This week we start our newsletter with these messages from the PTFA - please support the Summer Fair in any way you can!

Friends of Victoria Park Primary School

Save the date: the PTFA Summer Fair will take place on Sat 9 Jul from 12:00-2pm.

Volunteer Slots – we need loads of volunteers to make the fair a success – even if you can only spare an hour, we’d be really grateful. Sign up to volunteer on our website!

Non-Uniform Day and Jolly Jars - On Wed 29 Jun we’re holding a non-uniform day in support of the Summer Fair. We’re asking each child to bring in £1 or donate a “Jolly Jar” which we’ll sell at the Summer Fair. For the uninitiated, Jolly Jars are brightly decorated jam jars containing stickers, sweets, puzzles and small toys. They’re great fun to make and are always super popular! Drop-off your jolly jars / cash donations in the middle playground.

Advanced Notice - On Fri 8 July we’ll be collecting…

• Bottle donations (beer, wine, cider, spirits, mixers, etc.)
• Donations of Cake

…you can drop off your donations at our collection point in the middle playground.

Raffle Prizes – we’ve got some amazing raffle prizes, but there’s always room for more! If your business would be able to donate or sponsor a raffle prize, please e-mail Jane and Claudia at vppsraffle@gmail.com.

PTFA Committee Changes and AGM

We'll be appointing a new Chair and a new Treasurer at our AGM (7:30-8:30pm on Thurs 23 Jun in the community room in the middle playground). If we can’t fill these positions the PTFA will fold – that could mean the end of “Play in a week” for Yr3 & Yr4, and would throw VPPS participation in the Lantern Parade into doubt – just two of the many, many enrichment activities that the PTFA funds each year.

If you’d like to stand for election, or you’d like to know more about what’s involved please contact victoriapark.ptfa@gmail.com. Perhaps you and a couple of friends could stand for election together?

Butterfly Release

This week, parents and carers of children in Cherry Class and Willow Class were treated to a retelling of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" before the children released their very own butterflies into the wild. Children in Reception have been learning about life cycles, and have watched caterpillars munching leaves, building a cocoon and emerging transformed!

Refugee Week 2022

Next week is Refugee Week 2022. We will be exploring this year's theme of "Healing" in our whole school values assembly on Monday, and phase assemblies later in the week. If you would like more information about Refugee Week, please click here to be taken to the Refugee Week website.  On Tuesday next week, Redcatch Community Garden are hosting a free event called "Healing Through Community" from 3:30pm. Click on the flyer below for more details.

Book of the Week

Ahead of Refugee week (next week), this week’s book recommendation is Azzi In Between by Sarah Garland. Sarah Garland uses a comic strip format to tell the story of Azzi who has to flee her own country with her parents, leaving her grandmother behind, and settle as a refugee in a new country. At school she shares her knowledge of growing beans by planting and harvesting some brought from her home country and this helps her to grow into her new life. 

Year 6 Leavers' Hoodies

We have now placed the order for year six leavers hoodies, but have not quite reached our target for them. A reminder for anyone who is able to donate but has not yet managed to, they can still do so, either in cash (which does avoid gofundme platform fees) or at https://gofund.me/1a695790

Cash donations can be given to Eirlys Fernihough (Charlie’s mum). 

Many Thanks!

Cricket News

The Year 6 cricket team have enjoyed playing two weeks of 'Dynamo Cricket' against other local primary schools. In week 1, they battled hard and showed Victoria Park resilience and determination but narrowly lost both matches. However, in week 2 they changed tactics, and demonstrated improved communication and skills which resulted in two outstanding wins. Thank you to the captains Oscar and Leon for organising, motivating and leading the team. The 'most improved player' award goes to Weiland who showed that practice really does make perfect. Well done to every team member - we're looking forward to the final week.

Upcoming Dates

Here is a reminder of some important dates coming up:

• Monday 4th July - Victorian dress-up day - remember, if you don't want to dress up, it's fine to wear normal school uniform. Why not add a waistcoast, cap, pinafore or bonnet?
• Friday 8th July - Open Museum - also as part of our week celebrating 125 years of Victoria Park Schools, you are invited to come and view our museum of what we have learned. This will be open from 2pm.
• Saturday 9th July - Summer Fayre - from 12 noon to 2pm.
• Tuesday 12th July - Sports Day for Reception (9.30am - 10.30am), Years 2 and 4 (10.30am - 11.30am), Year 1 and 3 (1.40pm - 2.40pm).
• Thursday 14th July - Sports Day for Years 5 and 6 (9.30am - 11.30am).
• Friday 15th July - Summer Sing - please come to the playground at 2pm to hear a selection of our favourite songs from the year.

Self-Care Summer

The summer holidays offer an opportunity to recharge, but some young people may find themselves struggling without the structure and support network of school. Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families have created these #SelfCareSummer packs for primary and secondary schools. These packs feature a range of creative activities based on self-care strategies that other young people have found useful in helping them stay mentally healthy.

Other information

For details of the Summer 2022 Holiday Club at Redcatch Community Garden, click on the flyer below:

If you are able to spend some time to help with academic research about family mealtime experiences please click here to take an online survey for the chance to win one of three £50 Amazon vouchers.

Click the document below for details of free School Nurse Webinars for parents and carers:

You will be pleased to learn that our ovens have been fixed and the school meal menu will return to normal next week. Thank you for your patience! We hope you have a lovely weekend.