NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWS 5
NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWSLETTER 5 NEWS 5
Friday 7th January 2011

Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome back after what I hope was a wonderful, peaceful and restful Christmas
holiday. I hope you all have a fabulous 2011!

1. GOLDEN AWARDS: The following children were the recipients of last term’s Golden Awards for consistently excellent work and behaviour:
Reception: Rafferty H, Rosie M, Anna R, Ben S
Year 1: Ellie S, Malachi A-D, Dorothy C, Albert S-B
Year 2: Maisy D, Valentina D, Annabelle F, Shiva F
Year 3: Angelique T, Katie-Anne H, Miles A, Mia F
Year 4: Koto A, Jack S, Usman A, Sophia D
Year 5: Ravin R, Alexandra D, Theo G, Madalena R
Year 6: Phoebe S, Daniel M, Alex C, Zaid M
Very well done and many congratulations to them all!
2. ‘WHERE HAVE ALL THE COLOURS GONE?’: All of our Foundation Stage children were on stage singing and dancing for two wonderful performances of ‘Where have all the colours gone?’ at the end of term. Thanks to Rhian Robbins for the dance, MJ Paranzino for the music, Max Furnell for the set and Jo Lynch for the lighting, but special thanks to all the Foundation Stage children, the many wonderful Y6 helpers and all Foundation Stage staff, led by Elaine Flanagan (who wrote and directed), for their help and encouragement. We collected in aid of Macmillan Cancer support and raised over £300. Thank you for your generosity. The Wednesday show (15/12/10) was filmed (thanks to Richard Pavitt) and DVDs are now available to order. A separate form went out on Wednesday.
3. CAROLS IN ST MARY’S CHURCH: Thanks to all who were able to join us for all of Y1-Y6 singing carols on Monday 13th December at St Mary’s church. We moved to the church so as to enable everyone to share the fun in the warm and what an impressive turn out! All of the singers were marvellous and I was particularly proud of all our musicians, especially the Y5 clarinet players and Dan Westland’s Y6 ukulele players who have only been learning their instruments for a few weeks, also Josh H (Y6) on the piano. We held a collection for Bombay Teen Challenge, a charity associated with Ruth Hine and her late husband Paul, that helps Mumbai’s street children in health, education, social welfare etc. and raised over £200. Again, thank you for your support and generosity.
4. PTA CHRISTMAS FAIR: The wintry weather couldn’t halt another amazing success on Saturday 4th December. It was very crowded! Many thanks to the many who helped and all who came along to make it such a special day. We made just over £4200, without estate agent boards and Christmas trees etc! This year very special thanks to Janneke Diemel and Niall Barrett for the organising and keeping everyone calm, also Sara Walls, Sarah Hill and Sid Smith for so swiftly counting all the money!
5. THE SNOWMAN: On 9/12/10 we raised approximately £200 for our partner school in Yameriga, Ghana by continuing our annual pyjama party showing of the Snowman and Father Christmas. Thanks to staff who organised and all who came on the day.
6. SADIQ KHAN’S CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION: Every year our local MP organises a competition to design his Christmas card. The runner-up and Ravenstone’s winner this year was Evie N, Y2 MP. Brilliant!
7. RAVENSTONE CALENDAR: Apologies to any families if your children are missing from the photos. We were under pressure to get the pictures taken and some children, particularly Y6, are missing due to visiting schools, attending dental appointments etc. These things happen!
8. SPORT: a) On 7/12/10 Morris and Fiona Westwood took a Y5/6 team to Battersea to compete in a mini sportshall athletics tournament involving Broadwater and Chesterton primary schools. We took plenty of new faces and were delighted when we again emerged as winners. b) Such is our Athletics prowess that 17 children (Phoebe, Savannah, Ella, Josh, Jevontae, Ayden, Louis, Kyle, Ryan Y6, Lauren, Stephanie, Natasha, Anna, Rhianna, Tane, Nile Y5, Ruben Y4) have been selected to represent Wandsworth at the Aviva Youth games on 15/1/11. Amazing!
9. FRIDAY ASSEMBLIES: These start next week and we are all delighted that so many of you are able to attend our Friday worksharing and Stars of the Week assemblies, 10:00-10:15am. Remember you may not see your child’s work, but you will see work from her/his class. Spring term’s timetable is as follows:

A) Jan 14, 28 Feb 11 Mar 4, 18 Apr 1 YEARS 6, 4, 2 Rec
Lower Hall: Mrs Bolton Y6, Mrs Schulenburg Y4, Mr Huie Y2, Simon Reception
Upper Hall: Mrs Lynch Y6, Mr Westland Y4, Ms Pulling Y2, Felicity Reception

B) Jan 21, Feb 4, 18 Mar 11, 25 YEARS 5, 3, 1
Lower Hall: Mrs Hood Y5, Mr Van Brown Y3, Mrs Hine Y1
Upper Hall: Ms Hamilton Y5, Mr Friday Y3, Ms Westwood Y1

I know you are often keen to say hello to your children but could all visitors please help us by leaving the premises by 10:25am at the very latest.

10. ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY: Last half term’s winning class for best attendance and punctuality was Mrs Hine’s Y1, with Ms Hamilton’s Y5 a close second and Ms Pulling’s Y2 third. Ruth’s class will be suitably rewarded very soon. We have set a very challenging target (96%) for attendance this year and it is our aim that all children attend school all of the time. Obviously, however, school is not a place for your children when they are sick. I thought you might be interested to see year group comparisons for last term. Overall attendance for the term was 94.8%. Not bad really, considering the snow!
Rec: 93.4% Year 1: 95.1% Year 2: 94.2%
Year 3: 95.4% Year 4: 95.0% Year 5: 95.6%
Year 6: 94.9%
What is rather ridiculous is that we get penalised for staying open when the snow forced many local schools to close. Our attendance during those three bad days at the start of December was about 15% down. Schools that closed end up with better figures. Madness!

11. RECEPTION APPLICATIONS: Just a reminder that the closing date for applications to Reception for September is next week: 15th January.
12. NURSERY APPLICATIONS: A similar reminder that all applications for Nursery need to be in (to school) by Friday 11th February.
13. SNOW: Hopefully we will not have any more severe weather but we will endeavour to remain open at all times. If the school has to close for any reason we will put a message on the website: www.ravenstoneschool.co.uk before 7:30am. Please always assume we are open!
Happy New Year to you all!

Best Wishes

Alan Millington

DIARY
JANUARY 2011
14th Reception to see Gruffalo, Garrick Theatre, Y3 to National
19th Y2 to Polka Theatre
21st PTA Children’s New Year Disco
25th Y1 to Horniman Museum
26th Y4 to Polka Theatre
FEBRUARY 2011 8th Y4/5/6 Girls Football @ Wandle
18th Break for Half Term
28th INSET DAY
MARCH 2011 1st Children return

8th Y5FH to Wandsworth Museum am

11th PTA Parents’ Disco

15th Y5IH to Wandsworth Museum am
23rd PTA Spring Tea
APRIL 2011 2nd Music Concert @ St Mary’s Church 2:00pm
4th PTA Children’s Games Night
8th Break for Easter
26th INSET DAY
27th Summer Term starts
29th Bank Holiday (Royal wedding)
MAY 2011 6th PTA Vitality Night
9-11th KS2 SATs Y6
27th Break for Half term
JUNE 2011 6th Back after Whitsun
9th PTA Junior Mastermind
10th Y5 Junior Citizen
15th PTA Cake & Crafts sale
22nd SPORTS DAY at Tooting Track Rec-Y6
JULY 2011 2nd PTA Summer Fair
22nd Last day of term