everyone and welcome back to School.  I hope you all have had a fantastic break and are ready to begin a new half term.  We have lots of exciting things happening in school during the next few weeks which will be full of lots of interesting learning and activities.

Exceed Football Competition

Before the holidays our Year 5 and 6 football team took part in an Exceed football match against Lidget Green Primary School.  I am delighted to tell you that they drew 4-4.  Mr Khan tells me that the team tried really hard and were a real credit to the school. Well done!

This week at Copthorne

Fire fighters’ Charity Collection

On Tuesday 4th November, we will be carrying out a collection of unwanted or used clothes, shoes, belts and handbags in order to raise money for the Fire Fighters’ Charity and the school fund.  Later this week you will be receiving a letter and a collection bag which is to be filled with the items listed above – please feel free to fill as many additional bags as you can (bin bags can be used). We would be grateful if you could also ask other members of your family and our community to fill bags for us. Please ensure that only items on the list are included: no bric-a-brac, household items or toys please. The bags should be brought into school by 9:00am on Tuesday 4th November 2014. We value your help in raising funds which will allow us to provide even more stimulating experiences for Copthorne’s children whilst supporting the fire fighters who provide such a valuable service to us all.

The Mystery of the Cottingley Fairies

On Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th November, Year 3 will be visting the Media Museum to hear all about the Mystery of the Cottingley Fairies.  The children will hear the famous story of how two young girls from Cottingley in Bradford baffled the world with their fairy photographs. They will then view the original cameras used by the girls. The children will also be listening to and discussing a wide range of poems and stories.

Exceed Art Exhibition

Last academic year at school we ran a club through Exceed where children with different backgrounds and culture created a piece of art to represent and celebrate diversity and culture.  On Wednesday 5th November, these children and their families along with Mr A Khan will visit Bradford University to see their finished work. It will be a very proud moment for everyone involved. I hope everyone enjoys the finished work!

Have a lovely week everyone

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everybody and welcome to our school blog.  It is the last week of this half term and  I can hardly believe how quickly it has gone  All the children have worked really hard and have settled well in their new classes. It is lovely to see them so happy. School will close at 3pm this Friday, 24th October and re-open at the normal time on Monday 3rd November.

Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank Collection On behalf of Miss Azzopardi, I would like to say a big thank you to everybody who has supported this wonderful charity by sending in items of food. The response has been absolutely fantastic and as always your generousity has been amazing.   A representative of the charity will be collecting the food today after leading an assembly for our children.

This week at Copthorne

Stephen Lawrence Week This week is Stephen Lawrence week.  Throughout the week we will be learning more about the countries in our world and how everyone in it is different and special in their own way.  On Tuesday we will be holding our first Diversity Day, during which, the children will be working alongside different teachers and children from all year groups across the school.  Drummers Unite will be coming into school to run different workshops  where the children will have the opportunity to experience African dancing and learn how to play an African drum.

Parents’ Evening

Our annual reporting to parents will take place on Thursday 23^rd October from 3.15pm – 6pm.  You should have already received a letter last week asking you to make an appointment to come and speak to the class teacher.  We are looking forward to seeing as many parents’ as possible at the first parents’ evening of this academic year.  During the evening you will have the opportunity to talk to your child’s class teacher about how your child has settled into his/her new class, hear about his/her targets for this term and look at the wonderful work the children have been producing.  I will also be collecting your views and ideas for Copthorne during the evening. I look forward to seeing you there.

“Hola” from Year 2!

On Monday 20^th October, children in Year 2 will be having a Spanish Day. The children are not required to wear school uniform on that day but must wear red items of clothing with a Spanish theme. The children will be cooking and tasting traditional Spanish food, speaking Spanish and dancing and listening to Spanish music.  The children have also been learning simple phrases at home and at school which they will be demonstrating on Monday.  I am looking forward to visiting their classes and joining in with their learning.  Have a fun day Year 2! You will have lots to share with our Spanish visitors from the Comenius project when they join us in December.

Exceed Football Competition

Last Monday our Year 3/4 football team took part in an Exceed Football competition.  The team played really well and overall came fourth in the competition. Mr Khan said that the team showed really good sportsmanship and they were a credit to our school. On Wednesday of this week our Year 5/6 football team will compete against Lidget Green Primary School.  We wish them all the best and are behind them all the way.

Diwali Assembly

On Friday our Year 3 pupils will be performing their Diwali assembly in front of the whole school and their parents. We are all thoroughly looking forward to learning all about the Hindu culture and Diwali festival.  The assemblies will be at 9.15am and 2.30pm and all parents and carers are invited.  It would be lovely if as many of you as possible could join us. 

Events for your diary

Fire fighters’ Charity Collection

On Tuesday 4th November, we will be carrying out a collection of unwanted or used clothes, shoes, belts and handbags in order to raise money for the Fire Fighters’ Charity and the school fund.  Later this week you will be receiving a letter and a collection bag which is to be filled with the items listed above – please feel free to fill as many additional bags as you can (bin bags can be used). We would be grateful if you could also ask other members of your family and our community to fill bags for us. Please ensure that only items on the list are included: no bric-a-brac, household items or toys please. The bags should be brought into school by 9:00am on Tuesday 4th November 2014. We value your help in raising funds which will allow us to provide even more stimulating experiences for Copthorne’s children whilst supporting the fire fighters who provide such a valuable service to us all.

I would like to wish you all a lovely holiday and hope that you have an enjoyable break with your families. Thank you for your continuing support this half term.

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everyone, I hope you have had an enjoyable weekend and are ready to begin a new week.  The weeks seem to be passing by very quickly and it is hard to believe that we will be breaking up for the October break in two weeks time. The weather has now turned extremely autumnal so I hope you are all wrapping up and keeping warm.

This week at Copthorne:

Year 1 visit Saltaire Canal

This week, as part of their Netherlands theme geography focus, Year 1 will be visiting the Saltaire Canal.  The children will be comparing the local area at Saltaire with the canals in Holland and then writing recounts about their visit.  I know the children are really excited about this trip and I hope that they have a great day.  1 Oak will going to the canal on Tuesday and the visit for 1 Ash will take place on Wednesday.  Have a great time Year 1!

Support for the Food Bank

This year our school will be supporting the Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank. This is a charity which provides food bags to Bradford families who are struggling to feed themselves and their children. The charity is the only registered food bank in the Bradford area and is entirely reliant on donations of food. The demand for this service has increased dramatically over the last few years.  In 2004 the charity distributed 300 bags but this year 5,852 have already been given out, with over 1,000 in July alone. Therefore, we are asking children and their families to donate any of the items listed below, bringing them into school from tomorrow, Tuesday 14^th October to Monday 20^th October, where the food you have generously donated will be collected by a representative of the food bank. We will be collecting tinned and dry foods such as: Rice, pasta, flour, sugar, jam, tinned vegetables and tinned fruit.  There will be a competition to see which class can collect the most items, with the winning class receiving reward time in school. This type of activity is a very important part of our children’s education at Copthorne, teaching them to think about and support others less fortunate than themselves. Thank you as always for your continued support and kind donations. 

Science Afternoon Tea

On Wednesday 15th October, I will be having afternoon tea with a group of our children representing each year group. During our meeting we will be talking about what the children have been learning about in Science. This will be the second  meeting I will be holding with the children and am looking forward to hearing about their understanding of and views on this important area of the curriculum. The first meeting proved very successful and was such a pleasure to hear the children’s views and comments about History in our school.  I am sure this meeting will be very enjoyable and am really looking forward to chatting with the children.

Dates for your Diary:

Fire fighters’ Clothing Collection : 4th November 2014

Parents’ Evening: Thursday 23^rd October 2014, 3-6pm

Have a great week everyone.

Mrs Shepherd

I hope you all had a lovely , extra long weekend celebrating Eid with your families. It was lovely to see our children so excited about Eid and looking so smart in their Eid clothes last Friday.

McMillan Coffee Morning

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came in to school last Tuesday and supported our coffee morning.  Also, thank you to everyone who baked and brought some delicious buns and cakes in.  The hall looked like a scene from the Great British Bake Off!  It was a lovely morning and we managed to raise just over £200 which is fantastic.  We will be sending this money off to McMillan Cancer Research this week.  Once again thank you, as always, for your support.

This week at Copthorne:-

Breakfast/Tuck Shop

As you know, here at Copthorne, we are always looking for ways to further support our children and their families.  We are aware that mornings can be a very busy time for families and there is not always the opportunity for breakfast.  We will, therefore, in addition to the usual breakfast club arrangements, now be selling cereal/breakfast bars and cartons of fresh juice in the playground from 8.15am each day.  The cost for these items will be; cereal/breakfast bar – 40p and cartons of juice 20p.  These items will be on sale from Tuesday 7th October in the front playground.  If your child wishes to buy these items, please ensure they have the correct money with them each day. 

Julia Donaldson Exhibition

On Wednesday, our Reception classes will visit the Julia Donaldson exhibition at Cartwright Hall.  Julia Donaldson is the very talented author of wonderful books such as “The Gruffalo”, “Room on a Broom” and “The Troll”.  The children will spend the afternoon at the exhibition where they will have the opportunity to take part in role play activities and learn about the author.  I am sure they will have a fantastic time taking part in the activities that have been arranged for them.

Forest Schools

On Friday, our Year 4 pupils will continue with their Forest School adventures. I am sure that the children will have a wonderful time in the fresh air, developing their investigative and team work skills whilst caring for the environment.

I hope you have an enjoyable week

Mrs Shepherd

Hello everyone and welcome to another week at Copthorne . I know that you and your families will be busy making preparations for the forthcoming Eid celebration and I hope that you have a wonderful time together on this special day. Please note that school will be closed on Monday 6th October for the Eid holiday.

Hawkshead Residential

Last week was an extremely exciting one for our Year 6 pupils as they spent 3 days at Hawkshead in the Lake District.  I went along with the group to spend the first day there with them.  On our arrival at Windermere, we took a ferry cruise to the Lakes Aquarium on the opposite shore. During the ferry ride a number of members of the public came over to talk to us to say what an absolute credit our children were to their families and to Copthorne as their manners and conduct were so good. We were all very proud of them.

This outstanding behaviour continued during our visit to the aquarium where we were taken on a guided tour around all of the amazing animals and aquatic life that they have there. The children’s favourites included tiny harvest mice, giant snails,  monkeys and the pair of otters that posed so nicely for us to take their photos. It was a wonderful experience. The first day ended with a fabulous 3 course meal back at the Youth Hostel and a number of team games. By the time I left to return to school everyone had settled in and was having a brilliant time. 

During the rest of their stay, the children visited the Hawkshead Grammar School Museum to learn about school life in the past and, especially, the 18th century. As part of the visit the children experienced a lesson in the school room as it would have been in the time of the poet, William Wordsworth who attended the school.

The whole group returned to school safe and sound on Friday afternoon, keen to tell their families about their experiences and, staff included, ready for a big sleep after their adventures. Thank you to all the staff who organised and took part in the residential: Mr Darr, Miss Wood, Miss Nelson, Mr Lloyd, Mrs Robinson, Mr H Khan, Miss Parveen and  Mr Zaman. We also want to thank Mr A Khan and Mrs Nisar for driving to Hawkshead to drop off/collect our children. We really apreciate the time you all gave to make sure that our children had such a wonderful experience. You deserve a well earned rest!

Comenius Trip to Lithuania

Today, 4 members of our staff, Mrs Whalley, Mr Darr, Miss Azzopardi and Mr H Khan are travelling to Lithuania to join our Comenius colleagues. During the visit the staff will be meeting representatives from the other 9 countries in the project to plan the next few remaining visits which will include them visiting our school in December. They will visit a Lithuanian Primary School and visit local landmarks.  We wish them an enjoyable and safe trip and are looking forward to hearing all about their adventures on their return and leaning more about the way children are taught in Lithuania.

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – We Need Cakes Urgently!!

On Tuesday 30th September, we will be holding a coffee morning to raise funds for the charity McMillan Cancer Relief.   The event will take place from 9:00-10.30am in the school hall and we will be selling coffee and cakes to raise money for this wonderful charity. The money we raise at the coffee morning will help go towards vital funds to make sure families are supported  through treatment and beyond at one of the most distressing times of their lives. If any of you enjoy baking and would like to bake cakes, biscuits or savoury products which we can sell during the coffee morning that would be greatly appreciated. Please bring your baked goods to school with you either at the end of school on Monday or first thing on Tuesday. It would be lovely to see as many of you as possible at this event.

School Council Meeting

On Thursday 2nd October, children from our  School Council will attend their first external School Council Meeting of this academic year. The Council is made up of two children from each year group.  They represent the views of our other children and suggest ideas about how we can keep improving our school. They will meet with other children from our Local Area Primary Schools.  The meeting will be held at Horton Grange Primary School where they will have a tour around the school and have lunch. After lunch they will share ideas and discuss projects with the other councillors. We look forward to hearing all about their new ideas.

Forest Schools

A group of 4 Beech’s pupils will be the first group this year to take part in the Forest Schools programme on Friday, 4th October at the St Ives Estate.  This is always a popular trip with our children who will take part in activities to build their self-esteem and confidence in an outdoor environment. All learning during the day takes place outside where the children learn woodland craft and explore the woods. Through such activities the children also develop care and responsibility for our environment. I am sure they will have a fantastic time and I look forward to hearing all about their adventures on their return to school.

Star of the Month Assembly

This Friday, 3rd October, we will hold our Star of the Month Assembly. At the assembly one pupil from each class will be  rewarded for exceptional learning behaviour and work.  Staff working in each class  nominate the children they feel have displayed a no excuses, positive attitude. Well done to this month’s award winners – Copthorne is so proud of you all.

Dates for your Diary

School will be closed on 6^th October for an Eid holiday

Parents’ Evening: Thursday 23^rd October 2014, 3-6pm

Firefighters’ Charity: Unwanted Clothes Collection: Tuesday 4th November

I hope you all  have a wonderful week and will hopefully see many of you at our coffee morning on Tuesday.

Mrs Shepherd