Author: Mr Langford

2 years, 288 days ago
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Panto

Dear Parents and Carers

This morning’s production of Beauty and the Beast suffered some technical issues whilst streaming the production to the KS2 children who watched the performance in their classrooms.

The picture quality was fine but, in some of the classrooms, the sound quality was quite difficult to hear.

Whilst we were trying to keep Christmas celebrations as safe as possible for all our families in the run up to a Christmas, I realise that some of the KS2 children’s enjoyment of this morning’s excellent production was impacted.

I apologise for this and hope parents will understand. The planning for next year’s panto is already under way and, I assure you, all children will watch the live production.

If you wish to discuss this, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Mr Langford

 

 

2 years, 307 days ago
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Year 5 ‘Bubble’ Closure 26th November 2021

Dear year 5 parents, carers and guardians

We are currently experiencing a significantly high number of cases of Covid-19 infections in the year 5 class.

Therefore, we will be closing the ‘bubble’ tomorrow only due to operational reasons and in the hope that it will try and break the cycle of infection in room 7. Hopefully this 3 day ‘circuit’ breaker will help reduce incidences of infection; reduce Covid-19 transmission across the school and ensure we are keeping everyone as safe as possible.

Work will be set on the website for the children as usual.

Please can I also remind everyone of the following Government guidance.

PCR testing
All household contacts of a confirmed case (PCR positive) should undertake a PCR test, with or without symptoms, and remain home until a negative PCR is returned.  This means that pupils who have a household contact who is a confirmed case (PCR positive) should be recommended to take a PCR test and not attend school while awaiting the result.  If the PCR result is negative, then pupils should be recommended to have a further PCR test after 4 or 5 days as a precaution. They can continue to attend the setting when waiting on the second PCR result.

All close contacts of confirmed cases (PCR positive) are also recommended to take a PCR test but unless they have any of the 3 main symptoms of COVID-19 or any of the precautionary symptoms, they can continue to attend the setting when waiting on results of the PCR.

Anyone with the 3 main symptoms or the precautionary symptoms (even if they are not a close contact of a confirmed case) are recommended to get a PCR test and only return to school after a negative result. They should also consider contacting 111 for medical advice if required because these symptoms are not unique to COVID-19.

I very much regret having to take this action and am very aware of the disruption caused to families when a closure is necessary, even for a day. I therefore sincerely thank you all for your continued understanding and support.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact, and I look forward to seeing all the year 5 children back in school on Monday.

Mr Langford

2 years, 308 days ago
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FAO Year Two Parents and Guardians – Mrs Pittaway’s Return

Dear year two parents and guardians

Mrs Pittaway will be returning from maternity leave after Christmas and will be resuming her role as year two teacher with Mrs Pope.

She spent today in school to start getting everything ready for her return in January – including teaching the children this morning; they were very excited! Mrs Pittaway will be popping in again before Christmas to liaise with Mrs Pope to ensure everything is in place for the new term and it will be wonderful to welcome her back to the fold.

As usual, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact.

Mr Langford

3 years, 21 days ago
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Arthog 2021

Dear year six parents

As Arthog approaches, I am posting some final information which will, hopefully, answer any remaining questions you may have; let you know the timetable of activities and give a little insight into the amazing week our wonderful year sixes will experience!

The day at Arthog starts with an early rise followed by a hearty breakfast cooked by the excellent Arthog kitchen. Activites are next, with the children returning to the centre between 4 and 5pm. This is followed by the evening meal, evening activities (photosearches, centre orienteering, an evening walk and the dreaded nightline!), and finally, exhausted (both staff and children) a good night’s sleep!

The Arthog experience is immersive.

Instructors, who stay with their group all week, get to know your children inside out and exactly what they are capable of. They then tailor activities to ensure all are challenged yet have it within themselves to succeed. That is their great skill. The children will find some activities challenging or maybe even a little scary, but when they do succeed, they will experience the unbridled pride at having done so, whether it is reaching the top of the climb or simply making it to the top of the mountain. They will also experience the joy at seeing their peers sharing and applauding their success. For all of our children, the power of this is inestimable and the main reason that Arthog is such a special, treasured experience. The Arthog instructors are also all amazing storytellers!

Below are links to some key information. Some you have had before, but are included as a quick reminder and some are documents from Arthog.

All the dormitories at Arthog have very recently been fully refurbished. The children will be allocated a bunk and expected to make their own beds! It maybe a good idea to do a little duvet practice before Monday! Over night there are Arthog staff on site and Pontesbury staff are in the same dormitory block so are very close if needed.

There is also a tuck shop which will be opened on one of the evenings. Please send no more than £10 in a named, sealed envelope with your child if they wish to buy an Arthog memento from the tuck shop.

All money will be collected and looked after by a member of staff.

Unfortunately, there is still a risk of Covid-19 infection in society and we sincerely hope that this will not affect our trip in any way and Arthog take every precaution to ensure that risk of infection is minimised as much as possible.

If a child starts to exhibit significant Covid-19 symptoms, a temperature, significant cough or loss of taste, then they will be isolated and we ask that parents come to collect them. This will only be the case if symptoms are very evident and significant! Staff know all children very well including for example if they have any small coughs, sniffles due to hay fever, or if they are currently recovering from a cold! Parents will only be contacted if it is absolutely necessary and thank you for your understanding with this.

When the children arrive on Monday morning, they will be ushered into the hall with their kit before loading up and leaving for Arthog about 9.30am. There will be a daily post letting parents know how things are going so please do keep an eye on the website. Other than that, your children won’t be contacting unless there is a very good reason too, such as to speak to parents if it’s a birthday. Children are not to bring mobile phones. In my significant Arthog experience, once the children are there and settled in, they do not give home a second thought!

The staff accompanying the children are Mrs Hilditch, Mrs Davies, Mrs Giles and Mr Rogers (one of our TAs working in year 3). I am also going on Monday, but unfortunately returning late Monday evening once all are settled down.

So, finally, please do remember to provide a packed lunch on Monday and if you wish to speak to either myself, Mrs Hilditch or Mrs Davies, we will be available after school tomorrow in Room 8.

Below are a few photos of Arthog I’ve taken over the years. Some of the children in the photos are now in their mid-thirties!!

 

 

 

 

3 years, 22 days ago
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Year 4

Dear year 4 parents

Unfortunately, Mrs Gwyther continues to be absent form school and, during her absence, we are striving to minimise any disruption for the children as much as possible. I am pleased to inform you therefore that Mrs Glover, a highly experienced teacher, will be covering the class on Mondays, Tuesdays and alternate Wednesdays. Consistent cover for the end of the week will be arranged as soon as possible.

If there are any questions about the situation please do not hesitate to contact me or catch Mrs Glover at the beginning or end of the day.

Mr Langford

UPDATE:  Cover for the end of each week in Room 6 will be provided by Mrs Parry (a regular supply teacher here at PPS) and Mrs Taplin.

3 years, 82 days ago
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Arthog Information

Dear year six parents

The activities each day when Arthog comes to Pontesbury will be as follows:

Monday

Ice breakers, preparation, Snailbeach

AM – Onsite – Team building, Icebreakers and problem solving Activities

PM – Trip to Snailbeach including a visit into the mines and bushcraft activities

Tuesday

Canoe Day

Full day canoeing on the River Severn.

Wednesday

Climbing Day

Full day climbing and exploring at Grinshill Hill and Grinshill Quarry.

Thursday

Hill Walk and overnight Camp

Set up camp on field.

Then drive to Stiperstones for a hill walk.

Friday

Local activities including Archery

AM – Take down camp, collect and pack kit, Archery

PM – Walk to Lyd hole to explore area including river walking up the Pontesbury ‘Gorge’ and a lot of wet play! (Also the opportunity to do any further activities they enjoyed earlier in the week!)

The exact nature of the activities will be determined and adapted as the instructors really get to know the children.

They are going to have a lot of fun and we are all really excited!

Please ensure the children arrive promptly at 8.00am on Monday morning and collected in the evening at 8.00pm from the playground. No children will be allowed to leave site unaccompanied.

If there are any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact me via the usual channels.

Mr Langford

 

3 years, 88 days ago
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Arthog Message and Kit List

Arthog 2021 

Final plans for our ‘Arthog at Pontesbury’ week are being sorted and I will post the finalised timetable as soon as possible. 

In the meantime, I would like to explain a little how the week will be organised and what we hope to achieve during the week.  

We are striving to make the week as close to the residential Arthog experience as possible with the structure of each day the same as that which the children would experience at the Arthog Centre in Wales. 

Each day will start with a full breakfast to ensure everyone has enough energy for the day’s activities. As at Arthog, the children will be responsible for setting up and clearing the hall before and after meals in duty teams. There will then be a suite of activities each day led by Arthog staff, including a pack lunch provided by the school kitchen, followed by a hearty evening meal back at school. Activities will take place each evening and will include, as they do at Arthog, photosearches, orienteering and the dreaded nightline! Children will then be collected at 8.00pm each evening apart from Thursday which is camp night. Just to say we need all children collected from the school playground: no children will be allowed to walk home alone. 

I know some have questioned the price of this week considering that many of the activities will be based local to school at sites which I am sure that many of you have already visited. I also very much appreciate that £230 is not a trivial amount of money and that it is a very serious proportion of household income. 

Arthog is not simply about the activities. Anyone can book a climbing experience at the Shrewsbury Sports Village or a canoeing trip on the River Severn or even join the Snailbeach Mines Trust and have a trip into the mines. The difference with Arthog is its staff. They are simply the best outdoor instructors in the business and will provide an experience for your children which simply cannot be replicated by any other outdoor education provider or on a family day out. 

Whether rockclimbing at Grinshill Quarry or simply walking through the woods on Pontesford Hill, each activity becomes a unique, never to be repeated experience. Not only are the instructors expert in every aspect of outdoor learning, their ability to really get to know the children in their group ensures that every activity is honed and crafted to ensure the children will have an unforgettable memory. 

I have recently had a conversation with the parent of an ex-pupil who left 4 years ago. She told me, even after so many years, it is the instructor about which her son still talks! 

The instructors will get to know your children inside out and exactly what they are capable of. They will then tailor activities to ensure all are challenged yet have it within themselves to succeed. That is their great skill. The children will find some activities challenging or maybe even a little scary, but when they do succeed, they will experience the unbridled pride at having done so, whether it is reaching the top of the climb or simply making it to the top of the hill. They will also experience the joy at seeing their peers sharing and applauding their success. For all of our children, the power of this is inestimable and the main reason that I, and so many of my staff and the Arthog staff, are striving so hard to provide this opportunity for our children and especially considering the terrible eighteen Covid ridden months we’ve all suffered and the massive impact this has had on our wonderful year six’s last year in primary school. 

Kit List 

Arthog will provide everything needed each day for each activity including waterproofs, walking boots etc. and all camping gear, including sleeping bags! 

There is therefore no need to worry about having to purchase any expensive kit. 

For each day, the children are only required to bring: 

  • Old clothes, good for active use, we often get dirty/ wet, if not both. 
  • Warm clothes, two thinner jumpers are better than coats. 
  • Good socks (trainer socks or thin socks are not suitable). 
  • Well-fitting trainers, including an old pair, or a pair of wellies, for wet activities. 
  • Complete change of clothes, if there is a chance of carrying out a water activity. 
  • A refillable water bottle. 
  • Sun cream. 
  • Warm hats / gloves, if the weather turns colder. 

Please do not bring mobile phones, money or jewellery. 

That’s it for now. Any questions please don’t hesitate to email me. 

Mr Langford