This week, everyone at Victoria Park Primary School was treated to a very exciting visit from Andy Day (from Cbeebies and Andy and the Oddsocks), and his very special guest Naomi Wilkinson (from CBBC)! They sang a selection of songs by Andy and the Odd Socks to reach out to us ahead of next week's Odd Socks Day and Anti-Bullying Week. There was a real party atmosphere in the main hall and even Mr. Bailey joined the band for one tune.

Odd Socks Day - Monday 14th November

Next week, we will be thinking about Anti-Bullying Week in school. The theme this year is Reach Out.  We will be exploring with the children how they can Reach Out if they are affected by bullying themselves or if they are worried about another child. To kick start the week we will be joining other schools across the country by celebrating Odd Socks Day.  We invite everyone to wear odd socks to school on Monday - the crazier the better!

Children in Need - Friday 18th November

Next Friday, we will be raising money for Children in Need.  The school council have decided on 3 ways to help raise money.
1) We would love all the children to wear something spotty to school and make a donation.  This can be made online through The Gateway or your child can bring in cash on the day.
2) We will also be having a cake sale after school.  If you are able to make or donate cakes, please drop them off at the music room or the office in the morning.
3) Finally, we are going to try to fill a tube the height of Pudsey with 10p coins so if you have any you are able to donate, please send them in with your child on Friday.  

Basketball

This week, thirteen children from Years 5 & 6 took part in some friendly sessions of basketball organised by Ashton Park Sports Partnership. The aim of the first week was to improve, to have fun and (for some people) to try something new. They definitely achieved that with both teams enjoying some wins, some losses and a draw each. In one team, Captain Connor congratulated his team with a well done followed by some insightful feedback which included excellent defensive play by Hiba, skilful all-round work from Adif and a great improvement in each match and some sharp shooting by Asa. In the other team, Captain Jack noted that the team had also played really well with accurate passes from Ella, increasingly confident play from Anthony and skilful shooting from Shaza. The tournament starts properly next week, and we can't wait to get started. Go VPPS Basketball team - you did us proud.

Attendance and Punctuality Awards

Congratulations to our winning classes for term 1! Hawthorn Class have been awarded £30 in their class budget to spend on anything they like because they had the best attendance on Term 1. Next door in Ash class, there were no late pupils all term, so they win the £30 award for best punctuality.

Pokémon Cards

We do not allow children to bring their own toys into school. This is to look after and protect the toys from being lost or damaged, as well as to prevent disagreements between children about their desireable items.
In the same vein, we do not allow trading cards in school. These are particularly precious to some children because they are collectible. Disagreements about trading can be very upsetting for children.
Please do not allow your children to bring Pokémon cards into school.

School Library Opening

We are sorry that the school library is not currently open at the start of the school day. This is due to staff sickness. However, the library is open at the end of the school day. We hope to be back to normal soon.

From Bristol with Love

Please remember you can bring donations for the Ukraine Christmas Appeal into school before 18th November. These can be given to the office or class teachers, who will add them our collection point.

After School Childcare - Update

Thank you to those parents and carers who got in touch last term about the difficulty you experienced booking places at Moose. We work closely with Moose and have been in communication with them about the number of places on offer and their waiting lists.
We are pleased to let you know that Moose have now been able to expand the number of places available on a Monday, and that on the majority of other days there are currently some places available. We have also been informed that the number of places available has increased due to a new after school club provision at St Mary Redcliffe Primary School. This represents excellent progress, and while we have looked into the possibility of an "overflow" after school provision from a different provider here at Victoria Park Primary School, at the moment the information indicates that this is not required. If you are in need of after school club places, you can still contact Moose directly and check their availability. (We would urge you to do this even if it means putting your name on the waiting list, because this means the information we have about demand for places is accurate.)

Accessing Food During the Cost of Living Crisis

If you’re struggling to afford food at the moment, there are organisations and schemes across the city which can help you.  There are a number of foodbanks across Bristol for those who are eligible, with friendly volunteers available to talk about your needs and how they might be able to help:

• North Bristol and South Gloucestershire Foodbank https://nbsg.foodbank.org.uk/
• Bristol North West Foodbank and Homebank www.bristolnorthwestfoodbank.org.uk
• South and East Bristol Foodbank  https://eastbristol.foodbank.org.uk 

Visit the Too Good to Go website to find out how you can buy food from cafes, restaurants and shops at a reduced price, when it hasn't sold in time:

https://toogoodtogo.org/en
On the Olio website you can find people giving away free food to their community:
https://olioex.com/ 
After some top tips to help you save money on food?

• Plan your meals – buying food for the week helps to cut down on impulse buys
• If you can, buy food like rice and pasta in bulk – it is often much cheaper per 100g than smaller bags
• ‘Reduced to clear’ foods can help save money – but think about when/how you’ll eat them before you buy
• Buy what you need - buying loose fruit & veg can help you save money by buying only what you are going to eat

How to get cost of living support
The rising cost of living is impacting people across Bristol in different ways. To help support people most impacted, including those who have not faced financial challenge before, the council has a cost of living support webpage:

www.bristol.gov.uk/costofliving
It provides advice and guidance on topics including housing, benefits and financial help, employment and skills, mental health and wellbeing, and provides links to useful websites and community organisations. It also includes information on the city's network of Welcoming Spaces where people can meet up, socialise, keep warm and access support relating to the cost of living crisis. There are now 37 spaces open in the city. The Citizen Service Point, located at 100 Temple Street, BS1 6AG, is also on hand if you need help using the council’s services or need access to a computer. The opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm. The service is closed on bank holidays.
You can also call the We Are Bristol phone line on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.

After School Dinners at RCG on Mondays

Redcatch Community Garden are pleased to be offering a hot lunch after school on Mondays. Families can come straight after school, do some activities in the warm marquee and have a nice hot meal. This is funded by Bristol City Council as part of the Welcome Spaces for the cost of living crisis.

Planning is underway for this year's PTFA Winter Fayre which, for the first time, will be on a Friday after school. Please save the date of Friday 2nd December and look out for this weekend's PTFA newsletter in your inboxes. Have a lovely weekend!