Newsletter – 3 November 2023 (copy 01) - Chard School | Independent Prep School in Chard South Somerset

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

Friday 10 November 2023

Word from the Head, Katie Hill

The children have enjoyed their first week of the half term, the highlight of which has been our Spanish Morning on Wednesday. On Monday Harris had fun in RS learning about the Jewish Festival of Pesach. The children enjoyed a retelling of the story of the 10 Plagues on Egypt, before embarking on a treasure hunt searching for objects that form part of the Pesach celebration. The children were excited to create their own Pesach feast table from modelling clay. I really enjoyed coming to join you for part of this session Harris and seeing your enthusiasm for your RS learning.

On Tuesday our Chard School dancers were invited to take part in a Spooky Dance Competition to celebrate Halloween. The children participated with enthusiasm and rose to the challenge at the conclusion of the competition of learning a large group dance to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. The audience were certainly impressed with your spooky moves! Congratulations to all of our dancers that took part, Miss Taswell was impressed with your coordination and delighted to see you having so much Halloween themed dance fun.

Symes had fun celebrating Halloween on Tuesday too. The children decorated their own pumpkins and loved their pumpkin themed tough tray play activity in the classroom. It was lovely to see them proudly leaving school with their pumpkins ahead of trick or treating adventures that evening.

The highlight of our week has been our Chard School Spanish Morning, which was held on Wednesday. Many of the children opted to arrive in colourful Spanish themed or Day of the Dead dress. The children were arranged into three learning teams and spent the morning learning about Spanish culture by crafting Calaveras masks and skeletons, learning a Mexican Dance and learning from a Dia de Muertos presentation. This Spanish presentation taught the children how to make paper marigolds which were used to decorate the altar in the Chapel. At break time the children were excited to try ‘Pan de Muertos’ which is a Spanish cake with an orange sauce. We would like to thank Miss Bartoli for organising such a super, fun filled Spanish morning for our children, their smiles on the day said it all!

We were pleased to welcome parents with Pre-school aged children to our Tiddly Peeps Toddler Group and Mini Melody Makers Sessions this week. Mrs Battersby and Mrs Orr-Ewing are looking forward to welcoming parents back again next week when they have got more play based and musical activities planned.

Next week the staff are looking forward to meeting with you all for the Parent Consultation Meetings to discuss the progress that your children are making in their learning and their current targets. On Wednesday Mrs Battersby will welcome Pre-school aged children and their families to our ‘Tiddly Peeps Toddler Group’. On Thursday Pre-prep are looking forward to their Remembrance Activity Day, where they will celebrate Remembrance and take part in a number of age appropriate Remembrance themed activities. Mrs Orr-Ewing is running Mini Melody Makers on Thursday for Pre-school aged children and their families. On Friday our Prep School is leading us in our Remembrance Assembly and on Sunday representatives from our Student Council are taking part in Chard’s Remembrance Parade and laying our Chard School poppy wreath on the war memorial.

Calendar Events/Clubs 2 – 12 November

Calendar Events

Monday 6th November

Tuesday 7th November
Guest Assembly – ‘Open the Book’
Parent Consultations – Face to Face only

Wednesday 8th November
Tiddly Peeps, Pre-school children, 10.15am to 11.15am
Swimming @ Chard Leisure Centre from 2.15pm – Whole School
Parent Consultations – Mdm. Bartoli

Thursday 9th November
Pre-Prep Remembrance Activity Day
Mini Melody Makers, Pre-School children – 10.15am to 11.15am
Parent Consultations – MS Teams only

Friday 10th November
Prep Remembrance Assembly @ 9.30am
Celebration Assembly @ 3.10pm

Sunday 12th November
Remembrance Day Parade @ Chard Guildhall @ 10.30pm

Clubs

Monday
Circuits/Manhunt & Pirates – Yrs 3 – 6

Tuesday
Cancelled for this week only – due to Parent Consultations

Wednesday
Manhunt & Pirates – Reception – Yr 2

Thursday
Cancelled for this week only – due to Parent Consultations

Friday
Music Ensemble – Yrs 3 – 6
Karate – Yrs 2 – 6

Everyday Clubs

Before Club 8 – 8.45am (included in School fees) Booking required

Prep Club 3.45 – 4.30pm (included in School fees) Booking required

After School Club 4.30 – 5.30pm (£5.75 Charge) Booking required

Reminders

As a matter of safety, please ensure that you always shut our school gate behind you.
Please ensure that your child brings a named water bottle to school daily.
Following our school ‘healthy snack’ guidelines, please send your child to school with a ‘healthy snack’ each day. Please remember that we are a nut free school.

Lunch menu

Please refer to week two on the MENU OPTIONS.

Congratulations to our Head Boy and Head Girl

Congratulations to our award winners

Stars of the week

Pre prep – Benji C
Prep – Max G

Mr Sills book recommendation

The Miraculous Sweetmakers
The Great Frost of 1683 has London in its icy grip. Thomasina and her best friend Anne sell sweets on the frozen Thames, amid rumours of the magical Frost Fair that awakens there at night. They say if you can find the fair, Father Winter himself will grant you any wish.
And Thomasina has an impossible wish: the return of her twin brother, Arthur.
But once they discover Father Winter’s kingdom, Thomasina and Anne quickly realize the Frost Fair is not what it seems – and that some wishes never come for free.
9+

Friends of Chard School Events

CHARD SCHOOL MUFTI DAY – FRIDAY 24th NOVEMBER

The children are invited to come to school in their own clothes, ditching the school uniform for a day.
Instead of the usual £1 donation, we are asking for a contribution of chocolate or sweets this year.
These sweet treats will be used for the Tombola at our upcoming Christmas Fair.

Old Cerdics Association

Calling all Old Cerdics – informal pre-Christmas lunch at 12.30pm on Tuesday 21st November, venue to be decided but will be in the Chard/Ilminster locality.

All former pupils Chard School welcome. Contact Graham Chamberlain at graham.cartrapen@yahoo.co.uk for further information and confirmation of venue.