1. Welcome to Almondsbury CE Primary School

2. What’s going on in Term 2? Monday 4 November INSET DAY Tuesday 5 November First day of term 2 Book Week Wednesday 6 NovemberBook at Bedtime event 6.00pm in school for all children Thursday 7 NovemberPA meeting 7.30pm Friday 8 NovemberSwimming for Mr Baykaa-Murray’s Class Miss Higgott’s Class Cake Sale and secondhand uniform sale Monday 11 NovemberIndividual photographs Tuesday 12 November11.00am New Reception Parents tour Thursday 14 November4.00 – 7.00pm Parents Evening Friday 15 NovemberChildren in Need Swimming for Mr Baykaa-Murray’s Class Monday 18 November11.00am New Reception Parents tour Tuesday 19 November 4.00-7.00pm Parents Evening Thursday 21 November1.30pm New Reception Parents tour Friday 22 NovemberSwimming for Mr Baykaa-Murray’s Class School Choir to perform at Colston Hall Mrs Leonard’s Class Cake Sale and secondhand uniform sale 6.30pm Family Bingo Night Friday 29 NovemberYear 3 and 4 visited by Doodlebugs !

3. What’s going on in Term 2? Wednesday 4 December Reception visit to Westonbirt Arboretum Friday 6 DecemberNon uniform day in exchange for fayre items PA Christmas Fayre 6-8pm Tuesday 10 December9.30am Reception Nativity performance Wednesday 11 December1.45pm Years 1 and 2 performance Thursday 12 December6.30pm Years 1 and 2 performance Friday 13 DecemberKS1 Christmas party Tuesday 17 DecemberChristmas lunch 6.30pm Year 3 and 4 Wartime Christmas performance Wednesday 18 December Year 3 and 4 Christmas party 7.00pm Year 5 and 6 Carols by Candlelight in St.Mary’s Church Thursday 19 DecemberYears 5 and 6 Christmas Party Friday 20 DecemberEnd of Term 2

4. Tag Rugby Tournament Some of our Year 3 and 4 children participated in two Tag Rugby tournaments. They played really well for the first time as a team and enjoyed their experiences. Not only did they meet some of the Bristol Rugby team but also were interviewed for Bradley Stoke radio.

5. Cross Country We are now competing in a Cross Country league within South Gloucestershire. At the very first event Almondsbury did very well indeed. The boys in Years 5 and 6 are currently in first place by a massive 16 points. Sam Taylor, Jack Broadhurst and Joe Mead all came in the top 10 and were followed by Isaac Fleming, Joe Williams and Ben Harbidge. Well done Team Almondsbury Boys!

6. Cross Country Our girls team are doing equally well. They were led home by Thea Clarke, Libby Keel in the top 10, and were followed by Freya Davis, Kayleigh Brownlow and Emma Donaldson. These positions place them currently in second place overall just one point behind the leaders but 36 in front of the third placed school. Again well done Team Almondsbury Girls!

7. Football A team of 10 boys from Year 6 played at the South Gloucestershire football tournament. They set about demonstrating their skills and ability against the rest of the schools. The team started brilliantly with a 3-2 win, followed up by three 2-1 wins meaning we were unbeaten. We then came up against the other unbeaten team on the group and unfortunately lost 2-1. This meant we finished second in the group. Special mention to Joe Williams who scored in every match played! Due to the complexities of the groupings we missed out on a quarter final place. The boys played superbly with great team spirit but were sad to be knocked out of the competition. Well done to each one of them for battling for every ball and playing so well. Thank you to Mr Green for being the team coach and to the other parents who braved the weather to support them.

8. Book Week Once again we have had a very successful Book Week. This year as you know there was a film based theme for the children to explore. The children discovered new ways to think about writing books using storyboards, and the use of film. The Year 5 and 6 children have videoed some of their books ideas, whilst the Year 3 and 4 children created lots of storyboards that will be displayed in the library. In key stage 1 stories were written about aliens and much more. The Book Fair was another success and we sold £960 worth of books which gives us £450 worth of commission to spend on new books for the classrooms. Thank you very much for your tremendous support.

9. Book Week Our Book at Bedtime was also just as popular as last year with just over 100 children returning to school, despite the weather and traffic problems to come back to listen to stories have hot chocolate and marshmallows in their pyjamas. Many thanks to the parents who came to read to the children as well as the PA members for making the delicious hot chocolate.

10. Book Week Year 5 and 6 children also chose the end of Book Week to raise money for their chosen charity which is related to their topic School in a bag. The charity helps children still learn despite losing their schools to earthquakes and other natural disasters. They all came into school as a character from a book or film – many Harry Potter’s, Where’s Wally’s, animals including Scooby Doo, James Bonds, and lots more. They collected £90. Well done.

11. Many thanks for the children and parents who brought in a filled shoebox for the Operation Christmas Child appeal. We collected 40 boxes which have now been taken to the depot to be sorted and distributed to the needy children around the world.

12. Once again we have had a successful fundraising week for the Children in Need charity. Sales of the Pudsey ears, keyrings, wristbands and stickers raised £478. We collected £88.50 from the biscuits Mrs Vining made as well as the £360.26 we collected for coming to school in pyjamas, onesies and dressing gowns, etc. The children all looked very different in their bedwear on Friday, with some very creative onesies and pyjamas. All of the children were excited by our special guest – the bear himself Pudsey, who visited the classes in key stage 1 during the afternoon.

13. We also had a great time at the PJ disco with our very own PJ DJ (aka Miss Higgott). There was lots of dancing and singing as the music rang out. Thank you for your support and generosity for the charity work we do within school. Our total comes to the wonderful amount of £926.86, a record amount collected! Thank you so much for your generosity it is appreciated by ourselves and the charity.

14. Our Christmas Fayre is on Friday 6 December starting at 6pm. It will have the usual stalls, food, drink and once again we will be visited by Father Christmas. The trees will be on sale from the end of school and will cost £35. We look forward to seeing you all there.