Dear Parents and Carers,

As you know, the weather has turned very cold this week so please can you ensure your child has a warm hat and gloves to wear at playtime. Thank you.

Christmas jumper/wear something Christmassy day

Thank you for all your donations towards our 'Save the Children' Christmas jumper day on Thursday. The children all looked amazing in their Christmassy outfits and we have raised £27 so far. We will leave the payment item open on Parent Pay until the end of term for anyone else who wishes to make a donation. 

Reception/Y1/Y2 trip to Chatsworth- Monday 12^th December

Mrs Thompson, Miss Dennis, Mrs Smail and Miss Rodgers are all looking forward to taking the children to Chatsworth on Monday for a farmyard Christmas experience! The day will include a story time session in the barn with a Christmas character, a craft session as well as a gift which the children will take home with them. If you have requested a school packed lunch for your child, this will be provided on the morning of the trip. If you have opted to bring your own packed lunch from home, please ensure this is carried in a labelled rucksack or bag.

The children will need to be dressed in a warm waterproof coat along with a hat and gloves. Please send them wearing their school jumper/cardigan with either jogging bottoms or warm trousers as they will be outdoors a lot during the day. They will need to wear trainers, boots or wellingtons on their feet. The children need to be dropped off at school at the usual time and they will be back at school in time for the end of the day so there are no changes to collection arrangements.   

Parking

Please can we politely remind parents not to park and leave their cars on the lane at the front of the school building which loops around the village green when dropping children off in a morning. The lane around the village green needs to be kept clear in order for the school bus/delivery vehicles to access the school safely and for village residents to access their homes. It is also important to keep this lane clear for emergency vehicles in case they need to access any houses in this area of the village. Thank you for your understanding.  

Final church rehearsal for the Christmas service

Our final rehearsal in church for children in Reception-Y6 is on Wednesday 14^th December. Children will need to be collected from church at 3.15pm please. Bus children and 623 club children will be collected from church. Art club children will be taken back to school and this club will run as usual. 

Christmas service- Thursday 15^th December- Edensor church- 5.30pm

The children have been very busy learning their songs and practising their lines/readings for our whole school Christmas service which takes place at Edensor church on Thursday 15^th December. The service starts at 5.30pm. The church doors will open at 5pm for the children to come in and for people to come in and take their seats. The infant children (plus Class 3) need to come to church wearing their costumes please. Class 4 children will need to wear their full school uniform.

There will be an option to purchase raffle tickets and programmes as you come into church.

There will be lots of opportunities at the end of the service to take photographs of your own child/children. We ask that people do not take photographs or videos during the course of the service please as there are children present who are not allowed to be photographed. We also ask that any photographs which contain images of children other than your own, are not posted on any kind of social media platform. 

Donations of raffle prizes

If anyone would like to donate a small prize for the raffle which we will be holding in church at the Christmas service, we would be extremely grateful. If these could be brought into school early next week that would be great.

School Christmas dinner and party day
During the final week of term, we are having Christmas dinner on Monday 19^th December. If your child usually brings a packed lunch but would like to have Christmas dinner instead, please email news@pilsleycofe.derbyshire.sch.uk. Likewise, we will be having party food for lunch on the last day of term which is Wednesday 21^st December. If your child usually has a packed lunch but would like a party food school lunch that day, please also let the office know as soon as possible.

A message from the PTA:

PTA Christmas movie night at the Cavendish Hall- Friday 16^th December- 4-6pm

Tickets for this event are available to purchase at £5 each for adults and children via Parent Pay until Monday 12^th December. If you need to purchase tickets after this date, Mrs Bixler will be selling tickets in the playground at pick up time on Thursday 15^th December. Ticket prices include popcorn or crisps, a sweet treat and a drink. Children are welcome to bring a bean bag or pillow and dress in onesies or Christmas jumpers so they can slumber during the film. Please note, that children will need to be supervised by an adult during the event. 

With best wishes,

Mrs E Bond

Headteacher