It’s that time of year again!  New families to Whitefield – be prepared; we are about to go Christmas crazy!

Already in school we have been preparing for this special time of year –the main corridor in school is being decorated this week with art work and writing from the Julia Donaldson book Stick Man. And the hall is looking beautiful with the blue and white theme – there’ll be robins landing in there very soon.

As always, attached you will find all the information you need to know about the events in school on the run up to Christmas.  If you are really organised, you’ll have these dates already in your diary or on the fridge planner as I have sent them to you a couple of weeks ago with an updated list last week, however if you are more like me and you need a few reminders, then sit down with a brew and get these dates written down!

You’ll also find more information about each event, what you need to do, what the children need to do and what we or the PTFA Friends of Whitefield will be doing.

This is an amazing time of year for us in school. It is a time when all of our Whitefield community come together to share the Christmas spirit and joy of Christmas.  I hope to see you at one, two or all of the events throughout the next four weeks.

There are many of you out there who have been part of the Christmas Newsletter tradition for many years and have seen the wish list for Santa from Milly Foster grow more interesting each year.

This year she’s gone large – an ipad. Granted the one she is using currently is one of the very first models and is bent with a cracked screen…she has a good argument for that being on the list!  And thankfully we are still loving anything unicorn, pink or purple, stationary and a new interest this year – anything linked to the YouTuber Joe Suggs (the one from Strictly).

Nativity, Christingle & Services

The timetable for our Christmas week in school is outlined below.

Grasshoppers Nursery Nativity is on Friday 14^th December at 10am in the school hall.

Reception - (Classes RLW, RLA)

are performing their Wriggly Nativity on Wednesday 12^th December at 2pm and 5.45pm

Year 1 (Classes 1VK, 1JK)

are performing their Christingle Rock! production on Tuesday 11^th December at 2pm and 6.00pm.

Year 2 (Classes 2SW, 2AJ)

are performing A Miracle in Town on Thursday 13^th December at 2pm and 6.00pm.

Year 3 and 4 Carol Service (Classes 3HW, 3SK, 4SH, 4SB)

at Jubilee Ministries Church, Whitefield Primary School is on Sunday 16^th December, 10.45am – further information has been sent out to all parents via letter.

Year 5 & 6 (Classes 5CG, 5SAS, 6ST, 6LN)

will host a carol service at the United Reform Church on Liverpool Road, Penwortham on Wednesday 12^th December at 2pm and again at 6.30pm.

HOW TO GET YOUR TICKETS

Each year group will receive a letter with further information on ticket requests. 

Letters for Year 3 & 4 Jubilee Ministries event has already been sent out to parents.

Other letters will be sent out this week.

Grasshoppers Nursery will arrange admission to their nativity.

Tickets are FREE however bring a pound to be in with a chance of winning one of Mrs Foster’s Luxury Hampers.

We expect that all children will attend the evening productions to celebrate the spirit of Christianity at our school and within our local community.  If you are experiencing difficulties in getting your child to an evening production, please see their class teacher.

Photography and Filming

Parents are reminded that photographs and video filming is permitted at all performances for personal use only – if pictures are posted on social media, please ensure you get permission from the parents of any other child who is in the photo.

Collecting your children after the afternoon and evening performances

There will be chance as always to take photos after the performances.

The children will need to change out of costumes prior to leaving so relax and enjoy a warm drink, Christmas music and a festive mince pie before collecting children from their respective classrooms. 

Rehearsals

You will probably already be learning the songs your children will be singing during their performances.  Rehearsals will be taking place from this week and the dress rehearsal will take place the week before production week.  Class teachers will send a note home with your child if any special kind of clothing is required.

Christmas Mail

Children like to be able to send Christmas cards to each other and to the teachers so we are going to use pupil post once again this year to deliver internal mail.  We will start collections and deliveries on Monday 3rd December.  Please ensure the envelope is filled in with the full name and class of the recipient before posting in our Christmas Mail Box.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas Dinner will be available to all children, with a vegetarian alternative, on Tuesday 18^th December.  Those who normally take a school meal will automatically be counted.  Look out for information coming out this week on how to book a Christmas dinner if you normally have packed lunch.  Children who choose to have a packed lunch will also join in with the festivities in the hall.  This is a great tradition where all staff partake in the serving of the meal, wearing appropriate headgear and accessories.  I have already chosen my outfit and festive earring, expanding the ever growing Christmas wardrobe! And following their meal, we will be having a Christmas Movie treat.

Whitefield Christmas Choir – The 2018/19 Tour

Our choir tour plans are steaming ahead.

Join the local community, make a Christingle, listen to our brilliant school choir sing and take part in the Christingle Service at the United Reformed Church, Liverpool Road on Sunday 2^nd December.  Christingle making at 10.15am and the Christingle service at 11.00am

The choir will also be performing at:

The Lime Bar, Liverpool Road on Wednesday 5^th December.  Arrival at 6.45 with performance from 7pm – 7.30pm.

Sainsburys, Birch Avenue on Wednesday 19^th December at 3.50pm.  A separate letter has been sent out regarding picking up after this event.

Parties

All year groups will host a Christmas party in the afternoon during the last week of the term, where the children can play party games, dance, and have fun and eats lots of party food!

Whitefield Playgroup will be having their Christmas party on Friday 14^th December from 2pm-3.15.  Come along with your children aged from birth to 4 and have a wonderful festive time with June and Val.  (Playgroup WILL be on Friday 21^st December from 2-3.15pm)

Grasshoppers Nursery will be having their party at 10am on Friday 21^st December.

Reception and Years 1 & 2 will be having their parties the afternoon of Thursday 20^th December.

Years 3 and 4 will be having their parties the afternoon of Monday 17^th December.

Years 5 and 6 will be having their parties the afternoon of Wednesday 19^th December.

The children can come in their party clothes for the whole day but make sure you have appropriate footwear for playtimes.

If you can help out with the party, please see your child’s class teacher.

Secrets’ Room

The Secrets’ Room will be ‘open for business’ on Friday 7^th December (next week!)  for children to choose a gift for the special member of their family.  These gifts will be sent home on Monday 10^th December for your child to put under the Christmas tree.  The Secrets’ Room is a ‘child only room’, filled with gifts suitable for children to purchase for special members of their family.  These are bought and wrapped by Friends of Whitefield so your child can give you a present that you haven’t seen!

You will have already received information from the Friends of Whitefield regarding the Secrets’ Room.

Santa’s Visit

Santa will be visiting us during the week of 17^th December.  I have written to him already and he can’t confirm a date yet but has promised it will be in this week.  He said he would love to visit the classrooms and deliver some special presents.  How exciting!  The Friends of Whitefield have very kindly donated some money to Santa (£100 per year group) so that he can buy some gifts for all the classes. Thanks FoW!

Holiday

The children finish school at 3.30pm on Friday 21st December (BOLA will be on 3.30-6pm) and will return at 9am on Monday 7th  January 2019 (BOLA will open at 7.30am).