17th June, 2016

Dear Parents,

Family Fun Afternoon Thank you so much to all the parents who helped organise and run the fabulous family fun afternoon last Saturday. Thank you also to everyone who brought their children for the start of the event to join in with the Pelican

singing. The children sang so well and put us all in the party mood. A fun-filled afternoon was had by all.

Reception Visit to Building Site On Tuesday Reception went to visit Tom and Jess at the Homerton Development Site. The children looked the part in their high visibility jackets and helmets and they were very excited when they watched a digger demonstration (we noticed that when they extended its arm it looked like a diplodocus – it even nodded its head!) We learnt about the materials used to make the houses and at the end of the tour Tom and Jess challenged us to make our own dream town as a class. They are still currently under construction – feel free to come in and have a look!

Key Information (details below)

20th and 23rd June - Year 1 parent consultations

22nd June - New Parents Evening for all next year’s Nursery and Reception parents

24th June - Nursery trip to Shepreth Wildlife Park

28th June – Move-Up Morning

29th June - Choir, Band and Recorder group assembly, parents welcome

1st July – Sports Awards Assembly

9.10am, 4th July – Year 2 Production

4pm, 5th July – Year 2 Production and Leavers parties

Year 1 Boat Trip What a time we had! To enhance their topic about Cambridge the whole of Year 1 took to the river to learn who uses it and to spot wildlife. We were thrilled to find a heron, motionless in the reeds, a mother duck with 4 very small ducklings and a family of swans and their nest. Moorhens busied themselves at the side of the

river and fish were jumping.

New Parent Evening, Wednesday 22nd June Our current Nursery parents are encouraged to attend this evening to meet new Reception parents and hear about the forthcoming year. The evening starts at 7pm and should be finished by 8.30pm.

Nursery Trip to Shepreth, Friday 24th June A reminder that the Nursery family trip takes place next Friday, 24th June. Further details can be found in the Nursery newsletter.

Choir, Band and Recorder Group Assembly, Wednesday 29th June The choir, band and recorder group will all be performing in a special assembly at the Pelican on the morning of Wednesday 29th June at 9am. We do hope you can join us.

Staffing and Class News Today the children have been told of their new classes and teachers and teaching assistants for next year. Class lists accompany this newsletter.

Mrs Badenhorst will be finishing her time at the Pelican at the end of this term to concentrate on developing her new business and Mrs Greenwood will also be leaving us. After a very good year with us Miss Amsellem will be moving to take up a position in sunny Spain. We are grateful to them all for their hard work and commitment to the children at The Pelican and they take our very best wishes with them for the future.

We are delighted to be joined by Miss Lucinda Kempsey, an experienced Early Years teacher who joins us from Ibstock Place in Richmond to cover Miss O’Reilly’s remaining maternity leave.

Move-up Morning, Tuesday 28th June All the children will spend time with their new classes and new teachers and there is also the opportunity for you to pop in and meet their new teacher after school on the same day.

Uniform Sale, Tuesday 28th June The APP will be holding a second hand uniform sale at the Pelican on Tuesday 28th June from 8.30am. Please take the opportunity to clear out any items of school uniform which your children have outgrown - they will be much appreciated by another family. Donations may be left with the school office.

Sports Awards Assembly, Friday 1st July Please send your child’s favourite recent sport certificate to their class teacher by Wednesday, 29th June. We are grateful to Mr Dan Nicholes, our games coach, who will be presenting the certificates this term.

Year 2 Production and Leavers’ Party - Monday 4th July at 9.10am and Tuesday 5th July at 4pm followed by Leavers party for Year 2 parents and children We aim to make the end of Year 2 a particularly special time for our children and their parents. I do hope all Year 2 parents will be able to attend at least 1 of the performances and are welcome to bring along family and friends. Following the Tuesday performance there are Leavers’ Parties for children and parents. The event will be finished by approximately 6pm. Please complete the reply form in the accompanying Persepost for numbers. There will be a recording of the event made on Monday 4th July so I would ask you not to bring small children on that occasion. The recording will be available for parents to purchase prior to the end of term.

The Perse Parent Walk Angela Mason and Sarah Pitchford, current parents at The Pelican and The Perse Upper, are embarking on ‘An Enduring Walk for An Enduring Gift’ as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations. The Coast to Coast walk covers a varying distance of some 192+ miles, linking the Irish Sea to the North Sea. The route crosses three National Parks - the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and over the Vale of Mowbray to the North York Moors ending in Robin Hood’s Bay. Please support their valiant effort by giving generously https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/5031 Monies raised will go towards the School’s An Enduring Gift campaign inspired by Dr Perse’s philanthropy as we seek to deliver our world-class education to a wider community of pupils. The campaign aims are to:

double the number of means-tested bursary places and so enable us to reach out to talented children whose families cannot afford a full fee

support the educational outreach programmes in the local community, and further afield

help us realise the exciting performing arts centre project: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform and enhance the very essence of the School.

Angela and Sarah a.k.a Thelma & Louise will be walking and tweeting. You can join them on their journey via Twitter @ammasonsg8

Take One Picture Exhibition, National Gallery The link below will take you to their website where you can find the Pelican artwork that is being exhibited in the Gallery during the summer. http://www.takeonepicture.org/exhibition/2016/lightbox.html

Clubs bookings for Michaelmas term The letter for next term’s clubs accompanies this newsletter. Please take your time to choose them with your child and then submit 1 response form for each child. Clubs are NOT allocated on

a first come, first served basis, so as long as your requests are received by us by 9am on Tuesday, 21st June we shall be able to process your requests. We shall notify you of club allocations before the end of term.

Minibus bookings for Michaelmas term A request form will be sent via Perse post next Friday afternoon for those wishing to make use of the Pelican to Prep minibus next term. As this service is becoming increasingly popular, places are allocated as fairly as possible to allow all families to use it for at least part of each week.

With very best wishes from all at The Perse Pelican