The White House School Newsletter Spring Term 2020

A belated welcome to Spring 2020

One of the great things about The White House School is that there is always something exciting going on. Our Christmas celebrations this year were outstanding, and the children performed wonderfully in their Nativity Play, Sleeping Beauty (Drama Club), the school Carol Service in St. Alkmund’s, Advent and Christmas Assemblies and seven (yes, SEVEN!) lots of carol singing in local care homes and the community. The children are to be commended for their commitment and enthusiasm.

The start of this term was very busy for me, personally, so I would like to apologise for the late arrival of this newsletter, and, belatedly, I would like to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. This term, as ever, we are engaged in several interesting projects, some familiar, some new. Our now annual Eisteddfod, WHartS ‘n’ All, is now underway, with categories for Music, Art, Poetry and Storytelling. The entrants have been rehearsing and performing, and we are looking forward to the finals before the end of term. We had a wonderfully enjoyable and productive Wellbeing morning and special events to mark Safer Internet Day. The older children are also practising hard for their entry into the national French pop song competition, organised by the Institut français. In addition to all this, The White House has written a special song for Fairtrade Fortnight, which we have shared with other local schools and are hoping will become a great Whitchurch ‘hit’. Our children achieve great things, but I am aware that sometimes they worry unduly, particularly if they do not realise perfection at their first attempts at activities or even classwork. There can then be a tendency to give up and to retreat inwards, or to rely on adults to sort everything out. Resilience, perseverance and determination are vital attributes if our children are to be prepared for life beyond primary school. Mistakes are learning tools, and learning from them makes us stronger human beings. As Henry Ford famously said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Thomas Edison, the inventor, made 1000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Once a reporter asked... "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied..."I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." In our own time, Sir James Dyson spent 15 years creating 5,126 versions of his vacuum cleaner that failed before he made one that worked. Dyson is a firm believer in failure as means of making future progress. As teachers and as parents, we need to encourage the children’s ability to bounce back from setbacks, to actively look for ways to solve problems, to tackle difficulties bravely, to take personal responsibility for actions and to find contentment in small as well as big achievements. Our children will then be able to approach the world with confidence and positivity. With very best wishes, Helen Clarke

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” J.B. Priestley (1894-1984)

Welcome to everyone who has started at The White House this term, or part of the way through last term.

Kindergarten: Ivy, Hamer, Hester Class 2: Molly

The White House School Open Morning

Saturday 21st March, from 9.00 a.m. – 12 noon

Work will be on display in all classrooms and there will be demonstrations of both curricular and extra-curricular activities.

I would like specifically to invite the parents of Lower School children to attend and to see the work of

(and opportunities on offer to) the older children.

Obviously, in order to demonstrate the countless skills and talents at The White House, we will need the help of many of the children. As happens each year, most of the older children will be required to attend school on the Saturday morning to take part in a range of performances, activities and demonstrations,

and to show visitors around. School will, therefore, be CLOSED on Friday, 20th March to compensate for this.

This day also allows staff to prepare for the Open Morning,

as is common practice in many other schools.

White House School Assemblies Our Topics this Term are:

Winter Express Yourself Equality Chinese New Year Randolph Caldecott Online Safety Leap Year Fairtrade Communication Mothers Easter

Many congratulations to…… Nancy (C6), for passing Grade 2 Guitar (ABRSM) Olly (C6), for passing Grade 4 Piano with Merit (ABRSM) Owen (C6) for achieving Level 1 Rock Guitar Performance (London College of Music)

If I have missed anyone, please accept my apologies.

Staff News As you are already aware, Mrs. Barlow will begin her Maternity Leave on 2nd March. We wish her health and happiness as she awaits the birth of her baby. We are very excited, however, that Mrs. Marlow is on hand to cover Class 2. The timetable will have to be tweaked a little after Half-Term, and there is a possibility that Miss Stubbs may have to take on one or two science lessons, to allow Mrs Marlow some flexibility. Miss Stubbs is more than qualified for this, having taught Biology for many years before joining The White House!

I would like to thank all those parents who helped with our many, many carol singing visits and with all the other matches, trips and events that took place during last term. We really couldn’t do so many exciting things without you!

The role of WHSPA is crucial to the completeness of our school and to its ‘family’ feeling and atmosphere. I would especially like to thank Mrs Charman and Mrs Senior, at this juncture, who have worked so hard for WHSPA over the years, with dedication, creativity and professionalism. They have headed up a loyal and hard-working team, whose efforts have been productive and much valued. I welcome Mrs Weaver and Ms Wilson as they take over the reins at WHSPA, and wish them every success in their new roles.

Safer Internet Day 2020 was celebrated

globally on Tuesday 11th February.

The White House

School supports Safer Internet Day, and we

held special activities on 5th February.

On behalf of the staff, I would like to express my/our enormous thanks to so many of you, for your continuing help and support of the school, and for the huge kindness and generosity that so many of you show. This was particularly evident at Christmas, when members of staff received such lovely gifts and cards. I would personally like to thank Class 6 and other children who gave me some delightfully thoughtful gifts, all of which were hugely appreciated.

Charity begins at Home!

Thank you to everyone who has given so generously to charities so far this year, in money, in talent and in specific gifts.

Whitchurch Food Bank has benefitted greatly from your generosity this year. The Harvest collection was wonderful and then, in response to our special appeal, a huge amount of food and a mammoth pile of presents was donated before Christmas!

We raised £185 for the charity Show Racism the Red Card, which provides anti-racism education resources for schools.

Once again, we collected for The Royal British Legion in November, but we have not yet been notified of the total raised.

In November, we raised £200 for BBC Children in Need by holding a Non-Uniform Day.

The collection following our Carol Service and Nativity Play raised £335 for Hope House Children’s Hospice.

The Carol Service collection also raised £175 for St. Alkmund’s Church, here in Whitchurch.

£126 was raised for Save the Children on out last day of school before Christmas. We took part in Christmas Jumper Day and had a fabulous time!

At the start of this term, our colouring/drawing competition raised £108 ($210) for Australia Zoo, to support wildlife following the Australian bush fires.

Coronavirus Advice for all early years’ providers, schools and further education providers

The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad. The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However, we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China. Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-and-avian-flu-advice-for-travel-to-china Latest information and advice can also be found at: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Advice for parents/guardians You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus. There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal. We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above. HELP THEM GROW – Our Fairtrade Song for Whitchurch Whitchurch is our Fairtrade town, Fairtrade products all around. Fairly traded, fairly sold, farmers’ stories shared and told. Help them survive, help them to grow, help them to thrive and let us show That we all care, and we all share, and we are fair. Help them survive (and we care, and we share), Help them to grow (and we are fair), Help them to thrive (and we care, and we share), And let us show (and we are fair) Let us show that we care, that we share, that we’re fair – help them grow! Sharing stories, shout them loud. Sing of farmers, strong and proud. Sing of workers far away, longing for a fair day’s pay. Chocolate, coffee, sugar, tea - buy them fairly, then we’ll see Fairtrade farmers fairly paid, fairly treated, new lives made.

Why not get the children to sing

this to you?! They’re very good

at it!

Class 3 children were thinking about the importance of telling the truth, especially when something has gone wrong at home or in school. They have turned their ideas into a poem, which is worth sharing with everyone.

Never lie! At the end of the day

It won’t do you any good, It won’t get you anywhere.

Tell the truth!

Your problems will be solved. It will do you lots of good,

You’ll be believed everywhere.

Don’t cry wolf! Share your worries honestly. Never listen to the goblin, Always listen to the angel.

Lies bring you no peace,

Truth brings you happiness. Lies live in a cave full of lave,

Truth lives in a meadow full of flowers. Lies are like a dark and gloomy cloud, Truth is like opening a magical door. Lies are like a scary, stormy day,

Truth is like a brightly coloured rainbow.

Truth is brilliant!

Class 6 Entrance Exam results have started to come in this week. So far, the children have done extraordinarily well. Look out for the full results at

the start of next term!

WHS Events - Spring 2020

Tuesday 7th January Term begins.

Tuesday 14th January NSPCC Assemblies and workshops

Wednesday 22nd January U10s & U11s Netball fixture vs Shrewsbury High Prep/Prestfelde

Thursday 23rd January Classes 5 & 6 visit to Lady Lever Art Gallery

Wednesday 5th February Visit of Image Musical Theatre to perform ‘The Reluctant Dragon’.

Thursday 6th February Wellbeing Morning

Tuesday 11th February Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 11th February U11s Football fixture vs. Castle House [Away]

Thursday 13th February Parents’ Evening [Classes 1-6]

Friday 14th February Break up for Half Term.

Monday 24th February School reopens after Half Term. Fairtrade Fortnight begins

Wednesday 26th February U11s Netball Tournament at Prestfelde

Friday 28th February Classes 3 & 6 Geography/Science visit to Rease Heath

Thursday 5th March World Book Day

Tuesday 10th March Class 3 visit to Wroxeter Roman City

Tuesday 10th March U9s & U11s Football fixture vs Castle House (Home)

Friday 13th March WHartS ‘n’ All finals

Monday 16th March Classes 4 & 5 visit to Whitchurch Library for Shakespeare event

Tuesday 17th March Class 6 WW2 visit to Weston Park

Wednesday 18h March Cross Country at Kingsland Grange (selected children)

Thursday 19th March Year 4/5 Quiz at Abbey Gate College (selected children)

Friday 20th March SCHOOL CLOSED – See Open Morning information

Saturday 21st March Open Morning 9.00 a.m. – 12 noon

Tuesday 24th March U9s Football fixture vs Castle House

Thursday 26th March WHSPA Cake Sale

Thursday 26th March Spring Term Ends (3:30 p.m.)

Friday 27th March Staff PD Day

Monday 20th April Staff PD Day

Tuesday 21st April Summer Term begins

Check the website for other school and WHSPA events as they are organised. www.whitehouseshropshire.co.uk