This is our final newsletter of the year, and it feels right to celebrate all of your children's learning and achievements from this year with their end-of-year school report, which will also be with you today. We hope you will take the time to read and enjoy the report together and celebrate the many successes each one represents. After so much time apart, we have felt a strong sense of community this week, from our school museum last Friday, the PTFA Summer Fayre last Saturday, all of our sports days this week (some photos to enjoy below) and finally our Big Summer Sing to round off the week. It feels great to return to so many events which have not been possible over recent years. We are already looking forward to next year, but not before a well-deserved and hard-earned summer break!

Sports Days

In the end, the weather for our sports days was perfect. Not too hot, plenty of sun, and a little bit of cloud cover as well. It was so lovely to be back celebrating sports day with the whole school across two action packed days. The last minute change of location to Victoria Park provided the perfect setting to bring the community together for throwing, running, cheering and above all enjoyment. Our thanks go to Mr Kellow and Mrs Casling for their excellent organisation, to Mark Burge for helping set up and put down various gazebos, to Dylan and Lucy for running events on Thursday and a special mention goes to our Year 6 helpers - Micah, Tom, Suleyman, Rupert, Maia, May, Eve and Jemima - for demonstrating and modelling the school values to their younger friends on Tuesday. Well done to all the children from Reception through to Year 6 who showed determination, kindness and respect in each of their events.

Heat Wave 

As you are no doubt aware, we are anticipating some extreme weather over the weekend and early next week, with temperatures expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday.

What you can do to help:

• On Monday and Tuesday next week, normal school uniform is not required. Please send children into school wearing loose comfortable clothing, including shorts, t-shirts, dresses, etc. Children will not need jumpers or cardigans. Sandals may be worn, but these should have a strap across the back. (Sliders, crocs, or other footwear which slips off easily is not safe enough for school.)
• Children should bring a refillable water bottle. Please do not send squash.
• Please apply suncream in the morning and provide children with sun hats. Children may bring suncream into school with them if it is labelled with their name and you are happy for them to apply it to themselves.

What we will do to help:

• We will encourage children to stay hydrated by drinking water regularly.
• Children will go outside during morning break only if it is cool enough, and will be encouraged to stay in the shade. We will stagger our morning breaks so there are fewer children outside, and therefore more shade is available.
• We will stay indoors over lunch break, to avoid the direct sunlight.
• We will do our best to keep classrooms as cool as possible and well ventilated.

Eve's a Winner!

Congratulations to Eve in Year 6 who entered the Dick King-Smith 100 competition, a writing competition for children. She wrote a great story and (against stiff competition) was the overall winner. Eve not only wins a signed copy of Ambrose Follows His Nose by Dick King-Smith & Josie Rogers, but the winner's prize also consisted of a parcel of Dick King-Smith books for our school library. Congratulations (and thank you)!

Library books

Please return all borrowed books to the school library before the end of the school year. The library will be open as usual next week.

Friends of Victoria Park Primary School

On behalf of the PTFA committee, I just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who helped make the Summer Fayre such a success.

From planning the event, to designing posters, creating signs, arranging bouncy castles, donating jolly jars, laying-out tables, organising food, encouraging volunteers, fetching and carrying supplies, singing, playing, counting money, donating cakes and bottles, setting up and packing away, and coming along and enjoying the fayre. Whatever you did and however you contributed - thank you!!

We’re still totting up the final totals but it looks like the Fayre raised more than £2,000, which brings the grand total raised this year to nearly £9,500!! Thank you everyone!

I’d like to close by wishing next year’s committee the very best of luck – the PTFA is in great hands and I know they’re already planning an exciting programme of events and fundraisers for next year!

David (Outgoing Chair of the PTFA)

Macmillan Fundraiser

One of our school parents, Catherine Bell, will be having her head shaved to raise money for Macmillan whilst supporting her friend undergoing chemotherapy for terminal cancer. This will be filmed and posted online soon! If you would like to support this fundraiser, please click this link to be taken to Catherine's Just Giving page.

Holidays and children with SEND

If you are looking for something to do over the holidays, as well as a bit of respite, the links below offer a range of activities and places to look for activities for pupils with SEND and their parents. Most are free!
http://facefilton.org.uk/our-work/bristol-autism-project/

http://www.khaas.co.uk/

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/social-care-health/disabled-children-s-services

Holiday Hub

Families can now find free and paid for school holiday activities via the new Your Holiday Hub (YHH) website:  https://www.yourholidayhubbristol.co.uk/
The popular YHH programme is returning this summer offering children and young people hundreds of free, fun activities across Bristol over the six-week summer holiday. The new website means families can now search for school holiday activities - including free YHH places for children on free school meals (FSM) as well as paid for activities and clubs. YHH activities include cookery classes, sports, drama and learning about wildlife and the environment, and each four-hour holiday activity also includes a nutritious meal and food education.

Children are in school for three days next week and their last day will be Wednesday 20th July. After the summer holidays children return to school on Monday 5th September. We hope you have a splendid summer holiday!