Parentmail November 11^th, 2022

Dear Parent/Carer,

Earlier this week, Year 6 visited Cardiff Castle as part of their Second World War topic and to mark Remembrance by laying poppies and reading poems.  On Friday we held a minute’s silence at 11am and watched last year’s Remembrance Assembly video made by Year 6.  

Anti-bullying week – Odd Sock Day – Monday 14^th November

Pupils and staff are invited to wear odd socks on Monday to mark the start of Anti-Bullying Week.  There will be an assembly and related activities throughout the school all week around the subject of this year’s Anti-bullying Week theme: Reaching Out.

Children in Need – Friday 18^th November

This year’s Children in Need theme is Together we can change young lives.   The emphasis this year is on spots for The Great SPOTacular Appeal Night.  Please feel free to send children to school in non-school uniform and they are welcome to wear something spotty and their usual novelty CIN-themed items – but this is not compulsory.  We will be collecting money on the school gate to support the Children in Need Appeal.

Universal Free School Meals – update

We have spoken to the local authority catering department and they replied that Cardiff Catering has not yet decided on the date for rolling out the scheme to Years 1 and 2 and will be in touch in due course.

Come and share Christmas with your children

Parents/carers are invited to come in to school for coffee, tea and mince pies and a sharing of some Christmas music, songs and stories with their children.  More information, e.g. costumes, etc., will follow shortly, but we wanted to let you know the dates in good time.  The dates are as follows:

PTA News

Table Top Sale - Friday 25th November 3.30 - 5pm

We are bringing a new event to Lakeside - A Table Top Sale.  This is where the PTA sells you table space and you bring your own good quality toys and items that would appeal to Lakeside families to sell yourself in the run up to Christmas. You would do the selling and any money you make is yours to keep.

We have made the decision to not have toys at the Christmas Fayre therefore we think this may be of interest to families wanting a clear out before Christmas, or maybe those who could join forces with friends who could maybe share a table and for those looking to grab a potential bargain. Alternatively, any keen Lakeside crafters, or entrepreneurs who have suitable products for a primary school who fancy having a table in the run up to Christmas.

As this is a new event we plan on charging £10 for a table (150cm x 75cm). If you are having a clear-out and wish to sell anything or have any home-made crafts or similar products you think parents and children may be interested in buying, then please contact us no later than Wednesday 15th November.

We will have a limited number of tables for this event, which will be held in the school hall after school on Friday 25th November. In terms of logistics, you will need to be available to set up your table ready for 3.30. Regrettably, we cannot offer parking therefore, all goods need to be carried into school.  You will be responsible for taking home any unsold items.

Please email lakesideprimarycardiffpta@gmail.com by Wednesday 15th to register interest in a table space. This will be on a first come basis.  Any further queries you have please get in touch.

We are hoping this will be a useful event for clearing stuff out before Christmas, grabbing some bargains and demonstrating again the power of recycling to our children.

Christmas Fayre - Friday 2nd December

Please save the date!  Another fun PTA event that has been missed these last few years is finally back!

If anyone is able to help beforehand, during or after the fayre, even for just 30 minutes please get in touch.  We are all volunteers and these events can only happen if we have the numbers to help run it - lakesideprimarycardiffpta@gmail.com

Christmas cards etc that were ordered before half term have begun to arrive and your child will be coming home with these next week if they haven’t not already done so. Thank you to all those who made an order.

Finally, thank you to all those who supported today's Cake Sale. Proceeds go to your PTA that in turn goes back to the school to support our children in fun engaging ways that the school budget doesn't stretch to. To that effect we are excited to fund a theatre company who will come and perform a panto to all children during the last week of term.

Curriculum information meetings for parents

We enjoyed two further Parents’/Carers’ meetings this week, for Year 2 and Year 3 parents/carers.   

• Year 4 meeting will be Wednesday 16^th November at 2.45 pm
• Year 5 meeting will be Friday 18^th November at 2.45 pm
• Year 6 meeting will be Tuesday 15^th November at 2.30 pm

Research project: please can you help?

A research project from Cardiff University is being conducted to learn more about parents' and their children’s home learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and school’s closure period. The study aims to explore parents' and young learners’ experiences during the home learning period as well as their experience of returning to school-based learning this year. All information collected in this study will be fully confidential and your participation will be anonymous.

If you are parent of primary school children aged 8 to 11, and you could dedicate no more than 10 minutes from your time, please click here to complete a short survey:  https://socsi.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eyA1HqLftLae1Bs .

If you would like to ask any questions, please email the researcher at ManiatopoulouA@cardiff.ac.uk

Autumn Nature competitions

The Digital Learners pupil group have received some wonderful photographs of things made using leaves, twigs, etc., and of the colours of autumn in all their glory.  As it was such a wet Half Term break, we’ve decided to extend the competition for another week.  The new deadline for entries is the end of Thursday 17^th November.  Thank you.

Wishing you all a pleasant weekend,

Rachel Mitchell, Headteacher

DATES: 2022-2023 academic year

November 2022

14-18 November Anti-Bullying Week

Tuesday 15^th November – Year 6 curriculum information meeting for parents

Wednesday 16^th November – Year 4 curriculum information for parents

Friday 18^th November – Year 5 curriculum information meeting for parents

Friday 18^th November – Children in Need

Friday 25^th November – PTA Table-top / Car Boot Sale

December 2022

Friday 2^nd December – PTA Christmas Fair

Friday 9^th December – Christmas Jumper Day (Save the Children fundraiser)

18^th – 26^th December – Hanukkah

Friday 23^rd December – last day of term

CHRISTMAS BREAK         

January 2023

Sunday 22^nd January – Chinese New Year

February 2023

Friday 3^rd February – NSPCC Number Day

Tuesday 7^th February – Safer Internet Day

Monday 20^th February to Friday 24^th February – Half Term break

March 2023

Wednesday 1^st March – St David’s Day

Thursday 2^nd March – World Book Day

10^th-19^th March – British Science Week

Friday 17^th March – Red Nose Day

Wednesday 22^nd March – Ramadan begins (exact dates TBC)

Friday 31^st March – break up for Easter

April 2023

EASTER BREAK

Sunday 9^th April – Easter Day

Monday 17^th April – back to school

Friday 21^st to Saturday 22^nd April – Eid ul-Fitr (exact dates TBC)

May 2023

Monday 1^st May – BANK HOLIDAY

Monday 29^th May to Friday 2^nd June – Half Term break

June 2023

July 2023

Monday 24^th July – last day of term

SUMMER BREAK