Spring Term Newsletter - 1
11 January 2010

Welcome back after a very disrupted end to the autumn term and start to this one. We are very much looking forward to getting back to normal at last!

Many thanks to everyone who helped to clear the paths and driveways this morning (including Mrs Williams’ and Mrs Underwood’s’ husbands!). Special thanks to Mr Stenning, who has done a fantastic job of looking after the school during the long spell of bad weather, and to Mrs Ritchie who has been our contact person each morning we needed to close.
Our new text-messaging service has already proven invaluable, enabling us to keep you well informed about school closures etc. Please ensure you let us know of any changes to mobile phone numbers, and of course any other contact details.

We ended the Autumn term in true Albourne style, with lots of very successful and enjoyable Christmas events. Our nativity was delightful, our choir performed beautifully at a number of events, and our Christmas Hat Lunch was very successful, being the first year staff and children were able to share a traditional Christmas lunch together. Yet again, we had a tremendous response to our Kasisi appeal. The gifts arrived in Africa on Christmas Eve, and were very gratefully received.

The PTA raised over £1600 at the Christmas Fair. We are very grateful to the committee and to everyone who helped on the day. Well done also to everyone who supported our fund raising events last term. We raised £58.89 for the Poppy Appeal and £248.40 for Children in Need.

Well done to the group of Year 5 and 6 who took part in the Burgess Hill Area Cross Country Trials. Representatives from 12 primary schools ran a very muddy 1500 metres, with 2 boys and 2 girls from our school coming in the top 20 and going through to the Sussex finals in January.

Snow clearing in progress

We are very pleased to welcome four new pupils to our school this term, in Reception and Year 6. We hope they will all be very happy at Albourne, and look forward to another busy and productive term.

Mrs McNay is unfortunately unwell at the moment and will be away from school for the next few days. Mrs Williams is, of course, in constant communication with her.

Whilst the weather is so bad we are happy for pupils not to wear uniform, and instead to wear any suitable clothing to keep them warm. All children should have a coat, gloves, hat etc and a change of footwear. We would expect them all to be back in their usual smart uniform next week.

Please also note there will be no clubs this week.