We have planned a menu for the week including breakfast, a packed lunch and dinner in the evening.
Please order the food using one of the links below depending on your child’s dietary preferences.
Please only submit one order per child, I have added an extra ‘question’ at the end telling you you have reached the end and to review your choices before pressing submit.
We would appreciate it if you can complete the form by Monday 7 June at the latest. Thank you!
Dear Year 6 Parents
As you know, this year has been horribly disruptive for all pupils. Many activities, sporting events, musical or theatre events, class trips and residential visits simply have not been able to happen.
I have no doubt that, from September, we will be returning to some semblance of normality and that once again we will return to the rich menu of extra-curricular activity and opportunity which so benefits all our pupils: opportunities which really do create memories which live with us for life.
Unfortunately, this will not be possible for our wonderful year sixes. This year has seen them miss out on so much. Their final year has been blighted by the Covid-19 pandemic and I am desperate that they have missed so much including their residential trip to the Arthog Outdoor Education Centre in Wales.
Since our cancelled trip to Arthog in November, I have been liaising with the Head of the Arthog Centre in Wales and with Arthog Outreach Team, based in Telford, to explore the possibility of bringing Arthog to Pontesbury and I am so pleased that they agreed to do this. Nothing can really compare with the experience of going away for the week and ‘living’ at the Arthog Centre, but the week we have planned for our year six pupils comes, I believe, very, very close.
As at Arthog, the pupils will be in a small group of no more than twelve. They will remain with the same instructor for the week and undertake exactly the same activities as they would have done in Wales. The only major difference will be the return home at the end of each day, long after the rest of the pupils have left, followed by a really early start in the morning!
The daily timetable will be:
The activities will include:
So, the children will experience all they do at Arthog, apart from sharing dormitories. They will undertake the same activities, led by the amazing Arthog instructors, and leave with memories which, hopefully, will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
As I said, there is no substitute for the full Arthog experience in Wales, but I hope you agree that by bringing Arthog to Pontesbury – which is something no school has done before quite like this – your children will have a fantastic experience and one which you feel represents excellent value for money. The cost will be £230 all-inclusive and a payment is set up on School Money.
There will, over the next weeks, be a lot more information about organisation, clothing, equipment, etc. and I am sure there are many questions you have about the week. Please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mr Morris to discuss any queries you may have.
Mr Langford
This week, our school is to receive Free Bikeability Level 1 & 2 Cycle Training for our Year 6’s.
Pupils will need to bring:
As well as the Bikeability training team we will also have a fully funded Dr Bike team (two trained bike mechanics who will look at all the children’s bikes) in school on Day 1 of the Bikeability training (Tuesday 4 May 2021). If any bikes need any minor repairs or adjustments including the replacement of brake/gear cables and puncture repairs they will be carried out by Dr Bike.
If anything more serious is required the Dr Bike team will send your child home with a slip detailing this (for example wheel bearings). It would therefore be advantageous if you do have a bike at home even if you have indicated that you need to hire a bike that you bring it in and the Dr Bike team may well be able to fix it (free of charge) for you. Bikes will still be provided for all children who have indicated the need to hire a bike.
As well as the Bikeability training team we will also have a fully funded Dr Bike team (two trained bike mechanics who will look at all the children’s bikes) in school on Day 1 of the Bikeability training (Tuesday 4 May 2021). If any bikes need any minor repairs or adjustments including the replacement of brake/gear cables and puncture repairs they will be carried out by Dr Bike.
If anything more serious is required the Dr Bike team will send your child home with a slip detailing this (for example wheel bearings). It would therefore be advantageous if you do have a bike at home even if you have indicated that you need to hire a bike that you bring it in and the Dr Bike team may well be able to fix it (free of charge) for you. Bikes will still be provided for all children who have indicated the need to hire a bike.
After Easter, our school is to receive Free Bikeability Level 1 & 2 Cycle Training for our Year 6’s.
What is Bikeability? Bikeability is the national cycle training programme supported and funded by the Department for Transport. The skills your child will learn will help boost confidence and independent thinking thus helping them to be a safer road user. Learning the rules of the road when young is a real boost to confidence and a very positive experience of true travel independence. So, whether your child cycles regularly or not, the course will prove beneficial. Shropshire’s Bikeability Scheme is delivered by Learncycling, a national training company who employ qualified, professional, DBS checked National Standard Instructors. Visit www.bikeability.org.uk for more information.
Course Requirements Checklist
Pupils will need to bring:
NOTE: if your child does not own a bike and can’t borrow a roadworthy bike and helmet for the course, Bikeability has a limited number of bikes and can provide a hire bike and helmet for them for the duration of the course. Please indicate on the attached form.
This course develops the cycling skills and confidence of children who can already cycle. Please contact us via admin@learncycling.com for group and individual learn to ride courses.
*Covid-19* – Social distancing will be observed throughout all training. Please see the Bikeability website for full Covid-19 Risk Assessment and delivery guide addendum.
Please complete and return the reply slip to school as soon as possible (or by Monday 29th March at the latest) to ensure a place on this course.
Printable version of letter and reply slip: Parents Level 1 2 Sept 2020 LETTER
I am posting to inform you that I have cancelled the year 6 residential trip to Arthog in November.
The restriction currently in place for residential trips, and Covid-19 procedural guidelines, will, in all likelihood, be continuing for the whole of the Autumn term. There is also the significant possibility of local lockdowns due to increased cases of Covid-19 and, of course, the inevitable issue of seasonal flu.
The situation in November could therefore be one of great confusion and to add Arthog into the mix, even if restrictions are lifted, may not only be logistically impossible but would, I feel, cause significant concern and worry for parents and carers.
I have contacted and informed Arthog of this decision and asked them to see if there is availability for a trip either late in the spring term or in the summer term. If a future booking is available, I will inform you immediately.
I am desperate for our children to experience Arthog: it is a very special place, but if they are not able to accommodate us then I will ensure that something, hopefully residential, is organised in its place. Please do not worry, the children will have an adventure in their year six!
As there is the possibility of a re-organised booking for Arthog, you may wish school to hold any monies already paid, including the deposit, until the situation is known. If though you choose to receive a refund, please contact Mrs Andrew in the office who will return all funds paid to date in full.
Mr Langford
We have booked for a company called PrimeVR to come and deliver a virtual reality experience day at our school on Tuesday 10th December in all of our KS2 classes. We are currently learning about the Romans and the Vikings and it would be great to be able to ‘virtually’ transport our pupils to those times.
We think this is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils and will help to bring their learning to life. We would like to ask parents for a voluntary contribution of £4.00 to help fund this amazing experience.
Please note: it is recommended that children with epilepsy or children who are prone to seizures consult with their doctor before using a VR headset. If your son/daughter has epilepsy or is prone to seizures, please inform the school reception as it is possible to access the same programs in a 2D version.
Please complete and return the letter we will send home by Monday 9th December at the very latest please. Children will only be allowed to participate if we have received parental consent. Thank you.
Next Thursday morning (24th October) we will be spending the morning in our house groups for a ‘Trying Something New’ morning. If possible, I would like all Year 5 and 6 members of Donaldson house to bring in a board game that they are able to teach the other children how to play. Alternatively, if any of the children know any good card games that they could teach to other children, then they could bring in a pack of cards instead.
Many thanks,
Miss Roberts
Pontesbury C.E. Primary School
Bogey Lane,
Pontesbury,
Shropshire.
SY5 0TF
Tel: 01743 790226
Headteacher: Mr Tom Lowrie-Herz
School Business Manager: Mrs Sara Andrew
