The best start in life for all our children.
CARTERHATCH INFANT SCHOOL
Issue 8: 30th January 2023
Office email: office@carterhatch-inf.enfield.sch.uk Website: https://www.carterhatchinfants.com/
Diary:
Tuesday 31st January - National Child Measurement Programme.
Friday 10th February - Dress to Express (up to £2 donation for school and charity.
Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February - Half Term Break.
Monday 20th February - Children return to school.
Tuesday 28th February - Reception, YR1 and YR2 parents evening.
Wednesday 1st March - Reception, YR1 and YR2 parents evening.
Thursday 2nd March - World Book Day and Book Sale.
Friday 31st March - Last day of Term, non-school uniform day (donations welcome).
Monday 17th April - Children return to school.
Monday 1st May - Early May Bank Holiday
Monday 8th May - Bank Holiday for The Coronation of King Charles.
Monday 15th May - Whole Class Photographs.
Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June - Half Term Break.
Monday 5th June - Staff Training.
Tuesday 6th June - Children return to school.
Tuesday 18th July - Last day of term for nursery
Thursday 20th July - Last day of Term for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
From The Nursery Team:
Turtle Class thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Lunar New Year. Last week they took part in lots of craft and cooking activities; they enjoyed working as a team to make a stir fry and enjoyed tasting some new flavours. It has sparked lots of conversation about celebrations that the children celebrate with their families, such as Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Birthdays and many more. We would love to add some photographs to our celebrations display. We would greatly appreciate it if you could add some photos of a celebration that your family have enjoyed to your child's tapestry account so they can be printed at school and displayed. If you are having any problems accessing your tapestry account or are unsure of how to upload a photo, please speak to either Lily or Christina. We look forward to hearing about all of the different celebrations and festivals that are celebrated by our families within the Nursery.
From The Reception Team:
In Reception, the children have been enjoying cooking where they have been making a stir fry linking to the Chinese New Year and now they have a Chinese restaurant as their role play area outside. They have enjoyed chopping up the vegetables and seeing how the noodles changed from a hard, dry texture to soft.
Please can we ask all parents to ensure that children are not bringing any type of food into school unless they have a packed lunch that has been agreed to. This is obviously for health and safety reasons due to some children having allergies and we would not want any food being consumed without an adults knowledge.
We have looked extensively at our core book ‘The Very Busy Spider’ over the last three weeks. Linking to this text, we have also studied other stories by the same author, Eric Carle. Ask your child which book was their favourite and why. It is these Who? What? Why? and How? type questions that will support your child’s comprehension and understanding skills.
From The Year One Team:
The children have been learning about our five senses in science. They have been able to name the five senses and why they are important. This also links to our History this term - Louis Braille, who lost the use of his sight as a young child but was able to invent a way of helping blind people read and write with braille.
The children have taken part in various activities to explore their senses, why we need each sense and how our brain helps too. The activities involved feely bags, different smells, tastes and identifying sounds.
“Humans know 10 thousand smells in their brains!” - Lya
“You need to feel and hear more if you can’t see like Louis Braille” - Wesly
From The Year Two Team :
This term in Year 2, we have been reading a fantastic book called ‘10 Things I Can Do to Help My World’. In this, we have explored various ways we can keep our world clean and look after nature. One of the many ways we have discussed, is by creating bird feeders to feed the birds especially during the cold season of Winter.
Each child had a go at designing and making their own bird feeder, reusing plastic bottles and yoghurt pots. The children used lard and seeds to create the bird food mixture. We then hung the bottles along the fence in the Year 2 outdoor area. We will be keeping a close eye on how many birds come and pay us a visit!
A message from the Co-Heads:
Dear Parents/Carers,
Please don’t make your child late for school………..
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 start at 8.45;
Morning registration is at 8.50 am for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Your child will be marked late if not in school by 8.50.
Thank you to all our families who arrive on time everyday.
We held a “late gate” during the week commencing 16th January – thank you to all those families who have really made an effort to get their children here on time since then. It has been noticed.
You can help us by arriving a couple of minutes earlier in order for your child to come into school calmly.
This is why punctuality is so important:
· It is important to be on time as the first few minutes of the school day are often used to give out instructions and organise school work for the rest of the day.
· At 9.00 am Reception and Year 2 start Phonics;
· Year 1 start Daily Supported Reading.
· Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and are often embarrassing for your child. We take the view there are no late children, only late parents/carers.
· Arrival after the close of registration (9.30) will be marked as an unauthorised absence in line with the Department of Education’s guidance.
This is why attendance is so important:
· Good attendance is a learned behaviour.
· Research shows that the brain develops faster in the child’s first few years.
· Statistics show a direct link between under-achievement and poor attendance.
· Good attenders make better progress, both socially and academically.
· Good attenders find school routines and school work easier to cope with.
· Good attenders find learning more satisfying.
· Good attenders have an easier transfer to junior and then secondary school.
We are here to support you with punctuality and attendance – please ask to speak to Sandra O’Driscoll, our Family Support Worker or Adrienne Barrell, Co Head if you feel you need support.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Adrienne & Sarah
Felix Project:
Each week the Felix Project donates food to the school. We choose names from a hat, so any family may receive a bag. Everyone is entitled to access the Felix Project, please let school know if you would like to receive a bag of food regularly, or if you would like your name removed from the project.
For more information on what to expect please visit : https://www.carterhatchinfants.com/felix-project/
We are in need of carrier bags for the project, if you have any spare, please bring them to the school office. Thank you.
Donations:
On Thursday 2nd March we will be holding a second-hand book sale to help raise money for the school. If you have any books that you would like to donate please bring them to the school office.
To help support our families, later in the spring term we would like to hold a children’s clothing / school uniform sale. If you have any clothing that your children have grown out of and you would like to donate please bring them to the school office. Thank you.
Makaton:
Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports spoken language rather than replacing it. We use Makaton throughout the school.
This week we will be learning the words: Jaguar, Tiger and Leopard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKeCh0zMbik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCnwpA_SW5s