Key Dates
Monday 13th - Thursday 16th May
Year 6 SATs in school
Friday 17th May
PSA Year 1 cake sale at 3:00 pm
PSA second-hand uniform sale at 3:00 pm
Monday 20th May
Year 6 PGL meeting for parents at 8:50 am in the Large Hall
Year 1 visit to Windsor Castle
Year 2, 5 & 6 visit to the Rose Theatre
Tuesday 21st May
Year 6 Circus Skills workshop in school
Wednesday 22nd - Thursday 23rd May
Class photographs
Thursday 23rd May
Year 1 Lavender class parent assembly at 9:00 am
Friday 24th May
Year 5 visit to Hampton Court Palace
HOME LEARNING SHOWCASE for children in Years 1 - 6
Monday 27th May - Friday 31st May
HALF-TERM BREAK
Monday 3rd June
CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL
Thursday 6th June
Reception Sunflower class parent assembly at 9:00 am
Friday 7th June
Sports Day for Reception - Year 6
Sunday 9th June
PSA Car Boot Sale
Monday 10th June
PSA Mufti Monday and Summer Fair donations
Friday 14th June
PSA Dads' Breakfast at 7:45 - 8:45 am
PSA Year 6 cake sale
Saturday 15th June
PSA Summer Fair - Fern Fest from 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Key dates for this school year are published here. Some of these dates are provisional, and all dates are subject to change — please refer to this newsletter and communications via ParentPay for the latest information.
Click here for term dates including INSET days.
Reminders
Year group weekly news
Don't forget to check your year group weekly news which is published every Friday afternoon on your child's Home Learning Google Classroom. You should sign in using your child's school Google Account - you can find their login details in the front of their Home School Diary.
Class photographs
Our school photographer will be taking photographs of the children together in their classes on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd May. The photographs will be available to buy after the half-term break. If you do not wish your child to be included, please email the school office by Friday 17th May.
Home Learning Grids for this half-term are posted on your child's Home Learning Google Classroom. All the work should be completed in time for our next Home Learning Showcase on Friday 24th May.
We wish all our Year 6 children the very best of luck next week when they will be sitting their SATs. We’re looking forward to celebrating with them on Friday when the tests are over!
Don't forget to order your child's school lunch by 8:00 am on the day required - you can order for the weeks ahead too.
Sports Day - Friday 7th June
We are really looking forward to welcoming all our families to Fern Hill’s Sports Day on Friday 7th June, when our whole community can come together to celebrate the children’s achievements. Once again, we will be holding Sports Day at the YMCA Hawker Centre on Richmond Road. Today, you will have received a letter via ParentPay with all the details of the day. A copy of the letter is linked here. Nursery will be having their own Sports Day in school later this term on Friday 28th June.
If you have a child in Years 3, 4, 5 or 6, please complete the collection arrangements form linked here by Monday 20th May to let us know whether we will be dismissing your child directly to you at the Hawker Centre or if they will be returning to school. Please note that children will NOT be permitted to walk home alone from the Hawker Centre.
All children will need a packed lunch on the day and should wear school PE kit with a t-shirt representing their Fern Hill House colour - please see the letter for further information.
Our Careers Fair for children in Years 5 & 6 has been rescheduled to the afternoon of Wednesday 19th June. We hope to showcase a varied range of careers and would welcome volunteers from our parent community at the Fair, to talk to the children about the jobs that they do. If you can help, please let us know by completing this linked form. Thank you. You can find all the details in the letter you received from Mrs Davies last term.
Book of the Week
‘Away with Words’ by Sophie Cameron
Gala is furious when her Dad moves them both from Spain to a small town in Scotland to live with his partner, but she can't find the words in English to express her feelings. Then she meets Natalie at school, who doesn't speak and instead shows Gala how she collects the (literal) words that fall from people's lips when they talk, and collages them to create beautiful poems. But when someone starts using the same method to write anonymous bullying messages, Gala and Natalie are blamed. Can they find a way to explain themselves and discover the truth? And will Scotland ever feel like home to Gala?
This exquisitely beautiful book combines a poignant story of displacement, anxiety and loss, with a sprinkle of magical realism. In addition to being shortlisted for the 11+ category of the Spark! Book Awards, it has also been shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing. Highly recommended!
Spark! Pupil Competition
The Spark! Pupil Competition is now open. Children are invited to choose their favourite Spark! shortlisted book and create their own unique response...
They can be as creative as they like, but here are some ideas:
- Write a book review or design a book review poster
- Write a story or create a comic
- Bake a cake (send a photo)
- Create an artwork or model
- Create a story box for your favourite scene/setting
- Recreate the cover using sewing/collage/crochet
- Create a video book trailer
- Write a song & record it
There will be a book prize for the winner of each age category and the best entries will be sent on to the main Spark! Competition. Entries should be handed to your child's class teacher or Mrs Rouillard in the library by Tuesday 4th June - don't forget to include your name and class!
TEAM POINTS
The overall winner this week is HAMPTON
-
Kingston
395
-
Coombe
385
-
Richmond
463
-
Hampton
493
PSA News & Events
Summer Fair update: On Your Marks…
Planning is well underway for a fun and exciting Fern Fest on Saturday 15th June! Here's an update of what to look forward to, and a few requests...
Classes have now been allocated stalls or activities via their Class Reps. Please volunteer to help out if you can. It's so appreciated, and we can’t run these events without you.
Photography competition - launching next week! Open to children and adults, the theme is ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together’. The online application form will be shared next week, and we can’t wait to see all the creative talent in our community!
Cake competition - back by popular demand, bakers can bring their cakes on the day to enter.
International Food stall - celebrating the diversity of the Fern Hill community, everyone is invited to donate to this stall.
This year, Fern Fest is inspired by the Paris 2024 Olympics, and we would like to ask the French community for any suggestions on how we can honour the host nation.
Raffle prizes - can your business, or a business you know, donate? We are starting to gather together prizes for our Summer Raffle, which will be drawn at the Fair on Saturday 15th June. If you have a business, or know of a local business, that would be interested in donating a prize (and in return advertising to our large school community!) please contact us by email at: fernfestevent@gmail.com.
Mufti Monday on 10th June - the children are invited to wear their own clothes to school on Monday 10th June in return for a donation to the children's and adults' Tombolas running at the Fair. We would also welcome donations of good quality second-hand toys and books for our Preloved stalls, and small items for the Lucky Dip. More details to follow.
We are very excited about what we expect will be a fantastic event, and hope you are too!
Have a sort out for our next second-hand uniform sale on Friday 17th May!
Our next second-hand uniform sale is taking place next Friday 17th May, after school. We would be grateful for your donations of Fern Hill branded items, ties, and summer dresses (striped only please, we cannot accept gingham). Please, no grey items or white shirts - thank you. Please drop your donations outside the school main reception on Wednesday 15th May.
Car boot sale - spaces are still available on Sunday 9th June
You can still sign up for a space to sell your wares at our very first car boot sale! Please contact Caroline if you would like to book a slot, or if you can lend a hand on the day, on 07912 672694.
Dads' Breakfast - save the date!
Our annual Dads' Breakfast will be held in the Large Hall from 7:45 - 8:45 am on Friday 14th June. Tickets will be available soon. If you can help with this event, please let your Class Rep know or message the PSA WhatsApp group. Thank you!
Inspiration 