NewtonPrep News

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:03:55 +0100

Friday, 05th December 2008 - Newton News

Festival of Carols
Please join us on Thursday 11 December at 5.30 p.m. for the Festival of Carols. This event was held for the first time last year and was judged to be great fun by all those families who attended. If it's a cold, dry night, we will gather in the front playground and sing traditional carols to the accompaniment of a brass band. The singing will be followed by mince pies, hot chocolate and mulled wine. In the event of wet weather, the Festival of Carols will take place in the auditorium and refreshments will be served in the dining room. The Festival, including time for refreshments, will probably last about an hour.
See you there! Wrap up warmly!
Christmas Fair
Good luck and many thanks to the PTA, especially Sam McDougall and Cheryl Jacobson, who have led the preparations for this year's Christmas Fair, which promises to be a great day.
Last Day of Term
Please note the arrangements for collection around midday on the last day of term, Friday 12 December. Nursery and Reception children should be collected from their rooms in the normal way from midday. Years 1 and 2 may be collected from the front playground from midday. Pupils in Year 3 and above will be dismissed from the front playground from 12.15.
All children should be collected by 12.30pm.
Pedestrian Access
Pedestrians, please exercise extreme caution if you choose to enter the front playground by the Lockington Road gate. Please walk along next to the main building where you will benefit from the protection of the large concrete planters (bearing in mind that I once saw one of those knocked over byf a 4x4 . . . ).
Newton News
This is the last edition of Newton News. Season's Greetings and a Happy Christmas to all our readers.
Nicholas Allen

Please remember that the latest copy of Newton News will always be on these pages, uploaded on a Friday, so please save the links as favourites to your computer!
www.newtonprep.com/school/news/our_news
www.newtonprep.com/school/news/newton_news

Year 6 Senior School Exams
Whether your child is or is not sitting exams for senior schools in January he or she will be surrounded by those who are.
The best thing parents can do in the run up to that time is to try to keep all the normal routines of the house going over the holiday and into the new year.
All children have had plenty of practice in exam technique in English maths and where appropriate, science. They have been or will be prepared for interviews and in the types of questions they will meet on their VR or non VR papers. Make sure you have bought the NFER or BOND practice 11+ papers available from Smiths and use 3 or 4 over the holiday to get them in the swing of timed papers. That, combined with lots of fresh air, exercise, family time, rest and relaxation for at least half the holiday is the best way to get children ready. By all means encourage your children in independent revision for a few hours on the remaining days. We look forward to seeing all our pupils back healthy and fit and raring to go having had a good break as well as time for work.

Art Department News
It is hard to believe that the end of term is once again upon us. As always it is an exciting and hectic time in the art department as the upper school children work frantically to complete their projects:
Year 8 are working to finish their Battersea Landscape project with the final touches being added to their canvas paintings. Meanwhile Year 7 children are trying to finish the decoration of their Bowls (a new venture this year). Year 6 are creating Impressionist style acrylic paintings to conclude the term’s landscape project. The Year 5 children are working hard in lunchtime and lessons to add the final decorations; wings, tails etc which will personalise their bird sculptures. After some light relief with the Harry Potter portraits Year 4 are back focused on their Giacometti sculptures and Year 3 finish the term creating Indian palaces.
Please continue to look at the website for examples of the wonderful artistic creations which are being produced in the art department. The children’s work can also be seen displayed around the school and we hope that you are enjoying this. Next week we will be taking some of these displays down, sending the work home and celebrating new creations. We will deliver all 2-D artwork to be taken home to form classes so please assist us and make sure your children take this art (not on display) home before the Christmas holiday. We would also like to invite all Year 6 children to collect and take home their fantastic bird sculptures – you can get them at any time before the end of the term.

Finally I would like to take this opportunity to say farewell to the Newton Community as my time in the art department ends and Jo Delafons is welcomed back in the new term. I have had a fantastic time teaching at Newton and need to thank you all for making this experience so enjoyable.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy 2009! Caroline Morten

PTA Theatre Group trip to STOMP at the Ambassador Theatre
Whether your taste in music is jazz, classical, dance or pop, you will love this wonderful production as it is about rhythm. The PTA theatre group is organising a Newton family outing on Monday 2nd February 2009. STOMP is an inventive, exhilarating, hilarious, infectious and totally unique show appealing to audiences of all ages. Eight performers use everything from matchboxes, wooden poles, garbage cans and even the kitchen sink to hammer out a feel good rhythm. If you would like to see STOMP, please sign up on the Senior Schools board which is located on the wall opposite the Bursary door. Jill Aisher

ISI Inspection
At the School council meeting that I attended last week the results of the ISI inspection were discussed in some detail. Dr Walji has asked me to pass on to all parents the council's appreciation of all the support that the parents have given to the school and the assistance given to the Inspectors during the course of the inspection, which have contributed to the very complimentary feedback that the school has received.

Zac Barratt, PTA Chair

The Newton Prep Christmas card is nearly ready
The Newton Prep Christmas card is due to arrive on Friday 5th December and will be available for pick up at the Christmas Fair on Saturday or from school on Monday or convenient days after that.
If you have not purchased any cards yet, it is not too late. They will be available at the Fair and can still be ordered from Lucy Lynch by the following methods:
1. Simply e-mail Lucy at lucy@lynchconsulting.co.uk with your order and then pay at hand over or drop a cheque in the box (see below).
OR
2. Complete the order form below and return it, together with a cheque for the correct amount, in a sealed envelope marked ‘Card Order’ to the PTA Christmas Card box at Reception.
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I would like to order _______ pack(s) of 10 Christmas cards at £5.00 per pack
I would like to order 10 packs of Christmas cards (100 cards) for £45.00
I would like to order 15 packs of Christmas cards (150 cards) for £65.00
I enclose a cheque payable to Newton Prep PTA for £ ________
Any order big, or small is most welcome as all funds raised go to the Newton Prep Scholarship Fund.

Bike it but please BIKE SAFE
Cycling on the Pavement
Sergeant Ian Bosher from Wandsworth Police has been able to answer a query we have had regarding cycling on the Pavement. The Official Answer is Cyclists of any age CANNOT cycle on the pavement. But a practical answer has been provided to us. Primary school children cycling on the pavement in a sensible fashion will not be pulled over by the police. The Sergeant said he personally would rather children were using the pavement to cycle to school for safety aspects in order to enjoy the health benefits of riding a bike.
It is great to see so many people turning to bicycles after our big virtual race. PLEASE do not cycle in the dark without lights and appropriate reflective strips.
Every day I see adults and children setting off on bikes with no lights. This could quite simply be the last journey home you will make.
So please be safe when cycling!

The Christmas Raffle
If you haven’t sent back your raffle tickets and you want to buy them you need to do it before 3.30 at the Fair as the raffle is being drawn then. If you don’t buy tickets you can’t win the wonderful prizes!
And don’t forget our fantastic auction items!!! This year we have also been lucky to be given some fantastic items which we consider more appropriate to auction than raffle. Bidding will continue at the Fair until 4pm but if you’re not coming feel free to e mail Jill Whitehouse (jywhitehouse@yahoo.com) and she will write up your bids for you.
The items are:
1 Hobbs puffa jacket (emerald green size 8 RRP £149)
2 Chelsea champions cup winners 1971 shirt, photos signatures, etc. - all mounted
3 Private skin consultation with a dermatology consultant at London Bridge Hospital
4 Weekend in a 5 star rated cottage in Norfolk (date to be arranged and subject to prior bookings.) Sleeps 8 - go to www.norfolkcottages.co.uk for more information and enter 953 as the property ref.
5 Catered party for 30 people – substantial canapés and service of 3 staff (drinks not included) at any London home/venue any time between Jan and mid Nov 2009.
6 Georgio Armani evening clutch bag (red)
7 A week in a brand new beautifully appointed 2 bed apartment in Aosta Valley. Great summer or winter. Close to national park, biking, climbing, white water rafting etc, 2 mins from golf course. 1200m high. 10 mins from Aosts (fantastic Roman city) www.Terraalpina.com --under construction but will give you a good idea. Bidding will close at 4pm on Saturday 6 December.
NEXT WEEK’S MENU
Monday Lamb Hotpot or Cheese, Onion & Basil Quiche
Tuesday Beef in Bolognaise Sauce or Spinach & Cheese Pancakes
Wednesday Christmas Dinner: Roast Turkey, Roast Potatoes and Parsnips etc
Thursday Shepherds Pie or Quorn & Vegetable Bolognaise

Next Week’s Events
Mon 8 Dec
9.00-11.00 The Story Tent Visit by Alastair Daniel for Y2 in Multispace
10.10 PTA in assembly giving out Fair prizes
P 11.00 Nursery Play in Auditorium
P 4.30 – 7.30 Y7 & 8 Parents’ Evening in Multispace
Tues 9 Dec
10.10 US Excellence Assembly : Music Technology Club
1.30 Y1 Play to Lower School in Auditorium
Wed 10 Dec
9.00–12.50 OPRO Visit
10.10 Y1 Play to Upper School in Auditorium
12.00-3.30 Christmas Lunch and Lower School Christmas Party
P 3.30 - 5.30 Drama & performance show in auditorium
Thurs 11 Dec
Morning Interhouse Football and Netball
10.10 5AW Class Assembly
P 2.00 Y1 Play in Auditorium
P 5.30 – 7.30 A Festival of Carols
Fri 12 Dec
12.00–12.15 Lower School Term Ends (Dismissal for Y1 & 2 in Front Playground)
12.15-12.30 Upper School Term Ends (Dismissal from Front Playground)
1.00 Staff Christmas Lunch