Dear Parents and Carers,
Thank you to all of you, and to your children, for being so accepting of the current restrictions and adjustments as we lead up to the end of term. Once again, the children’s adaptability and positive spirit has been excellent. We are still being notified of some children receiving positive covid results so we know that we’ve made the right decision to reduce contact across year groups and keep one another safe. Earlier in the week, we had more than twenty cases across the school, and over one hundred children being tested. Thank you so much for being so determined to keep children with symptoms at home, and thank you for following the guidance so carefully. We really appreciate it.
The Year 3 production of “Wackadoo Zoo” took place on Zoom earlier in the week – despite missing the atmosphere of a live audience, the children were magnificent, performing to the camera like film-stars! It was such a privilege to be able to be an audience of one, and I loved the message of how each one of us is treasured and loved for our unique contribution to the world. Huge apologies if you tried to log in and weren’t able to; I hope you enjoyed watching on Tapestry later on!
Rehearsals for the Christmas shows have also been going really well and filming has commenced. Of course, it’s so disappointing for any children unable to take part due to self-isolation at home. We send them our love and prayers for a speedy recovery. This year, as you know, we’ll be sharing a film version with you to enjoy at home. Whereas usually we take up a retiring collection to cover costs, this year we’re hoping you’ll all be just as generous, but online. Please do make a contribution on Parentpay. Once we’ve paid for the props, lighting and stage hire, we’ll be using any money left over to send Christmas hampers to Besom. This Guildford-based charity provides practical support to families in the town throughout the year, and then sends a selection of treats to show a little extra kindness at Christmastime. Please do make your donation promptly if you’d like to contribute (even before you view the show if you can!) – Besom will be collecting from the school in the final week of term.
Next week, the children will be able to enjoy Christmas dinner (Thursday 9th for Years R-4, Friday 10th for Year 5-6). If they’re not eating school dinner, you might want to make their packed lunch have a Christmas-theme, and all the children can wear a Christmas jumper (or any other jumper) or novelty Christmas hat with their school uniform. There will be hundreds of second hand jumpers available at the Winter Fair! Any £1 donations that come in will be used to buy gifts for distribution by the Guildford Salvation Army; this idea came from the Pewley school council!
I’m sure many of you will be excited to visit the winter fair tomorrow afternoon. I’m afraid there won’t be anything taking place inside this year, so wrap up warm and come along to the Holy Trinity playground; you’ll be able to enjoy the festivities anytime between 12 and 2.30. Warm up with some yummy hot food, or buy some extra lucky, last-minute raffle tickets! I’ll look forward to saying hello to you there, and wishing you the first Happy Christmas of the season!
With love, Clare
Thought of the Week: “Let it out.” How do you cope with grief?
Whole School
Term finishes on Friday 17 December (1.30pm at the infants; 1.45pm at the juniors). The spring term starts on Wednesday 5 January.
HTPD Winter Fair - Saturday 4 December 12-2.30pm - Please see details below.
Parent visitors
A reminder that we are unable to welcome parent visitors into school at the moment.
Missed flu vaccination
If your child has missed their flu vaccination at school, please contact the local immunisation team to book an appointment at a catch-up clinic: telephone 01483 794887 or email csh.sur-schoolimmswest@nhs.net. You will need to provide your child’s full name, date of birth, telephone number and year group.
Vacancy - we are recruiting for a full time SEND Teaching Assistant to start in January. Details are on the school website under the vacancy tab and on ETeach. Please email completed application forms to recruiting@htpd.surrey.sch.uk (Although full time is preferred, part time may be considered for an applicant with a very good fit).
Infant
School Christmas Lunch, Thursday 9 December
Children can come to school wearing a Christmas jumper (or any other home jumper) with their school uniform next Thursday. We are requesting a donation of £1 (further details in Clare’s letter above).
Also, if your child usually has a packed lunch but would like to have a school Christmas lunch on Thursday please let the office know as soon as possible.
Teacher-led clubs will finish on Thursday 16 December.
Pewley Christmas Post
Christmas post boxes will be at the upper and lower entrances from Monday 6 December, if your child would like to post Christmas cards to their friends. Don’t forget to include name, surname initial and class on the envelope.
Menu for week beginning Monday 6 December
Mon: Sweet & Sticky Chicken Noodles or Sweet & Sticky Quorn Noodles; Carrot Cake with Custard Sauce
Tues: Provencal Chicken & Herb Pasta Bake or Piri Piri Roasted Vegetables with Rice; Shortbread Fingers & Fruit Wedges
Weds: Chicken Tikka with Rice and Naan Style Bread or Pasta Marinara; Peach & Oat Bar
Thurs: CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Fri: Fish Fingers & Chips or Pizza Margherita & Chips; Strawberry Ice Cream & Watermelon
Also available daily: Filled Jacket Potato, Homemade Soup, Freshly Baked Bread, Selection of Seasonal Vegetables/Salad
Junior
Dates for the Diary
Thursday 9 December - Christmas Dinner for Year 3 and 4 (all of Year 5 and 6 to bring Packed lunch also HTSC Cake Sale )
Friday 10 December - Christmas Dinner for Year 5 and 6 (all of Year 3 and 4 to bring packed lunch; also HTSC Cake Sale)
Children can wear a Christmas Jumper and bring a £1 donation - see above.
Cancelled Clubs
Thursday - Creative Writing for Year 5 will be cancelled on 9/12
Wednesday – Girls Football at 8am for Years 3 & 4
Lunch - Week 2
Please note that next week there will be a slight change due to Christmas dinners:
Wednesday's lunch will be Chicken Tikka with Rice and Pasta Marinara (Thursday moved to Wednesday)
FOPS News
Hi everyone, final preparations are well underway for our Winter Fair tomorrow. Thank you so much for all the brilliant donations and volunteers to look after stalls throughout the event.
The Fair starts at 12pm and will be held in the lower playground at Holy Trinity. Please enter via Cline Road.
We will have some card machines available, but please do bring cash if you can. There will be plenty of change!
At the time of writing (Friday!) the weather is looking okay so it will be great to see as many people as possible who can make it. To keep the school community safe the whole fair is taking place outside and we will be spacing things out as much as possible, so wrap up warm!
Finally, Christmas Cards…will arrive early next week.
Looking forward to tomorrow!
Kate
HTSC
Hello Everyone! Thank you for scrolling down
Winter Fair – 4th December 12-2.30pm at Holy Trinity Site
To keep our community as safe as possible, the Winter Fair will be held outside in the lower playground for games and stallholders, entry via Cline Road. At the moment, the forecasted weather is looking kind for us – dry and sunny! Please wrap up warm and thank you to everyone for their contributions – we couldn’t do this without your support. We are looking forward to seeing everyone who can come. We will be holding the raffle at about 2pm and will close most of the smaller games stalls at this time to allow everyone to avidly listen out for the winners, expertly announced by Clare!
Teaching Staff/Teaching Assistants Christmas Gifts
The class reps have already started to plan collections and cards for the teaching staff and the TAs for each class. Some have decided to collect money for gifts as a year group
Please find the links for each class card and the payment link to the collections set up so far. Please select Friends & Family for PayPal payments otherwise a charge in incurred. As every year, you do not have to contribute and can still sign the card. If you would like to contribute to the collections, please do so by Mon 13th December. Online cards will be open to sign until 15th December.
Non-Teaching/All School Support staff – FYI
HTSC will be getting gifts for the school staff that support or teach the whole school. This includes admin staff (office, finance, SEN admin support), management staff, Paul (Outdoors), Louise (French), Laura (PE), Julie (site manager) and the home link workers. We don’t cover any Clubs+ staff unless they are a TA and are covered by a year group/class collection.
Easyfundraising
If you are shopping online, one way to support the school is through www.easyfundraising.co.uk and selecting HTSC Holy Trinity School Community as your cause. Over 4000 retailers are affiliated, and every purchase makes a difference.
Dates for your diary
Winter Fair – Saturday 4th December 12pm – 2.30pm Please dress warmly!!
Teaching staff collections – by Monday 13th December
Teaching staff cards – sign by Wed 15th December
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!!
Many thanks
Helen
HTSC Chair
Other News
On Saturday 11 December from 10:30-12 St Mary's are holding a Pop Up Christingle Café. It is aimed at Primary School children please see /download the flyer.
Family Learning Courses - Do something for you in 2022!
Enrolments for ONLINE courses starting from January are now open. We have plenty of courses to help support families. All Family Learning courses are FREE.