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October , 2005

1 Harvest Celebrations
2 Reception Classes
3 Parents’ Evening
4 Clubs
5 Parent Governor
6 H’ceux Art Centre
7 Mustard Seed
8 School Uniform
9 Library Summer Scheme
10 Footsteps Training
11 Holidays in Term Time
12 FoHF
13 Car Parking
14 Packed Lunches
15 School Travel Plan
16 Diary Dates

Dear Parents

As the evenings draw in and the days become colder, please do remind your children to bring their coats as it can get chilly at playtime!

1 HARVEST CELEBRATIONS
Our Harvest celebration this year will take place on Wednesday, 12th October. We will be supporting our local community by providing food products, such as tins, fruit and vegetables to Grangemead Resource Centre and Hare Lodge. We will also be supporting the Salvation Army with cash funds.

We would welcome your contributions and ask that the infant children bring in produce and the junior children support the Salvation Army.

Our Harvest celebration will be led by Reverend Stan Tomalin and the children will be involved in singing and showing work.

We would also like to invite the parents of Year 1 and Year 3 to join us on this occasion (details to follow).

2 RECEPTION CLASSES
All our reception children are in school by now. I would like to say that they have all settled in well and are getting used to the school routine.

3 PARENTS’ EVENING
A reminder that you should have received a letter this week about Parents’ Evening. The reception class parents are asked to sign up their time on the board by the classroom. We use this to then book the remainder of meetings for the rest of the school. Please do sign up as soon as you can.

Parents’ Evening is on Tuesday, 18th and Thursday, 20th October.

Thank you to those parents who were able to make the special meeting to look at last term’s questionnaire and to discuss homework. We hope to be able to present you with more details about our reviewed Homework Policy at the Parents’ Evening.

4 CLUBS
Thank you to the staff and parents who have given up some of their time to run after school clubs. This term we are offering netball, football, cricket, art, ICT, hockey, bible club, fitness circuit and cross country. If you are able to offer your help with a club please let the office know.

5 PARENT GOVERNOR
Thank you to those of you who have considered the recent request for three new Parent Governors we received five applications therefore we will need to ballot all parents. Letters will go out shortly for election.

6 HERSTMONCEUX ART CENTRE
Last year pupils from Years 5 and 6 took part in the development of the Arena at the Observatory. This is now completed and to celebrate its completion, the “Wellington Ball” will take place on Saturday, 29th October. I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend this fantastic event (flyer attached).

7 MUSTARD SEED
The children have had a presentation by the Mustard Seed charity, which amongst other things, takes presents to children at Christmas time. Small gifts are packed into a shoe box and taken to disadvantaged children in countries such as Bosnia. We will shortly be giving each child a leaflet about the ‘Love in a Box’ scheme so that you can participate if you wish. We aim to collect boxes by 11th November and Mrs Van Dijkhuisen (Yr 1) who is overseeing this project will give more details nearer the time.

8 SCHOOL UNIFORM
A few parents have recently enquired about the colour of the school uniform. The Governors agree the policy on school uniform and at present it remains as grey trousers, grey skirts/pinafores with bottle green sweatshirt or cardigan. We are investigating the local shopping centre to ensure that shops are stocking the grey uniform to support their local schools.

A reminder that we ask children to only wear stud earrings (which need taking out for PE), and that jewellery, tattoos, hair gel and coloured hair is not part of the school policy! We ask that children keep the above for special occasions at home. Thank you.

9 LIBRARY SUMMER SCHEME
Claire Morley from the Library Service was in school presenting certificates to the large number of children who took part in the Summer Holiday Reading Challenge. The numbers doubled from last year. Well done to everyone who took part.

10 FOOTSTEPS TRAINING
Yet again we have been able to offer Road Safety for our Year 1 children with the special Footstep Training programme. Thank you to all those parents who are able to help.

11 HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME
I met with our new Education Welfare Officer, Ruth Hughes last week and was able to find out the latest on the issues of Holidays in Term Time.

As you are aware holidays in term time are no longer authorised. From this September the LEA will be carefully monitoring each school’s attendance returns and we would be expected to reach the set target for attendance.

If you do take a holiday of more than 5 days in one go, then be prepared to receive a warning letter from the LEA. If there is any further occurrence of 5 or more days within a 12 month period this may result in the issuing of a penalty notice. It does state that “the Penalty Notice will be served by the school’s Education Welfare Officer with the agreement of the school.”

I was pleased to read that the Headteacher needs to agree to the Penalty Notice being served. As we do not have any major concerns at present regarding absence at Hawkes Farm, I do not expect to be in a position of issuing such notices. If you are concerned about this, please do either come and see me or write to the Education Welfare Officer (Ruth Hughes) at St Mary’s House, 52 St Leonards Road, Eastbourne BN21 3UU or email: Ruth.hughes@eastsussex.gov.uk

12 FRIENDS OF HAWKES FARM
The FOHF AGM was held last week with a good turnout of parents. Karen Sellens who has chaired the Committee for the last two years was congratulated on the good work she and her committee have done in putting on very successful events and raising substantial funds for the school. There is now a new Committee, Chaired by Mrs Melanie Izon and a Committee of approximately ten enthusiastic supporters. If you are keen to get involved or will be able to offer help at our Christmas or summer events, please could you drop a note into the office with your name and contact details. All help is very much appreciated and welcomed.

13 CAR PARKING
Union Corner Hall Management Committee have once again requested that parents of Hawkes Farm pupils do not use their car park. They have informed the school, that action may be taken.

14 PACKED LUNCHES
A reminder that if your child has a packed lunch at school they should bring their lunch in a suitable container and not a carrier bag. You must supply your child with the necessary utensils, eg, a spoon. ‘Initial’ kitchen staff are not supposed to allow children with packed lunches to use their utensils. We did have plastic spoons for emergencies, but these have now run out!

Your child must also take home the remainder of their lunch. Firstly, this allows you to check what they have eaten, and secondly, the school does not receive funding to dispose of this waste material.

15 SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN
We are currently undertaking a School Travel Plan. To assist us in this we are asking for your views regarding the going to and from school of your child/ren. I hope you can spare a few minutes filling in the questionnaire which will be sent out shortly.

16 DIARY DATES
Wed 12/10 Harvest Celebration (see details)
“ “ “ Netball Tournament 1.30pm at Hawkes Farm
“ “ “ Year 6 SATs meeting - 6.00pm
Tue 18/10 Parents’ Evening 3.30 – 6.00pm
Thur 20/10 “ “ “ “ 4.30 – 7.00pm
Fri 21/10 End of Term 1
Mon 31/10 Beginning of Term 2 (Autumn Holiday)
Mon 21/11 National Anti-bullying week
Fri 25/11 Blue Friday (dress in blue day) as part of anti-bullying week, and activities
Mon 5/12 Dress Rehearsal for Rec/Yr 1 Christmas Play
Tue 6/12 Rec/Yr 1 Christmas Play
Wed 7/12 “ “ “ “ “ “
“ “ “ Yr 2 Christmas Play Dress Rehearsal
Thur 8/12 “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “
Sat 10/12 FOHF Christmas Fayre
Tue 13/12 Infant Christmas Party - pm
“ “ “ Junior Christmas Carol Concert at St Mary’s Church, Hailsham – 7.00pm
Wed 14/12 Christmas Lunch
Thur 15/12 Junior Christmas Party – pm
Fri 16/12 Visit from Quicken Trust children to
“ “ “ celebrate Xmas together
“ “ “ End of Term 2 (Christmas Holiday)
Tue 3/1/06 IN-SERVICE TRAINING
Wed 4/1 Beginning of Term 3
More details regarding Christmas Events will follow after half-term.

Thank you for your continued support this term. Remember if you do have any concerns regarding your child’s education, please do let us know.

Yours sincerely

Mrs V Cobb
Headteacher