St Christopher’s C E School

Email: [email protected]
www.st-christophers.oxon.sch.uk

Newsletter
No 1: Friday 10th September 2010

Dear Parents
Welcome back to all our families – new and old! I hope that you all had a wonderful summer holiday. I
would also like to welcome Miss Sumner who has joined us to teach on Thursdays and Fridays in Maple
Class. The children have all settled back in really well and are working hard and enjoying the autumn
sunshine at playtimes. We are delighted that the building of the new playground is well underway at
the back of the art bay – this will further enhance our already fantastic grounds and give Maple and
Ginkgo classes a great outdoor learning area.

For our new families, you will receive a newsletter fortnightly on Fridays. The newsletters contain lots
of useful information about what’s going on in school and in the local area for children and families –
please do read them carefully and let us know what you think. Sarah Nisbett – Headteacher

Absent from School ? Quick Reminders

If your child is absent from school for any reason,
Friday 17th September 2.30pm – Humphrey
please don’t forget to let us know. Absences are Barclay/Ghana Assembly
recorded in our registers with the appropriate
Monday 20th September – Clubs start - see
reason code, i.e illness, holiday, medical appointment details attached
etc. Where no reason is given the absence is
Tuesday 21st September – KS 2 swimming
recorded as “unauthorised” and may be investigated starts – see details attached
by the Educational Welfare Officer.
Friday 24th September 2.45pm – Celebration
Assembly
Please notify us about the absence by telephoning
Operation Christmas child – details to follow –
school on 01367 860318 and selecting option 1 to please keep any shoe boxes!
leave a message. Thank you.

Parking Around School

BREAKFAST CLUB - 8.15am daily

As we are at the start of a new term, please may
50p per day we remind parents to respect our neighbours
Everyone welcome – for a registration form when parking near the school. From time to time
please call in the school office. we do receive complaints – please help us keep
this to a minimum by not blocking drives and
gateways and keeping clear of the zig-zag lines –
SCHOOL UNIFORM – St Christopher’s uniform can thank you
be ordered from:
www.simplyschoolwear.co.uk
Tel: 0800 404 6644
Emergency School Closures
In addition to our text system, school closures will be broadcast on:
Missed a Newsletter?
HEART FM – 102.6 FM GWR – 96.3 FM
If you have missed a newsletter, they are available on our BBC Radio Oxford – 95.2 FM
website www.st-christophers.oxon.sch.uk Or check local radio station websites
 School Lunch Menus!
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
th
Week Commencing 13 September 2010

Cheese & Tomato Pizza

Roast Turkey Pork Sausage
Jacket Potato
Pasta Bolognaise Chicken Pie Yorkshire Pudding
Seasonal Vegetables Creamed Potatoes Roast Potatoes Chunky Chips
Seasonal Vegetables
Seasonal Vegetables Seasonal Vegetables
Flapjack Gingerbread man
Chocolate & Mandarin
Strawberry dessert Chelsea Bun
brownie

Week Commencing 20th September 2010

Macaroni Cheese Jacket Potato with Roast Pork with apple Chicken & sweet pepper Breaded small fry fish,
Cheese and Baked Beans sauce, Yorkshire pudding, pasta Chunky chips
Seasonal Vegetables roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables
Seasonal vegetables seasonal vegetables Salad
Chocolate sponge with Ice cream tub with orange
chocolate sauce Jelly with yogurt Cornflake cookies Viennese apple tart wedge

th
Week Commencing 27 September 2010

Pork Patties with onion Jacket Potato with cheese Roast Chicken breast with Cowboy Hotpot(V)
Fish Fillet
gravy and coleslaw stuffing, Yorkshire Creamed Potatoes
Chunky Chips
Potato wedges Seasonal Vegetables pudding, roast potatoes Seasonal Vegetables
Seasonal Vegetables
Seasonal Vegetables Seasonal Vegetables
Apple and banana crunch
Fruit Ice Cream
Fruit Muffin with custard Cherry Krispie Cake Iced Bun
Also available every day: Yoghurt, Fresh Fruit & Water - £2.05 per meal.
Any cheques for dinners please make payable to Oxfordshire County Council.

Thank you to everyone who remembered that dinner money has increased to £2.05 per day from September.
Dinners should be paid in advance on a Monday of the week in which dinners are taken. As usual, the correct
money in a named envelope is very much appreciated.

Diary Dates
13th Sept 14th Sept 15th Sept 16th Sept 17th Sept

2.30pm Assembly with

Humphrey Barclay –
10.30am Toddlers
Presby A School Ghana
l

20th Sept 21st Sept 22nd Sept 23rd Sept 24th Sept
10.30am Toddlers
12.30pm Garden Club
Swimming 2.45pm Celebration
3.15pm Recorders
3.15pm Hockey Club 3.15pm Orienteering 3.15pm Photography Assembly
3.15pm Eco Club
3.30pm Tennis at 3.15pm Nature Club
3.15pm Football Club
Colston
7th Sept 28th Sept 29th Sept 30th Sept 1st Oct
10.30am Toddlers
Mobile Library 12.30pm Garden Club
2.45pm Celebration
Swimming 3.15pm Recorders
3.15pm Hockey Club 3.15pm Photography Assembly
3.15pm Orienteering 3.15pm Eco Club
3.15pm Nature Club
3.30pm Tennis at 3.15pm Football Club
Colston
 HEALTHY EATING FREE SCHOOL MEALS

All Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 children are Entitled to Free School Meals? Children whose
given a healthy snack daily. Key Stage2 children parents/carers receive the following support payments
may bring in a healthy snack, no crisps or may be entitled to the Free School Meal scheme:
chocolate, if they wish.
• Income support/Employment support
Water Bottles - Just a quick reminder that we do • Income based job seekers allowance
encourage all children to bring a water bottle to • Support under the Immigration & Asylum Act
school each day. Water bottles (with a sports 1999
style top) can be kept on desks for continuous use • The Guarantee element of State Pension
during the day. We recommend the bottles be • Child Tax Credit - providing that Working Tax
named! Credit in not included and that the annual
income for Tax Credit purposes is within the
guideline set for the financial year.

If you feel this applies to you, then please call into the
school office for an application form.
THE SCHOOL BUS

Please note that the school bus service is provided

directly by Oxfordshire County Council, who are
responsible for the bus contract – not the school.
Children in all classes are expected to have their PE kits
Below are the contact details for OCC Integrated
in school all week. PE kits may be taken home over the
Transport Services. If you experience any
weekend for washing, but please make sure it’s back in
problems with the bus service provided we would
school on Monday morning. No football kits may be
be grateful if you could report them directly to
worn for PE lessons. May we remind parents that all
OCC.
children are expected to wear school uniform with
Thank you.
suitable school shoes (no trainers or open-toed sandals)
and long hair must be tied back for health and safety
Oxfordshire County Council reasons.
Integrated Transport Service
Tel: 01865 871670 Oak and Willow Class will need shinpads and
mouthguards for PE.

Please note that the Adventure

Playground equipment is ONLY designed for GUITAR LESSONS
primary school age children. For health and
safety reasons when collecting your children from
Lessons started again this week. If your child is in
school please ensure you do not let your pre-
Year 3 or above and is interested in learning the guitar,
school age children and older siblings on to the
please contact the school office for a form.
equipment – thank you.

MEDICINES IN SCHOOL – If your child has a medical condition or allergy e.g asthma,
that may require medication e.g inhalers, during school hours, then please send in to school in
a clear plastic box/bag, with a photograph of your child along with a completed medical
consent form which can be obtained from the school office – thank you.
 Swimming Programme

This year’s swimming programme will begin on Tuesday 21st September 2010. Once again, we will use Brize
Norton swimming pool and transport will be provided by Rebound Coaches. To cover costs we need to ask
parents to pay a contribution of £1.50 per lesson.

All the children in Year 3, 4, and 5 will swim, along with some children in Year 6 who have
not met the level required.

Children will need a swimming kit, which must include a swimming hat (available from the school office at a
cost of £1.00) in a suitable bag. Boys must wear swimming trucks, not shorts. Oxfordshire County
Council’s policy does not allow children to wear goggles. If your child needs to wear goggles they need to be
BS 5883:1996 - please return the permission form below. Please ensure that all watches and earrings are
left at home on swimming days

Please note that a letter from a parent is required if a child is to miss a swimming lesson for any reason.
Generally, if a child is well enough to be at school then they are well enough to swim.

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6

st nd th st rd
21 Sept 2 Nov 18 Jan 1 March 3 May 7th June
28th Sept 9th Nov 25th Jan 8th March 10th May 14th June
5th Oct 16th Nov 1st Feb 15th March 17th May 21st June
12th Oct 23rd Nov 8th Feb 22nd March 24th May 28th June
19th Oct 30th Nov 15th Feb 29th March 5th July

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
REPLY SLIP

Goggles in Swimming - (please return even if your child already wears goggles)

I wish to request that my child ……………………………….. be allowed to take part in swimming lesssons wearing
his/her goggles which meet BS 5883:1996. I understand that the regulations recommend that goggles are
not worn for school swimming lessons. I further understand that in the event of injury arising from my
child wearing goggles, neither the County Council nor the Governors of the School will be prepared to accept
liability for such injury.

Signed …………………………………………. …………………(Parent/Guardian) Date ……………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
SWIMMING PROGRAMME Cheques payable to Oxfordshire County Council

I enclose a contribution of £7.50 to cover the costs for Term 1

Name ……………………………………………………………………………… Class ……………………………….

Signed ……………………………………..……. (Parent/Guardian) Date ……………………………..

 Yoghurt Pots & Light! - As part of our cross curriculum work around the theme
of light this term we are going to make a simple clay oil lamp. This work will draw together aspects of
design technology, science, art and RE. To make the lamp we need a simple mould and I have found that the
triangular corner from Muller’s corner yoghurts is ideal. If you happen to eat Muller corner yoghurts can I
ask you to save and wash the pots and send them into school? We will need one per child so the more you can
send in the better. Many thanks for your help. Mr Cornish

Cotswold Voices – a fun adult choir

directed by talented local music teacher, WITNEY RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Joe Moore, started again this week. All Witney RFC invites boys and girls, ages 5 to 17, to attend
you need to bring is a sense of humour and any one of our open training sessions on the 12th, 19th and
a love of classic pop songs and musicals! If 26th September 2010. Training takes place from 10am -
you are aged 18 and over come along on 12noon on Sunday mornings at our club on the Hailey Road
in Witney (OX29 9UH). It’s never too late to start rugby
Tuesdays and all children are allowed up to three training sessions
St Christopher’s School, Langford with no obligation. Children of all levels of skill and
At 7.30pm – 9.00pm fitness are welcomed, as our training is tailored to include
Tel 01367 243583 Joe Moore or email everyone who enjoys it! Only the non-contact, or “tag”
[email protected] version of the sport is played up until the U9 season.
tel – 01993 771043 / www.witneyrfc.co.uk
John Tripp – Youth Chairman

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY MUSIC

WITNEY AREA MUSIC SCHOOL

Enjoy playing the violin at school? Then

come and join us on Saturdays 9am to
11.30am at Wood Green School, Witney

Tel : 01865 740000 /

[email protected]

Colston Tennis Club

Saturday Morning Junior Tennis

Beginners 4yrs-7yrs at 11am
Intermediate 7yrs+ at 12 noon

Half term holiday course

Tuesday 26th & Wednesday 27th October
9.30am – 2pm
Ladies beginners – Thursdays 1pm

Tel: Chris Hand on 07970 481 707

[email protected]
A good range of school clubs will start again this term – please see below. We request a voluntary
contribution to help cover resources and staff costs. To register your child(ren), please return the
reply slip attached.

Day Club Led By Time Year Numbers Cost Dates

Group
Mon HOCKEY Mrs Brownjohn 3.15-4.15pm KS2 20 £10.00 20th & 27th September
4th, 11th & 18th October
Tues ORIENTEERING Mr Cornish 3.15-4.15pm KS2 20 £10.00 21st & 28th September
(same activities as 5th, 12th & 19th October
before)
TENNIS CLUB Chris Hand 3.30-4.30pm YR1-6 Forms in £18.00 14th September to 19th
AT COLSTON the office October 2010
Wed PHOTOGRAPHY Mrs Watt 3.15-4.15pm KS2 10 £10.00 22nd & 29th September
6th, 13th & 20th October
Thurs GARDENING Mrs Cross 12.30-1pm Any 20 £5.00 23rd & 30th September
7th, 14th, & 21st October
RECORDERS Ms Nisbett 3.15-4.15pm KS2 8 £10.00 23rd & 30th September
7th, 14th, & 21st October
ECO-CLUB Miss Sumner 3.15-4.15pm Any 20 £10.00 23rd & 30th September
7th, 14th, & 21st October
FOOTBALL Oxford United 3.15-4.15pm Any Forms in £33.00 23rd September to 9th
the office December 2010
Fri NATURE CLUB Janet Hobbs 3.15-4.15pm Any 20 £10.00 24th September, 1st,
8th,15th & 22nd October
Please note:
• Once your child registers, we do expect that they will attend each session
• For ease of banking & administration, payments are due at the start of the course
• Payment and commitment is for the whole course to cover staff/coach costs & resources
• Please collect your child promptly as staff may need to go home!

REPLY SLIP - CLUBS: Please register my child(ren) for the following clubs:

Tick/Initials Club No. of Contribution

Sessions
Hockey Club 5 £10.00
Orienteering 5 £10.00
Photography 5 £10.00
Recorders 5 £10.00
Garden Club 5 £5.00
Eco-Club 5 £10.00
Nature Club 5 £10.00

I enclose £…………………… (cheques payable to St Christopher’s School please)

Preferred telephone number in case of emergency/club cancelled: ………………………………………………………………..

Child(rens) name(s): …………………………………………………………………………………Class(es) ..…………………………………………….