I hope that you have had a good week and that you are enjoying the lovely weather that we are having at the moment.  I know the children at school are definitely enjoying the weather with having water fights.  I do not know who is enjoying it more, the children, or Mr Baden and Mr Timlin?

I have written down our guidelines for hot dinners and lunches at school, which you can read below to help you understand what is happening at school and what is not allowed in lunch boxes at school.  After reading this, if you have any queries, please feel free to contact me and I will go through this with you.

Understanding Hot Dinners and Lunches at School: A Guide for Parents

As a nut-free school, we prioritise the safety and well-being of all our pupils. In this blog post, we aim to address some common queries regarding lunchtime expectations at our school. We follow government guidelines to ensure that our pupils receive a balanced and nutritious meal while also allowing them time to engage in outdoor play. Let's delve into the details.

Hot Dinners: Nut-Free and Vegetable Requirements

We regret to inform you that due to our nut-free policy, we cannot permit any nuts or products containing nuts, including Nutella chocolate spread, to the school premises. This policy is in place to safeguard children with nut allergies and maintain a safe environment for all pupils.

If your child opts for a hot dinner, they will be required to consume a portion of vegetables as part of their meal. We offer two vegetable options alongside a variety of choices available at the salad bar. This ensures that pupils have access to a range of healthy options and encourages them to make nutritious food choices.

Promoting Healthy Eating Habits

We believe that instilling healthy eating habits from an early age is essential for the well-being and development of our pupils. Therefore, all children are encouraged to eat a substantial and balanced portion of their meal before they are allowed to go outside and play. This approach helps promote a healthy lifestyle and ensures that children receive the necessary nutrition to support their growth and learning.

Packed Lunch Guidelines

If you choose to provide a packed lunch for your child, we kindly request that it adheres to our healthy eating guidelines. A well-rounded packed lunch should include a substantial item such as a sandwich, pasta, roll, or crackers. Additionally, including a serving of fruit is important to promote a balanced diet.

As per Government regulations, pupils may have one chocolate bar and one packet of crisps (or a similar snack) in their packed lunch. However, it's crucial to note that children are not allowed to have more than one chocolate bar or packet of crisps during lunch. These guidelines aim to strike a balance between providing some treats and maintaining a focus on overall health and nutrition.

Encouraging Healthy Lunchtime Habits

Similar to the approach with hot dinners, we strongly encourage pupils with packed lunches to consume a healthy portion of their meal before going outside to play. This practice helps ensure that children receive the necessary nutrients for optimal energy levels and concentration throughout the school day.

OPAL and Balancing Playtime and Meals

As you know, at our school, we have introduced a program called OPAL, which focuses on providing ample playtime for pupils. We understand that children are eager to engage in outdoor activities, but it is crucial to strike a balance between playtime and nutritional intake. To ensure this balance, all children are expected to finish a healthy portion of their lunch before being allowed to join their peers in outdoor play.

Conclusion

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adhering to our school lunch guidelines. By prioritising a nut-free environment and promoting healthy eating habits, we aim to create a safe and nurturing space for our pupils. Should you feel that your child requires additional snacks throughout the day, please communicate your concerns to the class teacher, who will pass the information on to our Midday Supervisory Assistants (MDSAs). Together, we can foster a positive and healthy lunchtime experience for all our pupils.

Thank you for your support in promoting the well-being of our school community.

Stars of the Week

Well done on working hard throughout the week.

Housepoint Winners

Super job earning plenty of housepoints for your house.

The winning house this week with 335 housepoints is St. David's 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

2nd  St Patrick

3rd  St Andrew

4th  St George

Top Doodlers

Well done to Chloe A & Lucas L for achieving a 50-day streak in Doodle Maths and Spell.

This week we are celebrating three children that have achieved a massive 365-day streak in Doodle Maths.  They have not missed a single day.  Well done to Charlie F, Castor S, & Zachary D - super proud of all three of you.

We have some of our younger children that are almost on a 365 days, so keep looking out for their names.

Maths: Year 5 🧮

Spell: Year 5 📝

Attendance

This week's winner with 97.33% is Year 6 🏆 - well done for being in school.

Whole school attendance is 94.76% - keep going and I am sure that we can get to 95% by the end of the school year.

In other news...

Next week we see our Y6 pupils go to their secondary school on Wednesday and Thursday for their transition days - we wish you all the very best, and we are sure that you will have a super time.  Remember, you need to wear a Chiseldon school uniform.

On Wednesday, our children will be meeting their new teacher for September and we ask nursery children who are due to start Reception in September to come in for the day.  I will then send an email to all parents letting you know which teachers are where.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Mr A