Dear Parents and Carers,
How exciting to be back into the swing of the term! All our exciting extracurricular clubs are up and running and there’s a buzz of activity as children settle into their topics. This week, we’ve had three year groups heading out of school for day trips – to begin their history topic, Year 4 spent Monday travelling back through the ages to Iron Age Britain, exploring the round house and Roman villa at Butser Ancient Farm, dressed in costumes typical of the time, and trying out some traditional crafts. The first of the Year 5 classes, 5T, took part in a Tudor workshop at the RGS. Then today, Year 6 visited Wisley RHS Gardens to explore the bio-diversity of various different habitats around the world as part of their geography topic. Next week, Year 2 will be exploring our local partner church, Holy Trinity who have set up a heritage trail. It’s been so long since we’ve been able to take children there, and we’re excited to remind them of this vital link with HTPD. We’re also looking forward to bringing back visits to our school assemblies from Robert Cotton, our chair of governors and rector of HT. The children will be so pleased to see him back in school!
Our assembly series this term takes us on a tour through the life of King David, from the Old Testament; he was the Israelites' most loved king and known as "a man after God's own heart". He shows us so many Christ-like attributes, but he was also fallible and made mistakes. We’re hoping that we’ll understand how God’s destiny and purpose for each one of us is unique and special. The term's theme also uses traditional tales to encourage us all to look at things from different points of view (what if the Big Bad Wolf was actually trying to check the three little pigs' dwellings for strength to withstand a storm, or if the little red hen had a helpful team right from the start of the story?). There’s also a weekly punctuation mark which connects the Bible story with the children's grammar lessons! The theme goes right up to Christmas time, linking in with the Christmas nativity carol "Once in Royal David's city". Do keep a look out for the assembly slides that are published each week on the website if you would like more information about each week’s key questions.
As well as enjoying plenty of creative ways to learn through our topic-based approach, it’s been great to put swimming back on the curriculum. The children in Year 2, 3A and 4EL had their first swimming lesson this week; we’re delighted that the Spectrum has finally had the green light to re-open its doors to school groups! And we’re thrilled that sports fixtures competing against other local schools are back on the timetable too!
Next week, Guildford council are running a car-free day on Sunday 26th September around the town centre. To enable schools and children to join in, they’ve suggested making next Friday a “sustainable travel to school” day. Why not walk or cycle or scooter in? Even car-sharing would make a difference to the roads around school, and it really does improve children’s wellbeing to walk even part of the way. I’m always fascinated to see that the children who walk in across the Downs seem to arrive for their morning lessons fully awake, with super focus and they just seem ready to face the day ahead with a “zest for learning and love of life”.
It looks like the good weather will continue for the next few days so I’m looking forward to a late-summer walk over the weekend. Hopefully, we’ll also be able to give Year 3 and Year 6 the chance to get outside and enjoy meeting their buddies in the Chantries. We were glad that we’d postponed this last Tuesday when the torrential rain came down - our Year 3 Noah’s ark theme was certainly topical! Better luck next week!
With love,
Clare
Thought of the Week: Be yourself – are you happy with who you are?
Whole School Notice
Parent Volunteers
We are so looking forward to being able to welcome parent volunteers back into the classrooms. If you are keen to take on this vital role, we would love to meet you. Please contact your child’s class teacher, and also book onto one of our training sessions via the school offices (hts@htpd.surrey.sch.uk or info@htpd.surrey.sch.uk): Wednesday 22nd September 9.15 at HT or Tuesday 28th September 9.00 at PD. Both sessions will cover the same information.
HK Families Coffee Morning - 21 September 11am
Our Hong Kong Chinese community in the school has grown substantially over the last two school years. To celebrate this we would like to invite all Hong Kong families for a coffee morning at 11am on 21st September in the Staffroom at Holy Trinity. We will have tea/coffee and biscuits. Lucy and Bridgit our home school link workers will be there, as well as Donna our special educational needs administrator, who is also from Hong Kong. It would be lovely to meet you all and for you to meet each other. Please let Lucy know by emailing lucyc@htpd.surrey.sch.uk if you are able to attend.
Macmillan Coffee Morning
It‘s time for our first HTPD social: the MacMillan Coffee morning on Friday the 24th September in the Thoughtful area of HT Playground! Please come along with your own mug to enjoy the most delicious homemade cakes. We’ll also provide tea and coffee. If you haven’t got time to stop and chat, take your slice of cake home. All collected money will go to MacMillan charity that provides support for people with cancer and will be greatly appreciated however big or small.
As we still try to keep Covid away from our school community, we’ll stay outside and are suggesting the following time slots for each year:
8:45 Y6
9:15 Y5
9:45 Y4
10:15 Y3
9:45 Pewley (reception, Y1 & Y2)
Hope to all see you next Friday! Laura & Svenja (both 5K)
INFANT
School photos, Monday 4 October
The school photographer will be visiting on Monday 4 October to take individual photographs of the children so please remember smart school uniform that day.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club runs Monday to Friday in the school hall and no booking is required. The first session starts at 8.00am (£5 including a healthy breakfast). We also offer an early drop-off from 8.20am (£2 not including breakfast.
Menu for week beginning Monday 20 September
Mon: Chicken Korma with Basmati Rice or Macaroni Cheese; Apple & Cinnamon Cake with Custard Sauce
Tues: Pork or Vegetarian Sausages, Mashed Potato & Gravy; Fruity Flapjack & Apple Wedges
Weds: Roast Gammon or Root Vegetable Wellington, Roast Potatoes & Gravy; Red Velvet Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Sauce
Thurs: Beef Ragu Pasta Bake or Root Vegetable Pasta Bake, Garlic Bread; Vanilla Ice Cream with Peaches
Fri: Fish Fingers or Vegetarian Nuggets, Chips; Berry & Lemon Cupcake
Also available daily: Filled Jacket Potato, Homemade Soup, Freshly Baked Bread, Selection of Seasonal Vegetables/Salad
JUNIOR
Dates For the Diary
Tuesday 21 September – Year 3 and 6 – Buddy Walk to the Chantries
Tuesday 21 September – HongKong families coffee morning 11am
Wednesday 22nd September – Parent Volunteer Training at HT 9:15am
Friday 24 September – Mcmillian Coffee Morning at HT – staggered time slots for each year group please see whole school notice for details.
Lunch - Week 1 menu commencing 20 September
Sports News - School fixtures are back!
School sports fixtures are starting again next week, kicking off with some Y6 netball matches and a cross country race at St Joseph's school. As it's been a while since we have arranged these events, I thought it would be helpful to run through how they are organised.
Laura Sutton sends a consent form on Parent Mail to the parents or carers of those children who have been invited to an event. One of the questions asks for help with transport to the event if it is not being held at Holy Trinity. We are always very grateful for help with transport to events, without it they simply could not go ahead. At the end of the fixture, children are collected by their parents or carers. If families arrange between them that children are going home together then please contact Laura beforehand to let her know.
Before setting off, the children and teacher meet inside the school, at the bottom of the ramp, before the double doors out to the playground. A register is taken, children are given kit and should always have a snack, a drink, appropriate footwear and some warm clothes with them if it's cold. As they are not returning to school, children should also take their school bags with them. If you are helping with lifts, then we ask you to meet us in the same area so the teacher can organise children into cars.
Laura puts the team lists up on the Sports noticeboard in the Y4 area. If your child is unsure if they are going to an event, they should always check the noticeboard or ask Laura.
Y6 Netball match v QE
Date: Wednesday 22nd September
Time: 3.30am - 4.30pm
Venue: Queen Eleanor's school, Queen Eleanor's Rd, GU2 7SD
Teacher: JJ
Y5 & Y6 Cross Country race at St Josephs
Date: Thursday 23rd September
Time: 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue: St. Joseph’s Primary School, Aldershot Rd, Guildford, GU2 8YH
Everyone meets and collects at Rydes Hill Common, which is approximately 400 metres from the school up Rydes Hill Road. There is a bus lay-by at the top of Rydes Hill Road, which marks the entrance to the Common. Parking is available on Rydes Hill Road, Byrefield Road & Belmont Avenue. Look out for marshals who will direct you up the hill. There is no parking at St. Joseph’s.
Teacher: Nick & Laura
FOPS
Hi all, firstly a huge thank you to everyone who has helped sort out all the pre-loved uniform this week. We really appreciate it! We will be having our first uniform sale at the Welcome Back Coffee Morning on Saturday 25th and will also organise a playground sale soon.
AGM – Tuesday 21st September
The FOPS AGM will be held on Tuesday 21st at 8pm on Zoom. Joining details will be sent on Monday. We will be reviewing the past year’s activities, signing off the accounts and voting in this year’s committee. Please join us if you can.
Welcome Back Coffee Morning – Saturday 25th September (10am-11.30am)
This is our first in-person fundraising event for a while and we’re so excited at the amount of interest shown so far. Please bring cash for coffee, pastries and crafts – there will be a float so don’t worry about having change! If you have a reusable coffee cup then please do bring that too. Please register your attendance here (include kids in the numbers): https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/547002537894272026/false#/invitation And if you can help with set up, serving, or tidy up then please sign up here: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/374012696038/false#/invitation
PTA meeting – 29th September
Our first PTA meeting will be on Wednesday 29th September, 8pm at Rogues Bar. All are welcome to come along, meet the PTA and talk about any fundraising ideas for the months ahead.
Class reps
There has been an update to the class reps list since last week. Please see reps below: Willow: Joanna and Jenna Hazel: Louise and Jenni Oak: Jo-Jo and Sally Beech: Catherine and Liz Walnut: Moriam and Matt Chestnut: Kelly and Caroline
That’s all for now! Happy weekend, Kate
HTSC News
Hello Everyone!
Thank you for scrolling down….
Class Reps
Some classes have been super organised and already have volunteers for class reps. Class reps act as a liaison between the teacher and the parents of their class, to help HTSC with events at school (organising volunteers), attending HTSC committee meetings (3 per year) organising class/year group social events and of course gifts for teachers at Christmas/end of the school year. If you would like to be a class rep, or need more information please email helen@thomasday.co.uk – 2 per class is ideal.
Here are the reps for this year so far that I know of and the classes that need volunteers:
| Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
| 3A |
4A - Emily |
5K - Laura |
6T |
| 3A |
4A - Hannah |
5K |
6T |
| 3C |
4N - Aidee |
5T |
6S |
| 3C |
4N |
5T |
6S |
| 3S |
4EL |
5J |
6D |
| 3S |
4EL |
5J |
6D |
| |
|
|
|
Year 6 Fundraising team
Aside from class reps, Year 6 needs additional parents/carers (2 per class minimum) to fundraise for the end of year swag for the children – a lovely yearbook full of memories of their time at HT, and a party! If you would like to get involved, please email helen@thomasday.co.uk for more details. All ideas welcome (historically we have run film nights, cake sales, lolly sales, stalls at the fairs run by the children/homemade Xmas cards).
So far we have the following volunteers:
6T - Lou & Kim
6S - Jenny
6D -
Bonfire Night – Friday 5th November
A heads up that we are planning to come back with a ‘bang’ this year with our annual bonfire night fiesta. This is our first all school event on the grounds since 2019. Please pencil Friday 5th November into your diaries. More details to follow in a few weeks, and how you can help to make it a fun packed evening.
Classlist is coming….
We will be moving to an app for communicating the school community events and news. More details will be sent as a Parentmail.
Easyfundraising
If you are shopping online, one way to support the school is through www.easyfundraising.co.uk and selecting HTSC Holy Trinity School Community as your cause. Over 4000 retailers are affiliated, and every purchase makes a difference.
AGM – date TBC
We have to complete some requirements as a registered charity, the main one is coming up this term which is our AGM. This will probably take place over zoom – more details will follow.
Have a good weekend!
Helen
HTSC Chair
Holy Trinity Boys' Choir • Open Rehearsal
Thursday 30th September • 6:30 - 7:30pm • Holy Trinity Church
We are looking for new members aged between 6 and 13 who have a love of singing. To find out more, see www.htsmguildford.org/music or contact Martin Holford, Director of Music directorofmusic@holytrinityguildford.co.uk.