Another busy week has flown by at St Peter’s, and autumn now seems to be encroaching upon us.
The children amazed me this week with just how well they conducted themselves for our fire drill on Thursday. Our new site manager Mr Chapman was very impressed with how silent, sensible and well behaved the children were as they evacuated the buildings in two minutes flat and were gathered in alphabetical class lines on the field just four minutes after the test alarm sounded. Well done to everyone!
Deacon Mark from Sacred Heart and St Peter the Apostle joined Year 2 to celebrate a wonderful liturgy on the topic of Creation, and it was great to see a hall packed with children’s extended families. I know that it is not easy for parents and carers to attend events during the working day when professional and other family commitments need to be met, so please do not forget the many other ways that you already support your children in these activities by practicing their readings, preparing props or costumes and asking about how it went at the end of the day. We can’t always be everywhere we are needed, but I know that your children and our school really benefit from your on-going support in a range of ways.
Onto more serious matters, I am mindful of a worrying new ‘craze’ that has migrated to these shores from America around people dressing as clowns to scare others. The link below is designed to reassure you and your children that the distasteful acts are taken seriously by the authorities, and anything which may take place which upsets your children should be immediately reported.
https://www.hampshirealert.co.uk/da/157595/Statement_on_clown_craze.html
Furthermore, the internet has been the vehicle for spreading the clown ‘craze’, and the link below takes you to two films from a project completed at the Spring Arts Centre in Havant in September. The films are pitched at Key Stages 1 and 2, and give a useful stimulus to age appropriate discussions with your children about staying safe on-line. I also think that the Key Stage 2 film has a look about it that makes it appropriate for students in Years 7 and 8, so if you have older children they too could watch and discuss.
http://thespring.co.uk/news/keeping-safe-online-schools-project
Mr Austin will run an e-safety workshop at 2:30pm on Thursday 10th November for parents and carers, and another will follow shortly afterwards at a late afternoon / early evening time (see comments above on the pressures of combining work commitments and school events!). More details of these will be shared in the newsletter and via parent mail.
With my best wishes for a restful weekend
Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher