Christ Church CE Primary School, Cressage

This week, Oak Class visited the Ludlow Museum Collections Centre as part of our learning about how Carl Linnaeus classified living things in the 1700’s. We explored the museum’s precious collection of living things including a narwhal tusk and an enormous sawfish rostrum, which took four young people to carry. The diversity of species was fascinating, amazing us all with the wonders of the natural world.

The PTA are starting Frozen Fridays ... a chance to enjoy the start of the weekend with an ice cream. Cones with ice cream and sprinkles will be sold for £1 at the end of the day - 3.15pm - by the PTA on the playground. Children who use school transport can eat theirs at 3.05 before the buses and taxis leave. If you/your child has an allergy or intolerance and you want to buy an ice cream please let us know so we can get the right amount of alternative ice cream. You can also pay online via QR code if you don't have cash.

We are so proud of Holly Class and the way they came up with the idea of raising funds for Nkuringo, our partner school in Uganda and supporting a cancer charity which has helped a relative of one of the class members. The ideas came from them, they organised publicity and helped sell loom band bracelets and cakes. We had great support - thank you Holly Class parents - and so will have some left over cakes and just a few loom bands at the end of the day to sell at pick up. Donations for Nkuringo and a children's cancer charity are welcome.

Eco-schools Council are encouraging everyone to participate in do check it out!

Who’s ready to go wild?

It’s the first day of and we can’t wait to spend the whole month connecting with nature together.

Summer is just around the corner, so to kick off your first day of why not get to know the nature on your doorstep and go for a walk? Keep a note of all the amazing wildlife you spot! 🦋 https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/visit/choose-your-adventure/find-walk-near-you

Don’t forget about your wallchart! You could use it to plan your week or make a note of what you did at the end of each day and keep it to remember your wild month. 💚

We hope everyone has a great half term. Remember today (Friday) is a PD Day.

Just an update to our school diary. William Brookes have announced that Partner Sports Day is going to be on Thursday 27th June (this is a competitive event for Y2-Y6 with other schools and we generally take 30 children to compete - they will be picked after half term by sports coaches). The 27th was our planned school sports day, so we will revert to our reserve date: School Sports Day for everyone from Little Acorns through to Oak will be the morning of 4th July. So as well as voting in the General Election you can come along to school and have a fantastic time cheering your child along, as well as enjoying some PTA refreshments.

We love the thoughtfulness and compassion shown by children in Holly class. Some of them have been making loom bands and other bracelets to sell to support Nkuringo School in Uganda who we partner with. They’ve been making them at home in their own time.
They are teaming up with another child whose cousin has cancer to organise a ‘Cake and Bracelet Sale’ on Thursday 6th June. Please help us by sending in cakes.
Everything will be 50p. All proceeds will be split between Nkuringo and a Children’s Cancer Charity. The ideas have come from the children and we’d love to honour their desire to make a difference in the world.

Thank you to the great team of family helpers who supported our Colour Run today in aid of School Fund and Nkuringo Primary School in Uganda. We had such a lot of fun running and getting colourful! Thank you to all the considerate drivers who slowed down as we ran around the village. We hope you enjoy the photos!

Thank you for a great turnout at the School Grounds morning. There were 40 parents, children, staff and partners and we managed to w**d and tidy many areas around the front of school and playground, get the Daily Mile track bramble-free, enlarge the Quiet Area outside, make a construction zone for children who like building, clean and tidy Acorns outdoor area, paint a corridor and clean carpets. Phew! Hope everyone has a relaxing rest of the day. Thank you so much!

Monday afternoon is one of our favourite events of the year - the Colour Run Around the Village. All the information you need to know is on the flyer. It's not too late to be one of our volunteer stewards - just come to school for 1.10pm for a safety briefing and we will then get in position before the children begin at 1.30pm. This is all in aid of School Fund and Nkuringo Primary in Uganda - details of how to give are below.

Willow Class have loved having an Anglo-Saxons workshop from the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. There was an amazing selection of artefacts to sketch, hold, discuss and learn about. We definitely have some enthusiastic historians!

Is your child eligible for free school meals?

Free school meals are available to pupils who attend maintained schools, academies and free schools, who are in receipt of, or whose parents or carers receive certain benefits.

Free school meals can save families more than £448 a year per child, and provide children with healthy and nutritious meals that can boost their learning and wellbeing.

Find out more if your child is eligible by going to the link in the comment section below.

We have been asked by the Council today to continue to share the public consultation on the future of the Schools Library Service with our wider school community. You can find the link below. Mrs Cansdale spoke to the full council last week on the positive impact the SLS has on learning. Over the next two terms we will borrow 1,600 resources (books, artefacts, story sacks). If the SLS is closed the same amount of money would only buy 120 books. You can also ask your child's views and help them participate in the survey - as they are stakeholders and it is good learning about democracy that their view counts too! A decision will be made on the future of the SLS by the Council Cabinet - it will not be debated further at full Council, so the survey is your chance to make your views known.

School Library Service | Shropshire Council Comment on the future of the School Library Service.

We had an amazing Rainforest Experience Day in Holly Class today - learning about the habitat, cultures and climate of the rainforest. We were able to sketch, play, hold some animals and ask so many questions!

Year 6 indulged in an energy-packed breakfast this morning, before their first day of SATs tests. We may be making a second trip to the supermarket to replenish the chocolate and Biscoff spread after they demolished most of a jar of each this morning. It did fuel them through two tests though and they concentrated like superstars ⭐️

Please read this important update from SaTH:

With cases of whooping cough increasing across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, pregnant women are being encouraged to come forward for a vaccination as babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.

Pregnant women are offered the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Getting vaccinated while you're pregnant is highly effective in protecting your baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life. The immunity you get from the vaccine will pass to your baby through the placenta and provide passive protection for them until they are old enough to be routinely vaccinated against whooping cough at 8 weeks old.

For more information on the whooping cough vaccine, visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/.../keepin.../whooping-cough-vaccination/

Would you know what to do if your child was injured or had a medical emergency? The British Red Cross have created a fantastic free baby and child first aid app to help you keep your little ones safe. It designed to support parents, grandparents and caregivers to learn 17 first aid skills to help in a first aid emergency.

You can also find tips on how to prepare for emergencies both at home or while out and about. Click here to find out more https://orlo.uk/5AJHR

❤️ Key features include:
❤️ Simple step-by-step skill guides
❤️ Videos
❤️ Animations
❤️ Interactive quizzes
❤️ Toolkit feature to record children's medical needs
❤️ Useful tips and signpost to further information
❤️ First aid course information

We were one of the research schools for this project and are so proud of our pupils who answered questions and gave their views so thoughtfully.

Thank you so much to those who attended the PTA planning meeting after school today, a great turnout! It was good to share so many ideas and share the tasks out too - so that volunteering is fun and not 'too much!'. Do look out for PTA events that will be coming up next half term and feel free to get involved, as we know not everyone could attend the meeting today.

Pupil Voice Council led some lunch time workshops today - we had origami, story writing, basketball and netball. We have some budding teachers and coaches! The children love working together across the year groups and it develops their leadership skills.

Is your child eligible for free school meals?

Free school meals are available to pupils who attend maintained schools, academies and free schools, who are in receipt of, or whose parents or carers receive, certain benefits.

Free school meals can save families more than £448 a year per child, and provide children with healthy and nutritious meals that can boost their learning and wellbeing.

Find out more if your child is eligible by going to the link in the comment section below.

Do you need a nursery place for September? Come and see our Little Acorns setting for children who are 3 and over. We have funded places available for 15 or 30 hours.

Today is a typical afternoon - Little Acorns are playing in our outdoor area. We have butterfly collages with natural materials, using wands in bubbles which helps develop muscles for writing and lots of sand and construction play. Later they will have a PE lesson with Charlotte from Shrewsbury Town. Caring staff and a family feel - their confidence grows every day.

Ring 01952 510383 for more information. Our admissions window for September is now open.

*Limited Spaces Remaining*
Join us on 13th May 9am-3pm at our "Living Positively with Neurodiversity" Conference, delivered in partnership with Autism West Midlands.
To book onto this conference, please complete the form linked: https://ow.ly/unAb50Rlk1w

Led by Autism Specialists, this series of training sessions focuses on the early years and is designed to provide parents and carers with a better understanding of their autistic child. Weekly topics include:

💚 Monday 3 June 2024– Understanding Autism
💚 Monday 10 June- Autism and Supporting Social Communication
💚 Monday 17 June – Autism and Sensory
💚 Monday 24 June – Autism and Behaviour
💚 Monday 1 July – Autism and Food
💚 Monday 8 July – Autism and Toileting/Sleep

Shropshire residents can register for this free training course here: https://orlo.uk/MlAXj

Autism West Midlands

We are proud to work with Shrewsbury Town FC Foundation to promote girls football in school - Coach Charlotte is a real inspiration and encourager to girls to get involved. We love seeing the girls play football on our field at lunchtime. For further inspiration do consider supporting this great game on Sunday.at 2pm at STFC stadium. Tickets are only £2 with £2 for parking. Follow QR code to book, go on STFC website or pay on the gate.