24th September 2021

We are thrilled about our PSQM Gilt award which we found out about earlier in the week - it has certainly been something for us to celebrate this week! The whole staff, led by Mrs Thirlway as science lead, have worked hard to further develop the science learning in school over the few years and the children have certainly benefited from the opportunities this has afforded them.

We are looking forward to our Sandygate Sunday at All Saints on Sunday and the children were singing 'If I were a Butterfly' in Celebration Worship today. They were in fine voice! It is wonderful to hear them singing all together, and we are hoping to see lots of them at All Saints on Sunday so that they can share their singing with you all.

Next week sees the start of our Mini Marathon. This is something we took part in last year and the impact it had on the children was huge. Not only did they run or walk 2.6 miles over the week, but also they learned that they were helping others by doing it and looking after their bodies too.

Mrs Reynolds

Next Week's 'Learning at a Glance'

Reception Curriculum Evening

Thank you to the parents who came along to the Curriculum Information Evening on Monday, we hope that you found it useful.

The presentation and handouts from the evening are now on the school website in the Parent Presentations section

School Council

Our School Councillors this year are:

• Ladybird - Finn & Nancy
• Butterfly - Joshua & Lily
• Grasshopper - Dylan & Becky
• Dragonfly - Archer & Eva (apologies for the error last week which said this was Ella)

Mr Creese will meet with the School council at least once each half term to discuss any issues where we need pupil involvement. 

A School Council helps children to develop an understanding of their ability to create positive change by involving them in decision-making. Within classrooms teachers use circle time to discuss issues with the whole class and then the school councillors take the class views to the school council. They will report back to their class and the whole school on any decisions and we will publish a report from them in this Newsletter when they meet. 

The School Council have in the past chosen charities for us to support with collections from nativity plays, been involved in selecting designs to be painted on our playground and discussed the naming of outside classrooms. 

Whole School - Sandygate Sunday at All Saints Church

Sunday 26th September 10.59

Once a term we are invited to take part in the 10.59 service at All Saints Church. Sometimes some of our pupils read prayers they have written and we lead the congregation in some of the songs we sing in school.

All Sandygate families are welcome to come along to the service. We ask that children wear their red sweatshirts/cardigans to identify them as Sandygate pupils. They should sit with their family during the service and the school staff in church will invite them up at the appropriate times. 

So that we have an idea of how many children might be coming could we ask that you register here if you are planning to come to the service.

Whole School - Mini London Marathon 

Week commencing 27th September

Next week we will be taking part in the Mini London Marathon challenge. Every child in school will complete 2.6 miles over the week which they will walk/run/hop/skip/crawl

The children in Reception are going to complete a set distance each day Monday to Friday whilst KS1 children will cover their distance during PE lessons. 

We are aiming to raise funds for our PFA and One Can Trust and so we would encourage you to get family and friends to donate here 

http://virginmoneygiving.com/fund/SandygateMiniLondonMarathon

Year 1 Walk to the Market

Wednesday 29th September

On Wednesday morning the children in Year 1 will be walking to the market in Dean Street to see the vegetables on offer. They will be choosing and buying vegetables to bring back to school to try and to use to make 'Healthy Soup'

Please ensure children have suitable shoes for the walk and a coat as necessary for the weather on the day. 

Year 2 Roman Day

Tuesday 5th October

As you will be aware, Year 2 are celebrating their Roman Topic by having a Roman Dress-Up day on Tuesday 5^th October 2021.

We would love to see the children come dressed as a Roman, whether that’s a Roman soldier, citizen, actor, baker or hairdresser. If your child has dressed up, it will be the same as it is for PE where they will stay in dress up all day – so please make sure the costume is warm and appropriate. If your child has decided to not dress up, that is absolutely fine, school uniform will be expected.

Year 2 have been learning all about Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, so this will be a great way to immerse the children into life in 79 AD.

Children will be taking part in all sorts of fun Roman activities such as Roman Dancing, Pizza Making, Brooch Making and more!

Pizza making

If you have not already done so, please let us know via the office of any dietary requirements that would affect your child making pizzas.

Children will be making their own pizzas with their own healthy designs. The choice of toppings will be:

Peppers, Mushrooms, Pineapple, Ham, Olives, Sweetcorn, Pepperoni, Basil, Tomato & Cheese

Roman Costume

Your Roman dress up costume does not need to be shop bought. There are lots of ideas online for simple home made costumes such as - 

• Bed sheet toga (see directions below)
• make a cardboard shield and sword for a gladiator https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/ideas/kids/how-to-make-a-roman-shield 
• foil helmet
• leaf hairband 

Cancelling Lunches

If your child is absent from school and they have a school lunch booked can you please remember to cancel this. You can log in and cancel the lunch yourself from home up to 8.55 am but if you just mention that their lunch needs to be cancelled when you call in to report their absence we can do this in school up to 9.45 am

We are charged for all lunches ordered, whether taken or not, so if lunches are not cancelled then we are paying for food which is not being eaten. The lunch will also be delivered to school by Dolce and not eaten adding to food waste.

Similarly, if your child decides to bring a packed lunch and you have already ordered school lunch then this should be cancelled.

Flu Vaccination

Friday 15th October

On Friday 15th October the School Nursing team will be visiting Sandygate to administer the flu vaccination. We have emailed all parents today with a letter from the School Nursing team and a link to an online consent form. 

If you wish your child to have the vaccine then you must complete the consent form by 13th October at the latest. 

The Immunisation Team have also asked us to pass this message to parents - 

The Buckinghamshire Immunisation Team has moved to on-line consent for all school immunisations. 

Please find attached a letter detailing all the relevant links required. Please ensure that you complete your child’s form as soon as possible, and at the latest by the date indicated. 

You are requested to complete a form to either consent OR decline this immunisation. 

If you or a member of your household are on the NHS Shielded Patients list and the whole household attends the GP surgery for flu vaccination, please ensure that you inform the immunisation team on 01296 567860 that your child has been vaccinated at the surgery, otherwise your child could be vaccinated again in school.  

Many thanks 

Buckinghamshire Immunisation Team​​ 

Flu Letter from Bucks School Immunisation Team

PHE Information Leaflet

Online Consent Form

EAL & Free School Meals

If your child was exposed to a language other than English from birth or if you believe that you may be entitled to Free School Meals then please contact the school office in confidence to let us know. 

Free School Meals & Pupil Premium

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 received free school meals under the  Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. However, if your family is in receipt for certain benefits then your child may be eligible for Free School Meals and this eligibility will stay with them whilst you are in receipt of those benefits and for 6 years after the eligibility ends. This means that when your child moves to Year 3 they will continue to receive Free School Meals even though they are no longer entitled under the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme.

Additionally, as a school we will receive additional funding to support your child if they are eligible for Free School Meals - this is called the Pupil Premium. It is therefore important that you register under the eligibility scheme.

The application is very simple, just contact the school office and we will send you an application form which we then send off to be checked to see if you are eligible. You may be eligible if you are in receipt of Income Support, Job Seeker's Allowance, Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits

Morrisons - It's Good to Grow

If you shop at Morrisons then please download the MyMorrisons app and select our school to collect for. When you shop scan the app at checkout and collet a Grow Token for every £10 you spend. 

We can use the tokens to purchase gardening equipment for the children to use in school. 

Circus - One More Request!

Only a week to go until Happy’s Circus comes to school and we can’t wait to share the fun.  Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who have pledged their time to help the event run smoothly.

We have a Mufti-day planned for the day before, Friday 1st October.  Children are invited to wear their own clothes to school in exchange for a tombola prize such as a bottle of wine, chocolates or perfume.  Please bring your donations on Friday 1st October to school and we will have collection points arranged.

We have one more request.  Would you be able to make a batch of biscuits for the biscuit decorating stall? We can provide a simple recipe and source ingredients if needed.  The biscuits would need to be ready for Friday 1st October.  We need 10 willing baking families to each bake a batch.  If you can help please email marlowcofepfa@gmail.com

PFA Calendars

The PFA calendar photos have been taken this week by the wonderful award winning photographer Kate McNeil.  Details of the services Kate offers can be found at https://www.katemcneilphotography.co.uk.

For those families new to the school, each year the PFA offers families the chance to buy an A4 laminated calendar with their child's picture and the school term dates. They are great for pinning on the fridge and make excellent Christmas presents for grandparents. Proofs should be in book bags in the next few weeks and the calendars will be available to buy through ParentPay.

Bag2School 4th October

Bag 2 School is next collecting on 4th October 2021.  If you have any unwanted clothing items, shoes, belts, towels etc please place them into a bag and leave them in the main school car park before 9am on 4th October. Please do not leave these before the 4th as we have nowhere to store them.  The bags will be collected, weighed and the money raised donated directly to school.