Midhurst C of E Primary School

We are pleased to announce that the Governor’s have successfully appointed Mr Matthew Barnes as the new Headteacher of MPS, from September 2010. Mr Barnes is currently the Headteacher of two schools in Devon.

Our ‘Hats and Hair for Haiti’ day on Friday 12th February raised just over £412 for the Haiti appeal. The Year 5s organised the day and pupils paid £1 to wear their own clothes. There was a great array of fun hats and ‘hair-dos’! The Year 5s also arranged different competitions, at 10p a go. Thankyou to everyone who supported the day. We raised more money than we’d hoped for and had a lot of fun doing so!

We plan to re-open on Monday 11th January. If the weather deteriorates significantly, we will review the situation. The playgrounds and school grounds are very icy, so when you arrive on Monday morning, please use the path and enter via the main entrance. Do not go onto the playgrounds. Also, please do not attempt to drive up to the school site. We look forward to welcoming you back on Monday.

Many congratulations to Mr Chris Waters, our brass and woodwind teacher. On 10th November, Chris was awarded the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year award at the Royal Albert Hall. Chris works in 6 West Sussex schools and has chosen Midhurst Primary School to receive £5000 prize money to spend on musical instruments for the school. Well done Mr Waters and THANKYOU!

Over the summer holidays our building work has been completed and we can look forward to major improvements this term:

• The Reception and Year 1 classrooms are finished and both have brand new furniture and fittings. There is also a new enclosed Early Years outdoor area.
• We have a kitchen area, ready to provide a hot-meal service later this term.
• We have a Food Technology area with brand new equipment, to be used by all children in school.
• The hall has been re-decorated and the floor has been sanded and re-varnished.
• The school library is now equipped with an electronic issuing system.
• The Year 6 classroom has been equipped with new furniture and resources.
• We have 4 new interactive whiteboards.
• We have new computers in every classroom and a new ‘intranet’, linking all school computers.

Wow! Let the new term begin…!

Please join us at Midhurst Parish Church on Monday 20th July (2pm), for an end of term service. Our usual ‘Leaver’s Service’ won’t happen this year, as, for one year only, we will not be saying goodbye to our oldest year group. Instead, we will be having a ‘We are not leaving’ church service – a celebration of our Year 5’s talents and looking forward to them becoming our very first Year 6! We look forward to welcoming you to church on Monday.

Our ‘Dream Mile’, held on Friday July 10th was a great success. The event, organised by Mrs Clarke and her Year 3 class, was enjoyed by the whole school. Children and staff took part in walking, running, ‘three-legged’ walking or scootering their mile. Many of the children and adults wore Fancy Dress to add to the fun. So far, we have raised over £2000 for the ‘Dreams Come True’ charity! And we still have some pledged money to collect. Well done to everyone who took part and a special THANKYOU to Year 3 for all their hard work and good ideas.

Don’t forget, our Open Evening is on Tuesday 7th July from 6pm to 8pm. Parents and children are welcome to attend to look around the school, look at topic books and displays and chat to the teachers. Year 5s and parents – don’t forget that Mrs Clarke is holding a short meeting at 7pm about Year 6.

The building work is going to schedule, which means that we will be equipped with 7 class bases from next term, with a Year 6 classroom and two brand new classrooms for Reception and Year 1. In order to get furniture and resources back in place ready for the new academic year, the school will be closed on Wednesday 22nd July 2009. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation with this. We look forward to enjoying our new space next term!

We are very pleased to have recruited a new Key Stage 1 teacher. Mrs Emily Alden will be visiting the school this term to meet the children. She will join the teaching staff in September.