Weekly Blog Friday 8th December 2023

Date: 8th Dec 2023 @ 7:58am

Attendance

Every week in our Celebration Assembly, we celebrate the class who has achieved the highest attendance for that week. This week, Mrs Wood's class had the highest attendance with 97.44%! Well done Year 4!

Please see below for the attendance figures for this week. The target attendance for all children is currently set at 97%.

Attendance for this week

Nursery - 94.87%

Reception - 94.15%

Year 1 Miss Singh - 91.79%

Year 2 Mrs Davies - 97.13%

Year 3 Miss Scott - 93.27%

Year 4 Mrs Wood - 97.44%

Year 5 Mrs Pickersgill - 94.29%

Year 6 Miss Dunn - 87.83%

 

Stars of the week

Each week in our Friday Celebration Assembly, we celebrate our stars of the week. Each class teacher chooses 2 children from their class each week who have really impressed them. Please see below for who has been chosen this week, together with the reason for them being chosen. 

 

Nursery & Reception

Stars of the week this week go to the whole of Foundation Stage for being absolute super stars in their Nativity play. They did great singing, remembered their words and when to get on to the stage. All of the staff are extremely proud of them all.

 

Year 1 & Year 2

This week's Stars of the Week for Year 1 and Year 2 have been awarded to all the children in those classes.

Mrs Davies, Mrs Singh and all of KS1 are super proud of all the children for working so hard and having a lot of fun in their KS1 Nativity this week. It has been very rewarding for the children and staff to see how all of the hard work paid off. The children put in lots of work to remember their parts and their lines and their production was amazing! So a big well done to Year 1 and Year 2, keep up the good work!

 

Year 3

James - James has had a great week, he has had lots of fun doing the art work with charcoal linked to our coal mining topic. James has loved having his Davy Lamps in school and was excited they were used as a model for our artwork. James has grown in confidence these past few weeks and has really stood out for all the right reasons, he has been a shining example of our school rules.

Evelyn - Evelyn has been a very kind and respectful member of our class this week, she has been a good friend to every one and gone above and beyond to help her peers in lessons. Evelyn had a lot of fun doing the charcoal drawing this week and took excellent care in her drawing and produced a lovely sketch. 

 

Year 4

Quentin - Quentin has stood out this week as he has been really engaged in his learning. He has contributed to every lesson and has been the first ready with an answer. He has been an excellent example to other children this week and has made us all really proud.

Rory - Rory has shown us how much he has grown in confidence this week. He has been answering questions, engaged in his learning and has been really keen to contribute to lessons. Rory has made us really proud in class this week!

 

Year 5

Elsie - Elsie is an always child. She is always kind, always respectful and always works hard. She understands that hard work leads to success and has a positive attitude towards her learning. She is a fantastic role model for her peers.

Zara - For being determined. I am really proud of the effort Zara has put in with her reading this half term and her determination to do better. She demonstrates increasing confidence in new and unfamiliar situations and is beginning to face challenges with a positive attitude. Keep up the hard work!

 

Year 6

The first full week of December has been a busy but fun week in school with our EYFS and KS1 children performing their nativities and the children in KS2 enjoying watching them. This week, we have been looking for those children who have a positive attitude and enjoy the fun things that have been planned, ensuring that others can do the same. This week's Stars of the Week in Year 6 have been chosen with this in mind.

Charlie - Charlie has come into school every day this week with a smile on his face, full of festive spirit and he has made me, and others in the class, smile. He has tried so hard to enjoy this week, whilst still remembering our school rules and he has shown respect to the younger children when watching their nativities. 

Evelyn - Evelyn comes into school every single day with a smile on her face and she is really embracing this festive time of year, whilst ensuring that she follows the school rules at all times. Evelyn's enthusiasm and excitement is contagious and she always manages to make people smile.

We are looking forward to the fun that the next couple of weeks in school will bring!

 

Headteacher Award

Each week in our Celebration Assembly, Mrs Powell chooses someone who has really impressed her during the week and presents them with her Headteacher Award trophy. This week’s superstar award goes to Lucy in Year 5. This week, Lucy took part when our choir sang at Bawtry Hall for the annual residents lunch. She was a fabulous role model for the other children and helped on the walk to and from Bawtry Hall. Lucy, you are such a positive person and always do things with that beautiful smile on your face. You really do deserve this award, so well done!

 

Makaton Sign Of The Week

The children have recently started learning Makaton's 'Sign of the week' each week. Each Monday, the children learn the new sign for that week. We thought it would be useful to share the following week's sign with parents/carers on our Friday blog so you can get involved too if you wish. 

During the festive period, the Makaton Charity are doing their 'Countdown to Christmas' Advent, where they are joined by different schools, families, organisations, community groups, and choirs to help them sign. Please click on the link below to view their festive videos that have been posted so far this month.

The Makaton Advent 'Countdown to Christmas'

Today's word is 'Snowman'.

 

Hygiene Bank items

We have been given some hygiene items by Zone 5-19 (Doncaster Children and Young People's Health and Wellbeing Service) which we would like to distribute. If you are in need and would like any of the following items, please come in to the school office next week. If you would prefer us to pop some items in a bag and put them in your child's bag to bring home, please email admin@bawtrymayflower.doncaster.sch.uk and we will arrange this for you.

Toothpaste

Sanitary Products

Head Lice Combs

Shaving Foam

Deoderant

Hand Wash

If all of these items aren't collected next week, we will donate them to a local foodbank at the end of term along with our staff donations of food and Christmas treats.

 

Parent Governor Vacancy - important information

When completing the paperwork for the vote for the current parent governor vacancy, please ensure you follow the instructions on the letter carefully, paying particular attention to the section below.

Once you have marked the ballot paper you should place it in the smaller envelope and seal it. Please do not mark this envelope. This envelope should then be placed in the larger, envelope which you should also seal. On the outside of the larger envelope, please write in capital letters your name and the name of your child/children who attend this school and then sign it.

We have received several larger envelopes back in school which clearly have votes inside but there are no names or signatures on the larger envelope. We will therefore be unable to include these particular votes when we count them, as the correct process has not been followed. If you have submitted your votes but didn't complete the larger envelope correctly, you can collect another set of paperwork from the school office next week.

The deadline for votes to be received is next Friday, 15th December at 3pm.

 

Christmas Cards

Our Christmas card postbox is now in the main entrance to school. If your child would like to post their Christmas cards in the postbox, could you please ensure that each child's name and year group are on each envelope. If the cards are all for one year group, it would be really helpful if they could have an elastic band around them or be placed in a sandwich bag please. We willl aim to deliver all cards to class within 2 days of them being posted. 

Jacob from Year 1 and Kiera from Year 3 have been fabulous helpers this week with the postbox. If your child would like to join Jacob and Kiera in helping to empty the postbox and deliver the cards, please ask them them to speak to their class teacher on Monday.

 

Christmas Raffle

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Christmas Chocolate Raffle - we have been blown away by the number of donations we have received! There's one thing for sure, we will need to have a very long Celebration assembly on the last day of term to draw the raffle!

Raffle tickets are still on sale in each class and also from the school office before and after school each day (with the exception of a Tuesday afternoon, when the school office is closed). Tickets are priced at £1 per strip of 5 tickets. 

Tickets will be on sale up to and including Thursday 21st December.

Good luck everyone!

 

Dance Performances Monday 11th December & Wednesday 13th December

Don't forget that the children who take part in our Dance after school clubs will be doing a short performance of their dance routines for their parents/carers on the following dates next week:

Years 1 & 2 - Monday 11th December 

Years 3 to 6 - Wednesday 13th December

The performances will start at 3.40pm, so please ensure you arrive in plenty of time. Please come to the school office to sign in.

The children have been working really hard in their dance clubs, so you are in for a real treat and we hope as many of their parents/carers as possible can make it next week.

 

CAST pantomime Wednesday 13th December

We hope the children in Years 1 to 6 are getting really excited for our visit to Cast next Wednesday to see 'Beauty and the Beast'. In preparation for the actual day, could you please remember the following:

Please return your child's signed slip and consent form on Monday if you haven't already done so.

On Wednesday, it would be appreciated if ALL children could arrive at school on time please. The doors open as follows:

Nursery, Reception and Years 1&2 - doors open at 8.45am for an 8.55am register
Years 3 to 6 - doors open at 8.40am for an 8.45am register

The coaches to CAST leave at 9.15am so all registers have to be done well before this time and any absent children accounted for. If your child will be absent on Wednesday, please ensure you have phoned and left a message or spoken to either Miss Argo or Mrs Walker by 8.30am at the very latest please.

 

Year 5 PE Kits Thursday 14th December

Just a reminder that we would like the Year 5 children to come in their PE kits next Thursday 14th December please, as they will be taking part in Active Lunchtime Leadership Training on that day.

 

Guitar Performance Friday 15th December

We hope our children who are learning to play the guitar in school are really enjoying their guitar lessons with Miss Hill. As advised previously by email, to showcase their learning for this term the children and Miss Hill would like to invite their parents/carers to a concert next Friday 15th December at 2.15pm.

Please come to the school office to sign in. The concert will start promptly at 2.15pm, so please arrive by 2.10pm at the latest.

 

Doncaster Knights Tickets for Friday 15th December

We have been very kindly given some tickets by Doncaster Knights for their upcoming game against Edinburgh next Friday, 15th December. Turnstiles open at 5pm with kickoff at 7.30pm.

If you would like some tickets, please email admin@bawtrymayflower.doncaster.sch.uk to let us know how many tickets you would like and we will arrange for you to come and collect them from the school office.

 

Christmas Church Service Wednesday 20th December

On Wednesday 20th October, the children from Year 1 to Year 6 will be walking to St Nicholas' church for our annual Christmas Service. We will be setting off straight after morning registration (approx 9.15am). If you would like to walk there and back to church with us to enjoy the Christmas Service, please let your child's teacher know as soon as possible.

 

Upcoming PTA Events

Our wonderful PTA members and helpers have been busy behind the scenes planning some lovely Christmas events for our children. Please see below for dates etc. 

We are only able to have events like these thanks to those who help to organise and run these events. If you would like to give some time to help with any of the PTA's upcoming projects, please send Kirsty (PTA Chair) a message on 07787 570844.

 

PTA Film Night for Year 1 & Year 2 Thursday 14th December

Please remember that children MUST be accompanied by a parent/carer to this event. The deadline for reply slips and £3 to be handed to Mrs Singh or Mrs Davies is this coming Monday, 11th December. 

 

PTA Christmas Shop Friday 15th December

Once again our PTA will be holding their fantastic annual Christmas Shop during the school day next Friday, 15th December. If you would like your child to visit the shop to buy some gifts for their loved ones (and perhaps a little something for themselves too!), please ensure they bring their money in a wallet/envelope with their name on.

If you have more than one child in school, please ensure they bring separate money in as we hold limited amounts of cash in school. Please make sure your child brings their money with them to school, as we cannot guarantee that any money dropped off at the office after the start of the school day will reach your child by the time their class visits the shop.

 

PTA Discos Monday 18th December

The deadline for reply slips and £1 (the cost is £1 rather than £3 as advertised on the posters) to be returned to class teachers is next Wednesday, 13th December. There will be a shop at each disco selling sweets and drinks. If your child will be bringing in some money to spend at the disco, please ensure it is in an envelope or purse/wallet with their name on.

 

 

This week in school

This week has been a really fantastic start to the festive period. On Tuesday, our choir sang at the annual Residents Lunch at Bawtry Hall. We have had some fantastic feedback from some of those attending the event. Our choir really did us proud, singing beautifully and their behaviour was exemplary. It is always a pleasure for us to attend community events and this one in particular is really special to us and something we have been taking part in for a number of years. Well done Choir and Mrs Wood!

We have had our nativity performances this week for both our Foundation and Key Stage 1 children. Where do we start? Not only did they look fantastic in their costumes, they knew all their lines and songs and performed to their families like professionals! We are always so proud of our children here at Mayflower and we love it when we can invite families in to share in the joy that they bring to us all. Thank you to all the staff involved in the nativities - there is a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into making these performances so special and the smiles on the faces of both the children and their families makes it all worthwhile.

It was our Christmas Jumper Day yesterday and everyone entered into the spirit. Thank you to everyone who donated chocolate goodies - we really do appreciate it.

It was also our PTA Social event for our Year 5 & Year 6 children last night. Thank you as always to our PTA who organise and run these fantastic events for our children. The children who attended all had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. 

 

Lunch Menu for week commencing 11th December 2023

Please see the menu below for next week. There may need to be last minute changes to the menus on occasion, to take into account availability of items or delivery issues.

There will be changes to the menu as follows next week (due to deliveries and the panto on Wednesday):

Tuesday - it will be hash browns instead of diced potatoes

Wednesday's lunch will be chicken burger in a bun, wedges and cucumber/carrot sticks followed by a biscuit.

Diary Dates

Please see below our current diary dates. It may be that there are dates on here that involve your child that you haven't had any information for yet. Please don't worry, information will come out in plenty of time prior to the date concerned. Dates that have been added since the last blog are shown in bold.

2023

Monday 11th December - KS1 Dance Club performance - lower hall 3.40pm

Tuesday 12th December - Foundation Craft morning 9am to 10am 

Wednesday 13th December - Year 1 to Year 6 at CAST Theatre Doncaster AM to see 'Beauty and the Beast'

Wednesday 13th December - Nursery and Reception 'The Littlest Christmas Elf' performance by Big Foot Arts Education

Wednesday 13th December - KS2 Dance Club performance - lower hall 3.40pm

Thursday 14th December - Active Lunchtime Leaders Training for Year 5 during the school day

Thursday 14th December - Year 1/2 Christmas Film Night - 3 to 3.45pm with parents/carers

Friday 15th December - Reception and Year 6 height and weight checks with school nurse

Friday 15th December - PTA Christmas Shop during the school day

Friday 15th December - some members of choir singing for Peakes Croft retirement housing residents 2pm

Friday 15th December - Guitar Christmas Concert 2.15pm

Saturday 16th December - Flu Vaccination Drop In Session - Kings Chamber Thorne 9.30am to 11.30am

Saturday 16th December - Flu Vaccination Drop In Session - Dearne Valley Leisure Centre 1pm to 3pm

Monday 18th December - Key Stage 1 Craft afternoon (with parents/carers)

Monday 18th December - PTA Christmas Disco - Foundation & Year 1/2 3pm to 3.45pm, Years 3 to 6 4pm to 4.45pm 

Tuesday 19th December - Rocksteady concert 2pm (for those parents whose children are taking part in the Rocksteady music sessions)

Tuesday 19th December - Carols round the tree straight after school in lower hall

Wednesday 20th December - Christmas Service at St Nicholas Church - leaving school straight after morning registration. Family members welcome to walk to and from church with us.

Wednesday 20th December - Christmas Dinner Day 

Thursday 21st December - Pyjama and Film Afternoon - further details to follow

Friday 22nd December - Christmas Party Food at lunchtime

Friday 22nd December - last day before Christmas holidays

Monday 25th December to Friday 5th January - Christmas holidays

2024

Saturday 6th January - Flu Vaccination Drop In Session - Lakeside Shopping Centre Doncaster 9am to 3.30pm

Monday 8th January - first day back after Christmas Holidays

Monday 15th January - closing date for Reception applications for September 2024

Wednesday 17th January - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Wednesday 7th February - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Friday 9th February - last day before half term

Monday 12th February to Friday 16th February - half term

Monday 19th February - first day back after half term

Wednesday 21st February - Young Voices concert at Sheffield Utilita Arena this evening for our choir children

Wednesday 6th March - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Friday 8th March - PTA Mothers Day Shop during the school day - further details to follow

Wednesday 13th March - Year 6 at STEM event at Queen Elizabeth's High School

Thursday 14th March - Year 3/4 PTA Social 3pm to 4pm - further details to follow

Thursday 21st March - Year 5/6 PTA Social 3pm to 4pm - further details to follow

Tuesday 26th March - Rocksteady concert 2pm (for those parents whose children are taking part in the Rocksteady music sessions)

Wednesday 27th March - English Touring Opera 'The Big Stink'

Thursday 28th March - last day before Easter holidays

Thursday 28th March - PTA Easter Hunt during the school day - further details to follow

Friday 29th March - bank holiday - school closed

Monday 1st April to Friday 12th April - Easter holidays

Monday 22nd April to Wednesday 24th April - Year 5 residential to Caythorpe

Monday 6th May - bank holiday - school closed

Monday 13th May to Friday 17th May - Key Stage 2 SATs tests

Wednesday 15th May - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Thursday 16th May - Year 4 Hollowford residential parents meeting

Thursday 23rd May - class photos (change of date from 15th May due to Key Stage 2 SATs)

Friday 24th May - last day before half term

Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May - half term

Monday 3rd June to Friday 14th June - Year 4 multiplication checks to be completed during this 2 week period

Monday 3rd June - Training Day - school is closed to pupils

Tuesday 4th June - Training Day - school is closed to pupils

Wednesday 5th June to Thursday 6th June - Year 4 residential to Hollowford

Monday 10th June to Friday 14th June - Phonics screening check Key Stage 1

Wednesday 12th June - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Thursday 13th June - PTA Fathers Day Shop during the school day - further details to follow 

Thursday 20th June - Sports Day - further details and timings to follow

Thursday 20th June - Summer Fair straight after school - further details to follow

Wednesday 3rd July - Tea and Talk parent drop-in session 8.45am to 9.45am

Thursday 4th July - PTA Summer Disco - Year 1/2 3pm to 3.45pm, Years 3 to 6 4pm to 4.45pm - further details to follow

Tuesday 16th July - Rocksteady concert 2pm (for those parents whose children are taking part in the Rocksteady music sessions)

Thursday 18th July - PTA Colour Run - further details to follow

Friday 19th July - last day before Summer holidays

Monday 22nd July - Training Day - school is closed to pupils

Tuesday 23rd July - Training Day - school is closed to pupils