Looks like we are in for some good weather this week, so please remember to use sun lotion on your child before coming to school.

• Today: Y2 will be taking part in the KS1 Music Festival.  This will take place at Upper Beeding School.

These are the reminders for the the rest of this week:

• Tuesday: Y6 Girls’ Football Finals from 3.45pm toll 5.45pm at St. Andrew’s High School for Boys.
• Tuesday: Junior Wardens Campaign asking parents not to drive onto the campus in the morning begins.
• Thursday: Y1 multi-skills event with Joelsfield – venue -  SPS during the morning
• Thursday: Y5/6 Rounders Competition from 4pm till 5pm – venue – SGS
• Thursday: Governors’ Meeting at 7pm
• Friday: RNLI visit Y2 during the morning – venue – SPS
• Friday: Y5/6 Football Tournament at Broadbridge Heath from 4.30pm till 6.30pm
• Saturday: Children’s Parade opens the Steyning Festival

Please note that the Primary Schools’ Race Walking Event will take place on Saturday 16 June during the afternoon – venue – SPS and SGS

News about the children’s events in the steyning Festival are posted in the Community Section of this website.

Please look in the Community section to see how we can help the Steyning Festival with tin cans – we have collected quite a few, but need 146.

Kindest Regards

FAMILY EVENTS

Saturday 26^th May, 11.00am – 1.00pm

Children’s Parade.  If you would like your child to take part in the parade and were unable to attend the workshop, please email Rhiannon, www.r.stuartjones@hotmail.co.uk.

Saturday 26^th May, 1.00pm – 3.30pm

Enviro Picnic, St Cuthmans Field

Bring the ‘greenest’ picnic possible!  Entertainment by local artists and the opportunity to take part in eco activities.

Sunday 3^rd June, 12 noon – 4.00pm

Jubilee Street Party, High Street

If you don’t have a ticket for a seat at a table, do go along and join in with the celebrations!  Eateries will be open for food – soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the entertainment.

Monday 4^th June, 11.00am – 4.00pm

Steyning Sports Day, Memorial Playing Field

A day out for all the family. Try your luck in the Mini Olympics and take part in the return of the Cuthman Wheelbarrow Race (take your own wheelbarrow!).  Other fun sports include, football obstacle course, children’s mini tennis and the Egg and Spoon Race

THEATRE

Sunday 27^th May, 2.30pm

The Elves and The Shoemaker – £6.00, Primary School Hall, suitable for under 10 years

The Theatre of Widdershins return to the festival and will perform this well known tale made popular by the Ladybird Classic, using a beautifully crafted set and colourful puppets, sublime music, a kaleidoscope of miniature shoes and a comic mouse.

Saturday 9^th June, 2.30pm

Sophia and the Snail – £6.00, Primary School Hall, suitable for 3-7 years

An inspirational show that looks at the importance of vegetables and how they grow – a fast and funny tale about one little girl’s journey towards overcoming her biggest fears!

LITERATURE

If your child is unable to attend the following workshops/events at School, pop along to the Steyning Bookshop Garden Marquee.  All events take place at 4.00pm and are FREE.

Monday 28^th May

Meet the Children’s Author Ali Sparkes suitable for 6+

Ali’s new S.W.I.T.C.H books about children who shapeshift into insects and reptiles are a great hit with the 6-8 age range and she’s written some exciting and very funny fiction for ages 9-11.

Tuesday 29^th May

Meet Children’s Authors Polly Dunbar & Alexis Deacon – suitable for age 4+

Polly’s Tilly books are in the process of being animated for TV and she has produced a new picture book, Arthur’s Dreamboat.  Alexis, whose books Beegu and While You Were Sleeping, has recently written and illustrated Croc and Bird.  Enjoy meeting these acclaimed writers for an hour of fun!

Wednesday 30^th May

Meet the Children’s Author Josh Lacey – suitable or age 7+

Josh has written the zany Grk series for 8-10 year olds and his latest book, The Dragonsitter is a hilarious story for children aged 7-9 years.

Thursday 31^st May

Meet the Children’s Authors Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

The great writing and illustrating team, famous for their brilliant series The Edge Chronicles and now for the equally brilliant Muddle Earth series, visit Steyning.  Here is a great opportunity to meet the dynamic duo and hear about their books.

Half Term literary events:

Saturday 2^nd June, 2.30pm

Meet the Children’s Author, Gillian McClure, £3.00 – suitable for 4-8 years

Hear Gillian’s stories and try out some of your own picture book drawings.

Tuesday 5^th June, 2.30pm

Dreaming up Dragons, £4.00 – suitable for 5-11 years

Learn how to draw dragons – fiery, daft or wearing giant underpants!

Friday 8^th June, 11.00am

Fun and Games with Nick Sharratt, £4.00

Watch Nick draw live and join in with songs and games.

WALKS

Sunday 10^th June

Walk and Cream Tea at Daylands Farm, 2.30pm

Adult £7.50, Children 2-8 years £3.00, Under 2 years FREE

Discover the magnificent trees, flowers and wildlife in the ancient woodland that surrounds the farm.  Meet the animals and eat a scrumptious cream tea.  The walk is 3 miles.  Not suitable for pushchairs.

Full information is available in the Steyning Festival programme of events.

www.steyningfestival.co.uk

Box office – The Steyning Bookshop, 01903 812062

Thanks for your help.

Kindest Regards

Chris Luckin

School Development

Each year we select a few areas of the school for improvement. One of the areas selected this year was Maths, we felt that we had improved in Literacy and other areas but Maths was staying level.

The majority of the work on the school priorities is carried out by the teachers & staff, the governors’ role is to ensure that the resources are provided to help make the changes and to support the school through the work involved. This year we have stopped setting in Maths and this has allowed the teachers to be more creative in their approach to the children’s learning. The learning and application of maths skills can be integrated into the terms topics and run across other activities.

The governors have looked at the impact of the changes so far (it is early days) and we found through talking to the staff and the children that there was a great enthusiasm for maths. Some years ago when we carried out a similar exercise the children thought maths was boring and did not like maths lessons. Now the opposite is true, the children are all enjoying maths and in many cases maths is their favourite subject. There is a great buzz about maths in the school which can only lead to improvement.

It always takes time for improvement to reflect in the results but I’m convinced that we are doing the right things. If nothing else the excitement for maths in both the staff and children is creating a happy learning environment and happy children perform better.

Many thanks

David Peace

Chairman of the Governors

chair@st-andrews-steyning.w-sussex.sch.uk

This is the definitive diary of events.  It is updated on a regular basis.  Please refer to it regularly.

May 2012

Monday 14^th to Friday 18^th May – NCT Tests (otherwise known as SATS) for Year 6

Monday 14^th May – Cathy Watts Workshop for Y2

Wednesday 16^th to Friday 18^th May – Year 5 to Dalesdown – Residential Trip

Monday 21^st May – Y2 Music Festival

Thursday 24^th May – Year 1 Multi skills with Jolesfield School on our school field.

Friday 25 May: RNLI will visit Y2

Saturday 26 May – Steyning Festival Children’s Parade

Monday  28 May – STEYNING FESTIVAL – we are having visits from a number of children’s writers.  Full details are in the Steyning Festival Programme which will be delivered to you during the week beginning Monday 16 April

• ·       Monday 28 may – Ali Sparkes with Year 2
• ·       Tuesday 29 May – Alexis Deaken – Begu Y1
• ·       Tuesday 29 May – Polly Dunbar – YR
• ·       Wednesday 30 May – Josh Lacey Y3 & Y4 GRK & Dragon
• ·       Thursday 31 May – Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell Y5 & Y6

June 2012

Friday1^st June – Diamond Jubilee Garden Party on the back playground from 2pm

Mon day 4^th June – Friday 8^th June – Half Term  (Please note that this is one week later than usual – to fit in with the Queen’s Diamond jubilee.)

Monday 11^th to friday 15^th June – Bikeability for Y6 (Cycling Proficiency)

Tuesday 12^th June – Y2 visits Sealife Centre

14^th June – PC Keeley Talking to Y6

14^th June – Class photos for all classes & Individual photos for Y6

Friday 15^th June – Torch Relay – all years

Monday 18^th June – Y1 Phonics Screening during week

Monday 18^th June – Y2 visiting Hove – The Sandies Beach Huts

Tuesday 19^th June – Summer Concert at 6.30pm

Wednesday 20 June – Y5 and Y6 Greek Day.  Children should come in Greek Costume.  During the day they will be cooking Greek food, making jewellery, Greek dance and Greek go top trumps.

Wednesdasy 20 June – Parents Meeting for Y4 re: Isle of Wight Residential Visit in 2014 at 6pm in the School Hall

Friday 22^nd and Monday 25^th June – Inset Days – school closed to children

Tuesday 26 June Meeting for Parents whose children join Reception in September 6pm in the School Hall, starting at 6.30am

Friday 29 June – Non-uniform Day in support of the Diocesan Charities – Sierra Leone Education and Knowles Tooth

July 2012

Tuesday 3 July – children from St. Andrew’s Pre-School visiting Reception. (9.30am till 11.30am)

Wednesday 4^th July – Grammar School Transition Day for Year 6

Wednesday 4 July – children from Elan Nursery vising Reception.  There will also be children who are not in the local pre-schools. (9.30am till 11.30am)

Thursday 5^th July – Leavers’ Service at Worth Abbey for Year 6  (This is a change of date and venue from the School Calendar.)

Thursday 5 July – children from Southdown Nursery visitng Reception (9.30am till 11.30am)

Monday 9^th to Friday 13^th July – Olympic Week (Parents welcome on Thurs afternoon & Friday morning)

Friday 13 July – Yr annual reports sent to parents and Assessments for Years 1 – 6 are also sent to parents.

Tuesday17^th July – Open Evening (6pm to 8pm)

Thursday 19^th July – Leavers’ Barbecue for the children in Year 6

Friday 20 July – Break Up for Summer Holidays

This is the last day of term with the school closing at 3.30pm.  We re-open on Monday 16 April at 8.55am.