Topic for the Term

This half-term our topic is:

Why is Water Important?

We will be covering mini topics throughout the term such as under the sea, how to keep hydrated and why water is important to our bodies. The children will be making coloured ice cubes and exploring the textures of jelly from the granules to a liquid and then watch it form into a solid. We will have a science week about floating and sinking and end the term with a dinosaur and ice age week, and we will have a special visitor coming into school!

We hope the sun will be shining most days to allow us to explore our water tray in the garden.

You can see more detail in our first half-term topic tree here.

Health & Wellbeing

For all absences, please complete the absence request form via the Parent Portal. Please see the guide here on how to request an absence for your child.

Please ensure your child is well enough to attend school each day. If they’ve required Calpol in the morning, they aren’t well enough for school, so please don’t send them in. If in any doubt, please contact Matron to discuss your concerns.

If your child will need any prescribed or over-the-counter medication administered during the school day, please complete the following form here. No medication can be administered without this form.

This term we will be focusing on how to recognise and deal with emotions, and developing confidence in our own abilities. There will be special stories and activities within the time table to help the children express their emotions and to encourage understanding of the importance of physical exercise, healthy diet, family relationships, and recognition of how people in our communities are helping us.

Honey Pot Routine

A reminder children may be brought to the Honey Pot between 8:20am – 9:00am for registration. Children arriving earlier should please be booked in for breakfast from 7:30am or join our Early Birds in the Pre-Prep Hall from 8:00am.

As part of the changes to the nursery timings, we have introduced new options for the morning session. Parents have the flexibility to choose whether to collect their child before lunch, at 12:00pm, or to have them stay for lunch and be collected at 12:30pm.

If you are collecting your child at midday before lunch, we ask that you collect your child from the Beehive in the Pre-Prep building. The Honey Pot children staying for lunch will join the Beehive children to eat in the Pre-Prep Hall before returning to the Honey Pot for collection at 12:30pm.

The afternoon session will now begin at 12:00pm and continue until 3:30pm. Children attending just afternoon sessions, and arriving at 12:00pm, will not be served lunch.

The afternoon session finishes at 3:30pm, please wait at the Honey Pot front door and we will bring your child and their belongings to you.

If you’d like your child to join us for breakfast, or stay beyond 3:30pm, please contact extendedday@pennthorpe.com to arrange this.

Transition Activities

It is really beneficial for the children moving up to Beehive in September to get to know the Beehive staff and learning environment this term. Therefore, we will be ensuring that each child takes part in activities and spends time in the Beehive this term, to make the transition, when it comes, as smooth as possible.

Tuesday 25th June will be our Moving Up Day, where all the children moving in to Beehive, will spend the morning in the Beehive setting. That evening we will also be hosting a ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening, where parents are invited to come in to school to find out more about day-to-day life in Beehive, and get to know the Beehive team. More information will follow.

Dates for your Diary

As well as your pocket-sized diary, parents can also view the Summer Term calendar via the website and Parent Portal.

Please do have a look through and pop important dates in your diary.  Of course, sometimes plans need to be updated, and so any changes will be updated on our electronic calendar and communicated to you as soon as possible.

The key events for our Honey Pot parents include:

  • On Monday 20th May the Pre-Prep children will celebrate ‘Dinosaur Day’.
  • The Honey Pot & Beehive children will be teaming up for a Teddy Bears’ Picnic on Tuesday 21st May.
  • Sports Day followed by our Pennthorpe Family Summer Social will be taking place on Friday 24th May.
  • The Honey Pot and Beehive Showcase & Celebration Huddle will be held on Friday 21st June.
  • Tuesday 25th June is our ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening, an opportunity to meet key staff for the next academic year.
  • Music for a Summer’s Evening on Thursday 27th June.
  • The children are invited to dress up for our Whole School ‘Be You’ Dress Up Day on Friday 28th June to celebrate PSHEE & Diversity Spotlight Week.
  • Save the date for our Pennthorpe Golf Day on Sunday 30th June.
  • Monday 8th July is Prizegiving for children in Honey Pot, Beehive and Reception.
  • Wednesday 10th July is the end of term with school finishing for Honey Pot at 11:40am.

FoP events

Our brilliant Friends of Pennthorpe, as always, will be doing lots to support our school and community this term. Key things for you to watch out for include:

  • Bags of Support collections on Friday 26th April and Friday 14th June.
  • The Summer Term Friends of Pennthorpe meeting is scheduled for Thursday 2nd May at 8:30am. Everyone is welcome to attend to help develop upcoming FoP plans.
  • After school Ice Cream Sale on Friday 17th May.
  • The Friends of Pennthorpe Father’s Day Shop will open its doors on Wednesday 12th June.
  • The Friends of Pennthorpe AGM will be held on Tuesday 18th June.
  • Friends of Pennthorpe Second Hand Uniform Shop & Blueblood Sports Pop Up Shop on Tuesday 25th June.

Uniform

Honey Pot uniform remains much the same in the Summer Term, a Pennthorpe sweatshirt, polo shirt, jogging bottoms or shorts. We ask that the children wear white socks and black shoes. Please also ensure that your child has a named pair of wellies, waterproofs, and a play coat in school at all times.

Please make sure your child has a sun hat and sun cream in school during the Summer Term, as the weather gets warmer. Please also apply sun cream before the children come to school as we will be outside as much as possible. We cannot provide sun cream in school so it is essential that children bring this in themselves.

The children should also have spare clothes in school, including pants and socks, as there will be lots of opportunities for the children to get messy! These can be kept in a drawstring bag on your child’s peg. Please name everything clearly!

Any nappies and wipes that the children need should be stored in their cubby hole.

If you have any uniform requirements, please place an order via our website here. You can also book an appointment at the Uniform Shop by contacting uniform@pennthorpe.com or drop in during the times below:

  • Monday 8:30am – 9:30am
  • Tuesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
  • Wednesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
  • Thursday CLOSED
  • Friday 8:30am – 9:30am

Car park

Please do not park in the drop-off lanes at the front of school if you are coming past the gates to drop your child into school, or collect them from outside of the Honey Pot. These lanes are intended for dropping-off only!

Instead, please park up in the car park, or find a safe place to park on the neighbouring roads (being considerate of our neighbours, especially with regards parking near to junctions or driveways).

Mrs Jackson is available at the start of the day to help children to walk from the front of school down to the Pre-Prep independently of parents. Please do use this option if you are in a rush and need to drop your child and leave. Mrs Jackson always has some ‘Independent Iggy’ stickers to reward children for being grown up and independent 🙂