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Barlaston First School
Weekly Newsletter
Let your light shine through family, friendship and faith
“Enabling our whole school community to flourish and let their light shine, preparing them for their role as gentle and humble agents for change in the world we share.”
Mrs Barlow
Next Friday Mrs Barlow leaves us after 24 years at Barlaston to begin a very well earned retirement. Mrs Barlow has seen many changes in her time with us and been a wonderful servant of our school. She will be greatly missed. We hope that she will keep in touch and pop in to see us now and again, but in the meantime everyone at school wishes Mrs Barlow all the very best for a long and happy retirement.
Maternity Leave
At the end of next week both Miss Gill and Miss Soanes leave us to begin their maternity leave. We wish them both well for a very happy, exciting and busy new year, and we look forward to meeting the new arrivals.
Miss Leese will return to school from her maternity leave on 6th January and we very much look forward to welcoming her back. As Miss Leese returns Miss Brough will leave us to take up a new role in January. A big thank you to Miss Brough for all of her work in Early Years and helping in our wraparound provision. We wish her every success for the future.
Christmas Dinner Day Wednesday 18th December
Christmas dinner is on Wednesday of next week. If your child would like a Christmas Dinner please order on the Dolce Site as usual. This needs to be done by 3pm today.
Christmas Parties – Date Change
Christmas Parties will now take place on Christmas Dinner Day (Wednesday 18th). It will be a non-uniform day. Come dressed in party clothes, but with footwear suitable for cold wet playtimes!
Thursday 19th will remain a non-uniform day so both Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th are now full non-uniform days.
Performances
We enjoyed some fantastic performances this week from both our Early Years and our Key Stage 1 children. All of those who came to see them will agree just how amazing they all were. We thoroughly enjoyed every performance. Well done children!
Christmas Hampers
The Rainbow Christmas Hamper draw will take place in family worship today. Worship will begin early today at 2.30pm in order to ensure that we can finish by 3.15pm to allow time for home time routines and end of day dismissal as usual.
Dougie Mac Christmas Jumper Day
Everyone is looking great today with lots of colourful and festive jumpers on display. Thank you to all who made a donation to the Dougie Mac Hospice.
Theatre Trip Tuesday 17th December
We are all very much looking forward to the Three Musketeers on Tuesday of next week.
To ensure the trip can go ahead we are asking for a contribution of £15 per child. PTA and school will meet the cost of the transport. Please ensure you have completed the consent for your child to take part in the trip.
Christingle Service
Our Christingle Service will take place at 9am as usual on the last day of term. Please drop your child directly at church on Friday (20th) between 8.45am and 8.55am. We will walk breakfast club down from school.
Break for Christmas
We break for Christmas next Friday and return to school in the new year on Monday 6th January.
Parking
I appreciate that there is no crossing patrol when there are events on at school in the evening but the Crescent was clearly dangerous before and after the performances last night with children and vehicles mixing in close proximity in a very tight space. I am genuinely concerned that recent near misses are very soon going to turn into something much worse. I continue to discuss and explore potential solutions with the council and the police.
Please drive and park with extreme care and courtesy in the Crescent to show respect to our neighbours and, above all, keep our children safe.
Regards,
Mr J Gordon
Dates for the Diary 2024/25
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17 December |
School Theatre Trip – The 3 Musketeers |
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18 December |
School Christmas Dinner Day & Christmas Parties Non-uniform day – come ready to party! |
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19th December |
Non-uniform day |
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20 December |
Christingle Service in Church 9am |
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23 December – 3 January 2025 Christmas Break |
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6 January |
School Opens for the Spring Term |
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10 February |
Disco Years 2, 3 and 4 |
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11 February |
Disco Early Years and Year 1 4.30pm – 6pm |
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11 February |
Safer Internet Day |
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17-21 February Half Term |
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26 February |
Parents Evening |
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27 February |
Parents Evening |
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28 February |
Records of Achievement 9am – 10am |
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6 March |
World Book Day |
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11 April |
Easter Service in Church |
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2 May |
Staff Development Day – School Closed to Children |
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5 May |
Spring Bank Holiday – School Closed |
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9 May |
Sports Day (1st Attempt) |
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14-16 May |
Year 4 Residential Standon Bowers |
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23 May |
Sports Day (Option 2 if necessary) |
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26-30 May Half Term |
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13 June |
Sports Day (Option 3 if necessary) |
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20 June |
Records of Achievement 9am – 10am |
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9 July |
Reports sent out |
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15 July |
Key Stage 2 Summer Performance 1.45pm |
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16 July |
Key Stage 2 Summer Performance 6.15pm |
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18 July |
End of Year Service in Church 9am |
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21 July |
Staff Development Day – School Closed to Children |
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22 July – 29 August 2025 Summer Break |
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1 September 2025 |
Staff Development Day – School Closed to Children |
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2 September 2025 |
Staff Development Day – School Closed to Children |
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3 September 2025 |
Autumn Term Starts |
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2024/25 School Term and Holiday Dates |
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Half Term |
28th October – 1st November |
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Staff Development Day School Closed to Children |
Monday 4th November |
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Christmas Break |
23rd December – 3rd January |
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Spring 2025 |
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School Opens |
Monday 6th January 2025 |
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Half Term |
17th- 21st February 2025 |
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Easter Break |
14th – 25th April 2025 |
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Summer 2025 |
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School Opens |
Monday 28th April 2025 |
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Staff Development Day (School Closed to Children) |
Friday 2nd May 2025 |
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May Bank Holiday |
Monday 5th May 2025 |
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Half Term |
26th – 30th May 2025 |
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Last Day of Summer Term |
Friday 18th July 2025 |
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2025/26 School Term and Holiday Dates |
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Staff Development Day (School Closed to Children) |
1 September |
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Staff Development Day (School Closed to Children) |
2 September |
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Autumn Term Begins |
3 September |
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Half Term |
27th – 31st October 2025 |
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Staff Development Day School Closed to Children |
3rd November Monday 3rd November 2025 |
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Christmas Break |
22nd December – 2nd January 2026 |
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Spring 2026 |
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School Opens |
Monday 5th January 2026 |
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Half Term |
16th- 20st February 2026 |
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Easter Break |
30th March – 10th April 2026 |
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Summer 2026 |
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School Opens |
Monday 13th April 2026 |
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May Bank Holiday |
Monday 5th May 2026 |
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Half Term |
25th – 29th May 2026 |
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Last Day of Summer Term |
Friday 17th July 2026 |