Dear Parents and Carers,
Looking back to last Saturday and our winter fair, I can’t believe how lucky we were with the weather! The first school fair for two years, and we were so fortunate to be able to enjoy time outdoors in winter sunshine - especially as it has rained pretty much every day since! Thank you so much to everyone who helped to organise the event, run stalls, donate prizes, and even tidy up afterwards. We’re so grateful to both HTSC and to FOPS for their energy and commitment to the school. Both committees ensured that we raised thousands of pounds for the children’s benefit (I’m not sure what the final total is yet!), as well as providing us all with a super community event to enjoy. Thank you so much to everyone for your generosity!
This week, the school has been alive with the sound of singing and there have been costumes galore. Despite only being able to work in year group bubbles, the Christmas shows have been a superb whole school effort! Well done to all our performers, and also to our fantastic staff team for not accepting defeat when live audiences were cancelled. I know that you’ll enjoy the final filmed versions when they’re available. I think Pewley’s “The Angel who nearly missed it all” is ready to be shared with you; it’s just great! I especially enjoyed the song “we’ve got a feeling everything will turn out right” – such a lovely message of hope to us all.
Meanwhile Holy Trinity families will need to wait a little longer for the final editing to be completed, but you can look forward to it being available before term ends next Friday. Year 6 have been really immersed in the story of the show – “the Lion, the witch and the wardrobe” has stimulated plenty of super discussion in class with much debate about the similarities between Aslan and Jesus. The children have been struck by the way that both demonstrate sacrificial love and wield great power with authority and yet compassion - the “deep magic”. As we look ahead to the Christmas holidays when Christians celebrate Jesus coming to earth and rejoice that God walked with us rather than being far away, we’ll be spending time in school preparing for our Christmas assembly. We’d usually gather in Holy Trinity Church, but instead we’ll meet on Zoom this year, with contributions, reflections and prayers from across the school. Hopefully, we’ll still be able to make it a meaningful occasion. I feel that the Christmas story is more relevant than ever – God with us, light in the darkness, turning mourning into dancing and sadness into joy.
We had plenty of joy at our Christmas lunches this week; everyone looked very festive wearing their Christmas jumpers, reindeer antlers, elf ears or sparkly hair accessories! It was fun to thank our cooks for the delicious spread with a traditional rendition of “We wish you a merry Christmas” and I loved introducing our children from overseas to brussel sprouts, pigs in blankets and stuffing!
Do remember that we finish early next Friday (1.30 at PD, 1.45 at HT), and we start back for the spring term on Wednesday 5th January. It’s been a super term in spite of the challenges; thank you for all your support and encouragement. We’re so glad to work in partnership with you. Hopefully, Christmas this year will be a little more jolly than last year, with more freedom to enjoy seeing family and less worry about what lies ahead. I’m certainly praying for 2022 to be more straightforward!
With love,
Clare
Thought of the Week: “Dare to dream!” What big dreams do you have?
WHOLE SCHOOL
Last Day of term Friday 17 December Early Finish 1:30 at PD and 1:45 at HT
Spring Term – Children Back to School on Wednesday 5 January
Admission to Year R and Year 3 – September 2022
A reminder that the closing date for Year R and Year 3 applications for September 2022 entry is 15 January 2022. This applies if you have a child born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018, or a child in year 2 transferring to junior school. Applications should be made via the Surrey County Council online system: www.surreycc.gov.uk/primaryadmissions If you are unable to apply online please contact Surrey on 0300 200 1004 to request a paper copy of the application form. There is also a supplementary information form (infant and junior) available on the website September 2022 admissions or from either school office.
Admissions Consultation 2023
Holy Trinity Pewley Down is in the process of consulting on the Admission Arrangements for 2023/24. The proposed changes are:
1. To remove the term ‘closest school’ from the over subscription criteria for Pewley Down.
2. To include a definition of ‘church’ in the admission arrangements for both schools. Further information is available on the website: 2023 Admissions Consultation
The six week consultation will end on 22 December 2021. If you have any comments please contact Jane Bennett (Clerk to Governors) either by email (janeb@htpd.surrey.sch.uk) or post (Pewley Down Infant School, Semaphore Road, Guildford GU1 3PT).
SEND Teaching Assistant 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).
Christmas Services at Holy Trinity & St Mary's - All services at Holy Trinity are live on YouTube
Saturday 11 December:
Pop-up Christingle Café • St Mary's • 10.30am
Sunday 12 December:
Nativity Service • Holy Trinity • 10am
Sunday 19 December:
Carol Service • St Mary's • 4pm
Carol Service • Holy Trinity • 6pm
Thursday 23 December:
Carols at Lunchtime • St Mary's • 12.30pm
Christmas Eve:
Crib Service • St Mary's • 3pm
Crib Service • St Mary's • 4pm
Communion & Carols • St Mary's • 9pm
Midnight Communion • Holy Trinity • 11pm
Christmas Day:
Holy Communion • St Mary's • 8am
Festival Communion • Holy Trinity • 10am
Christmas Service • St Mary's • 10.30am
INFANT
Teacher-led clubs finish on Thursday 16 December.
Pewley Christmas Post
Please make sure that Christmas cards are addressed with name and class to make things easier for the Year 2 post people. The last posting date is next Thursday 16 December.
Menu: week 3 beginning 13 December
JUNIOR
Dates for the Diary
3S Swimming Starts 10th January
4N Swimming Starts Wednesday 12th January
Cancelled Clubs for week commencing 13th December
Tuesday 14/12/21- Chess Club Year 6
Wednesday 15/12/21
Running Club Year 5 & 6
Girls Football Year 3 & 4 at 8am
Active Agents (registered children have already been emailed)
Thursday 16/12/21 - Creative Writing Year 5
Lunch Menu Week 3
Please note the changes to the planned Menu for Week 3:
Wednesday : Roast Gammon, Roast Potatoes & Gravy ( Chicken for no porks)
Vegetarian Option will be Vegetable Wellington /Pinwheel with roast potatoes
Friday :Fish Fingers /Pizza with Chips and beans
FOPS News
Hi all, Firstly, thank you so much to all who helped out at the Winter Fair and also for attending. Despite the cold, it was a lovely day and great to have both school communities together for the first time in a while.
PTA Meeting – Tuesday 14th December; 8pm; Zoom
We will be having a PTA meeting on Tuesday evening to debrief about the Fair and discuss next term’s fundraising and community building activities. All are welcome. A ParentMail with the login details will go out on Monday.
We are hoping to be able to hold in-person events again in the school in the new year, but we’ll also discuss some virtual activities as a plan B.
Class collections
The deadline is today for transferring money – please see your year group WhatsApp chats for details and also for the links to sign cards – deadline is Thursday 16th to sign.
Happy weekend! Kate
HTSC News
Hello Everyone!
Thank you for scrolling down!
Thank you!
A massive thank you to everyone who donated, loaned equipment, prepped the tombolas, helped set up, prettied up the playground and of course, to everyone who spent money at the Fair last Saturday. It got a bit chilly, but we were lucky to have a gloriously sunny day. Valdeni Da Silva and his family served up some delicious food and we had some live music. We have raised over £6K for the schools so far – congratulations everybody! Thank you to our local businesses who donated raffle prizes – the Friary Centre, Melita Fitness, Rumwong, Ye Olde Shippe, Hogsback Brewery, Banu’s Photography, Morden Miniature railway and Koko Hair, as well as the fabulous donations from our parents & carers for the hampers. All the prizes and hampers have been delivered to the winners this week.
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 is 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 Monday 13th December. Online cards will be open to sign until 15th December.
3A - https://paypal.me/3Axmasgifts?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB – please write your message when you make your contribution.
3C – Card https://groupleavingcards.com/share/Z1uc4jstGeZ
3C – Collection https://paypal.me/sparkle21529?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
3S - Card https://groupleavingcards.com/share/bIbdOvMowOx
3S – Collection https://paypal.me/JessSheena3S?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
4EL – Card (Emily) https://groupleavingcards.com/share/QLBqCIBgvjk
4EL – Card (Laura) https://groupleavingcards.com/share/IB7fOT08ARx
4EL – Collection https://pay.collctiv.com/4el-teacher-christmas-gift-collection-89831
4N – Card https://ellacard.com/sign/bbfb5c29-5d74-46cd-bbb4-426edecf029a
4N - Collection https://pay.collctiv.com/4n-teachers-christmas-presents-22004
5K – Card https://groupleavingcards.com/share/GJRiA0WUxSB
5JJ - Card https://groupleavingcards.com/share/y4QDdrxR6IQ
5T - Card https://groupleavingcards.com/share/dixh_jEZzHb
Year 5 collection - https://paypal.me/taniapiperyear5?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
Year 6 collection – https://paypal.me/arzununn?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB please include your message when you make a contribution (please state your class)
Non-Teaching/All School Support staff – FYI
HTSC will be giving a small gift to 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.
Christmas Cake Sales
Thank you for your donations to the Christmas cake sales this week, and a big thank you to our bakers. We hope your children enjoyed their festive treat.
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
Teaching staff collections – by Monday 13th December
Teaching staff cards – sign by Wed 15th December
Many thanks
Helen
HTSC Chair
Other Notices
Admin Vacancy at Christ Church
Christ Church Guildford are looking for a part time Administrative and Communications Assistant (10hrs/week, would fit school hours). If interested please email nick@christchurchguildford.com for information about the job description.