Communication

For our end of year treat we have booked a trip to Jump Incflated for a bounce session with party food (pizzas, sandwiches, crisps, veggie sticks and ice cream plus unlimited juice), on Monday 2^nd July.

The School, along with the PTFA, will be covering the cost of the bounce session and the meal along with the cost of the coach as the leaving gift to the children.

The event will take place in the afternoon (children can have their lunch as normal) and we will return to school for approximately 4pm.

Please return the online reply slip below by Thursday 28^th June to confirm your child’s attendance.

Yours Sincerely

Mrs E Edwards

Dear Parent/guardian,

On Thursday June 28^th at 3.30pm and Friday June 29^that 8.30am, our school will be hosting our first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Playground Challenge and we very much hope that you will join us in supporting this active, fun and educational event. It is a great opportunity for our pupils to learn about and raise money for children in other parts of the world.

What is it?

The Soccer Aid Playground Challenge will encourage pupils and any parents who would like to take part to kick, bounce or carry a football around an obstacle course they have designed on the school MUGA.

How can you help?

In return for a small donation of £1 children and parents are invited to join our school in the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge to help Unicef’s vital work for children in danger. To top it all off, the UK government will match every £1 our school raises. You can also read more about this online.

Why are we doing it?

By taking part in this important event, we can help Unicef provide life-saving food and vaccines, as well as life-changing education and support for children around the world.

To find out more about Unicef’s work for children in danger, visit unicef.org.uk

Thank you so much for your support.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Julie Beever

HLTA

Dear Parents,

Please find attached the latest Ellis News. The Ellis News 31 (June 2018)

A quick reminder that the Maths Calculation Policy is on the website to be used as a useful guide when supporting your child’s learning.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Foundation Stage Parents,

Mr Grayhurst will be running a reading workshop on Tuesday, 26th June at both 9.15am and 5pm. Previously parents have said that this has been a very informative workshop and have found it very useful in supporting their child with early reading. If you would like to attend please either email Mrs Fiddes or reply via the letter that has been sent out.

Our Foundation Stage Coffee Morning will be held on Thursday, 28th June, 9am – 10:15am.

The children will be performing some songs, there will be refreshments on sale, gifts to purchase and a raffle.

Afternoon nursery children are invited to come and join the rest of the children on stage, please come along if you can.

The morning nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

We would like to hold our Sport’s Day for morning nursery children and F2 on Thursday, 5th July 9.30am until approximately 10.30am. Afternoon nursery children are invited to join in, please let Mrs Pollard know. The children can come to school already dressed in their PE kit and please bring a water bottle and a sun hat for them.

The nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

We look forward to seeing you at the above events and if you have any queries regarding any of them please come and speak to me.

Mrs Pollard

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child’s class has been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 1 Athletics competition at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium, Cudworth, on Thursday 12^th July 2018. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.15pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12.30pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise coaches and parents are invited to spectate but you must meet your child at the venue.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event. Our annual consent form will cover this event so no additional form will need to be completed. Thank you.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

The Ellis CE Led ride to RSPB Old Moor

On Wednesday 27^th June pupils in year 5 have the opportunity to take part in a led bike ride from the school to RSPB Old Moor, led by the school’s Active Travel Officer, Dave Atherton.

The ride has been organised as part of Barnsley MBC’s promotion of Active Travel. The led ride is approximately six and a half miles long and parents are advised to make a judgement on if their child will be able to cycle the total distance. Pupils will cycle to RSPB Old Moor, taking in the sights along the way.

The ride will be led by a qualified ride leader in Dave and supported by members of staff from the school. It will use a mixture of off-road paths and quieter back roads. (If you have any questions regarding the route please get in touch at david@pwlcprojects.com or on 07804541446).

Please note:

– Places are limited (16) and will allocated on a first come first served basis.

– Children must be able to ride confidently without stabilisers in order to come out on the ride.

If you would like your child to come on the ride please complete and return the slip below to school. On the morning of the ride your children should come to school with:

– A bike in full working condition. This means fully inflated tyres and both brakes functioning properly. Bikes will be checked and minor adjustments can be made but if there are any major faults the child will not be able to take part.

– A helmet that fits well

– A backpack they can comfortably wear while riding.

– A water bottle (to carry at least 500ml)

– A jumper / coat (If you have waterproofs please pack them, the ride will be going ahead whatever the weather)

– Any medication they need

– A sweet snack

Photos may be taken out on the ride if you have given permission to do so using the School’s new GDPR consent form. These may be used on project reports, social media and as part of BMBC’s promotion of active travel. Parents/Guardians must have signed the consent form to allow photos to be taken.

Dave Atherton

13/06/18

Dear Parent/Carer

25/06/18 – ‘Dr Bike’ free bike safety check!

On 25^th June, Dr Bike will be visiting The Ellis. Children, parents and teachers in any class who cycle to school on that day can have their bikes checked for free!

This is not a full service, but a safety check of brakes, wheels, handlebars, saddles and pedals. Dr Bike should be able to mend punctures and oil chains, but the only parts that can be replaced are brake pads and brake cables – if anything else on your bike is missing or broken then you may need to take it to a shop. If Dr Bike makes any adjustments, a slip will be attached to the bike, detailing what has been done and if any further work is required. Priority will be given to children’s bikes, but adult bikes left at the school may be checked if there is time. If you would like your bike looking at, please leave it unlocked. If you leave the lock open on the bike it can be locked back up when Dr Bike has finished.

If your child is in year 5 and attending the bike ride to Old Moor on Wednesday 27^th please bring bikes to be serviced. This will ensure that all bikes are safe to ride on the morning of the event.

On the morning of Dr Bike please leave your bikes in or around the cycle shelter.

Remember – cycling is fun, healthy and doesn’t clog up the roads!

See you there,

Dave Atherton

SY Stars Active Travel officer for Barnsley

e)David@pwlcprojects.com

m) 07804541446

@SYStarsBarnsley

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 1 non-competitive multi skills event at Worsbrough Common Primary School, on Thursday 21^st June 2018. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 1:00pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately, due to space constraints, parents are not able to attend this event.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. The event will be held indoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event. No additional consent needs to be completed for this trip.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parent/Carer,

Due to the success at the rounder’s competition we now have a date for the finals. The finals will be held at Horizon Playing Fields on Tuesday, 19^th June 2018.

Your child will leave at 12:30 and return back to school at approximately 3.45pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their children at the event.

The competition will be held outside, therefore, your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a coat. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

The annual consent form can be used for this event so there is no requirement to sign any additional form.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear All Y6 Parents,

For our IKIC treat the children have requested to go to Calypso Cove (swimming) at the Metrodome.

We have provisionally booked a party for Friday 29^th June. The party will start at 5:30pm and we expect to be finished by 8pm. As the event is out of school time, I have not arranged transport to and from the Metrodome. If you are able to take/collect other children please let me know and I will help arrange transport for those who need assistance.

Yours Sincerely

Mrs E Edwards

Dear Parents,

Please find attached this week’s newsletter. The Ellis News 30 (June 2018)

Thank you to those of you who have returned the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) consent forms.

Please be aware that until you have returned this and we have your permission we will be unable to contact you regarding future events happening in school. This will mean your child will not be able to participate in certain activities or trips as we will not be able to send you the relevant permission slips.

Please note:

Year 6 will be taking their GDPR forms home tonight and all other classes have already been issued with theirs. On this occasion we are unable to receive permission via email as we need the hard copies returning for our records. If you require another copy to be sent home, please let me know. Thank you.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y6 Parents,

We have arranged a variety of activities for the year 6 children to celebrate the end of the year, some of which you may have already heard about.

SLEEPOVER~

This will take place on Thursday 5^th July. Children will leave school as normal and can return for the evening from 6:30pm- they will need to bring a sleeping bag. I will send further information a little closer to the time. The day after will be non-uniform for Y6 only.

SCHOOL MUSICAL~

This will take place on the evening of Thursday 12^th July. There will be rehearsals on Tuesdays from the 26th June (3:30-4:30pm). Y6s will have the priority for the larger roles as this will be their last opportunity.

LEAVERS’ ASSEMBLY~

Please could you let me know if your child will not be here for the end of year assembly (20^th July) so that I can make sure they don’t get allocated a part.

IKIC~

There will also be an additional event for the children that participated in the IKIC challenge. Further information will follow.

END OF YEAR TREAT~

We are currently pricing up an activity for the PTFA end of year treat. As soon as I have further details I will let you know.

Participation in all of these events is dependent on good behaviour in school.

If you have any questions/queries/concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you

Mrs Emily Edwards

Dear Key Stage 2 Parents,

The Ellis School Musical

Mrs Edwards is currently working on a school production and is inviting children to audition this Wednesday lunchtime.

If your child would like to take part they must be available on Thursday 12^th July for the evening performance and they must be able to attend rehearsals on Tuesdays after school – until 4:30pm, starting 26^th June.

Thank you

Dear Parents,

We try to make the transition from F2 to Year 1 as smooth and simple as possible.

With this in mind we have arranged for Mr Grayhurst’s children to come into Year 1 for three mornings on Tuesday 17^th July, Wednesday 18^th July and Thursday 19^th July to meet their new class teacher, Mrs Wise.

Please assemble on the main playground and encourage your child to line up when the bell goes at 8.55am. Mrs Wise will then collect the children and take them into class. They will return to F2 for their normal afternoon session.

We would also like to invite you to attend a meeting in the Year 1 classroom at 5pm on Thursday, 21st June to discuss the transition from Foundation Stage into Key Stage 1 and answer any questions you may have.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Wise

Year 1 Teacher

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Athletics competition at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium, Cudworth, on Thursday 14^th June 2018. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.15pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12.30pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches and parents are invited to spectate but you must meet your child at the venue.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event. Children will be allocated events and unfortunately may not be able to take part in more than one activity. No additional consent form needs to be completed for this sporting activity.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Boys Cricket Competition at Netherwood on Monday 11^th June 2018. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.30pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:40pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches and parents are invited to spectate but must meet their child at the event.

The event will be held outdoors. Please can your child bring suitable trainers, PE kit, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event. As our annual form will be used for this sporting activity no additional consent needs to be signed.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Y1 and Y2 Parents,

Y1 and Y2 are very excited about our new topic Zoom!

We are learning all about journeys and different ways to travel. As part of this learning we will be making our own wheeled vehicles during our DT afternoons (Y1-1:30 on Monday 11th June and Y2- 1:30 on Thursday 14th of June). Parents and grandparents are invited to come and support our learning on these afternoons. We are hoping to make vehicles of all shapes, sizes and designs and would be grateful for donations of boxes, bottles, tubes and other junk model materials to use.

Many thanks,

Mrs Sutton, Mrs Trotter and Mrs Wise

Welcome back everyone.

There is no newsletter this week as we were not in school Friday 25/5/18.

We hope you have had a restful half-term and are refreshed and ready for the last half term of this year.

We will be working hard on transition to try and make the move into next year as smooth as possible for your children.

We are delighted to say that Freya in Y6 has won the IKIC (I know I can) project. Four of our projects were chosen to enter the final and Freya was up against many secondary students. We are very proud and thank you to Mrs Edwards for supporting the project so well.

Let’s hope for some more sunny days and outdoor learning opportunities.

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Please find attached this week’s newsletter. The Ellis News 29 (May 2018)

Polite Reminder

Can I please remind parents that younger children must not play on the equipment outside Years 1 and 2 before or after school. These areas are set up and ready to be used for outdoor learning. Thank you.

New Data Regulations

You are probably receiving lots of personal emails regarding the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) that are coming into force on 25th May. We would like to reassure you that we are in the process of updating our Privacy Notice in line with the new regulations and this will be issued shortly.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

After School Clubs

The following clubs have been booked and will start the first week back after half term:

Monday – Key Stage 1 Athletics, starting Monday 4th June 2018. Last session will be Monday 16th July.

Tuesday – Years 1 – 4 Football with Daz. £2.50 per week payable direct to Daz.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Athletics, starting Wednesday 6th June 2018. Last session will be Wednesday 18th July.

Please email me as soon as possible if you would like your child to attend. Names will be put down on a first come first served basis.

I will let you know by email if your child has been successful in receiving a place.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We have been asked to distribute the details below:

I am holding a children’s book competition for all children aged 7 and under. It is a drawing competition where each child can enter a Monkey picture that they have drawn themselves. The one winner will receive a copy of the new book as their winning prize. Their Monkey picture will also feature in my next book. The winning child’s name will also be in the published book as the illustrator of the Monkey picture they drew. The School name will also be mentioned in the book.

Competition closing date is: Friday 1^st June 2018. All entries must be received on or before this date.

All entries need to be emailed with:

1: A clear photograph of their Monkey picture

2: The child’s name

3: The child’s age

4: The school the child attends

5: Your home address so that the winner can receive their book

All entries to be sent to: tinahwhite@outlook.com

You can visit my website: https://tinahwhite.co.uk/

The winner will be informed by Monday 11^th June

I look forward to seeing your Monkey picture

GOOD LUCK!

Yours Sincerely

Tina.H.White

Author

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child’s class has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Orienteering event at Cannon Hall, Barnsley, on Friday, 8^th June 2018.

Your child will leave at 9:15am and return to school by lunch time.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate at this event.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a coat. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

As the annual consent form can be used for this event you do not need to sign any additional form. Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Rounders competition at Netherwood School on Tuesday, 5^th June 2018.

Your child will leave at 12:30 and return to school by the end of the day.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their children at the event.

The annual consent form can be used for this event so there is no requirement to sign any additional form.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Y3 and Y4 Parents, Primary Schools Invite – WIGAN WARRIORS

As part of the SkyTry offer which your child has participated in this academic year, you are being invited to a festival held at Belle Vue stadium, the home of Wakefield Trinity RFL on Thursday 7th June (6-8pm).

All children who attend are also welcome to stay for Wakefield Trinity’s home game against Wigan Warriors with coverage of the game on Sky Sports. There will also be opportunity to meet and greet some of the players as well as undergoing a pitch parade at half time. See the invite above for further details.

Thank you

Miss Cook

Dear Year 5 and 6 Parents,

As part of our Americas topic, we are holding a DT afternoon and would like to invite parents to come into school on Wednesday 23rd May from 1:30pm-3:20pm to help the children with their task.

Please note, the children do not need to bring any extra materials to the session as we will provide a range of items which can be used.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Saunders and Mrs Edwards

Dear Y1 Parents,

Thank you for the overwhelmingly positive response to our Year 2 residential to Whirlow Farm next year, I can now inform you that all 28 children have registered an interest in going, which is very exciting news! Now we have these numbers, I can give you some more information. We plan to take the 3 groups of children on the following dates:-

Group 1: Monday 24^th June 2019 – Wednesday 26^th June 2019

Group 2: Monday 1^st July 2019 – Wednesday 3^rd July 2019 (they will return to school by approx. 10.30am so we can collect the next group).

Group 3: Wednesday 3^rd July 2019 – Friday 5^th July 2019

When your child is not on their residential trip, they should attend school as normal. 2 members of staff will stay with each group of residential children and other staff members will teach the children who are at school.

The cost of the trip will be £95 which includes 2 nights’ accommodation, return travel, food and all activities whilst we are there. We must inform you at this stage that the cost is non-refundable. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a discounted price if your child does not sleep over night as the groups for both daytime activities and evening accommodation are based on a maximum of 12 children and as we have 28 registered as ‘interested’, we are having to take 3 groups.

We ask that payments be made via Parent Pay. The total amount will appear on your child’s page and parents are then able to pay off small amounts at a time (the total amount left will decrease as payments are made) or should you wish to, you can pay the full amount in one go.

We ask that all parents meet the following payment deadlines as we have to pay Whirlow Farm in advance. Should you wish to pay the balance before these dates that is fine.

Initial deposit to secure your child’s place of £20 to be paid by 08.06.18

Second payment of £25 to be paid by 07.09.18

Third payment of £25 to be paid by 21.12.18

Final payment of £25 to be paid by 22.03.19

Parents will be invited to a meeting during the beginning of the summer term (2019) to discuss what your child will need to bring and to give you more information. Should you have any questions prior to this time, please do not hesitate to pop in and see Mrs Trotter.

I look forward to getting to know both the children and parents over the coming months.

Kind Regards,

Mrs C Trotter (Year 2 teacher and KS1 Leader)

Dear Y6 Parents,

Our Y6s are working so hard at the moment.

We cannot emphasise enough how important it is they are in school this week and next week.

Please help your child ‘be the best they can be’ by ensuring they have plenty of sleep, healthy food, fun and cuddles.

We are very aware life is not just about SATs and tests (though it might not feel like it right now) and in a week and a half it will all be over and we can get back to interesting learning.

We want to give your child an opportunity to showcase their SATs learning.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs Edwards and Mrs Brinkley

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

What an amazing weekend we have had with all the excitement of The Tour de Yorkshire and the three day weekend.

If this glorious weather does continue, please remember to bring a sun hat for your child and apply an all day sun cream. The Ellis News 27 (May 2018)

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y5 Parents,

Please find attached an update on our Y5 Youth Trust Project. Y5 Youth Trust Project

Thank you

Dear Y6 Parents,

As you will be aware, next week is SATs week for our Y6 children. I will be offering a light breakfast on the day of the tests to help children relax before they sit the papers.

On Monday-Thursday, year six children will be able to come in (through the Y6 cloakroom) from 8:00am. We will stop making toast at 8:40am in order to set up the furniture in the hall.

Please note: this is not intended to replace breakfast club – children are welcome to come for their piece of toast/crumpet after they have been for their actual breakfast.

Kind Regards

Emily Edwards

Menu Change

Dear Parents,

Monday’s menu will be moved to Tuesday.

To clarify, when the children return to school after the bank holiday, the lunch option on Tuesday will be chicken goujons.

Thank you

Bikeability Balance

Thank you for expressing an interest in your child attending the bikeability balance sessions.

We have managed to secure two sessions, both of which your child is invited to attend, on Monday 11^th June and Tuesday 12^th June.

The sessions will run for for 1.5 hours from when school finishes and bikes and helmets are provided.

Parents are not required to stay to this event. We will offer your child a quick drink of juice and a biscuit beforehand to keep them going!

Please read the attached information for parents. Bikeability Balance Information for Schools

Thank you

Miss Cook

Bookshop

Don’t forget the Bookworms Bookshop Team are opening our bookshop every Thursday.

Come and grab yourself a bargain!

Dear Parents,

Thank You

A huge thank you to Mr Kelly for donating and assembling the outdoor Foundation Stage picnic bench.

Polling Day

On Thursday, 3rd May, our nursery will be closed due to the premises being used as a polling station.

Late Children

If your child arrives late to school and their classroom door is closed, please take them round to the main office where they will get their mark. Please do not take them through other classrooms.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Year 1 and Year 2 Parents/Carers,

As part of our topic ‘Go Wild’ we would like to take the Year 1 and Year 2 children to Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Wednesday 16^th May (as was stated on the letter sent out in September with the whole year’s dates on). During the day, the children will have the opportunity to learn lots more about a wide range of animals, listen to ranger talks, ask questions and see the animals close up, before enjoying a few minutes on the wonderful outdoor play area! Children will be closely monitored during the day to ensure they are regularly washing their hands and using sanitiser hand gel which is readily available around the park.

The coach company we will be travelling with is Beewise. We will depart from school at 9:15am and will be returning by the end of the normal school day. If your child suffers from travel sickness please inform school and take the appropriate measures. Also, please contact school if there are any concerns regarding any aspects of the trip.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day, with suitable footwear and a water proof coat. If the weather is hot, please ensure they have a sun hat and have had sun cream applied before school. We have run this trip several times before and have always found that there is so much to do and fit in, that we have not had time to visit the gift shop, therefore children will not require any spending money on the day.

As part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme, children in Year 1 and 2 are entitled to a packed lunch provided by school. If you would like your child to have a lunch from school, please indicate which sandwich filling they would like so that we can let our cook know in advance. Children will be required to carry their own lunch box round, so we strongly suggest they put it in a rucksack which can be carried on their backs.

The total cost of the trip will be £13.00 and whilst contributions towards the cost of the trip are deemed to be voluntary, we must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. Thank you for payments which have already been paid.

Please complete the online consent form below and return via email. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs C Trotter, Mrs Sutton and Mrs Wise.

Dear All Parents,

Tour de Yorkshire

Wednesday 2nd May

Our free ‘Bike it’ breakfast will be available from 8.30am. PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR HELMETS when riding the bikes to school.

We are getting very excited now about our visitors who are coming next Wednesday. We have Sir Gary Verity, Christian Prudhomme (TdF Director) and Thomas Voeckler (Retired pro Cyclist and 4 x Stage wins at the TdF and Tour de Yorkshire 2016 winner).

Remember to ‘BLING’ those bikes for Wednesday and wear blue and yellow as there are great prizes to be won. 1st Prize is a new Frog bike, the 2nd Prize is a cycling goody bag with locks/lights and a helmet, and 3rd place will win a £15 cycle shop voucher. Good luck!

Friday 4th May

We will be having the ‘Tour’ lunch in school.

This is such a unique event happening in our area and as you know at The Ellis we love sport and see the importance of the wider curriculum, therefore you may collect your children from 1.30pm if you plan to go and watch. We look forward to seeing your exciting photos of the Tour! Please send them in so we can make a display of the event.

Thank you for your support,

Miss Cook and Mrs Hurding

Dear Y1 Parents,

We have been offered the opportunity to run Bikeability Balance to Year 1 children after school.

These free sessions are aiming to get children confident with riding bikes and trying to get them off stabilisers. If you would like your child to be considered for a place, please complete the consent forms ASAP and return them online to Mrs Fiddes.

There are only 12 places available at each session so places may be given on a first come first serve basis. Once we have an idea of numbers, we will let you know the date that these sessions have been booked for.

If you would like more information please see the letter attached. Please return your consent forms by Wednesday 2^nd May 2018.

Thank you

Miss Cook

Parental Consent Form for Bikeability Balance

I have read the guidance notes about the course and agree to my child ——————————– taking part.
My child has the ability to comprehend and follow simple instructions.
My child has the following health problems that could impact on them undertaking this training:

Name of parent or guardian giving consent:

Dear Y4 Parent/Carer,

Your child’s class has been selected to represent the school in a Year 4 Orienteering event at Locke Park, Barnsley on Friday 27^th April 2018.

Your child will leave at 9:00am and return to school by lunch time.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate at this event.

Your child will need to bring their PE kit or tracksuit, suitable trainers, a drink of water and a waterproof coat.

If your child uses an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them.

The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We can use our annual sporting consent form for this event so no additional permission is required.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Year 1 Parents,

This year we are very excited to be taking 28 of our current Year 2 children in a couple of months’ time on a 2-night residential trip and we would like to give our next cohort of Year 2 children the same amazing opportunity!

We are hoping (if there is enough uptake) to run a 2 night residential to Whirlow Farm in Sheffield. It is a very popular place for Key Stage 1 children to visit and they run residential trips for children all year round (although the summer term books up very early as it is a lovely end of year experience). Their most popular age group is indeed Year 2 as if provides a welcoming, age-appropriate programme for children of this age. Many schools in Barnsley and other local authorities visit year after year and it becomes an annual favourite for Key Stage 1 children!

Whirlow Farm is a working farm with many animals, beautiful woodland and farm walks and space for children to play in the safety of enclosed gardens. It is set in acres of farmland, has a lovely park within 5 minutes’ walk of the farm and the views are spectacular! The farm staff are very experienced at working with primary school children and there is an onsite educational team who will work alongside the teachers and children during the day.

Whilst there, the children will have the opportunity to have a farm tour where they will have the chance to meet lots of farm animals and hold some cute rabbits and guinea pigs, help out with the farm jobs (e.g; feeding the animals, collecting and grading eggs, grooming the ponies), enjoy early morning and evening walks in the surrounding woodlands, play outdoor games and have a pony ride (led by an experienced member of the Whirlow team). They will also work together (alongside the school teaching staff) to prepare meals and wash up!

With regards to sleeping arrangements; the farm can cater for 12 children and 2 teachers at a time, which would mean that one group would visit whilst the others are at school and on their return the other group would then visit. (Any child who does not wish to take part in the residential will attend school as normal that week). The children will sleep in a converted hall or barn in rooms of 2-6 children. (The two teachers will have their own rooms within the barn and will look after the children overnight).

As a parent myself with two young children, I realise that it is hard to ever imagine that your own child will be ready for an overnight stay but this residential is a lovely way to let them experience an overnight stay with their friends and teachers they know well in a small, homely and calm environment. Having taught Year 2 for many years now, it still staggers me how much the children grow up and change between the end of Year 1 and the end of Year 2. They really do grow in confidence, independence and resilience over the year. Having spoken to many Year 2 teachers who have taken children on this particular residential, they have all said how much children gain from such an experience and that it provides them with lasting memories.

With regards cost, we are unable to give an exact figure until we know how many children will be going (as the barn is a set price regardless of whether it is at full capacity of 12 children or not). As a guide, children this year paid £90 and it is therefore estimated that with the slight increase on the hire of the barn cost from Whirlow itself, the trip will cost between £85 and £100. This will include 2 nights’ accommodation, food, return travel by minibus and all the activities children undertake whilst they are there. Payments can be spread throughout the year (although a deposit will be needed upfront to secure your place) and once we have numbers, we will be able to send out a final price before you finally commit to the trip.

Lots more information can be found on the farm website which is www.whirlowhallfarm.org/education/our-programme/ along with some testimonies from teachers and children who have been.

If you have any initial enquiries, please pop and see Mrs Trotter or email the office and we will try our best to answer any questions you might have.

As dates fill up very quickly, I would like to book before the half term holiday to ensure we can be fitted in. Therefore please could you indicate below if this is of interest to you (please note at this time, it is purely registering your interest) and return to school by Wednesday 2nd May. Alternatively you can email your response to Mrs Fiddes. Once I have collated numbers, I will be able to see if it is viable and can then send out further details. Also just a reminder we are looking at June or early July 2019 (end of Year 2).

Kind regards

Mrs Trotter (Y2 teacher and KS1 leader)

Y6 Boys Football League

Dear Parents,

Really sorry – the football has changed again!

I promise you it isn’t at our end – we just get given the details. Hopefully this one is definite now

So it’s going to be on Thursday, 10th May, same place, same kick off time.

Thank you

Tour de Yorkshire

We are super excited that the Tour de Yorkshire is coming near us soon and we will all try to wear yellow and blue (the colours of Yorkshire) on the 2nd May!

To celebrate, we are having a ‘BLING YOUR BIKE’ competition with the theme Star Wars – however, you are welcome to use your own ideas too!

Sir Gary Verity (Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire) and Thomas Voeckler (cyclist) will be visiting us and they will be judging the bike competition. We would also like to trim up school in blue and yellow so if anyone has any time to make things (e.g blue and yellow bunting) ot has any other ideas or old bikes we can paint yellow, please let us know.

Chance to win a bike for school lunch children on 4.5.18

On Friday, 4th May, children who stay for a school lunch will have a chance to win a bike.

The ONLY menu on this day will be:

Assorted sandwiches, a variety of savouries, vegetables and dips, homemade crisps or jacket wedges.

Jam tarts, trifle, apple flapjack or butterfly buns.

If your child stays for a school lunch and their name is drawn out, they will be put forward to join the children of other local schools and have a chance of winning one of 5 bikes in the main Barnsley draw.

Celebratory School Lunch 17.5.18

Children who stay for a school lunch on Thursday, 17th May will celebrate the Royal Wedding and receive their free royal wedding crown.

The menu on this day will be:

Burgers, chips, beans and coleslaw.

Chocolate sponge and chocolate sauce or a choice of a homebake selection.

Pasta and sandwich usual choices.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear F2-Y6 Parents,

Tour de Yorkshire ‘Bling your Bike’ Day

As part of our involvement with SY STARS and with the Tour de Yorkshire (TdY) passing on May 4^th, children are invited to take part in a Bling your Bike day on Wednesday 2^nd May.

Please see the attached for more information. Bling your Bike comp

Thank you

Miss Cook

Dear F2-Y6 Parents,

Next week is the start of The Big Pedal which is the UK’s largest interschool cycling and scooting challenge.

It will be running until 4th May and we will be recording how many children come on their bikes or scooters to school in this time. There will be prizes for individuals and the school if we have many taking part. We will be having exciting competitions along with a bike it breakfast – please see the ‘Tour de Yorkshire Bling your Bike’ email sent previously.

Thank you for your continued support and fingers crossed for good weather over the next two weeks.

Miss Cook

Y6 Boys Football League

We now have the date for our final match against Kexborough Primary School, on Monday, 23rd April.

The match will take place at Horizon and we are aiming for a 2.15pm kick off therefore children will need to leave school at 1.45pm. The children can go home straight after the match has finished.

Our annual consent forms cover this event again, however, please let us know if you are unable to take your child to the game and alternative arrangements will be made.

Your child will need to bring suitable football boots, football socks, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child must wear shin pads. The event will be held outdoors so please send them with suitable clothing to wear when not participating. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. No money will be needed for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! We hope you have had a lovely Easter break. At last we have some sunshine and so we will begin taking our children out for PE. Therefore, please could you ensure your child has a pair of trainers in their PE bags and they are welcome to wear tracksuit bottoms and jacket rather than their PE shorts if they would prefer to. They will also need their white PE t-shirt and a pair of socks. We intend to do outdoor PE whenever it is dry, even if it is a little cool.

Could we also remind you that children need a water bottle at school every day (which should include water not juice), as all our learning creates thirsty children and we want to ensure they are well hydrated! We have noticed that a lot of children are coming to school without them.

We hope that this beautiful weather is here to stay and if so, please send sunhats and apply sun cream before school as we intend using our outdoor area a lot more.

May we take this opportunity to say how well the children are working at the moment. They have come back after the holidays very motivated and are impressing us on a daily basis. We have an important half term as we will be completing the statutory Y2 SATS papers. Our aim is that the children will not be phased by them and we are treating it as another ordinary day at school and another opportunity for them to show us what superstars they are and how much they have learnt in Y2. If they don’t particularly mention SATS, then please don’t worry. That is fine (and actually what we want to achieve). We don’t want any of our children to feel anxious or nervous about them. We have done lots of practise booklets so they will just know that these are our final special booklets and that it is their time to be proud of all they have achieved!

Finally, thank you for all the prompt final payments for our residential to Whirlow Farm. Mrs Trotter and Mrs Sutton are so excited that we are going next half term and the children seem so grown up and ready. We are positive a fantastic time will be had by all! We are sure that you may have some questions and we will endeavour to answer them during our parents meeting on 21st May, 5pm. You will receive lots of information during this meeting including a list of what to pack. After this meeting, if any children need medication or have special dietary needs we will arrange a convenient time for you to pop in and have a chat with us so we can write down any requirements. If you cannot make the meeting, we will ensure you receive all the information which is given to parents.

As always, thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Trotter and Mrs Sutton

Dear F2-Y6 Parents,

Please find attached a parent governor letter and nomination form which has all the relevant details covered within.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Parent Governor Election letter and Nomination Form 18.4.18

Dear FS2 – Y2 Parents,

Exciting new All Stars Cricket comes to Rockingham Colliery CC!!

All Stars Cricket is the first step in the national pathway for cricket. With fun at its heart, the programme aims to inspire children aged five to eight to take up cricket and provide a great first experience of the game.

All Stars starts at Rockingham on Friday 11th May but registration is open now so why not sign up today…http://allstarscricket.co.uk/rockinghamcolliery

The programme features eight one-hour sessions, held over eight weeks, with a huge emphasis on having fun and being active!

Every child that registers will receive a backpack full of goodies including a cricket bat, ball, activity book, personalised shirt and cap all sent straight to your door.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and at £40 (that’s just £5 per session) it’s great value too!

Thank you

Foundation Stage trip to Cleethorpes- Wednesday 18^th April 2018

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Here are a few quick reminders about the trip:

The buses will be setting off at 9.15am, arriving at Cleethorpes at approximately 10.35am. Please register your child in class, toilet them (the bus may not have toilet facilities on board) and collect their wrist band from the class teacher. When advised by the class teacher, make your way to your allocated bus (See bus timetable on class wall).
Please ensure your child has his/her uniform on and appropriate footwear for the trip.
Please apply sun-cream if necessary and have a sun hat in case the weather is warm.
Please make sure your child has had travel sickness medication (if needed) before the trip.
Each class leader will have a first-aid kit if needed.
Please bring your child’s medication on the trip if needed.
Ensure your child has their seat belt on at all times when on the coach. Eating and drinking is not permitted. Please do not allow your child to stand up on the seats or walk in the isles while the coach is moving.
Parents/ carers who are supervising their own child can either bring their own food or purchase food at Cleethorpes. F2 children can order a packed lunch from school (ensure your order has been placed previously to the visit).
Remember ring school on 01226 753383 if you need to speak to the class leader at any time.
Please remember where the bus is parked and return promptly at 2.00pm for the return journey. The coach will arrive at school at approximately 3.20pm.
Please remember to toilet your child before the return journey.
Parents/ carers are to supervise their child at all times.

Thank you.

Dear All Parents,

I am really looking forward to the sunny weather this week that is forecast – let’s hope it materialises.

Please let us know if your child ONLY had the WEDNESDAY snow day off last half term. We are aware that the Friday was a ‘forced closure’ which does not affect attendance, however, your child may receive 100% attendance if the only other day they were absent was the Wednesday.

Please email Mrs Gay on t.gay@theellis.org and she will be able to check your child’s attendance for you.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Film Night for the children who received their 100% attendance award will be on Tuesday, 17th April. The film is Moana and will run from 3.30pm-5pm.

We are aware that Year 6 will be doing boosters so an afternoon tea is to be arranged for them.

Thank you

Mrs Gay

Dear All Parents,

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a lovely Easter and a relaxing break.

We are all looking forward to starting our new topics this term and hope the weather improves for some outdoor learning.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Foundation Stage Parent/Carer,

Visit to Cleethorpes

In support of the children’s topic Transport & Journeys, we would like to take all of the children within our EYFS to Cleethorpes on Wednesday 18th April 2018. The children will have the opportunity to carry out a scavenger hunt on the beach and also have some free time with their family and friends.

The visit leaders on the trip will be Mrs. Pollard and Mr. Grayhurst and the accompanying staff will be: Mrs. Tindle, Mrs. Beevers, Mrs. McAleavy, Mrs. Fenton and Mrs. Remington.

The coach company we will be using is Beewise. The coach will leave school at 9.15am and set off back at 2.00pm. The expected time of arrival back at school will be approx. 3.20pm. Children will need to be at school for no later than 8:55am. If your child suffers from travel sickness we would suggest that appropriate travel sickness medication is taken before school.

In accordance with the Governors’ Charging Policy for school activities, contributions towards the cost of journeys in school time are voluntary. However, an appropriate donation would be £7.00 per pupil. It is necessary for accompanying adults to pay. We must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. Payment will be via Parent Pay and will need to be paid by Monday 16^th April. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties covering the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs Hurding.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear and an appropriate coat depending on the weather. If your child is in F2 and requires a packed lunch, one can be provided for them. Please let us know if your child requires a school packed lunch prior to the trip.

Children who are not being supported by their parent can bring a small amount of money (no more than £5) if they wish.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Pollard & Mr. Grayhurst.

Dear All Parents,

Please find attached this week’s ‘Ellis News’.

Thank you for being so patient and understanding with the weather this week. It has unfortunately meant that some of our many sporting activities have had to be cancelled or postponed.

Regrettably, we will be unable to walk to the church tomorrow due to safety reasons. The paths are far too wet and we do not want anybody slipping on the mud. The Easter service will take place in school instead, at the same time, 10.15am.

We will keep you updated on any activities that have been postponed and are due to be re-scheduled.

Thank you for your support. It is the first day of Spring today so let’s hope for some better weather soon.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Please find enclosed flyers from our PTFA with all the details on for their Easter competitions.

Don’t forget – Eggs and bonnets need to be in on Wednesday and adults cakes need to be in on Thursday.

Thank you.

After School Clubs

The following clubs have been booked and will start the first week back after Easter:

Monday – Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Tennis, starting Monday 9th April 2018.

Tuesday – Years 1 – 4 Football with Daz. £2.50 per week payable direct to Daz.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Rounders, starting Wednesday 11th April 2018.

Thursday – Key Stage 2 Theatre, starting Thursday 12th April. (You must re-sign up for this club).

As the above clubs are limited to 20 spaces please email me as soon as possible if you would like your child to attend. Names will be put down on a first come first served basis.

I will let you know by email if your child has been successful in receiving a place.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Y5 Y6 Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent our school in a Tag Rugby Competition at Horizon on Monday 19^th March 2018. The event will start at 1pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:30pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their child at the event.

Your child will need to bring a water bottle, their full PE kit and trainers and will be given a school shirt. The event could be held outside so please can your child bring warm clothes. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using our annual consent form for this event so no further consent form is required to be completed.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parents/Carers,

PTFA are having 3 Easter competitions;

An Easter Bonnet competition for FS1 and FS2.
A Decorate an Egg competition with a sporty theme for KS1 and KS2.

Both these competitions are £1 to enter and need to be brought in by Wednesday, March 21^st for judging. 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes per class will be awarded.

A Cake Bake Off competition with a sporty theme for all Adults.

These need to be brought in on the morning of Thursday, March 22^nd for judging. There is no fee to enter and all cakes will be donated to be sold after school on Thursday from 3.30pm onwards from the Multi-Purpose Room, once the winners have been announced. (3 prizes available)

Good Luck Everyone!

Parents Evening PTFA Refreshments

Our PTFA will be serving coffee and a bun for £1 during the parents evening. All proceeds will be used to purchase extra resources for the children.

Thank you for your support.

Dear All Parents,

Financial Year End

Due to the deadline for the financial year end being brought forward to the 23rd March 2018 by the council, could we please ask that outstanding payments for PGL (Year 5), Whirlow Farm (Year 2), Music Tuition, Dinner Money and Breakfast Club are all cleared by 23rd March 2018.

Please be aware that as we are closed over Easter we will not be able to forward any outstanding monies on, therefore, any residential trips that are not paid in full by the 23rd March 2018 may result in places being cancelled.

Raffle Prizes

We still have two outstanding raffle prizes to be claimed and one of them is the food hamper!

Check your tickets – do you have number 68 or number 282? Let’s hope so!

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Parents,

During the week commencing Monday 19^th March we are having SPORT WEEK at The Ellis with lots of exciting activities and opportunities planned in for the children.

Monday –

Scoot to School and Scooter skills with Dave Atherton

Year 5 Bikeability begins and runs all week

Year 5/6 Tag Rugby competition at Horizon College

Tuesday –

Ash Randall Football Freestyler will be in all day working with all children from Years 1-6 in individual class workshops and then an assembly with a demonstration of his football skills

Wednesday –

Children will walk to St Mary’s ready for their Easter service

Thursday –

The Ellis Interschool sports competition will be happening between year groups

Friday –

Sport Relief – Children can come dressed in sporty clothes and will take part in a range of sporting activities throughout the day

Year 5 swimming lessons

We are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather is kind to us on this week and hope all activities will be able to go ahead as planned. We’re hoping to encourage the children to try a range of sports and improve their skills whilst having fun and keeping healthy.

Thank you for your support,

Miss Cook

Dear Y3 Y4 Parent/Carer,

Visit to Jorvik Viking Centre

In support of the children’s topic The Vikings, we would like to take Years 3 and 4 to the Jorvik Viking Centre in York on Tuesday 10^th April 2018 to experience what life was like during Viking times. The children will take part in a tour of the Jorvik and a Viking battle tactics workshop.

The visit leaders on the trip will be Miss Cook and Mrs Broadbent and the accompanying staff will be: Mrs Wood, Miss Turton, Mrs Connelly, Mrs Leeuwerke, Mr Fearnley, Mrs Hudson, Mrs King and Miss Parker.

The coach company we will be using is Beewise. The coach will leave school at 9.00am and is expected to return to school by 3:30pm. Children will need to be at school for no later than 8:45am. If your child suffers from travel sickness we would suggest that appropriate travel sickness tablets are taken before school.

In accordance with the Governors’ Charging Policy for school activities, contributions towards the cost of journeys in school time are voluntary. However, an appropriate donation would be £11 per pupil towards the cost of the coach, tour and workshops. We must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. Payment will be via Parent Pay and will need to be paid by Tuesday 3^rd April. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties covering the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs Hurding.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear and an appropriate coat depending on the weather. A packed lunch will be required and can be provided by school for children who are entitled to Scheme of Aid. Please let us know if your child requires a school packed lunch prior to the trip.

There is a gift shop on site and the children can bring a small amount of money (no more than £5) if they wish, however the children are responsible for looking after it.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Cook & Mrs Broadbent

Dear Y1-Y6 Parents,

Just to clarify, the Easter Service will start at 10.15am on 21st March 2018.

The children will leave school just after 9am to walk and parents are welcome to meet us there.

We look forward to seeing you!

Health Warning

Aliens have landed at The Ellis!

Please take care when you come to visit. Remember workshops are at 1.30pm – please come to the front door and then collect your children if they are attending a different class.

Drinks and cakes are available to buy at 2.30pm in the hall. Please bring donations if you can. Thank you.

The bookshop is re-launched today selling reasonably priced books, now called Bookworms Bookshop!

You are welcome to take your child home after your coffee.

Thank you and we hope to see you there!

SY Stars Scoot to School Day & Scooter Challenge – 19/03/18

Dear Y1 – Y6 Parent/Carer,

SY Stars are organising a Scoot to School day at The Ellis CofE on the Monday 19^th March 2018. Everyone is invited to attend school this day on two wheels.

By scooting to school we are reducing the amount of cars around the school gates which means that it is safer for more children to be able to choose walking, cycling and scooting as a regular mode of transport. It also means that children at The Ellis will be well on their way to achieving their recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate activity not to mention that it is FUN!!!!

Throughout the school day classes will be taking part in a scooter challenge where we will be trying to scoot the distance from Barnsley to Paris, a total of 452 miles (727.5km)!!! All participants that scoot to school will be in with a chance of winning some active travel goodies.

All participants in the scooter challenge must have a fully functioning scooter. All participants must have a correctly fitted helmet. If they turn up to the session and it is deemed that their scooter is unsafe or the child has no helmet they won’t be able to take part.

Please return the slip attached below as soon as possible or reply by email to Mrs Fiddes at The Ellis. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Kind regards

Dave Atherton

I give permission for _________________________________ Year Group ___________

to take part in the playground scooter skills on Monday 19^th March 2018.

Signed ……………………………………………………… Date: ………./………../……

Dear Year 3/4 Parents,

On Monday 19^th March Years 3 and 4 are going to be running a DT afternoon which we would like parents to attend.

The afternoon activities will be supporting our topic on The Vikings.

The session will start at 1:15pm and end no later than 3:20pm.

Thank you

Miss Cook and Mrs Broadbent

Dear All Parents,

Thank you for your support during our delayed snow season last week.

There is no newsletter this week as we did not have our awards on Friday.

Well done to everyone that managed to do some SNOW WORK which was to enjoy the snow and make some snow memories.

WORLD BOOK DAY (well The Ellis book day) is now on Thursday 8^th March. We will do everything we planned to do last week, dress up as aliens, parent workshops and also the afternoon tea.

Parents Evening

The signing up sheets are now outside the classrooms in the cloakrooms, please email Mrs Fiddes if you are unable to get into school to sign up.

6/8.3.18 FS Workshops 5-5.30pm/9-9.30am

7.3.18 Y2 Assembly parents welcome 2.50pm

7.3.18 Y5/Y6 Trip to Leeds Museum—Greeks

The deadline for payment was Thursday, 1st March. Please make any payments by close of school today so that a decision can be made tomorrow if the trip is able to go ahead. Thank you.

8.3.18 THE ELLIS BOOK DAY—dress as an alien. The workshops will happen as originally planned last week at 1.30pm. Tea and cakes served from 2.30pm in the hall.

12.3.18 Y1 D/T afternoon in the hall – 1.30pm. Adults invited.

13.3.18 Y2 D/T afternoon in the hall – 1.30pm. Adults invited.

15.3.18 FS1 Daytime Parent Consultations. Please sign up.

15.3.18 2.30pm onwards Parents Evening F2 – Y6. Please sign up.

19.3.18 SPORTS WEEK

20.3.18 FS Easter Coffee Morning 9am-10.15am.

21.3.18 Easter service St Mary’s church 10.15am ALL welcome.

23.3.18 Sports Relief – Dress Sporty

24.3.18 EASTER HOLIDAYS

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y3 Y4 Parent/Carer,

Year 3 and Year 4 children are representing our school in a Multi-Skills Competition event at Barnsley College (Honeywell Site) on Tuesday 6^th March 2018. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:50pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate due to space constraints.

Your child will need to bring their full PE kit and trainers. The event will be inside in the sports hall but your child is welcome to bring warm clothes for travelling in. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using our annual consent form for this event so no further consent form is required to be completed.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Year 6 Parents,

Re: Big Challenge 2018

It is with great regret that the additional trading event planned for Saturday 10^th March has had to be cancelled.

Following our last trading event, Trading Standards have sought further information about the compliance of some of the products on sale. In order to ensure equity for all teams we feel it best to cancel the planned trading event until confirmation has been gained.

Please accept my sincere apologies, particularly with regard to the teams that I know have been looking forward to the event and have been making products specifically to sell.

The Big Challenge will continue and we look forward to seeing the final reports and welcoming the teams into the Dragons Den and celebrating the achievements of all.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

To celebrate and encourage a lifelong love of reading at home and school, we will be running a sponsored read and sponsored listen between 1st and 9th March 2018.

The project is being organised in conjunction with our local Usborne Organiser, and all the money raised will go towards brand new books for our school.

In addition to the sponsorship money, Usborne will also donate up to 60% of the total raised in EXTRA FREE BOOKS to the school. So for every £600 raised, we will get an extra £360 in FREE Usborne books!

Please help us to enhance our reading resources for pupils by encouraging your child to spend a small amount of time each day either reading to themselves, to others, or being read to. They can read books, comics, magazines, newspapers, menus, websites, recipes, poems, leaflets, instructions – anything with words!

If you are able to support our sponsored read, please find enclosed a sponsorship form for your child. A reading log to record the minutes they spend reading or being read to is also attached to this email.

After the sponsored read, please send all the sponsorship money that your child has raised to the school by Monday 12th March 2018.

Cheques should be made payable to The Ellis School Hemingfield, or send cash in a sealed, named envelope. Thank you.

We look forward to having more books for your child to read, share and enjoy.

For more information visit us online: www.usborne.com/schools.

Reading Log

Sponsorship Form

Dear All Parents,

Snow

The snow has not materialised today, however, please be reassured that we will always do our best to keep school open during bad weather.

Please keep a look out for school notifications on our school Website, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

World Book Day Volunteers

If anyone is available from 2.30pm onwards on Thursday for our World Book Day to help with refreshments please let us know.

Breakfast Club

If your child attends breakfast club and requires breakfast please note that the last breakfast will be served at 8.20am.

After Easter the price of breakfast club will be £2.50 per child per day.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y5 Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Basketball Competition event at Horizon School on Monday 5^th March 2018. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:50pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches and parents are invited to spectate but must meet their child at the event.

Your child will need to bring shorts and trainers. They will be given a school shirt. The event may be held outdoors, therefore please can your child bring warm clothes. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using our annual consent form for this event so no further consent form is required to be completed.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Y1 and Y2 Parents,

In Key Stage 1, we are very excited about our new topic, Superheroes.

If you have any unloved comic books and superhero small world characters you would like to donate we would be very grateful to rehome them and help us to develop our exciting learning areas.

Many thanks,

Mrs Wise

Dear All Parents,

We are getting quite excited now for this year’s World Book Day and would like to provide more information. As you know, from Foundation Stage right up to Year 6 we will be using the book, June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner for inspiration.

In brief: “This sci-fi adventure begins with Holly Evans, a visionary third grader who launches some seedlings into the iconosphere as part of a science experiment. And so the fun begins”.

We would like to invite you to come into school and attend a workshop with your child(ren). Each class will have a different focus and a sign up form will be available on each class door from today, Monday 19^th February. Please note that for safety reasons we will only have a set number of spaces in each workshop, therefore, places are on a first come first serve basis.

To solve the issue of parents trying to be in two (or more) places at once, as a staff we decided that siblings can select the same workshop. Children can select any workshop – it does not have to be the one that their class teacher is running.

The workshops will begin at 1:30pm and will end at 2:30pm.

We will be holding the following workshops on World Book Day:

Workshop	Location
Potato printing	EYFS Classrooms
Artwork/Collage	Y1 Classroom
Food Tasting	Y2 Classroom
Planting	Y3 Classroom
ICT/Making models using vegetables	Y4 Classroom
Story telling & Book making	Y5 Classroom
Making giant vegetables	Y6 Classroom

We will also be holding a coffee event at 2:35pm in the hall to raise money for school funds. You are more than welcome to enjoy some tea and cake whilst reading with your child. We would appreciate any baking and donations. We will also be holding a raffle and our book shop will be open.

Thank you for your continued support.

Abbey Saunders

Class Teacher

Dear All Parents,

Daz’s football club has been cancelled for tomorrow (Tuesday 6th) but will continue after the half term.

Our new clubs for next half term will run for 5 weeks starting on Monday, 19th February. Please email Mrs Fiddes if your child would like a place at any of the following:

Monday – KS1 and KS2 Yoga and Pilates

Wednesday – KS2 Netball

Thursday – KS2 Theatre (We may open up to Y2 if there is space).

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y1 Y2 Parents,

As you will be aware, it is our Year 1 and Year 2 trip to Skipton Castle next Wednesday, 7th February. We have loved our topic this term and are really excited to go to a ‘real’ castle and find out more about them. Here are a few reminders:-

Please ensure your child is at school promptly for 8.30am as we intend to leave by 8.45am (we will collect any children who are at breakfast club in plenty of time and ensure they have had their breakfast).

It would be helpful if your child has been to the toilet just before leaving the house as this will save us having to wait for 60 children to go at school before we leave!
Your child will need a packed lunch and water bottle, unless they have ordered one from school.
No spending money is required as unfortunately we will not have time to visit the shop due to a busy schedule.
We are inside for the duration of the visit but as castles can sometimes be cool in places and have bumpy flooring, please ensure your child is wearing school uniform, coat and suitable footwear.
We are due to be back at school for home time as normal, however if there are any hold ups in traffic, meaning we are going to be slightly late, we will contact Mrs Fiddes who will keep you informed. Fingers crossed for a ‘traffic jam free’ journey home!
We are still missing a few consent forms so please return them to school as soon as possible if you have not already done so.

Finally, thank you for all your donations which have enabled us to run the trip. The children have really enjoyed learning about castles and what they are like and whilst we have completed many exciting activities at school, there is nothing like visiting a castle to really bring a topic to life.

Thank you also to all the parents and grandparents who attended our maths afternoon. We hope you had as much fun as we did! We are looking forward to our DT afternoon in March!

Kind Regards

KS1 team

Dear Parent / Guardian,

Our Year 5 children have been given the opportunity to obtain their Bikeability Level 1 & 2 in school during the week commencing the 19th March 2018.

If this is something you would like your child to participate in, please read the attached information and return the Barnsley Bikeability paper consent form that should have been brought home tonight.

Please contact me if your child is unable to get their bike to school during that week as the instructors may be able to bring some spares with them.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear All Parents,

World Book Day 1^st March 2018

We cannot wait for World Book Day at The Ellis!

Children have expressed that they would like to do something a little different this year and as a staff we thought their ideas were too good an opportunity to miss out on.

From Foundation Stage right up to Year 6 we will be using the book, June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner for inspiration.

In brief: “This sci-fi adventure begins with Holly Evans, a visionary third grader who launches some seedlings into the iconosphere as part of a science experiment. And so the fun begins”.

To engage and inspire our children we will be dressing up as aliens, this will get us into character ready to complete a series of exciting activities throughout the day. There is no competitive element to this and we fully appreciate that cost can sometimes be an issue, therefore, cheap and easy ideas could be: head-boppers, face paint and/or green t-shirts.

We would like to invite you to come into school and attend a workshop with your child(ren). Each class will have a different focus and a sign up form will be available on each class door from Monday 19^th February. Please note that for safety reasons we will only have a set number of spaces in each workshop, therefore, places are on a first come first serve basis.

The workshops will begin at 1:30pm and will end at 2:30pm.

Thank you for your continued support.

We looking forward to seeing you

Abbey Saunders

Class Teacher

Contact Details

Dear All Parents,

Some of you may be aware of the new Data Protection Law which will be coming out soon and in preparation for this we need to ensure we have your correct contact details on file.

If you think your details may have changed or you would just like to check your details are up to date please email Mrs Fiddes who will check for you. This includes your address, telephone numbers and email addresses of all people who receive correspondence connected to your child or who will collect your child from school either daily, occasionally or in an emergency.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Dear Afternoon Nursery Parents,

On the 1st February (next Thursday), the PTFA have kindly organised for a pantomime to come into school.

The showing of Dick Whittington will run from 9.20am -10.30am.

We would like to include the afternoon nursery children in this event but are aware that the younger children may find it daunting due to the length of the show, loud noises and the characters.

If you think your child would like to come to this show please drop them off at nursery at 9.15am and be ready to collect them after the show at 10.30am at nursery.

If you think your child may become upset they do not have to attend. If your child does attend and becomes upset we will ring you straightaway to collect them.

The afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

Thank you

Mrs Pollard

Poppy Appeal

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Poppy Appeal – together we raised an amazing £286.57!

Use of Nursery Premises as a Polling Station

Our nursery will be closed on Thursday, 3rd May 2018 due to the premises being used as a polling station.

Dear Parents,

In RESPONSE to the Autumn Parent Questionnaires

We value your feedback and we have had plenty of positive feedback from parents re home learning, however, there are still some concerns that children are not having enough work to do at home.

As a staff we have debated long and hard about the value of home learning and we know how much children benefit form parental support and learning at home. We are also aware how hard our children work in school and how we want our children to be learning life skills as well as literacy and maths.

We agreed that the most important work to do at home is for children to spend time reading with adults or when ready by themselves, with opportunities to share the text they have been reading. This is still the case – reading is never a waste of time. In fact it is the most important skill we can foster and encourage in our children. Reading as much as possible also supports children to do the ‘best they can’ in the Y1 Phonics screening, KS1 and KS2 SATS test.

The home learning projects have amazed us all. The idea is that you and your children can take it as far as you want to go with learning and we have found that children are more motivated to work harder. We also ensure there is time to share the learning at school which also enables our children to develop presentation skills and confidence.

As a school we have invested in extending the ‘Education City’ licence so your children can practice key skills related to the national curriculum at home. The key skill children need to learn at home for Maths is Times tables which is why we use TT Rock Stars from Y2 onwards.

In conclusion we want to encourage children to learn at home and we have found that children are practising skills taught at home with great enthusiasm. If you feel your child needs more, please talk to the teachers and sometimes teachers will recommend activities to do at home to support learning in school.

We will be sending work in Y2 and Y6 to support the children for their SATS with the teaching in all classes geared to support our children to ‘Be the best that they can be’ in all areas of life and this includes SATS.

Thank you for your support and please talk to the teachers if you require more information about learning. We will continue to develop opportunities for parents to join us in school for learning.

Mrs Hurding

Dear Parents,

Your child may have already mentioned that as part of the IKIC Big Challenge they have been given another opportunity to take part in a marketing event, in Barnsley town centre, on the 7^th February between 12:15-3pm. This will form part of the competition and children will have the opportunity to win prizes on the day for their stall design and marketing campaigns. As it is during the school day we are looking into transport to get the children to and from the event and I am available to chaperone, along with Mrs Brinkley. This is NOT a selling event- that is going to take place on SATURDAY 10^th MARCH – I will send details regarding that nearer the time.

I would be grateful if you could complete the reply slip below to let me know if your child would like to take part in this element of the competition and feel that they will have enough stock to create an enticing stall by that date. The stock can be previous stock i.e. unsold Christmas items.

I need to get final numbers to the organisers as soon as possible so if you could let me know by TUESDAY 23rd JANUARY that would be very helpful so that I can book the correct size coach.

Kind Regards

Mrs E Edwards

Dear Year 2 Parents Before Christmas we introduced the class to a great home learning program called TT Rockstars that is currently used throughout KS2 for children to practice their times tables. We now feel that this will be of benefit to our year 2 children. It has been lovely to see that a few of the children have already accessed the program at home during the holidays so well done to those children! As promised we have sent home tonight a letter with the children’s usernames and passwords so they can all get started with it. The children are only just beginning to use division in their calculation work so please don’t worry if your child has difficulties with these questions at the minute. Please can you encourage your child to take a look at the program with yourselves and hopefully they can get practising their times tables. If you have any queries regarding the program please do not hesitate to call in and see us.

Kind regards Mrs Sutton and Mrs Trotter

Congratulations to all who achieved 100% attendance last term. Well done!

If your child achieved this they are welcome to come to my Film Club on Tuesday, 23rd January to watch ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ 3.30-5pm.

Popcorn, crisps and pop will be provided.

Thank you

Mrs Gay

Dear All Parents,

As Mrs Gay is our school’s Parent Support Advisor she is happy for emails to be sent direct to her for any queries or concerns you may have concerning your child.

The email address to use is: t.gay@theellis.org

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Y6 Boys Football League

We now have the date for our second league match against Kings Oak, on Thursday, 1st February.

The match will take place at Netherwood ALC, the same as last time and again leaving school at 2:30pm and aiming for a 3pm kick off.

To save you completing the online consent form again, (our annual consent forms cover this event), we will assume the exact same travel arrangements will be in place. If there is any variation to this please email to let us know as soon as possible.

Your child will need to bring suitable football boots, football socks, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child must wear shin pads. The event will be held outdoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. No money will be needed for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Important Information -The venue for the event below has changed to Netherwood ALC so we will be leaving school at 2.30pm for the slightly later 3pm kick off.

Please return your consent form ASAP. (I have only had one returned so far!) Thank you.

Dear Y6 Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in our first game for the Boys Football League against Churchfield Primary School. The match will take place on Monday 15^th January 2018.

We are leaving school at 2:30pm and aiming for a 3pm kick off. As there will be numerous games in the league we would be very grateful if parents would drive their children to the events. Children will be able to travel straight home with parents after the game and therefore will not need to return to school.

Your child will need to bring suitable football boots, football socks, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child must wear shin pads. The event will be held outdoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. No money will be needed for the event.

Please give consent below to your child attending the football game.

Please also indicate whether you would be able to take your child and any other children to the event and if not, whether you consent for your child to travel with another parent. We will ensure you are notified who your child will be travelling with and there will be two adults with the children in the vehicle.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Y1 and Y2 Parent/Carer,

Visit to Skipton Castle on Wednesday, 7^th February.

In support of the children’s history topic our Y1 and Y2 trip to Skipton Castle will be taking place on Wednesday, 7^th February. The children will be having a tour around the castle and workshop talks with the museum staff.

The coach company we will be using is Beewise and children need to be in school at 8.30am prompt please. The coach will be leaving at 8.40am and returning to school by 3.15pm. If your child suffers from travel sickness we would suggest that appropriate travel sickness tablets are taken. A further tablet for the return journey can be brought into school in a named envelope.

In accordance with the Governors’ Charging Policy for school activities, contributions towards the cost of journeys in school time are voluntary. However, an appropriate donation would be £12.70 per pupil towards the cost of entrance, the workshop talks and coach costs. We must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. Payment will be via Parent Pay and needs to be paid by Friday, 12^th January to give all parties notice in the event of cancellation. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties covering the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs Hurding.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear and an appropriate coat depending on the weather.

A packed lunch will be required which can be brought from home or provided by school. Please complete the online consent form below and return via email.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Trotter and Mrs Wise

Dear Y5 Parents / Carers,

I’m writing to inform you that our year 5 children will be taking part in the Young Leaders Award this year. We’re really excited to be involved in this programme which has been designed and written by the Archbishop of York Youth Trust. For more information visit www.abyyt.com.

The Young Leaders Award aims to equip young people to be the change they want to see in their local communities, and through a number of interactive lessons and practical challenges our pupils will be involved in serving their community and making a difference. The award is currently available at Key stage 2, 3 and 4, and there are thousands of students across the North of England all taking part in changing their communities for the better.

We have started the programme today and look forward to all that our pupils will do to serve the local community. There may be opportunities for parents and family members to get involved in the community action projects that will take place later in the year, and we will be in touch with more details nearer the time.

At the end of the award each student will receive a certificate and we will host an awards ceremony to celebrate and share their success.

Thank you in anticipation for your support with this venture.

Yours sincerely

Mrs M Brinkley

Dear All Parents,

Welcome back and a Happy New Year to everyone.

The children have returned to school raring to learn as we continue to encourage our children to ‘Be the best you can be’,

Thank you for all your support encouraging your children to read, practice their spellings and taking the time to use the learning education platforms that can be accessed at home, e.g ‘Education City’ and ‘Times Table Rock Stars’.

Please do not hesitate to talk to the teachers if you have any queries re learning in school, after school is always better for a longer conversation and if you have any concerns please come and see Tracey Gay (PSA) or myself.

Thanks for your continued support

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Dear Parent/Carer,

Visit to Leeds City Museum

In support of the children’s topic next term on Ancient Greece we would like to take Year 5 and Year 6 to the Leeds City Museum on Wednesday 7^th March 2018. The children will visit the museum and also take part in a hands on workshop, where they will be able to delve into the past in an immersive and exciting learning environment.

The coach company we will be using is Beewise. The coach will leave school at 9.00am and is expected to return to school by 3.30pm (dependent on traffic). If your child suffers from travel sickness we would suggest that appropriate travel sickness tablets are taken. A further tablet for the return journey can be brought into school in a named envelope.

In accordance with the Governors’ Charging Policy for school activities, contributions towards the cost of journeys in school time are voluntary. However, an appropriate donation would be £10.00 per pupil towards the cost of entrance to the museum, the workshop and coach costs. We must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. Payment will be via Parent Pay and will need to be paid by Thursday 1st March. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties covering the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs Hurding.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear and an appropriate coat depending on the weather.

A packed lunch will be required and can be provided by school for children who are entitled to Scheme of Aid. Please contact the office to order this.

There is a gift shop on site and the children can bring a small amount of money (no more than £5) if they wish, however the children are responsible for looking after it.

Yours sincerely,

Miss A Saunders

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in our first game for the Boys Football League against Churchfield Primary School. The match will take place on Monday 15^th January 2018.

We are leaving school at 2:15pm and aiming for a 2:45pm kick off. As there will be numerous games in the league we would be very grateful if parents would drive their children to the events. Children will be able to travel straight home with parents after the game and therefore will not need to return to school.

Your child will need to bring suitable football boots, football socks, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child must wear shin pads. The event will be held outdoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. No money will be needed for the event.

The address for the school is: Churchfield Primary School, Snydale Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S72 8JR

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parents,

I am just writing to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported our KS1 nativity ‘Lights, Camel, Action – Strictly the Nativity’ last week. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of parents, staff and local businesses. There were some wonderful donations of prizes for our raffle and an incredible audience at both performances. We raised a staggering £862.27! The money will be spent further developing our KS1 outdoor area and purchasing new resources to enhance our upcoming topics. Whilst we have not decided on the exact items yet, we will ensure that we let you know what the money has been spent on. So thank you to everyone who donated, bought raffle tickets and came to see the nativity (once or twice!). Your support is very much appreciated.

Finally to our brilliant KS1 children…what can we say! Every single one of you shone on stage. You excelled in your performances and we hope you had as much fun on stage as we did watching you. The staff in Year 1 and Year 2 are very proud of you all and would without doubt, score each of you a perfect 10!

The KS1 team would like to wish everyone at The Ellis a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year. So until our December 2018 nativity…Keep Dancing!

Mrs Trotter (KS1 Leader)

Dear All Parents,

Please find attached a flyer from St. Mary’s Church with details of their Christmas Eve Service at 3pm.

Dressing up and Christmas jumpers is optional.

Thank you

Smoking in Cars with Children

In 2015 there was a change in law to protect thousands of children, as more than 430,000 children are exposed to second-hand smoke in the family car each week. The ban came into force to stop people smoking in cars with children under the age of 18.

We have been informed that the school and its surrounding area will be assessed by the Enforcement Officers who are patrolling to address this issue. Any adult who is found to be smoking in a car with children will incur an on the spot fine of £50, for the driver and any passengers found to be smoking.

Thank you

Street Dance – now full

We have put another member of staff in place due to the number of children in this club. If your child decides they no longer wish to go to the club please let us know so we can give the place to another child.

Likewise, your child’s place will be given up due to non-attendance (unless a valid reason is given) and on grounds of behaviour.

The children who will be attending the club are:

Daisy D, Lola B, Josh W, Ben C, Ruby C, Reuben O, Freddie H, Charlie H, Rocco W, Lewis P, Jack T, Delaney B, Isaac K, Erin K, Scarlett D, Mia B, Myles B, Aidan C, Lottie F, Seth B, Lukas B, Ruby B, Emily M, George D, Kyran R, Isla L, William M, Matilda S, Tallulah S, Jenson T and Noah Sh.

Tag Rugby – a few places remaining

The children who will be attending the club are:

Hazel G, George S, Eva W, George & Harry TF, Lukas B, Ben R, Elliott M, George D, Kyran R, Jacob M, Noah Sh, Freya W, Fenn W, Seth D, Lucas T and Leo R.

Theatre – a few places remaining

The children who will be attending the club are:

Ruby C, Hazel G, George S, Erin K, Mia B, Lottie F, Emilia A, Ruby B, Kacie S, Elliott M, Anna M, Lydia M and Alfie B.

If you think your child’s name should be down to attend a club and it isn’t on this email, or your child is down for the wrong club, please let me know. The clubs start the first week back after Christmas.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Cookery Club

Our cookery club will be starting again on Monday, 8th January and the following people have been pulled out of the hat:

Lydia M, Casey C, Anna M, Euan P, Demi W, Ben C, Emilia A and Callum S.

Payment will be put on to ParentPay. Please remember that as payment is compulsory for this club, non-payers will not be allowed to attend. You are, however, welcome to pay each week so long as the payment is made in advance.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

After School Clubs

The following clubs have been booked and will start the first week back after Christmas:

Monday – Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Street Dance, starting Monday 8th January 2018, last session Monday 5th February.

Tuesday – Years 1 – 4 Football with Daz. £2.50 per week payable direct to Daz.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Tag Rugby, starting Wednesday 10th January, last session Wednesday 7th February.

Thursday – Key Stage 2 Theatre, starting Thursday 11th January, last session Thursday 8th February.

As the above clubs are limited to 20 spaces please email me as soon as possible if you would like your child to attend. Names will be put down on a first come first served basis.

I will let you know by email if your child has been successful in receiving a place.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear All Parents,

We have a cleaner vacancy from January 2018, please see the attached for further information. Cleaner Profile The Ellis Primary School

Please pass on the details to anyone who you think may be interested.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

A reminder re the school disco on Thursday, children are not allowed to bring mobile phones. We have all your phone numbers safe to make contact if necessary.

Please can parents take their children’s coat home after you have dropped them off.

Many thanks for your support and may we take this opportunity to wish you all A very merry Christmas.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Email Communication

In order to improve communication we have the facility to add additional email addresses to your child’s account.

If this would help you please send us the person’s name, relationship to your child (even if just family friend) along with their email address and we will add them to our system. This can include mums, dads, grandparents, family friends and includes work email addresses.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Foundation Stage Parents,

Coffee Morning

A quick reminder about our Foundation Stage Christmas Coffee Morning which will be held on Thursday 14^th December, 9am – 10:15am.

The children will be performing some of their songs, there will be refreshments on sale, gifts to purchase and a raffle.

Afternoon nursery children are invited to come and join the rest of the children on stage, please come along if you can.

The morning nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

Swap Shop

Our Swap Shop will be open throughout our coffee morning where you can exchange your children’s books free of charge. There will be a table at the back of the hall with a selection of books to choose from.

We look forward to seeing you there,

Mrs Pollard and Mr Grayhurst.

Dear Y1-Y6 Parent/Guardian,

Mobile Planetarium 17^th January 2018

We are extremely excited to tell you that we have booked to have a mobile planetarium in school on the 17^th January 2018.

Year 5 will be learning about Space as part of their Spring term Science topic, however, this is an educational experience that we feel each child will enjoy and benefit from. Therefore, all children from Year 1 to Year 6 will benefit from the amazing opportunity of experiencing the planetarium. The company is run by an experienced, qualified, primary teacher who has planned age-appropriate workshops for each year group.

The planetarium has fantastic reviews:

“…a knowledgeable presenter who expertly engaged and enthused the children…” Helen Sawyer, Science Co-ordinator, Ashville College Junior School, Harrogate.

“Thank you so very much for a wonderful afternoon full of information and brilliant experiences and stuffed full of the WOW factor!!!! Your show is brilliant… thank you again.” Janet Webster, Deputy Head, Laycock Primary School; of an afternoon of KS2 shows

We are kindly requesting a donation of £2.50 per child towards the cost of the planetarian. This can be paid for via ParentPay.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss A Saunders

(Year 5 Teacher and Support English Lead)

Dear Parent/Carer,

Cinema Trip – Wonder

Children in Year 5 have worked extremely hard throughout the Autumn term in their guided reading sessions reading ‘Wonder’. Wonder has been released at the cinema this month and we would love to take our Year 5 pupils to Vue at Meadowhall to see the 9:30am showing on Monday 18^th December 2017.

The film has been rated as a PG and is therefore suitable and age appropriate, however, if you have any concerns or hesitations regarding consent, please come and speak to me.

The visit leader on the trip will be Miss Saunders and the accompanying staff will be: Mrs Brinkley, Mrs Turton, Mrs Connelly.

To keep costs down we will be travelling via train, we intend to get the 8:29 train from Wombwell to Meadowhall. As we are aware that this is before school time, we are offering two options. Option one would be to meet at Wombwell train station (at the top of platform 1) at 8:20am. Mrs Brinkley and Miss Turton will be there to supervise children. Option two, children need to be at school by 7:45am at the very latest so that we can walk to the train station with Miss Saunders, and Mrs Connelly.

In accordance with the Governors’ Charging Policy for school activities, contributions towards the cost of journeys in school time are voluntary. However, an appropriate donation would be £10.00 per pupil towards the cinema ticket, train ticket and McDonalds. We must point out that if insufficient money is collected, the trip will have to be cancelled. On this occasion payment should be made by cash for the train ticket etc. Please bring this into school in a named envelope by Friday 15^th December. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties covering the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs Hurding. We appreciate that the notice period is short, the cinema only releases times a week before.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear and an appropriate coat depending on the weather. Your child may bring a drink and suitable snacks to enjoy during the film, please ensure that the snacks are nut-free.

As a treat, children will be having a McDonalds after the film. We will then get the train back to school before 2pm so pickup will be as normal.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me, I will be available before and after school.

Please complete the consent form below and return via email as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Saunders

Dear Parents,

On Thursday 14th December we are having our first Ellis Sports inter house competition. Children from Key Stage 2 have been put into houses and will compete for points throughout the year.

Year 5 and 6 children will play against each other in a number of fixtures. 2 games will be played simultaneously and points will be awarded for sportsmanship and final league positions.

Matches will be played outside on the muga (the caged ‘multi use games area’) and therefore children will need their trainers and warm clothes / track suits to keep warm. All children will be involved in the competitions.

Children from years 3 and 4 will earn points for their houses by competing in a cross country style running competition. As this will also be outside, children will need their trainers and warm clothes.

The competition will take place weather permitting. Children must come to school in uniform as normal but will change into their sports clothes in the afternoon.

Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate on this occasion.

A special assembly will take place afterwards hosted by myself and Team Activ to present The Ellis with our school games gold award and celebrate our sporting achievements from the first term.

Thank you for your support

Miss Cook.

Dear All Parents,

During this icy weather we will make sure the paths in school are gritted so please try and stick to these. When it is icy please take care on the playground, it is such a large area and may not be completely ice free.

Please find attached our latest newsletter.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Christmas Dinner / Non-uniform Day 13.12.17

On Wednesday, 13th December, we are having our combined Christmas Dinner Day and Wear your Christmas Jumper / non uniform Day. There will be no alternative food on this day so if your child does not want a school Christmas dinner please send them to school with a packed lunch. There has been no requirement to pre-order this year.

Nursery are also invited to join in the Christmas jumper / non uniform day.

Christmas Party Day 20.12.17

This will be on Wednesday, 20th December and all children are welcome to come in their party clothes but please be mindful of outdoor play.

Party food costs £1.90. This includes nursery children and is paid via ParentPay. If you need a log on for this or any help using ParentPay please email me and I can send the details to you via email.

Please remember, if your child does not wish to purchase party food and is in full time school, a packed lunch will need to be brought from home as there will be no alternative school lunch on this day.

Hayley Fiddes

Dear All Parents,

We had our first flutter of snow last week. Please remember to keep a look out on our Facebook page and Twitter feeds for updates on school in the event of further snow. We will also try to send out text messages to everybody and announce school closure on Dearne FM.

Thank you,

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

1.12.17

Dear Parents/Carers

As we are all aware, budget cuts to schools continue, which impact on the level of opportunities we are able to offer to our amazing children. In order to continue to offer additional support materials and activities, the school, supported by the PTFA, run a number of fund raising events throughout the year.

In order that the money raised from these events is spent on the activities and materials our children want, we have asked each class to draw up their own “Wish List”. These wish lists are listed below by class:

We understand some parents want to contribute financially where possible to enable our children to have the best resources the school can provide. As such, we are writing to parents and local businesses to offer the opportunity to sponsor our events, and also make cash donations. All donations / sponsorship will be spent on the above Wish Lists. All gifts, no matter how small, are gratefully received. If you would be interested in sponsorship opportunities at any of our events, then we would love to hear from you. These events are great initiatives and really do make a difference to the school lives of the children, so please support us if you can. We have also detailed below bank details should you wish to make a voluntary donation.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Sort Code 16-19-18

Account Number 10103426

If you would like to know more about our school and what we do, please follow us at:

Website www.theellisschool.org.uk

Facebook @TheEllisCESchool

Twitter @TheEllisPrimary

Or contact us on 01226 753383.

Yours truly,

The Governors

CLASS WISH LISTS

Foundation 1 and 2

Heavy duty trikes and scooters

Year 1 and 2

Small World items, e.g. castle, knights, pirates, ship, boats, super heroes, vehicles, animals, space rockets

Year 3

Fossil set

Rocks set

Thesaurus’

Fiction books

Torches

Music/dance CD’s

Year 4

David Walliams books (full series)

Recorders

Electricity – circuit set- batteries, wires, bulbs, switches etc.

Viking resources- Long boat modelling kits etc.

Dinosaur resources- 3d models etc. posters

Fossil pack

New set of dictionaries

New set of atlases

Science textbooks- new curriculum

Year 5

Science equipment – filtration paper, sieves, funnels

Dictionaries and Thesaurus’

Year 6

Whole class sets of books e.g. Who Let the Gods Out?

Individual iPads

Maths resources e.g. counters, place value discs

Resources for outside – Large strategy games e.g. chess, draughts, noughts and crosses, connect 4

Timers

Den building materials

Dear Year 1 and Year 2 Parents,

We have our KS1 Christmas Book afternoon on Tuesday, 5th December starting at 1.30pm.

It will be helpful if we know how many parents, grandparents or relatives are able to come so please can you email or let one of the KS1 staff know if somebody will be coming into school for the afternoon.

Please do not worry if someone cannot attend, as staff will support your child with their activities.

Kind regards

KS1 staff

Dear Y5 Parents,

As part of our P.E. curriculum this year, the children will be participating in swimming lessons at Wath Leisure Centre. The lessons will take place on Friday afternoons and will commence on Friday, 15^th December and will end on Friday 13^th April.

We will be travelling with Grays coaches and the coach will leave and return within normal school hours.

As the children’s lessons progress, their instructor will tell them when they need to bring goggles. Until that time, they are not permitted to wear them unless supported by a letter from your doctor or optician.

For girls, bikinis are not acceptable and for boys, shorts must be above the knee and fitted. Hair must be tied up in the swimming pool and fringes need to be fastened back. As with all P.E. lessons, all jewellery must be removed.

Any medication your child may require, such as asthma medication, will be taken to the poolside.

The children are required to wear a swimming cap and will not be permitted to swim without one. If your child does not have a swimming cap, please send £2 in a labelled envelope to purchase at the leisure centre.

If you have any queries please feel free to pop in and see me.

Miss A Saunders

Year 5 Teacher

Dear Parents,

KS2 Opportunity

You may have noticed on the newsletter that the Hemingfield Action Group (HAG) are holding a carol concert on Friday, 15th December with Grimethorpe Band at 6.30pm and would like several Key Stage 2 children to sing as a choir.

If your KS2 child would like the opportunity to take part in this, rehearsals will be in the Y6 classroom with Mrs Edwards during Thursday lunchtimes, starting from this Thursday. Obviously your child will need to be available on the night of the 15th December.

Thank you

Dear All Parents,

Please see the attached flyers for some family Christmas events that will be taking place in and around Barnsley, along with a link to the full guide for the Winter. http://www.elsecar-heritage.com/content/downloads/Barnsley-Museums-Whats-On-Guide-Winter-2017-v9-WEB-30597472.pdf

Dear Y2 Parent,

Your child’s class has been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 1 Cricket Multi Skills Competition at Netherwood , on Friday 1^st December 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:40pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately due to space constraints, parents are not allowed to attend the event.

Your child will be given a school PE top but will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. The event will be held indoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using the sporting fixtures/curricular activities consent form for this trip.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

St. Mary’s Church are holding their Christmas Bake on Saturday, 25th November 10.30am – 12.30pm.

Dear Y6 Parents,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Sportshall Athletics competition event at Netherwood on Friday 24^th November 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:40pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their child at the event.

Your child will need to bring suitable shorts, trainers, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child will be given a school sports top. The event will be held indoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using the sporting fixtures/curricular activities consent form for this trip.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Parents,

We have had a plea from a gentleman who lost his black filofax towards the end of last week, possibly outside the school gates.

As it contains all of his important information he is extremely keen to locate it. If you saw it or know of its whereabouts please let us know so we can contact him. Thank you.

We will be sending the Parental Questionnaire forms out again. If you did not complete one at parents evening please do so as we really value your feedback.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

St. Mary’s Church, Wombwell are holding their Christmas Fayre on Saturday, 18th November, 11am-2pm.

Cakes and beverages for sale, crafts and gifts, make-up, book stalls and lots more.

Please visit www.facebook.com/wombwellparish

Go along and have a look, you might be able to buy a few Christmas presents!

Dear All Parents,

Happy News

Miss Beresford has given birth to a healthy baby girl called Daisy, she is absolutely beautiful!

Are you a Budding Baker?

The Great British Bake Off are currently looking for a fresh batch of brilliant, amateur bakers who would love to enter the tent for their ninth series of the show. If you are interested in the opportunity to take part please visit: www.applyforbakeoff.co.uk or call / text: 07384 748 225. Applications close on Sunday 7th January 2018.

School Parking

When dropping off or collecting children please DO NOT park on the yellow zig zags. This is a safeguarding request from our Governors who have become so concerned that they will be contacting PCSO’s to help monitor the situation.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y3 Parents, Aladdin Theatre Trip 12.12.17

Due to a generous donation the year 3 children have been given the opportunity to see Aladdin at The Academy Theatre in Birdwell, on Tuesday, 12th December.

The coach will leave school at 12.45pm ready for the 1.30pm performance and will return back to school between 4 and 4.15pm.

The children will be able to have their usual lunch at school before they leave.

Please do not send your child to school with sweets, drinks or money as the theatre will not permit the children to eat during the performance.

Please return the online consent form below to give permission for your child to attend the trip.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear All Parents,

Welcome back to our first newsletter for this half term.

Poppy Appeal

We will be selling poppies this week in support of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. An official tin will be taken round to classes into which children can place loose change and receive a poppy.

If you would like your child to support this cause the suggested donations for other items that will be available are:

Coloured Wristband 50p

Poppy Reflector 50p

Friendship Bracelet £1

Snap Band £1

Thank you

Flu Spray

The nurse will be coming into school on Tuesday, 14th November to deliver flu vaccines for the children in F2 – Y4 who have returned their consent form.

The vaccine is a quick and simple spray up the nose. The nurse will support and encourage all children to receive the vaccine however please be reassured that a child will never be forced if they are clearly refusing to have the spray.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Thank you for all your support this half term, don’t forget we are closed on Friday for an inset day.

I look forward to seeing all the children after a well earned rest on Monday, 6th November.

Stay safe on Bonfire night.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

After School Clubs

As usual, after half term our after school clubs will be changing slightly to allow any children who didn’t join beforehand to have a chance at doing so.

The following clubs will be running with limited spaces available:

Monday – Key Stage 1 and 2 Pilates and Yoga, starting Monday 6th November, last session Monday 11th December.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Futsal, starting Wednesday 8th November, last session Wednesday 13th December.

Thursday – Key Stage 2 Musical Theatre, starting Thursday 9th November, last session Thursday 14th December.

Futsal is a variant of football played on a smaller pitch, similar to 5 a side and children may require trainers if they are taken outside.

Musical Theatre is a new group based on dance and theatrical skills. If you have not attended an after school club before, it might be worth giving this one a try.

Dear Parent/Carer, (Y6 Football Finals 9.11.17)

Due to the recent success of the football qualifying events, your child has been selected to represent the school in the Year 5/6 Football Finals at Kirk Balk Academy on Thursday 9^th November 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.15pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12.40pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but you must meet your child at the venue.

Your child will need to bring suitable astro turf boots, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating. Shin pads and football socks are essential. Children will be provided with the school football shirt. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them.

The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We will be using the sporting fixtures/curricular activities consent form for this trip.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Slight Menu Change

Dear Parents,

In support of Year 3 and Year 4’s topic on India our cook has kindly offered to tweak the menu on Thursday, 19th October.

The main meal will be:

Chicken Tikka, rice and a plain naan bread, a vegetable samosa and an onion bhaji served with cauliflower and green beans.

Peaches served with vanilla ice cream.

Please note: The ham sandwich option and pasta option will remain the same on the day.

Thank you.

Please note, on our list of important dates we mentioned that the date needed to be confirmed with Grimethorpe Band for the Hemingfield Action Group Christmas Carol event.

We have now had confirmation that the actual date will be the 15th December. This is a week later than was originally planned so please change this in your diary if it is something you would like to come to.

Thank you for your continued support and please remember that if you have any concerns regarding school please pop in to see me.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Y6 Visit to Crucial Crew – Tuesday 24th October 2017

Dear Y6 Parent/Carer,

As part of the year 6 curriculum we are taking the children to Crucial Crew, an initiative run by South Yorkshire Police and Fire services, on Tuesday 24th October 2017.

The visit leader on the trip will be Mrs Edwards.

The coach company we will be using is Beewise. The coach will leave school at 8:45am prompt and is expected to return to school by 3.20pm. If your child suffers from travel sickness we would suggest that appropriate travel sickness tablets are taken. A further tablet for the return journey can be brought into school in a named envelope.

This trip will be fully funded by school as it is designed to help children to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe in a variety of scenarios.

A packed lunch will be required and can be provided by school for children who are entitled to Scheme of Aid. Please contact the office to order this.

We will not be using the annual consent form for this trip so please complete and return the attached online consent form before Friday 22nd October. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Edwards

Dear Foundation Stage Parents,

Coffee Morning

A quick reminder about our Foundation Stage Harvest Coffee Morning which will be held on Tuesday 17^th October, 9am – 10:15am.

The children will be performing some of their songs, there will be refreshments on sale, gifts to purchase and a raffle.

Afternoon nursery children are invited to come and join the rest of the children on stage, please come along if you can.

The morning nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

Swap Shop

Our Swap Shop will be open throughout our coffee morning where your child can exchange books between friends. If your child would like to bring a book from home to swap with another free of charge, there will be a table at the back of the hall with a selection of books to choose from.

We look forward to seeing you there,

Mrs Pollard and Mr Grayhurst.

Dear All Parents,

Our PTFA are meeting on Thursday, October 12th at The Fitzwilliam Arms, Elsecar, 6.30pm if you fancy popping down for a chat to see if this is something you would like to join.

The funds raised by our PTFA are so valuable for our school and allow us to purchase extra resources that we would otherwise be unable to do, along with special treats for the children which they thoroughly enjoy.

Even if you don’t have much available spare time but are interested please pop along tonight for an informal chat. You can find out further information and find out exactly what is entailed, because sometimes the little help that you give can go a long way.

Thank you

Dear KS2 Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 2 non-competitive Boccia event at Wombwell Park Street School, on Thursday 19^th October 2017. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm. Boccia is a sport similar to bowls and the children will be aiming to land balls in specific targets to earn points for their teams.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 1:10pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately parents are not able to attend this event.

Your child will be given a school PE shirt, but will need to bring suitable shorts, trainers, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. The event will be held indoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

We are able to use the ‘Sporting Fixtures/Curricular Activities’ consent form for this event. If you have not already returned this form please do so as soon as possible to enable your child to participate.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear All Parents,

Curriculum Evening

We hope you will be able to join us for the curriculum meeting on Wednesday.

Come and find out expectations for each year groups and find out how you can continue to support your child’s learning at home, THIS WEDNESDAY in the classrooms, there will also be Governors available to chat to.

Before and after school

I will continue to remind all our children to wait on the playground at the start and the end of the day. Please help us by reminding your children that they are not allowed on the grassy banks, field, around the school garage or the KS1 equipment in the mornings and at the end of the day. I will try and be outside as much as possible to support this.

Kind regards,

Mrs Hurding

Dear Y3 Parents,

Just incase your child would like to practise their times tables at home this is how they need to log in to TT Rockstars.

Their username is their first name and the first letter of their surname, (for example, NicolaC).

The passwords are all theellis (lower case, no spaces).

The username and password must be entered correctly for the children to be able to log in.

TT Rockstars is something the children have been using and enjoying since September. Many of the children are wanting to use the website at home so although there is no obligation it is a fun way to keep practising their times tables. Children are expected to know their times tables up to 12 by the end of year 4.

Education City passwords will also be sent home with the children tonight so keep a look out for them.

Miss Cook

Dear Y5 / Y6 Parent/Carer,

Your child has been selected to represent the school in a Year 5/6 Boys Football Competition event at Kirk Balk on Friday 13^th October 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12:40pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches . Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their child at the event.

Your child will need to bring suitable football boots, football socks, a drink of water and a bag for their belongings. Your child must wear shin pads. The event will be held outdoors. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

As we are able to use the sporting fixtures/curricular activities consent form for this trip please can you ensure it has been signed and returned. Thank you.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear All Parents,

Thank you so much again for your support at our Ellis in Wonderland library launch day on Friday – it truly was a magical day!

We still have a few unclaimed raffle prizes so have a rummage in your coat pockets and dig out those tickets, you may just find you are one of the lucky winners! The numbers are 435, 446, 298 and a gentleman named Malcolm Dodd. Please pop to the office to claim your prize. Thank you.

Headlice

We have noticed that headlice are present again in school. Please ensure you check your child’s hair and other family members regularly and treat them if necessary. If you would like any literature on how to treat them please contact Mrs Gay. Thank you for your support in helping to eradicate these nuisances from school.

Individual School Photographs

Our school photographers will be coming into school next Tuesday, 10^th October to take the children’s individual photographs.

Brothers and sisters who attend school and either nursery session will also be photographed together for a sibling photograph and this will be organised in school.

If you have a pre-school baby or toddler that you would like to bring for a family photograph please come to the school hall at 8.15am. You are, of course, under no obligation to purchase any of the photographs if you do not wish to do so.

Mrs Hurding

Headteacher

Dear Y5 Parents,

Please can your child bring into school an empty, clear and clean jar (any size) by Friday 6^th October.

Thank you for your continued support,

Abbey Saunders

Dear Y6 Parent/Carer,

Visit to Barnsley Tesco

We are excited to be able to take the Y6 children on a trip to Barnsley Tesco store as part of our Field to Fork learning journey. The children will have the opportunity to look behind the scenes at the store, learn about where food comes from and even taste some of the produce.

We will visit the store on Thursday 19th of October 2017. They will be leaving school at 9.15 and returning by 12.00 for lunch at school.

This trip will be fully funded by Tesco as part of their Farm to Fork project with schools.

The children should attend school in their full school uniform on this day.

As we are able to use the sporting fixtures/curricular activities consent for this trip please can you ensure it has been signed and returned. Thank you.

Please note that as food tasting is part of the trip it is important we know of any food allergies beforehand.

Many thanks,

Mrs Brinkley & Mrs Booth

Dear Nursery Parents,

We appreciate that your child will receive free school meals under the current government scheme until the end of Year 2, however, you may also be able to receive free school trips and milk.

Please see the attached poster with details of the criteria to be eligible to claim free school trips and milk throughout your child’s entire time with us at The Ellis.

FSM Poster – nursery

Don’t wait until your child starts full time school as you will miss out on free trips whilst your child is in nursery.

If you apply and are eligible, not only will you as a parent benefit but the school will also receive additional funding towards school resources.

If you feel you may be eligible but are not entirely sure, please apply anyway. The process is completely confidential and you have nothing to lose!

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Y2 Parent/Carer,

Our Year 2 class has been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 1 Multi Skills Competition at Kirk Balk, on Friday 6^th October 2017. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 1:10pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Beewise Coaches. Unfortunately due to space constraints, parents are not allowed to attend the event.

We are able to use the ‘Sporting Fixtures/Curricular Activites consent form for this event. If you have not already returned this form please do so as soon as possible to enable your child to participate.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Dear Y1 / Y2 Parents,

Some of you have noticed that the trips for the coming year are now on ParentPay and have made payment, so thank you for that.

The payments I have received so far have all been for the full amounts – which could have been intentional – but I would just like to point out that the payments can be in small amounts if you prefer.

If when you add the item to your basket, the full amount appears as a default, please over write this with the amount you would like to pay. There is no minimum so every little amount will add up over the year.

If you have any queries regarding ParentPay please email me or pop in and I will be able to help you.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Y1 / Y2 Parents,

Welcome back! We are already having a wonderful time with our Key Stage 1 children and are very excited about the year ahead. Having listened to feedback from parents, we are trying to ensure we give as much notice as possible with regards things happening in school. With this in mind, we have tried to plan visits, visitors and afternoons which parents are invited to, for the whole year so that you have the dates in your diaries. We have also included the cost of trips and whilst these are voluntary contributions, we must point out that if insufficient funds are collected, then we may have to cancel the trip. We have included a date in which we are asking for contributions to be paid by; however you are welcome to pay in smaller amounts using Parent Pay leading up to the trip if you wish.

We hope the following information is helpful. (Please note that an email with the whole school dates on it has been emailed to parents already. These are extra dates, specifically for KS1 children).

Autumn 1 – ‘Field to Fork’ topic

03.10.17 – Year 1 children to visit Hoyland Tesco during the morning to learn about food.

04.10.17 – Year 2 children to visit Hoyland Tesco during the morning to learn about food.

(coach cost covered by Tesco funding)

Autumn 2 – ‘Toy Story’ topic

07.11.17 – Year 2 children to walk to the cenotaph at Hemingfield and Jump cemetery as part of our work on Remembrance Day (permission letter to follow).

05.12.17 – Year 1 and Year 2 invite parents (or grandparents) to come and spend the afternoon with us completing lots of different activities linked to our Christmas book. 1.30pm onwards.

12.12.17 and 13.12.17 – Year 1 and Year 2 will be presenting their nativity ‘Lights, Camel, Action!’ at 6pm. Tickets will be on sale nearer the time priced £1.50 (adults) and £1 (children).

During this half term we will be hiring a box of old toys from Cusworth Museum for the children to explore. (The cost of which will be covered by Key Stage 1 fundraising money from last year’s nativity).

Spring 1 – ‘Castles, Knights and Dragons’ topic

22.01.18 – Year 1 and Year 2 invite parents (or grandparents) to come and spend the afternoon with us completing lots of different maths activities. 1.30pm onwards.

07.02.18 – Year 1 and Year 2 trip to Skipton Castle. (A letter will be sent out nearer the time and we are asking for voluntary donations of £12.70 to cover the cost of the trip payable by Friday 12^th January 2018). Please note that for this visit we need children to be at school for 8.30am so that we can make a prompt departure. Hometime will be the 3.20pm as normal.

Spring 2 – ‘Heroes’ topic

21.02.18 – Florence Nightingale Experience, Real History Alive. A visitor will come into school to spend the morning with KS1 children. They will have the chance to learn about Florence Nightingale and be given lots of hands on opportunities which we would be unable to provide in the classroom. (We are asking for a voluntary donation of £4 to cover the cost of the visitor payable by Friday 26^th February 2018).

12.03.18 – Year 1 parents (or grandparents) are invited to come and spend the afternoon with us sewing a hero mask as part of our DT topic. 1.30pm onwards.

13.03.18 – Year 2 parents (or grandparents) are invited to come and spend the afternoon with us sewing a hero mask as part of our DT topic. 1.30pm onwards.

Summer 1 – ‘Go Wild!’ topic

16.05.18 – Year 1 and Year 2 trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster. (A letter will be sent out nearer the time and we are asking for voluntary donations of £13 to cover the cost of the trip payable by Friday 20^th April 2018).

21.05.18 – Meeting for Year 2 parents about the Whirlow Farm residential providing parents with details about what to pack etc. The meeting will be held in the Y2 classroom at 5pm.

Summer 2 – ‘Zoom!’ topic

11.06.18 – Year 1 parents (or grandparents) are invited to come and spend the afternoon with us making a vehicle as part of our DT topic. 1.30pm onwards.

14.06.18 – Year 2 parents (or grandparents) are invited to come and spend the afternoon with us making a vehicle as part of our DT topic. 1.30pm onwards.

18.06.18 – 22.06.18 and 09.07.18 – 11.07.18 – Year 2 residential to Whirlow Farm, (second payment of £30 to be paid by 31.12.17 and the final payment of £40 to be paid by 31.03.18 with thanks).

17.07.18 – Year 2 parents are invited to come into the Y2 classroom to look at photos, videos and work from our residential trip. A chance for children to show you what they got up to and the fun had by all! Parents are welcome to drop in anytime between 3.20 and 5.00pm.

We are also hoping to arrange a walk to Elsecar Park again during the summer term. (Weather permitting). Date to be confirmed nearer the time.

We appreciate that this is a lot of information, but hope that as it covers the whole year, it gives parents ample notice for open afternoons and trip contributions. Should other events come up, we will endeavour to give you as much prior notice as we can. Letters and emails will be sent our nearer the time which will provide you with extra information.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop in and ask any KS1 staff.

Kind Regards

Key Stage 1 Team

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are reminding the children at the moment not to run up and down the grassy bank and not to play in the KS1 outdoor learning area that the teachers have set up during playtimes.

Can you please help us by also reminding them not to play in the area outside KS1, the area outside Y5/Y6 or the steep grassy banks when they arrive at school and when they are waiting for siblings.

Children waiting should be in the playground and no one should be on the field. We also want you to enjoy our lovely picnic benches as you wait but please do not sit on the table part as this is also something we are reminding our children not to do.

Sadly yesterday after collection the KS1 puppet theatre had been drawn on. We are working hard to improve our outdoor areas, please help us by making sure your children are waiting and playing in the right areas.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Headteacher

Dear All Parents,

Your child will be bringing home tonight a green consent form that will be used for sporting fixtures and curricular activities during school.

The purpose of this form is to enable parents to give their permission for their child to participate in local activities, trips and sporting events without having to give consent every time the child takes part.

Please note that we will NEVER take your child out of school without notifying you first and full details will be given prior to the event, including information relating to where the children will be going, the activities to be undertaken, what they will need and the expected time back at school.

This form may not be relevant to our younger classes at the moment, however, as we are hoping this consent form will follow your child throughout school it would be helpful if you could complete it and return it as soon as possible so it will be in place when the time is needed.

Additional, lengthier, consent forms will always be sent out for swimming, residential activities and trips or visits which are not deemed as local.

We hope you will support us in completing and returning these consent forms. Please remember you will always be given prior notification and full details of any event or trip your child will be participating in beforehand.

Thank you

Hayley Fiddes

Dear Year 5 Parents,

Wakefield Grammar School Open Morning

Wakefield Grammar School are holding an Open Morning for parents and prospective pupils on Saturday, 7th October from 9.30am to 1pm.

There will be an introductory talk at 10am at Wakefield Girls High School Jubilee Hall and at 10.45am at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Light refreshments will be available and there will be an opportunity to go on an escorted tour with a current pupil.

Saint Pius Open Evening

Saint Pius are holding their Open Evening for students and their parents on Tuesday, 26th September 6pm-8pm.

Dear Year 1 Parents,

Thank you for the donations of small containers, the children have really enjoyed making shakers and exploring sounds.

Next week, Year 1 will be making their own houses for the 3 little pigs. To help us with this learning activity we would appreciate any donations of small boxes (such as cereal boxes), small plastic containers (such as yoghurt pots) and any other interest modelling materials.

Many thanks,

Mrs Wise.

What you said- what we did

Thank you to all parents who completed our sport questionnaire in July. Your answers were really useful in helping make sure we make sport at The Ellis the best it can be. The majority of answers were overwhelmingly positive. Thank you for your positive, honest and constructive comments.

Here’s what we’re doing to try and improve sport in the coming year…

More competitive element to sport – This year we hope to increase participation at events by taking more teams to give more children a chance to experience sporting events. Over the previous 2 years, a record has been kept of children who take part in after school clubs and events. All children should have the opportunity to attend at least 1 event outside of school per year with this looking to be improved in coming years. As always, to be taken to competitions externally, behaviour must be good at all times in school.

We will be starting an interschool competition every term. Key Stage 2 Children have been put into a house system and every term they will take part in a different sport to earn points for their houses. The house system with the most points at the end of the year will receive a special treat.

A better variety of clubs – I have looked at participation at clubs over the past couple of years. Clubs such as football on a Tuesday has a high participation rate and we will continue running it. Many parents requested a Zumba club… good news, Zumba will be running for the first half term. If participation remains high we will run it again during the school year.

I have tried to source a better variety of after school clubs with Team Activ or looked at clubs linked to upcoming sports events or ones where both key stages can attend. Therefore, running in the first half term we have the new clubs: Combat Activ and Zumba. We are adding a KS2 musical theatre club to start after half term and I have booked in a Yoga/ Pilates club for both key stages in the autumn term.

More for foundation stage

We have contacted Mini Kicks and we have our first taster session running on Monday 25^th September with the hope of more sporting activities in future.

Clubs at different times of the day. – As of September all lunch time staff and Year 5 children will have received new training and will be delivering more physical activities and games every day during lunch and break times. Every lunch time, a number of adults now have a variety of sport provisions running in different areas of the playground. Each class is still continuing their golden mile run at least once per week.

Throughout the year, to encourage children to ‘be the best that they can be’ we will be inviting inspirational people into school to motivate the children and make them more aware of opportunities that are out there for them.

Thank you for your continued support. Please feel free to get in touch with future suggestions.

Miss Cook

Wider Curriculum Lead

Tea Party Letter

Dear KS2 Parents,

There are still a few spaces left at the Ipad club tonight. If this is something you think your child would like to attend payment can be made via ParentPay which once made, will confirm your child’s attendance at the club.

The Ipad club is held in Y3 and finishes at 4.20pm.

Dear Parents of KS2 school councillors,

As part of our ongoing work to develop our school council we have arranged a trip to Barnsley Town Hall for our KS2 councillors.

The trip will take place on Thursday afternoon where the children will meet the Mayor and ask him some questions.

We will be getting the train to and from Barnsley, returning to Wombwell train station for 15:29. School will be covering the cost of the train so your child does not need to bring any money with them. Miss Turton will be accompanying me on the trip.

As the trip is this week, and I need to purchase the tickets in advance, I will need consents by Wednesday morning please.

To return the online reply slip below to Mrs Fiddes please press reply to this email, complete the boxes and press send.

Kind Regards

Mrs E Edwards

Dear All Parents,

On the list of important dates there is just one minor clarification for the Easter Service on the 21st March 2018.

The time says 9am-10.15am. This is actually our preparation time to walk to the church ready for the service which will actually start at 10.15am.

We have now had the date confirmed for our PTFA school Christmas disco which will be on Thursday, 21st December. More details will follow.

The full list of our calendar dates has been updated and is on our website under the communication heading along with our latest newsletter so please take a lookif you ever need clarification of upcoming events.

Our class Twitter pages are now fully up and running! Please follow us! The addresses to use are as follows:

@TheEllisPrimary

@F1Ellis

@theellisF2

@TheEllisY1

@theellisY2

@theellisY3

@TheEllisY4

@Ellis_year5

@EllisYearSix

St.Mary’s Church, Wombwell are holding a fun Harvest morning on Saturday, 7th October 10.30am-12.30pm with crafts, singing, storytelling and food. All are welcome and admission is free!

Dear Foundation Stage Parents,

Next week, on Monday, 21st September, our Foundation Stage are having a taster session with Barnsley company Minikicks.

‘Mini Kicks is a unique approach to enabling children to enhance their learning through sports and our sessions are planned and delivered by experienced coaches alongside an educational specialist’.

‘Results have proven that children not only develop a good understanding of a healthy lifestyle but have improved communication, increased levels of confidence and are able to work better as a team with their peers’.

The children will get a 30 minute session with the leader of Minikicks and if they have enjoyed it they will be given information about how they can attend sessions outside of school to get them involved and enjoying sport, whilst developing skills from a young age.

Nursery children will not be getting changed for this activity , however, it would be helpful if F2 came to school in their PE kits and brought their uniform to get changed in to after the session.

Thank you

Miss N Cook

Wider Curriculum Lead

Dear Y5 and Y6 Parents,

A quick email to remind your child to bring in magazine clippings of famous people along with a photo of themselves please.

Our year 5 and year 6 children will be working together to create the famous Sergeant Pepper album cover, this will be displayed in the hall. It would be great if the children could bring in their clippings by Wednesday 20^th September.

Thank you for your continued support

Miss A Saunders

Dear All Parents,

We would like to introduce you to our governors (please see the attached photos).

Some of the governors will be available to speak with parents at future school events, however, if you would like to speak to a governor at any other time please feel free to email or phone the office staff who will ask them to return your call at their earliest opportunity.

Thank you

Mrs Hurding

Meet The Ellis Governors

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please find attached our list of important dates for the year.

A message from our teachers:

‘The children are settling in brilliantly into their new classes. Thank you for your patience at home time – We will get quicker as we learn all the new adult faces.’

At the start of the new term it does take longer for the children to be sorted for the end of the school day. We encourage and remind them to be independent with their belongings and the teachers are now beginning to recognise the adults who are collecting. We need to make sure everybody is safe so thank you again for your patience.

Mrs Hurding

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Calendar Dates 17-18

Dear Parents/Guardians

As you may be aware, a key priority at The Ellis is to Improve reading outcomes across school. We endeavour to create an inspiring reading culture where children enjoy and understand what they are reading and see connections with their lives. In addition to providing our children with reading opportunities in school, we have also provided each child with a new reading diary for this academic year. Each time a child is spotted reading they will write their names on the back of a raffle ticket and put the ticket into the class reading owl. During our gold awards assembly, a raffle ticket will be pulled out from each owl and the winner will receive a small prize. The remaining raffle tickets will be emptied into a box ready for the big prize draw at the end of each half term. Being spotted reading also involves when the child’s reading diary has been signed. To help your child please try to listen to your child read as many times as possible in a week, and sign each time.

Already we are starting to see a positive impact, children at The Ellis are buzzing about books and the majority of children are bringing their reading diaries into school daily. Please remember, although we love books, reading is everywhere! Your child might have read the programme at a football match, he/she may be reading blogs, articles, even menus, these all count and can be written into their reading diaries. Teachers will be looking at reading diaries and will sign them at least once weekly.

Because we want to inspire a reading culture, over the summer our library has had a ‘The Ellis In Wonderland’ makeover, again we are seeing a positive impact already as around school, our children have been spotted reading for pleasure. As part of our new library launch we will also be holding a mad hatters tea party, details will be with you very soon.

After an overwhelmingly successful reading assembly trial, we are delighted to say that each fortnight we will be holding a reading assembly. Every child and member of staff will be bringing a book and reading with their peers. This will be a lovely opportunity for our children to come together and share their love of reading.

Finally, we now have a ‘Make your own magic’ book. This blank book will begin its adventure in our wonderful nursery where the nursery children will together decide how the story will begin, it will then travel through our busy classrooms where each class will keep adding to the story, by Friday the whole story will be read out in assembly, no doubt the children will be excited to hear the twists and turns of their own story. As well as this being a fun whole school activity, it is also an opportunity for children to see the links between reading and writing.

Watch this space for more news about reading at The Ellis.

Thank you for your continued support.

Abbey Saunders

Dear Parents/Carers,

Thank you for supporting a great start to the year! All our children have come back with great enthusiasm and an attitude to learn and make the right choices.

Please find attached a summary of the parental feedback we received from the reports. We will be sending you a list of the years dates very soon, so keep a look out for this!

We really value your contribution, so please let us know if there is anything else that you think would help The Ellis ‘to be the best it can be!’

Many thanks for your support

Mrs Hurding

Report reply slip responses 2017

Report reply slip responses 2017 FS

Dear Y1 Parents,

We will be collecting small bottles and containers to use in our learning for the week after next if anyone would like to donate any please?

Many thanks,

Mrs Wise

Dear Y1 – Y4 Parents,

Just to let you know that Daz’s after school football club will be starting up again next Tuesday, 12th September, 3.20pm-4.20pm.

After School Clubs from September 2017

Our after school clubs have changed this term to the following:

Monday – Year 1 – Year 6 Zumba. Starting Monday 11th September, last session Monday 23rd October.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Combat Activ, starting Wednesday 13th September, last session Wednesday 25th October.

N.B. Combat Activ involves a range of activities including role play situations and children working in teams to develop teamwork, leadership and communication in a military style.

Date: 7.9.17

Dear Parents,

I will be running a free workshop for all parents/carers and grandparents of children within our Foundation Stage (F1 and F2).

The workshop will focus on ‘What to expect, when?’ and will offer you a valuable insight into how to support your child’s learning and development while they are in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

It will take place on Thursday, 5^th October at 9am and will be repeated again at 5pm. The workshop will last for approximately half an hour.

Refreshments will be available free of charge.

Unfortunately children are unable to attend this event.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. T. Pollard

Dear Y2 Parents, (TT Rockstars)

Just incase your child would like to practise their times tables in preparation for next year I have set them up with log ins for TT Rockstars.

Their username is their first name and the first letter of their surname, (for example, NicolaC).

The passwords are all theellis (lower case, no spaces).

This is something the children will be using from September, so although there is no obligation in the school holidays it is a fun way to keep practising their times tables.

We had an enjoyable transition and I am looking forward to getting to know the children more in September.

Miss Cook

Cookery Club

Our Cookery Club is starting on Monday, 11th September:

Payment is on ParentPay and you are welcome to pay weekly, however, as payment is compulsory for this club, non-payers will not be allowed to attend.

Ellis Summer Reading Challenge

As well as the ‘Animal Detectives’ Summer Reading Challenge (run by Barnsley Libraries), we at The Ellis would like to set our own reading challenge.

Your child should by now have come home with a challenge sheet, the challenges are all designed to promote a love of reading. Over the Summer, the children have a number of challenges to complete, for example, read in the garden, read to an elderly relative, read in a den. There will be a box in school located outside the Year 5 classroom for the children to post their completed sheets. Entries will be drawn during the Gold Awards Assembly on Friday 8^th September and there will be prizes for the first three entries pulled out. We would love to see your photos, please feel free to post photos of your child(ren) completing the challenges on our Facebook page.

Please can I take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support.

Have a lovely summer

Abbey Saunders

Dear Year 3 and 4 Parents, (School Picnic)

Weather permitting; we would like to have a picnic on the field on Monday 24^th July after the merit awards. Could you please send your child with a packed lunch on this date. Packed Lunches can also be purchased on the day from the normal school meals service. We will be playing games afterwards so can you please ensure your child has a drink, sun hat (optional) and sun cream. We will be giving the children ice lollies. If your child has any allergies please inform school. If your child has hay fever it may be necessary to medicate them prior to school. Thank you for your support.

Can we use this opportunity to thank you for all of your support over the year particularly with the workshops and home-learning. This is much appreciated.

Yours Gratefully,

Mrs D Broadbent and Miss N Cook

Foundation Stage Teddy Bears Picnic

We will be holding a Teddy Bears Picnic on Monday, 24th July. Please can your child bring a teddy with them – no money is required.

Foundation Stage Hot Dog and Ice Cream Day

On Tuesday, 25th July, we will be having hot dogs and ice-cream – again, no money is required.

Thank you.

A reminder from our PTFA

Don’t forget this Friday is our ‘Dress Down for a Pound’ day!

All monies raised will fund extra fun activities and events for our children in school.

Thank you.

Reading Corner (Y3 from September)

I am wanting to improve my reading corner for September and would like to get some pictures of the children reading.

Please can you either tweet your pictures to @theellisY3 or email your pictures to h.fiddes@theellis.org

Let’s see how many different wacky and wonderful places the children will read in this Summer!

Miss Cook

Y6 Sports Day

After a discussion with the Year Six children they have decided that they would like the Y6 sports day to be a big game of rounders involving teachers and parents. Could you please let us know if you will be joining us and also if you are willing to play. The game will start at 1:30pm and will be finished by 3pm (weather dependent).

We hope to see you on Thursday

Mrs Edwards

Young Voices Dear Parents of current Y2, Y3, Y4 and Y5,

Thank you for all the positive responses for Young Voices, all of the places have now been filled.

If your child has received a place they will be bringing home a letter and order forms for t-shirts, DVD’s and tickets tonight, so please look out for these. The deadline for the order forms and money to be returned to school is Friday, 29th September.

Any further requests for a place will be put on a waiting list and you will be contacted if someone drops out.

I can’t wait to get started on the songs!

Mrs Trotter

Monday – KS1 Athletics WILL NOT be on this week

Tuesday – Daz’s Football WILL be on this week but WILL NOT be on next week (the last day of term)

Wednesday – IPad WILL be on this week

– KS2 Football WILL NOT be on this week

Thursday – KS2 Athletics WILL NOT be on this week

A quick reminder that it is our transition next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please see the relevant details below for your child.

F2 – Y6 Transition

Children will need to line up in the playground and their new class teacher will come and collect them. After lunch they will return to their usual class.

Your child’s current class teacher will explain to the children on Monday how the transition will work.

Nursery to F2 Transition

Children who are moving up from nursery to full time school will need to go straight to the F2 classroom at 8.55am.

After lunch please collect your child from the same classroom at 1pm.

Nursery Children not in Transition

Afternoon nursery will be open as normal for children not in transition.

Thank you

Young Voices

Dear Parent/Carers of current Y2 children, Y3, Y4 and Y5,

Once again, we would like to offer the children in Key Stage 2 the opportunity to take part in “Young Voices” which is a concert for primary school children. It involves over 1 million children all over the country and is quite simply – awesome! Our school has been part of it for the past 6 years and it is an event which children in Year 6 often refer to as one of their lasting memories from their time at The Ellis.

The concert we will be taking part in is at Sheffield Arena on Tuesday 16^th January 2018 at 7.00pm. Before then there is a lot to do! We will practise the songs and the dance moves one lunch time each week (which all children are expected to attend) and will send the lyrics home for the children to begin learning the songs. For those who have not done Young Voices before…there are a lot of songs to learn and we are not allowed to use photocopies of the words at the concert.

There is no cost for your child to take part in Young Voices and children will be transported to and from the concert by coach (the cost of which will kindly be covered by our PTFA). On the day of the concert, children will take part in an afternoon rehearsal at the arena and will be required to bring a packed tea. Staff will then bring the children back to school after the concert. (A letter with further details outlining all the arrangements will be sent out nearer the time).

You can buy tickets for the concert (these are £19.50 each) and the children need either a plain white T-shirt or a “Young Voices” T-shirt (these are £12 each). Once your child has returned their consent (via email) and been allocated a space, we will send out order forms for tickets, t-shirts and DVDs. Please note, there is no obligation to buy any of these. Tickets ordered through school will be allocated seats together, however parents are welcome to purchase tickets directly from the arena right up until the concert date (although these will not necessarily be near parents from our school). As we have deadlines to meet with regards ticket/t-shirt orders, all orders and payments will be needed in full by the end of September unless you are ordering tickets directly from Sheffield Arena. (This will all be outlined in the next letter).

You can find out more on the website www.youngvoices.co.uk where there is a dedicated Parents section.

Final choir numbers are needed ASAP so if you would like your child to take part, please complete the permission below and return it online to Mrs Fiddes as soon as possible please. We have 48 places available and will allocate them on a first come first served basis. If we have more than 48 children, we will create a waiting list and if a space becomes available for any reason, we will contact the parents of children on the waiting list. Please note that participation will depend on consistent good behaviour in school and regular attendance of the lunchtime rehearsal.

Thank you.

“Let’s Get Cooking” club.

Our “Let’s get cooking” club has been a tremendous success this year and we are pleased to announce that we will be running the (KS2) cooking club again in September.

The club is run by Miss Saunders and Mrs Booth. The “Let’s get Cooking” scheme is a partnership between schools, Tesco’s ‘Eat Happy Project’ and the Children’s Food Trust. We aim to give the children a wealth of experience cooking balanced meals and snacks which they can bring home to share with you.

Due to safety reasons, the club numbers are very limited. We hope to run the club each half term for different pupils. The club will commence on Monday 11^th September and will run for a 6 week period, with the last session on 16^th October. To allow for sufficient time, the club will be on Mondays from 3:20 – 5:00pm. As there is a range of resources, equipment and ingredients required, the club comes at a small charge of £2.50 per week. Payments are done through Parent Pay.

As we are anticipating a high demand of interest, slips will be drawn out of a hat, on Friday 21st July, so to avoid disappointment, please send your slip in by Thursday 20^th at the very latest. It is imperative that we know of any allergies so please list any on the slip below. As this is a new academic year, if you have completed a slip in the past please can you re-submit if your child is still interested in our cooking club. If you prefer, you are welcome to email your reply slip to Mrs Fiddes online who will ensure it gets put in the draw.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask one of us, I (Miss Saunders) am available before and after school.

Y1 and Y2 Cleethorpes

Just a quick reminder that it is our Year 1 and Year 2 trip to Cleethorpes this Wednesday (12^th July). We can’t wait to go and hope that the weather is dry for us! If you have not pre-ordered a packed lunch from school, then please ensure your child brings a packed lunch / water bottle with them from home on Wednesday. All children will need to wear school uniform, sensible shoes, a raincoat (hopefully we will not need this!) and a sunhat. Please apply sun cream at home if it looks like it is going to be sunny. If you would like your child to have an ice cream, please send £2 in a named envelope or clearly identifiable purse.

Once we leave the coach, children will have to carry their lunches with them, therefore we recommend a suitable bag (preferably something like a rucksack which can go on their back) as it makes it much easier for the children.

We look forward to a day at the seaside and are sure the children will have lots to tell you on their return!

Kind Regards

Key Stage 1 Staff

Y6 Jump Inc

We will be leaving school at 12:30 for our jump session. Children will be having their dinner before we go so they will still need to order something from school/bring a packed lunch. The jump session lasts an hour and we will be having some food afterwards. We will be back at school for the end of the day.

Y6 Sleep Over

Children will leave school as normal and can return for the evening from 6pm- they will need to bring a sleeping bag and a pillow. If your child has a camp bed/airbed that they would also like to bring, that is absolutely fine. They will need to bring toiletries e.g. toothbrush and toothpaste but please note: roll on deodorants are preferred due to our smoke alarms.

Please do not send any electricals including mobile phones.

In terms of food, we will be collecting the McDonalds at around 7:30pm. Children are allowed to bring a few sweets but if I can remind you that only nut-free varieties are allowed. I will be providing some sweets so that everybody has some.

We will be playing some games then watching a DVD before hopefully settling down to sleep.

The morning after will be a non-uniform day for Y6 only.

For breakfast, I will be providing bacon and sausage sandwiches and fruit juice. If your child would like anything else could you please send it with them (I can provide milk for cereal).

In terms of medication, please ensure I know what they need to have and at what times.

Improving PE and Sport

To improve PE and sport in our school could you please take 5 minutes to complete the online questionnaire by following the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JWXNBQF

Thank you for your support,

Miss Cook

National Book Tokens Competition

We would like to notify you of a free to enter competition run by National Book Tokens.

All you need to do is fill in a quick form and this will enter the school into a prize draw to win £5000 for our school library!

The link to the website is: https://www.nationalbooktokens.com/schools#.WV98N2yovmR

We would really appreciate as many entries as possible please!

Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge is organised by The Reading Agency charity, who aim to show how libraries and schools can work together to prevent the ‘summer reading dip’ and develop a life-long love of reading. Animal Agents will be running in all Barnsley Libraries from Saturday 15^th July to Saturday 9^th September for children age 4-11. It’s fun and free to join!

How the challenge words:

Children sign up at their local library and receive an Animal Agents folder.

Children read six library books of their choice collecting stickers and incentives along the way.
Library staff are on hand to advise and run family-friendly activities.
Children who complete the Challenge are presented with a certificate and medal.
At The Ellis we love to promote reading and will be awarding any children who complete the challenge with a special prize.

There will be posters around school, and, if anyone has any questions please contact Miss Saunders before or after school.

Letter to parents

School inspections – a guide for parents

PE School Games Mark

The School Games Mark is a Government led scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community. Schools in England can be awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold Mark.

The School Games mark is an award that has to be applied for annually. It is a recognised award by Ofsted for the commitment to PE and wide range of activities offered in school. Last year we achieved Silver award. This year, we have achieved Gold award.

Some of the criteria for the award are:

– all pupils are provided with an opportunity to take on leadership roles during curriculum PE

– engage at least 15% of students in leading, managing and officiating in School Games activity

– have a School Sport Organising Committee or Crew in place that influence provision

– utilise sports coaches to support school sport

– train wider school staff to support school sport.

– Provide experiences for all children in school to attend competitions

– Attend a higher number of competitions as a school

– Provide a change4life club (cooking club)

– Inspire and motivate children by giving them experiences to meet athletes – Kelvin Batey/ Ash Randall

– + Many more

I am constantly striving to improve PE and wider curriculum experiences for children in our school. If you have any ideas, specialist expertise or suggestions to improve experiences in school or links to local clubs that are looking for players please don’t hesitate to contact me in school. If any parents would be interested in a parent and child after school club please let me know.

Miss Cook

The Ellis News

IKIC Treat

For our IKIC treat the children have chosen to go to ICE Sheffield for a BOOM skating session on Friday 7th July. The session is between 7:30pm-10pm.

The children have collectively raised enough money for them to skate and have some food from the bar. Unfortunately they have not collected enough to cover transport so they will need to be taken and collected from ICE Sheffield by a parent. If you would like to stay and spectate, I’m sure you are able to, but please check with the venue. If you would like to join them on the ICE (if they will let you!) that is also fine but you will need to pay for the cost of the session for yourself. Mrs Booth and myself will be on the ice with them so if you don’t want to stay, that is also ok.

Please return the online consent below by Wednesday 28th June to confirm your child’s attendance.

Once I know numbers, I will send another letter detailing what they will need on the night.

Y6 Jump Inc

For our end of year treat we have booked a trip to Jump Inc for a bounce session with party food (pizzas, sandwiches, crisps, veggie sticks and ice cream plus unlimited juice), on Thursday 13th July.

The School, along with the PTFA, will be covering the cost of the bounce session and the meal along with the cost of the coach as the leaving gift to the children.

Y6 Walk to Elsecar Park

As a reward for their hard work this year, we would like to take our Year 6 children to Elsecar Park.

We will be walking there along the canal path and spending the day (weather permitting) in the park. Our intention is to spend the morning completing lots of activities including observational sketches, rounders, football and walking around the reservoir. We will then enjoy a picnic (packed lunch) together before spending an hour in the afternoon playing a range of PE activities on the grass, playing in the playground and we might even squeeze in an ice cream before walking back to school! (If you would like your child to buy an ice-cream please send them with some money on the day.)

The planned day for this visit is Thursday 29^th June. Should the weather be unkind to us on this day, we will rearrange for another date. (We will keep you updated on this via text message). Please ensure your child has sensible shoes and a coat on that day as we will be outside for the majority of the day. Your child will also need a packed lunch for the visit. If your child is eligible for free school meals, please complete the details below or, of course, they are welcome to bring their own packed lunch from home. We look forward to this visit and keep our fingers crossed that the sun will grace us with its presence!

Should the date have to be changed, we will not re-do consent forms, but will of course keep you updated of the new date.

If you have any queries regarding this, please don’t hesitate to ask.

IPad Club

A quick reminder that our IPad club starts tomorrow (Wednesday 21st June) for 5 weeks.

PTFA Summer Fayre

A quick reminder about the PTFA’s Summer Fayre poster competition. The closing date is June 30th so get your entries in quick! Thank you

Y2 Athletics at Dorothy Hyman

Our Y2 children have been selected to represent the school in a Key Stage 1 Athletics competition at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium, Cudworth, on Tuesday 11^th July 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.15pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12.30pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Globe coaches and parents are invited to spectate but you must meet your child at the venue.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. Please indicate this on the slip below. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

Y5 Bike Ride to Old Moor

On Thursday 6^th July pupils in year 5 have the opportunity to take part in a bike ride from the school to RSPB Old Moor, led by the school’s Bike It officer.

The ride will be led by Dave and supported by another ride leader plus a member of staff from the school. It will use a mixture of off-road paths and quieter back roads. The children will be given a map of the route before the ride and copies of this are also available by contacting Dave (or if you have any other questions the school can’t answer please get in touch) at david.atherton@sustrans.org.uk or on 07833057600

Please note:

– Places are limited and will be given on a first come, first serve basis

– Children must be able to ride confidently without stabilisers in order to come on the ride.

If you would like your child to come on the ride please fill in and return the slip below to the school. Please ensure that on the morning of the ride your children come to school with the following:

– A bike in working condition, tyres pumped up and both brakes functioning properly. Bikes will be checked and minor adjustments can be made but if there are any major faults the child will not be able to attend.

– A helmet that fits well

– A backpack they can comfortably wear while riding.

– A water bottle (to carry at least 500ml)

– A jumper

– A water proof

– Any medication they need

If you require any further information regarding this trip, please don’t hesitate to contact Dave Atherton on the above number or myself in school.

Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Visit to Hoyland Tesco

In support of the children’s science topic ‘animals and humans’ I have organised a visit to Hoyland Tesco to complete a food trail. The trip will take place on Thursday 13^th July. Children will leave school at 9:15am and return to school for lunch time. We will travel with Jagger Coaches.

On the trip the children will:

learn that fruit and vegetables are healthy foods and we should aim to eat at least five portions a day.
learn where sugar comes from, as well as how to read nutritional charts to avoid eating more sugar than the recommended allowance.
taste and find out about healthy snacks.
try their hand at making muesli and learn that it can be a healthy breakfast option.

The visit leaders on the trip will be Miss Cook and the accompanying staff will be Miss Turton and Mrs Booth.

There will be no cost for this trip and children will require no spending money.

Please ensure school uniform is worn on the day with suitable footwear. If your child has any food allergies please write clearly on the consent slip attached.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Cook

Modeshift Awards Ceremony

A few children have been selected to represent the school at a Modeshift Awards ceremony at Sheffield Town Hall on Monday 3^rd July 2017. As a school we have received Bronze award for active travel to school. Your child has been regularly checking how children travel to school and recording this information on the interactive travel tracker. As a reward, Mrs Hurding and I would like them to attend the awards ceremony with us as travel ambassadors and speak with other children from other schools who have been running the scheme.

Your child will leave school at 9:10 and will return to school for afternoon lessons.

Children will travel to and from the venue via train. There will be no cost for the event and your child will need to wear their uniform on the day.

Please return the consent via email to Mrs Fiddes to secure your child’s place.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Cook

IPad Club opened up to Y2

We have an IPAD club starting next Wednesday (21st June), run by the company TEACH24 which was originally going to be just for KS2. As the club can take 30 children and we still have some spaces left we are opening it up to Y2 children.

The cost will be £2.00 per session and the full balance of £10 (5 weeks) will need to be paid upfront to enable us to pay TEACH24. Unfortunately we will be unable to issue a refund if your child misses a session.

I will put the IPad club down as a payment option on ParentPay, therefore, if your child would like to join, the consent will be the £10 payment that is required upfront.

As soon as all of the places are taken I will remove the option from ParentPay.

Year 6 Information

We have arranged a variety of activities for the year 6 children to celebrate the end of the year, some of which you may have already heard about.

SPORTS DAY~ As you have probably realised, unfortunately the school sports day falls when most of our y6 children are out on transition at high school. To ensure they don’t miss out we have arranged a separate sports afternoon on 20^th July which we would like to invite you to.

SLEEPOVER~ Initially we had planned the sleepover to coincide with the dress down day however we have since found out that it clashes with the prom so we have changed the date to July 13^th. Children will leave school as normal and can return for the evening from 6pm- they will need to bring a sleeping bag and a pillow. I will send further information a little closer to the time. The day after will be non-uniform for Y6 only.

JUMP INC~ The children have chosen to go to Jump Inc as their end of year treat. This will also take place on 13^th July but is during the school day. Again I will send consents etc out a little closer to the time.

LEAVERS’ ASSEMBLY~ Please could you let me know if your child will not be here for the end of year assembly so that I can make sure they don’t get allocated a part.

There will also be an additional event for the children who participated in the IKIC challenge. Further information will follow.

Participation in all of these events is dependent on good behaviour in school.

If you have any questions/queries/concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you

Mrs Emily Edwards

Foundation Stage Information

Children who are moving into full time school in September will be receiving a transition letter today. Please remember to return the reply slip to your child’s class teacher.

Mr Grayhurst will be running a writing workshop on Wednesday, 21st June at both 9am and 5pm. Previously parents have said that this has been a very informative workshop and have found it very useful in supporting their child with early writing. If you would like to attend please either email Mrs Fiddes or reply via the letter that has been sent out.

Our Foundation Stage Coffee Morning will be held on Wednesday, 28th June, 9am – 10:15am.

The children will be performing some songs, there will be refreshments on sale, gifts to purchase and a raffle.

Afternoon nursery children are invited to come and join the rest of the children on stage, please come along if you can.

The morning nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

We would like to hold our Sport’s Day for morning nursery children and F2 on Thursday, 6th July 9.30am-10.30am. Afternoon nursery children are invited to join in, please let Mrs Pollard know. The children can come to school already dressed in their PE kit and please bring a water bottle and a sun hat for them.

The nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

We look forward to seeing you at the above events and if you have any queries regarding any of them please come and speak to me.

Mrs Pollard

Bikeability for Y4 children when they are in Y5

Your child will have the opportunity to take part in bikeability when they are in Y5 next year.

To be able to participate, your child will need to be confident riding their bike as they will be taken out on to the roads in Hemingfield and will be assessed prior to this.

If this is something you would like your child to complete next year please ensure your child is competent riding their bike to avoid disappointment at the time.

E-Cigarettes

In accordance with BMBC’s policy, e-cigarettes are classified exactly as a standard cigarette and are therefore prohibited from school and all school grounds.

Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

Rounder’s Finals

Due to the success in the rounder’s competition the Year 5/6 finals will be held at Horizon School on Tuesday 20^th June 2017.

Children will leave at 12:30 and return to school by 4:15pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue by Wyatts Coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their children at the event.

The competition will be held outside. Therefore, children will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a coat. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. Please indicate this on the slip below. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact school.

Y5 Athletics

Some children have been selected to represent the school in a Year 5 Athletics competition at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium, Cudworth, on Wednesday 14^th June 2017. The event will start at 1.00pm and will finish for 3.15pm.

Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 12.30pm.

Children will travel to and from the venue via Wyatts Coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but you must meet your child at the venue.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. Please indicate this on the slip below. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

KS2 IPad Club

We are delighted to announce that our new IPAD club will be running for another 5 week block.

Your child will still be able to attend, even if they went before, as the company who run it, TEACH24, will be introducing new things.

The club will run on Wednesdays from 3.20pm to 4.20pm, starting on June 22nd for 5 weeks.

The cost will be £2.00 per session. The full balance of £10 will need to be paid upfront to enable us to pay TEACH24 and unfortunately we will be unable to issue a refund if your child misses a session.

There are 30 places available. I have included all KS2 children on ParentPay so if your child would like to attend the club please log on to ParentPay to pay the £10 balance. As soon as 30 children have paid, the club will be full and the option to pay will be removed from ParentPay.

DT Afternoon Invitation to Parents

As part of our ‘Oh, It’s a Jolly Holiday’ topic, we are holding a DT afternoon and would like to invite Y1 parents to come into school on Monday, 19th June and Y2 parents on Wednesday, 21st June 2017 from 1:30pm-3:20pm to help the children design and sew a purse or wallet for holding holiday money in.

Please note, the children do not need to bring any extra materials to the session as we will provide all of the materials needed.

Please let us know, via email, if you are able to join us so we can organise groups.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Reading Cafe Competition

Don’t forget the deadline for our reading café competition is this Friday! (9^th June) – There is a box outside my classroom for entries.

If anyone would like another entry slip there are still some outside my classroom.

Good luck!

Year 5 and 6 DT Afternoon

As part of our BLACKOUT topic, we are holding a DT afternoon and would like to invite parents to come into school on Monday 26^th June 2017 from 1:15pm-3:20pm to help the children design and make an air raid shelter (which must be strong enough to withstand a water bomb). Please note, the children do not need to bring any extra materials to the session as we will provide a range of items which the shelters could be built from.

Please let us know, via email, if you are able to join us so that we can organise groups.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Emily Edwards

Nut Allergies

Dear All Parents,

Please remember that we are a ‘nut free’ school.

Nuts (of any sort) or chocolate bars containing nuts must not be brought into school in children’s lunch boxes as we have children in school who have a nut allergy.

Thank you for your co-operation.

The Ellis News 6

A warm welcome back after the half term break. I hope the children were able to get out and about and enjoy the lovely sunny weather – let’s hope it re-appears again soon!

Mrs R Hurding

A Love of Reading Competition

As part of creating a ‘love of reading’ at The Ellis, I have launched a competition for children to think of a name for our reading café, and design a logo for it.

Please look out for the letter and entry form as they have already been sent home. The deadline is after the half term break (9.6.17) and there is a box outside my classroom for the children to place their completed forms in.

Miss Saunders

World Meat Free Day (F2 – Y6)

On Monday, 12th June 2017, the third annual World Meat Free Day is taking place across the globe.

The campaign’s aim is a simple one, to dramatically improve the health of our planet by changing the world’s long term behaviour to a less and better approach to eating meat and encourage people to eat a greater variety of vegetables, grains, pulses and plant based foods.

If just one child from our school took part in World Meat Free Day on Monday, 12th June, for just one meal, this is the impact they could have:

Save the equivalent daily water usage of 9 people

Carbon saving equivalent to boiling a kettle 388 times

A fat saving of 11g, that is 2 teaspoons of butter

Save up to 90 calories, the equivalent of two jaffa cakes

In support of World Meat Free Day, our kitchen will be serving a southern style burger in a soft bread roll with jacket wedges, baked beans, green salad and coleslaw as the main school meal on Monday, 12th June.

There will be the usual other choices available for that day which are jacket potatoes and tuna sandwich.

Kitchen Relief Staff Needed

If you fancy a little bit of part time work and you are available for relief kitchen staff duties, please contact Rachel Wyatt on 01226 774590. The vacancies are for relief work, so they will not be based in the same kitchen.

Thank you

Y3 Y4 Orienteering – 9-6-17

All year 3 and 4 children will be going to an orienteering competition at Cannon Hall on Friday 9^th June.

Your child will leave at 9:30am and return to school by lunch time, travelling via Goodyear Coaches. Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate at this event.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a coat. If they require an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them.

The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact the school. Thank you.

The Ellis News 5

Rounders Competition Y5/6 – 7.6.17

We will leave at 12:30 and return to school by the end of the day, travelling to and from the venue via Oakleaf coaches. Parents are invited to spectate but must meet their children at the event.

As the competition will be held outside your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water and a coat. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore no money is required for the event.

If you have any questions or queries please contact me at school.

After School Clubs

As usual, after half term our after school clubs will be changing slightly to allow any children who didn’t join beforehand to have a chance at doing so.

The following clubs will be running with limited spaces available:

Monday – Key Stage 1 Athletics, starting Monday 5th June, last session Monday 10th July.

Wednesday – Key Stage 2 Football, starting Wednesday 7th June, last session Wednesday 12th July.

Thursday – Key Stage 2 Athletics, starting Thursday 8th June, last session Thursday 13th July.

Please email me if you would like your child to attend any of the after school clubs and I will put their name down.

Next Friday I will let parents know by email if their child has been successful in receiving a place.

Years 1 and 2 Educational Visit to Cleethorpes Wednesday 12^th July 2017

As part of our ‘Oh It’s a Jolly Holiday’ topic next half term, we have arranged a school visit to Cleethorpes. The children will be comparing the coastal town of Cleethorpes to Barnsley, identifying physical and human features, discussing things we like about the town and things we would like to see improved, before finally enjoying some sandcastle building and activities on the beach. We have run this trip several times in Key Stage 1 and the children love it! They speak very fondly of their trip to the beach with friends and many Year 6 children as they leave The Ellis to move to secondary school recount the day with lasting fond memories!

Y6 Orienteering

Our Y6 children have been invited to attend an Orienteering event at Locke Park, Barnsley on Friday 19^th May 2017.

The children will travel to and from the venue via Oakleaf Coaches, leaving school at 9.30am and returning by lunch time.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a coat and their inhaler if they use one. Unfortunately parents are not invited to spectate at this event.

The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

Please note participation will be dependent on good behaviour in school prior to the trip.

Little Ducklings School Collection Service

Little Ducklings will be offering a school pick up, starting 4th September 2017 from The Ellis.

If you are interested in this service then please contact Hayley or Lydia at Little Ducklings so they can add your child’s name to the list and the days you may require.

Little Ducklings (01226) 755789

Little Ducklings Day Nursery (0-8 year olds)

Hemingfield Road, Wombwell, Barnsley, S73 0LY

The Ellis News 4

Y2 Residential Trip 2018

I am writing to find out how much interest there would be if we were to run a residential for the children who will be in Year 2 next summer (June 2018). We are looking at running a 1 or 2 night residential to Whirlow Farm in Sheffield. It is a very popular place for Key Stage 1 children to visit and they run residential visits for children all year round (although the summer term books up very early as it is a lovely end of year experience). Their most popular age group is indeed Year 2 as if provides a welcoming, age-appropriate programme for children of this age. Many schools in Barnsley and other local authorities visit year after year and it becomes an annual favourite for Key Stage 1 children!

Whirlow Farm is a working farm with many animals, a pond, beautiful woodland and farm walks and space for children to play in the safety of enclosed gardens. It is set in acres of farmland and the views are spectacular! The farm staff are very experienced at working with primary school children and there is an onsite educational team who will work alongside the teachers and children during the day.

Whilst there, the children will have the opportunity to have a farm tour where they will have the chance to meet lots of farm animals and stroke some cute rabbits and guinea pigs, help out with the farm jobs (e.g; feeding the animals, collecting eggs, grooming the ponies), enjoy early morning and evening walks in the surrounding woodlands, play outdoor games and take part in other activities (possible ones include pond dipping, minibeast hunt and for a 2-night residential, a pony ride). They will also work as a team (alongside the school teaching staff) to prepare meals and wash up!

With regards to sleeping arrangements; the farm can cater for 12 children and 2 teachers at a time, which would mean that one group would visit whilst the others are at school and on their return the other group would then visit. (Any child who does not wish to take part in the residential will attend school as normal that week). The children will sleep in a converted barn in rooms of 2-6 children. (The two teachers will have their own rooms within the barn and will look after the children overnight).

Most school take groups for a 2-night stay to ensure that there is enough time to fit everything in. However, the farm can accommodate a 1-night stay if requested (some activities would be shortened or omitted but there would still be plenty of opportunities to be had). We do not have an exact cost yet as it is dependent on the number of children who would be interested in going (as the barn is hired out for a set fee) and whether we stay for 1 or 2 nights.

As a guide here are some estimated figures:-

1-night stay: If 20 children went it would be £34

2-night stay: If 20 children went it would be £68

If less children went the cost would be slightly higher and if more children went, then the cost would be slightly lower. Once we had numbers, we would be able to send out a final price before you finally commit to the trip.

Coach travel (return journey) per child is estimated at approximately £10 and food would cost £5 of one night and slightly more for 2 nights.

Lots more information can be found on the farm website which is www.whirlowhallfarm.org/education/our-programme/ along with some testimonies from teachers and children who have been.

If you have any initial enquiries, please pop and see Mrs Trotter.

As dates fill up very quickly, I would like to book before the half term holiday to ensure we can be fitted in. Therefore please could you let us know if this is of interest to you (please note at this time, it is purely registering your interest) by Friday 19^th May. Once I have collated numbers, I will be able to see if it is viable and can then send out further details. Also just a reminder we are looking at June 2018 (end of Year 2).

Well Done Year 6

Now that the SATs are over I feel that I need to write to you to let you know how immensely proud I am of your child. I can categorically say that all of the children have done their absolute best, which is all I asked of them. Their attitude to the tests has been exemplary and they used them as an opportunity to ‘show off’ their knowledge and understanding rather than worry too much.

The results will be available to school in July, but if I’m being perfectly honest they won’t tell me anything I don’t already know. I can honestly say I feel privileged to have taught your child this year and have got to know them really well. I know that some of them are gifted dancers, some like to draw and paint, some are outstanding musicians or are talented at a specific sport and, as you know, the tests don’t show this. If your child doesn’t get the score they were hoping for in July, please remind them that they are still amazing and should be very proud of themselves for the work they have done throughout their time at The Ellis CE Primary School.

I would like to say a really big thank you, to you and your family, for supporting school during the SATs process. As a school we have tried to make the process quite relaxed and have been very mindful not to put too much pressure on children whilst also preparing them fully for the tests.

Moving forward

Now the SATs are done we can get back to some ‘proper’ learning and I’m sure we will have lots of fun until the end of the school year. Our next topic is World War Two, which we will be starting on Monday.

Thank you again for your continued support, it is very much appreciated.

Mrs Emily Edwards

Y5 Hemingfield Litter Pick 16-5-17

In conjunction with the Tidy Team and our Archbishop of York Youth Trust Community Project I would like to take the children on a ‘litter pick’ in Hemingfield Recreation Ground on Tuesday, 16th May 2017 at 1.15pm.

The children will be provided with any gloves that may be required but please ensure that they come to school on this day with a suitable outdoor coat and footwear depending on the weather.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Brinkley

Y1 Y2 Walk to Elsecar Park 17-5-17

Our Key Stage 1 topic this half term is ‘Into the Woods’. To support our learning and to allow the children the chance to cover many of the geography and science objectives in a practical hands-on way, we would like to take our Year 1 and Year 2 children to Elsecar Park.

We will walk there along the canal and spend the day (weather permitting) in the park. Our intention is to spend the morning completing lots of activities including observational sketches, map work, tree and plant identification and recognising and describing physical and human features. We will then enjoy a picnic (packed lunch) together before spending an hour in the afternoon playing a range of PE activities on the grass. We might even squeeze in a play on the park with our friends and an ice cream before walking back to school! (We will send details about spending money a little nearer the time).

Hallam FM School of the Week

You will be aware that Radio Hallam FM visited us last week to take recordings of some of our children and staff for their school of the week.

We have been told that our recordings will be featured throughout this week and will also be played on Friday morning as well. They try to play the children’s audio between 7.30am-8.30am but it really just depends on how their show is progressing so unfortunately they can’t give us an exact time.

The Ellis News (3)

PGL Residential Trip June 2018

We would like to let you know we have now provisionally booked our Y5 residential trip for next year (current Y4’s) at PGL Caythorpe Court, for 6th – 8th June 2018.

We have been offered the trip at a discounted price of approximately £235 (depending on the number of children going) instead of the £289 that it should be. This is highly competitive and much cheaper than other residential rivals such as Robinwood at Todmorden where the average cost, including transport, would work out to be around £295 per child.

As soon as I have exact numbers I will be able to give an exact cost based on the number of children going but I don’t envisage it going over £235 per child unless there isn’t a lot of demand for the trip. If there are less than 14 children unfortunately the trip will not be able to go ahead.

To secure the heavily discounted price, an initial deposit of £25 will be due by the 25^th May 2017 and further payments will be due in the Autumn and Spring terms. As always, there is an option to pay small, regular amounts if you prefer to spread the cost of the visit. Any children who have not paid the £25 deposit by May 25^th will be removed from ParentPay and will not be included in the trip.

For more information about this trip and the types of activities on offer please visit:

http://www.pgl.co.uk/PGLWeb/Schools/Primary-schools/adventure/centres/CaythorpeCourt_activities

Please note participation in this trip will be dependent on consistent good behaviour in school.

Please see the attached flyer from Team Activ who are running a Holiday Club this Spring Bank.

“Come along to our fantastic Spring Bank Holiday Club this May and June, filled with lots of outdoor challenges, adventures, crafts and much more! Book in for half days or full days. A guaranteed action-packed, fun-filled experience for your child. DATES – Tuesday 30th May to Friday 2nd June TIMES – 8:30-3:30pm (with the option of 4:30 pick up). Half days also available: 8.30am – 12 or 1pm – 3.30pm VENUE – Silkstone Primary School

To book your child onto the club please visit the Team Activ Website – http://www.events.teamactiv.org/events/spring-bank-holiday-club/

PGL Residential Trip 17th-19th June 2017

As you will be aware, our trip to PGL is fast approaching. Rather than just send a letter with the packing list on, I would like to invite you to a short meeting about our visit so that you have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

The meeting will take place in the Y6 classroom on Thursday 18^th May at 3:30pm. Please indicate below whether you are able to attend. If you are unable to attend I will send a letter with a brief summary of what we discuss.

If your child has any specific medical needs then I will need to meet with you separately to discuss their care. Please see me to arrange a convenient date.

Kind Regards

Mrs Emily Edwards

Y6 SATs Breakfast

As you will be aware next week is SATs week for our Y6 children. In the past I have offered a light breakfast on the day of the tests to help children relax before they sit the papers and this year is no different. Most children have already made their selection but if they haven’t don’t worry they can choose on Monday.

Please note: this is not intended to replace breakfast club- children are welcome to come for their piece of toast after they have been for their actual breakfast. On the days of the tests, year six children will be able to come in (through the y6 cloakroom) from 8:10am. We will stop making toast at 8:45am in order to set up the furniture in the hall.

Y5 Y6 Eden Camp Letter and Consent Form 22-6-17

PTFA

Our PTFA (Parents/Teachers/Friends Association) are meeting again on Thursday, 4th May, 6.30pm at Lundhill Tavern and are always on the lookout for new members!

If you have the occasional hour or two to spare (it doesn’t have to be regular dates or times) and you feel you would like to help to raise funds for extra treats for our children, then pop along for a drink and some further information.

100% Attendance Film Night

If your child received an award for 100% attendance last term, their movie night reward is to be held on Tuesday, 9th May, 3.30-5pm. The film to be shown is a collection of four short Roald Dahl stories and there will be a complimentary drink and refreshments.

Hallam FM

Hallam FM are coming into school on Friday to record some short statements from children and staff as we are going to be their ‘School of the Week’. As soon as we know when this will be we’ll let you know!

The Ellis News 1.5.17

We would also like to inform you that we have had a couple of cases of threadworm in school so please keep a look out if your child appears to be scratching. Children can return to school as soon as they have been treated.

Just to be aware we have also been notified of a couple of cases of chicken pox.

Thank you,

Mrs R Hurding

Current Cookery Club Members,

We would like to reassure you that your child will attend the 6 sessions of cookery club that have been paid for as we will be going into the first two weeks of next term.

Thank you,

Miss A Saunders and Mrs A Booth

Y4 PGL Residential Trip

We would like to know how much interest there would be if we booked a residential trip to PGL, Caythorpe Court for our Y4 children for next year.

We have been offered an early booking discount if deposits can be paid before the 26th May 2017.

The cost for the trip will be £188 for the accommodation and activities and approximately £35 per child for the coach (depending how many go) making the total cost of the trip £223.

For more information and the types of activities on offer please visit:

http://www.pgl.co.uk/PGLWeb/Schools/Primary-schools/adventure/centres/CaythorpeCourt

The initial deposit they ask for (which will need to be paid before the 26th May 2017) is usually £25. The remaining balance can be paid either weekly or monthly, however you prefer, in small amounts via ParentPay.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you think this is something you would like your child to participate in so we can secure the booking.

Hayley Fiddes

Sponsored Athlete Event

Today our sponsored Olympic Athlete Event is running. Please see the email below which contains some interesting facts on our athlete and details of the sponsored fitness circuit that he will be completing with the children.

I will send paper copies of the sponsorship form home tonight or if you prefer you can set up a sponsorship page for your child or print out the attached sponsorship form. The money needs to be in by Friday 5th May. Thank you.

Dear Y1 – Y6 Parents,

We’re very excited to be welcoming GB BMX Rider Kelvin Batey to the school on Friday, 28 April. Kelvin was born in market Warsop in Nottinghamshire in 1981. He started racing his BMX at the track when he was just 6 years old. He is a professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer and turned professional at age of 17. He then competed for Great Britain until 2008. In 2014 Kelvin won a Silver medal at the Masters World Champs and in 2015 he got the Gold medal and became the Masters World Champion.

Kelvin will be leading a sponsored fitness circuit with all pupils, and will follow-up with a talk and question and answer session. The aim of the event is to inspire the pupils to take up sport generally, but just as importantly to encourage them to discover and then pursue their passion in life.

Attached is a sponsorship form for your child to use in order to help raise money for the event. You can also sponsor your child by following the links below or pick up a paper copy from the office:

www.sportsforschools.org/event/S609

http://make-a-donation.org/campaign/the-ellis-church-of-england-primary-school-athlete-event-s73-0ps

As the sponsorship form and online sponsorship page explain, much of the money that is raised will be used to buy sports equipment for the school, while also supporting GB athletes (including Paralympic athletes).

Please ensure that sponsorship forms and moneys are returned to the school office on or before Friday, 05 May at the latest.

Please also make sure that your child/children come to school on the event day with their PE Kits!

Thank you in anticipation of creating a terrific and memorable event.

Foundation Stage Workshop

I will be running a free workshop for all parents/carers and grandparents of children within our Foundation Stage (F1 and F2).

The workshop will focus on ‘Developing children’s language and understanding through stories’ and will offer you a valuable insight into how to support your child’s learning and development while they are in the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will take place on Thursday 11^th May at 5.00pm and Friday 12^th May at 9.00am and will last for approximately half an hour.

Refreshments will be available free of charge.

Y6 SATs Preparation

Dear Y6 Parents,

In order to fully prepare your child for their SATs I will be sending some daily SPaG homework sheets to consolidate the learning we have been doing in class. I would appreciate if they could be completed and returned for the next day however I know this isn’t always possible so please don’t worry if you can’t complete it all. This is only for the next few days, on the run up to SATs, to ensure children feel confident on the areas that they have identified as needing a bit more support with.

If you have any questions please feel free to pop in and see me or give me a call.

Kind Regards

Mrs Edwards

Class Photographs

Dear All Parents,

The photographer will be coming into school tomorrow (Wednesday) to take group class photographs.

Sometimes they use a white background so you may wish to send your child to school wearing their red cardigan or jumper so they do not blend into the background.

They are also sometimes asked to remove their shoes so although wearing odd socks may be fashionable these days it may not be the best idea on photograph day!

Thank you.

Back by public demand !

We have started a weekly newsletter that we will send out on a Monday with key dates and reminders, we will show photos of the Friday awards. The Ellis News 24.4.17

A reminder

VIP Tea – is for Y1 to Y6 and each week we focus on one of our eight learning behaviours, on a Friday one child is chosen to come and have a cuppa with Mrs Hurding and talk about their learning that week (amongst other things).

Golden Banquet- alternates each week from KS1 to KS2, the children are chosen by the lunchtime supervisors for following the Lunchtime Golden Rules, they get to queue jump on a Friday and eat at the Golden Table.

Golden Children- two are chosen by the teachers each week from F2 to Y6, the focus is on the learning in class.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs Hurding

Back to school tomorrow.

We hope you have all enjoyed some family time this Easter. We are looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. The KS1 team have been busy getting their outdoor area ready for learning, so can you remind your children and investigating pre school children to not play in the sand or any other areas that have been set up for outdoor learning.

Olympic Athlete Sponsorship

Dear Y1 – Y6 Parents,

Attached is a sponsorship form for your child to use in order to help raise money for the event. You can also sponsor your child by following the links below or pick up a paper copy from the office:

www.sportsforschools.org/event/S609

http://make-a-donation.org/campaign/the-ellis-church-of-england-primary-school-athlete-event-s73-0ps

Please ensure that sponsorship forms and moneys are returned to the school office on or before Friday, 05 May at the latest.

Please also make sure that your child/children come to school on the event day with their PE Kits!

Thank you in anticipation of creating a terrific and memorable event.

Milk in F2

Dear F2 Parents,

Your child will no longer receive a carton of free milk if they turn 5 in the Summer term.

If your child enjoys drinking milk (it certainly helps fill a rumbly tummy before lunchtime) it can be ordered and paid for through School Milk UK.

Please go to www.schoolmilkuk.co.uk or telephone 0845 3402100 to arrange this.

School UPDATE

Thank you to everyone for your continued support and we hope you all have a really happy Easter.

Thank you to everyone who filled in the parent questionnaire, please see the attached summary. We do value your feedback, your comments and ideas will help us to further improve school.

We are adding more photographs to our website which we will continue to regularly update. After Easter we will be able to use the texting service more so we are hoping we will continue to improve communication. We are aware that not all parents want to access Facebook and that lots of you have been missing the newsletter with regular dates and acknowledgement of the children’s awards, the newsletter will be back after Easter and will show photos of the Golden children as well as comments about learning and dates. I have sent a photo of last week’s Golden children.

The children were amazing at the Easter celebration, please see the photo we have attached. They continue to make us proud every day.

We have increased our subscription for Education City (www.educationcity.com) so this can be accessed more at home, this is a really good platform for home learning. Passwords will be issued to children by the end of this week.

We know children are good at losing things (not all) and that our cloakrooms are small, to this end can you make sure you label any uniform that may come off to ensure that things are returned to their rightful owner.

If you have any used stamps please can you bring them into school as we now have a collection box for the Bluebell Wood charity.

We have had several cases of headlice in school. The holidays are an ideal opportunity for everyone to check and treat for headlice to help us try and remove them from school.

Foundation Stage ONLY will be having a ‘Toy Day’ this Friday and there will be Easter activities for all other classes.

Please can we remind parents that after a bout of sickness or diarrhoea your child needs to have been clear for 48 hours before returning to school. Thank you

Mrs Rachel Hurding

Key Stage 2 After School Cricket Club

The above club will be running on Thursdays, from 27/4/17 – 25/5/17, 3.20pm-4.20pm.

Key Stage 2 After School Football Club

The above club will continue to run on Wednesdays, from 26/4/17 – 24/5/17, 3.20pm-4.20pm.

Key Stage 1 After School Athletics Club

The above club will be running on Mondays, from 24/4/17 – 22/5/17, 3.20pm-4.20pm.

Foundation Stage Coffee Morning

A quick reminder about our Foundation Stage Easter Coffee Morning which will be held on Friday 7^th April, 9am – 10:15am.

The children will be performing some of their songs, there will be refreshments on sale, gifts to purchase and a raffle.

Afternoon nursery children are invited to come and join the rest of the children on stage, please come along if you can.

The morning nursery children can be collected from class after the event and the afternoon nursery session will run as usual.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Dear Y1 Parents, (SEAL Lesson)

Please can your child bring a photograph into school by the end of next week of someone special to them to be used as part of a SEAL lesson.

We will photocopy the picture and return it to you or alternatively you are welcome to email the photo.

IEP Review Meetings

You are invited to attend a review meeting with your child’s class teacher during the week commencing Monday, 3rd April or the week commencing Monday, 24th April.

The meeting will last approximately 10 minutes to review the current IEP (Independent Education Plan) and to set new targets for the next term.

The meetings will start from 3.30pm. Please see your child’s class teacher to make an appointment. If you are unable to pop in to school, you are welcome to email and I will try and arrange a time for you.

Please can all IEP review meetings be completed before the end of Friday 28th April.

Y3 Y4 ‘Build IT’ Topic Invitation for Parents

As part of our topic, Build It, we will be inviting parents to come into school on Thursday 6^th April 2017 from 9:15 – 11:00am. During this time, the children will be given a task of designing a tower out of art straws which will be strong enough to hold a tennis ball. Children have been given this brief in advance in case they want to start planning at home! Do not worry if you are unavailable to attend as there will be many adults to support the children. The children do not need to bring any extra materials to the session.

Comic Relief – Thank you to everyone for supporting Comic Relief last Friday. We raised a fantastic £215!

IPAD Club

Payment will need to be made by Friday, 31st March on ParentPay please. If payment has not been made by this date, the place will be offered to another child. We still have a few places left if your child is interested in attending.

The club will be run by the company TEACH24 and we are expecting the club to be split into 2 subjects: Music and Animation.

Music: Children will get the opportunity to produce their own music on the iPads. They will be learning about the different instruments before producing their own band song. Pupils will also look at how to record and produce Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars.

Animation: Children will look into two types of animation. First they will learn the basics of animation by creating their own cartoon. When they are more confident with the animation basics pupils will progress on to stop motion animation and create their own Wallace and Gromit style movie. The club will run on Wednesdays from 3.20pm to 4.20pm, starting on April 26th for 5 weeks.

Final Cookery Session

As it is our last session of cookery club (for the current members) next week, the children would like to invite one adult to come and sample their delicious food!

If the chosen adult can come for 4:45pm please that would be fantastic. Children will serve the food and everyone can enjoy the meal together. Please remember children may only invite one adult.

If anyone has any allergies or dietary requirements, please could you let Miss Saunders or Mrs Booth know before Friday at the latest.

Key Stage 2 Netball Competition at Netherwood ALC, on Thursday 6^th April 2017. The event will start at 1.30pm and will finish for 3.00pm. Your child will have their lunch before leaving for the venue at 13:00.

Your child will need to bring suitable trainers, a drink of water, a bag for their belongings and suitable clothing to wear when not participating as the event is being held outside. If your child requires an inhaler they will need to bring this along with them. The cost of the trip will be funded using the Sports Premium Grant and therefore your child requires no money for the event.

Dear Y1-Y6 Parents, Easter Celebration’s at St. Mary’s Church

As part of our Easter Celebrations this year we are visiting St. Mary’s Church, Wombwell.

Staff will escort the children (Y1-Y6) to the church on Tuesday 4^th April where you are welcome to join us at 10.15am.

Y5 Swimming Lessons

Just to let you know that next week’s swimming lesson will be the final one.

Please can your child bring pyjamas with them next week as well as their usual swim wear. Please can your child bring a carrier bag to put all their wet clothes in. We have also been told that if your child does not have suitable pyjamas, shorts and t-shirts will be ok but children will not be allowed in the water wearing onesies or jeans.

Thank you

Family Easter Bake

St. Mary’s Parish Church are holding a Family Easter Bake on Saturday, 1st April, 10am – 11.30am.

There will be lots of baking and craft activities – why not pop along and join in the fun.

Thank you

Dear All Parents, Comic Relief

A reminder that we are supporting Comic Relief this Friday 24th March, ‘Dress Funny for Money’.

Please bring £1 to dress up. You can wear red, wear a wig, wear comedy glasses, bring a red nose (can you please put your child’s name inside the red nose, there may be a lot of red noses!), wear fancy dress or wear your Pyjama’s.

All money donated will go to Comic Relief.

Thank you.

Dear Y2-Y6 Parents, Piano / Keyboard lessons

We have sent home a flyer from Barnsley Music Service with details of possible piano / keyboard lessons in school.

If you would like to register an interest for your child then please let me know.

The prices are advertised on the flyer. Please be aware that the tuition is delivered in small groups, not on a one to one basis and children may be taken out of class for their lesson depending on the times offered to us.

Thank you

The Big Pedal

It’s that time of year again and the Big Pedal is back! The Big Pedal is running from the 20th – 31st March and is trying to encourage students to cycle or scoot to school during that time. Children nationwide will be recording how they have travelled to school and their journeys will be combined to try and cycle the distance around the world in the 10 days!

Prizes will be up for grabs for schools who have the highest percentage of children travelling to school in an active way. Some of the prizes up for grabs are new bike equipment for schools and homes, BMX shows from championship riders or visits from cyclists who have travelled the world.

More can be found out about The Big Pedal at http://bigpedal.org.uk/

Children who live further away they can still get their points for travelling to school in an active way by parking a little further away from the school gates e.g. (Billy’s hill, the bottom of Tingle Bridge Lane etc) and cycling or scooting the extra distance.

Thank you for your support in this scheme.

Dear KS2 Parents, IPAD Club

We are delighted to announce we will soon be running an IPAD club for KS2 using the company TEACH24.

The club will run on Wednesdays from 3.20pm to 4.20pm, starting on April 26th for 5 weeks.

As there are only 30 places available, please complete the online consent below by Friday, 24th March if your child would like to attend the club. All names will be pulled out of a hat on Monday, 27th March.

If your child’s name is pulled out of the hat, we will notify you to confirm that your child has received a place and payment will need to be made by Friday, 31st March on ParentPay. If payment has not been made by this date, the place will be offered to another child on the waiting list.

Pond Building

We are considering the possibility of building a pond in the school grounds to offer children outdoor experiences which will enhance the topics taught throughout all key stages.

As we are only in the early stages of this project we are asking if anyone has any knowledge and experience in pond building that they would like to share with us.

If this is something that you may be able to help us with please contact our school.

Dear Y1-Y6 Parents, (Daily Mile)

We thought you might find the following interesting reading as it explains a little bit about the Daily Mile that we have recently introduced in to our school. We are really excited about this new initiative and are looking forward to the benefits it will hopefully bring to our children and staff. If you would like some more information please visit: www.thedailymile.co.uk.

Presentation about The Daily Mile

You will probably be aware of recent concerns around physical inactivity and childhood obesity. As they go through Primary school, many children put on weight and, across the UK, around 35% of pupils in their final year of Primary are categorised as overweight or obese.

Experts have described this as an epidemic and a crisis that must be tackled before it is too late. The World Health Organisation regards childhood obesity as one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st Century. So far, no approach in the western world has made any difference, with millions of pounds spent on schemes which have had no lasting impact – and the situation continues to worsen.

There is, however, an initiative called The Daily Mile which was started in February 2012 by Elaine Wyllie, who was then headteacher of a large Scottish Primary school in Stirling. She was concerned by the children’s obvious lack of fitness and went on to prove The Daily Mile to be both sustainable and effective in combatting inactivity and obesity in her school. The result was that, in November 2015, the Scottish Government wrote to every Scottish primary school to recommend that they implement the scheme too. In addition, in August 2016 the UK government’s Childhood Obesity strategy identified and supported The Daily Mile’s contribution towards the recommended hour that children should spend taking daily exercise.

The Daily Mile is very simple to start in a school. Without wasting time to change into kit, every child in a school or nursery goes out each day in the fresh air to run, jog or walk for 15 minutes. It is not competitive: most children will average a mile in that time, with some doing more and some doing less. It is not PE, sport or cross-country but a physical activity which is aimed at improving the children’s physical, social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing. It can help children to focus and concentrate in the classroom and raise their attainment.

Since 2015, The Daily Mile has been adopted by over 1,600 schools in the UK alone, proving extraordinarily popular with thousands of children, parents and teachers. The initiative is also attracting strong overseas interest, with both Belgium and the Netherlands launching nationally in 2016.

Parents Evening/ Day for F1

A reminder it is parents evening tomorrow night. We hope you have all been able to make an appointment but if not please make contact with the class teacher to arrange another time to talk about your child’s learning in school.

Mrs Hurding is available if you have any queries about school.

The teachers will be in the hall for appointments and the classes will be open for you to see the learning environments and children’s work. Please have a look at the classes Learning Journey (big scrapbook) which shows any learning that is not in the books.

Please take the time to fill in the questionnaire as we really do appreciate your comments. The questionnaire will also be sent by email.

40 days of Lent Youth Challenge

http://www.archbishopofyorkyouthtrust.co.uk/KS2_Week1/

As a school we are taking part in the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, 40 day Lent challenge. Last week was Week 1 and the focus was FAMILY. Hopefully you may have had an ‘act of kindness’ from your child over the weekend, if not maybe remind them.

The Golden Mile

We are delighted to say we will be taking part in the ‘Run a Daily Mile’ campaign to support us all getting fitter and our brains more active for learning. All KS1 and KS2 children have been practicing in their PE sessions over the last two weeks. Team Activ will be coming in three times a week during lunchtimes (Monday/Tuesday and Friday) to help us get started. All children will be encouraged to take part at their level and there will be separate times for KS1, Y3/Y4 and Y5/Y6 to fit in with their lunchtimes. Children will need their trainers please.

Nursery Places

Please remember to put your child’s name down for our nursery (even if you already have older children in school) because younger siblings are not automatically granted a place.

Adding your child’s name to our register as early as possible allows us to keep an eye on numbers to see if we may be oversubscribed near the time of your child’s third birthday.

Bikeability

Our Year 5 children have been given the opportunity to obtain their Bikeability Level 1 & 2 in school during the week commencing the 27th March 2017.

Bikeability is split into levels 1 and 2. Level 1 will include a two hour session of skill exercises held on the playground. We will also check your child’s bike will to ensure it is suitable for them to ride. If we feel your child is competent at level 1, they will then progress onto level 2 which will be performed on local roads. This will include correct procedures for starting and stopping, emergency stops, U-turns, passing side roads, left and right turns, taking into consideration road types and road priorities. Progression onto level 2 will not be issued if we feel your child does not carry the relevant bike handling skills and confidence.

Please contact me if your child is unable to get their bike to school during that week or does not have a bike helmet as the instructors may be able to bring some spares with them. Thank you

Please note, this course is for children who can already ride a bike securely. If children cannot already ride a bike, participation should not be taken.

Children’s Bookshop

Our new bookshop, which is being very professionally run by some of our Year 6 children will be open on Thursday’s between 3pm and 3.30pm.

Please pop in to the library and take a look from 3pm onwards. If you would like to bring your child with you, please collect them from class at 3.20pm as they will be in assembly beforehand.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you there.

Nursery Places

We will be planning visits soon for the children who will be starting in our nursery in September.

We still have places available so if you have younger children or know of any friends or relatives who have younger children please get in touch to put their name down.

Contacting School via Email

There have been a very small number of emails which have not reached my inbox due to them being sent to an unmanned system. If you wish to contact me by email please use h.fiddes@theellis.org

If you are returning a consent form, pressing reply will allow you to scroll down to the consent part, complete the missing bits in red and be able to send it back to me. Please double check that the reply address is h.fiddes@theellis.org and not The Ellis CE School before pressing send to ensure it reaches me.

Also, if you are completing the consent form on your mobile telephone and you press reply to find the screen ends up blank, 3 dots may have appeared which you need to tap on to enable you to continue.

Thank you,

Y5 and Y6 home learning this week is to research tribes, or tribe members of the various Rainforests around the world. Their challenge is to find out where they live, and, what they do to survive. This needs to be done by Monday 13^th March.

Inclusive Kurling Event
Inclusive School Games Kurling event for selected children on Thursday, 16th March 2017 at The English Institute of Sport (EIS), Sheffield. The School Games is a London 2012 Olympic Legacy Programme to encourage pupils to take part in a range of different sports.

The EIS is a training venue for GB athletes such as Jessica Ennis.

The event will start at 1pm, finish around 3pm and the children should be back at school by approximately 3.30pm.

F2 – Y6 Parents, Parents’ Evening

Please choose a convenient time for your child’s parents’ evening from the sheet in your child’s class from Monday morning.

Thank you

As I’m sure you are aware the SATs are getting closer by the day and to ensure our children are as prepared as they can be we will be running optional maths booster sessions every Monday after school, starting on Monday 6^th March. It is not compulsory however your child will be taught reasoning skills in a smaller group, by either Mrs Edwards, Mrs Brinkley or Mrs Broadbent, giving them the opportunity to fill any gaps they may have. The club will run until 4:20pm.

If you would like your child to attend please email to confirm a place, this will ensure we have enough refreshments.

Y1 and Y2 Parents, Chocolatier Visit

As you are aware our topic this half term is ‘Chocolate’ with a focus on the text ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. The children are very excited and are already very busy writing descriptive settings, building factories, retelling the story and learning about the different characters in the story.

In order for children to gain some first-hand experience, we have arranged for a chocolatier from Elsecar (Simpson’s Chocolates) to come into school for the day on Tuesday 21^st March. He will spend the morning in Year 1 and the afternoon in Year 2. During the visit the children will have the chance to learn about where chocolate comes from, follow the journey from pollination to chocolate bar, find out about different products which use oil from cocoa beans, taste different chocolates, make and decorate their own chocolate bar or lolly, package their lolly, name and label their product (which they will then bring home), look at the machinery used by the chocolatier and ask the chocolatier questions.

Thank you so much for the wonderful response we have had from our request for wooden electrical reels.

We think we will have enough when our delivery arrives, but we may be in touch with those who have kindly offered some if we feel we need some more.

Thank you to everyone for supporting World Book Day.

The children (and staff) looked fantastic and we all enjoyed having extra time to read, so thank you for popping in to read with us.

Hopefully the World Book Day tokens will be delivered soon, as soon as they arrive we will send them home.

We will also keep you posted about the next date for our new bookshop.

School Parking

Please can you refrain from parking in the staff car park or the turning area at the bottom when dropping off or collecting your child from school.

This area is used by children walking into and out of school at these times and should therefore be kept free from traffic.

Thank you

Launch of our Book Shop for World Book Day

We have been setting up a bookshop reasonably priced for your children to read, most books are new and are priced from £1 – £2.

The book sale starts tomorrow (Thursday) and is in the library from 9am – 9.15am and 3.15pm-3.30pm. Please bring the right change.

We are sorry but World Book Day vouchers are not valid.

The bookshop will hopefully be open regularly, we will keep you posted. Thank you

Sports Events

Year 3 and Year 4 Sports Event at Netherwood 9-3-17

Year 1 Sports Event at Netherwood 8-3-17

Year 2 Sports Event at Netherwood 2-3-17

Year 3 and Year 4 Lundhill Pit Walk 2-3-17

Welcome back everyone, we hope you all had a good half-term.

Just a reminder we do have a Facebook page and now we have permissions for photos in the media we will be posting more pictures of children learning. Thank you for all the fantastic reading pictures that were sent to Facebook throughout the holidays, we will make a display of these photos in the library.

Can we also say a huge thank you from all the staff for the commitment and enthusiasm you have shared with your children for home learning last half term, the results are amazing and all the children have excitedly shared their home learning with their classes. We are looking forward to seeing what they produce this half term.

March/April Whole Class Dates Spring 2

2.3.17 WORLD BOOK DAY – come dressed as a favourite book character

We would like to invite you in to share books with your children in their class for the first part of the day, we hope you will be able to join us for 10 minutes but we understand if you are unable to attend.

14.3.17 PARENTS EVENING 3.30pm to 6.00pm (Please note this is a change from the original date of the 15th)

F2 to Y6 Sign up sheets will be available, we will email you to let you know when. All teachers will be in the hall and the classes will be open for you to look at children’s learning and your child’s books.

F1 meetings throughout the day.

20.3.17 2.50pm Y2 Assembly all Y2 parents are invited

24.3.17 RED NOSE DAY – ‘wear something funny for money’, bring a pound to dress up in non-uniform for the day, all donations will go to Comic Relief.

31.3.17 PTFA coffee morning 9.00am to 10.15am Y1-Y6 Singing and cake

4.4.17 Y1 – Y6 Easter Celebration at St Mary’s church, 10.15am start

7.4.17 Foundation Coffee morning 9.00am to 10.15am PTFA – Easter bonnets and Easter egg competition – more details to follow

We are really sad to share the news that Rev Jane Box will be leaving St Mary’s Parish, Wombwell, to start a new adventure opening a coffee shop in the Scottish Borders. We are pleased for her but she will be a loss to school as she is a Governor and comes into collective worship once a week. Rev Jane Box will be leaving at Easter and we wish her all the best from The Ellis.

We look forward to more exciting learning this half term, please do not hesitate to make contact if you have any queries.

Key Stage 2 Football Club

This will run on Wednesdays from 1.3.17 to 5.4.17 from 3.20pm – 4.20pm.

Key Stage 2 Netball Club

This will run on Thursdays from 2.3.17 to 6.4.17 from 3.20pm – 4.20pm.

Key Stage 1 Multi-Sports Club

This will run on Mondays from 27.2.17 to 3.4.17 from 3.20pm – 4.20pm.

Current Cookery Club Members

Dear Parents,

As it is our last session of cookery club (for the current members) next week, the children would like to invite one adult to come and sample their delicious food!

If the chosen adult can come for 4:45pm please that would be fantastic. Children will serve the food and everyone can enjoy the meal together.

Please remember children may only invite one adult.

If anyone has any allergies please could you let Miss Saunders or Mrs Booth know before Friday at the latest.

Polling Station

Dear Nursery Parents,

We have been notified that the elections that were due to take place on Thursday, 4th May 2017 have been postponed.

As a result of this our nursery premises will not be needed and nursery will remain open on that day.

PTFA Easter Coffee Morning 9am – 10.15am

We will be holding an Easter coffee and cake morning on the 31st of March. This is to help raise funds which pay for special treats and outings for the children, such as the forthcoming pantomime.

This is for Years 1 – 6 only as Foundation Stage will be holding their own coffee morning on Friday 7th April.

Please come along and support us, whilst listening to your children sing Easter songs and enjoy some coffee and cake.

Valentine’s Day Disco for F2 – Y6 children

This will be on Thursday, February 16th. Tickets will be on sale on Tuesday 31st January, 7th February and 14th February outside the multi-purpose room. Look out for posters around school!

PTFA

Media Consent Forms

Dear All Parents,

We would like to start to put more photographs of children’s learning on our website and Facebook page so thank you for completing and returning the media consent forms that we have been sending home.

We will not be publishing ANY names of children next to their photograph so if this is something you did not wish to happen please rest assured, it will be the same for all children.

If you have not given consent for your child’s photograph to be displayed, again, please be assured that your child will not be included in any published photographs.

Despite sending several forms home, a few have not been returned, therefore your child’s photograph will not be published as we have not been given consent to do so.

Classroom Cloakrooms

Dear Y1-Y6 Parents,

As you are all aware our cloakrooms are very small and become very congested at the beginning and the end of school.

We would be grateful if you could help promote independence for your child by allowing them to come in to the cloakrooms on their own at the start of school, this will also ease a little of the congestion and make it easier for the children to put their belongings on their peg.

We are aware that sometimes it is necessary to pass on important information so please continue to do this by speaking to your child’s class teacher in the playground.

We are also asking that parents and children wait until other children have left the cloakrooms before popping back in to collect forgotten belongings.

Thank you for your help and support,

Headteacher Update 9-1-17

New “Let’s Get Cooking” club.

We are delighted to announce that we will be offering an afterschool cooking club for KS2 pupils run by Miss Saunders and Mrs Booth. The “Let’s get Cooking” scheme is a partnership between schools, Tesco’s ‘Eat Happy Project’ and the Children’s Food Trust. We aim to give the children a wealth of experience cooking balanced meals and snacks which they can bring home to share with you.

Due to safety reasons, the club numbers are very limited. We hope to run the club each half term for different pupils, and, will endeavour to open the club up to KS1 in the future. The club will commence on Monday 9^th January and will run for a 6 week period, with the last session on 13^th February. To allow for sufficient time, the club will be on Mondays from 3:20 – 5:00pm. As there is a range of resources, equipment and ingredients required, the club comes at a small charge of £2.50 per week. Payments can be done through Parent Pay.

Newsletters

Each half term Staff will publish their class newsletter, this outlines the curriculum areas to be covered over the half term and gives details of the class targets and how you can help at home. We also use these to give reminders / or specific class notices. The school also issues a weekly newsletter to keep parents up to date with recent / upcoming events and to celebrate our weekly award winners.

You can see the latest class newsletters on each class page.

The EllisChurch Of England Primary School

Communication

Dear Y2-Y6 Parents, Piano / Keyboard lessons

Children’s Bookshop

Our new bookshop, which is being very professionally run by some of our Year 6 children will be open on Thursday’s between 3pm and 3.30pm.