Dear Parent/Carer,

Taiko drumming continued today for children in the Year 3/4 classes with Mr Robinson from Upbeat Music and Arts. Mini- ipad sessions are running this half term for pupils in Classes 5/6B and 5/6P. The Newport Gateway Rugby/ Football session for 4/5 B is on Tuesday.

Class 4/5B are visiting the Friars’ Walk development on Tuesday as guests of Mr Tony Rides, the Project Manager with Bowmer and Kirkland, and also of Queensbury Estates who are responsible for the shops themselves. They will be viewing the development from Chartist Tower. Thank you to both organisations for helping with this visit!

Parental Consultations take place on Tuesday from 3.45-7.30pm and on Wednesday from 3.45- 5.30pm. A children’s DVD will run in the Nursery if you have no babysitter and all children returning are expected to go there. In the Spring Year 6 pupils will join their parents for their final consultation.

At the Tuesday Consultations, Mr Mark Tucker, Deputy Head of Duffryn High School, will be available in the top hall for any parents to ask any questions.

Mrs Couch will be in the middle hall on both evenings and will have a selection of Reading and Numeracy Procedural and Reasoning Tests available for you to look at.

On Wednesday we will be joined for our assembly by staff from Age Cymru. They will be talking to the children about their office, which is based in Bridge Street and also telling them about a competition.

The school Eco Team are having their Platinum Eco assessment on Wednesday and will be meeting Mr Rhys Bebb from Eco Schools Wales.

Also on Wednesday, Year 5 pupils will be rehearing for their Chartist March with the drama coach and actor, Jamie Jarvis. The march takes place on Tuesday 4th November at 1.30pm and children will be re-enacting the march that Chartists made along Stow Hill in 1839, ending at the Westgate Hotel, in Westgate Square. This years’ event is special because it marks the 175th anniversary of the original event.

The Reception/ Year 1 Literacy course for parents continues on Thursday at 9.00am. There are still a few places left on this course which runs until Thursday 20th November. During the morning session, parents will have the chance to work with their child on an activity and these are always enjoyable sessions.

On Thursday, Classes 3/4C and 3/4G are visiting the Costume Museum at Bath.

On Friday morning at 9.15am Class 1/2S will be having their Class Assembly. I hope that lots of you will be able to join us for this first class assembly of the year.

Also on Friday we are being visited by a researcher for the Welsh Government who is looking at the development of the Literacy and Numeracy Framework in schools. She would like to chat to parents first thing in the morning for no more than half an hour, so if any parent is interested in doing this, please make yourself known to Mrs Couch tomorrow evening or contact the school.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Tony Rides will be joining our assembly with his health and safety character ‘Ivor Goodsite’. They will be talking to all the classes about building site safety at the Friars’ Walk site.

Office

This is a gentle reminder not to bring dinner and trip money or class forms to the front office first thing in the morning. Please send all money and forms in with your child to give to their class teacher. This helps your child become more independent, lets the teachers know what money and forms have come in straightaway, and stops hold-ups at the office first thing in the morning. Mrs Kidd’s working day does not start first thing, so it is only Mrs Martin in the office and we want to reduce the time you have to wait here. Thank you in advance for helping with this.

Friends of St Woolos

There will be a meeting of The Friends of St Woolos on Friday 7th November at 2.30pm to discuss the Christmas Fayre. All parents and grandparents are welcome.

Parent Governor

The closing date for nominations for the post of Parent Governor was today and I’m pleased to say that we have received two nominations and both are elected unopposed. The parents are:

Mrs Anna Khan- mother of Iestyn in Year 2
Mr Ben Ormrod, father of Alfie in Nursery and Isabelle in Year 3

Thank you very much to both for their willingness to support the school!

Many schools are struggling to fill the role of Parent Governor so to have two candidates is a sign of how committed all the parents are here. Thank you.

Eco Tip

Adjust central heating times to match the times when there are people in house. Don’t heat an empty house.

Bonus Ball

There is a rollover this week!

Yours sincerely,

H Vaughan
Headteacher