Latest News

• Catching Up!

  Mon 05 Nov 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  I hope you have all had a wonderful half term break. It was very much needed by children and staff alike after such a long half term. The final week before we broke up was so busy. Both Year 4 classes treated us to two fantastic class assemblies- our first of the year. They set the bar very high! We also had our first praise assemblies of the year where children from each class were surprised with praise awards from their teachers.

   

  So many beautiful and creative poppies have flooded in too; I can only imagine how many more will arrive tomorrow! Our display is going to look stunning. Don't forget, you will also be able to purchase poppies and other remembrance goods in school all week.

   

  Today, the staff have been back in school for an INSET day. We joined with our colleagues from Pedmore CE Primary and Church of the Ascension CE Primary to enjoy a very engaging day's training delivered by Jonathon Lear. He inspired us with some exciting ideas for delivering the curriculum. Just ask your teachers about monkeys and Little Miss Sunshine and see what they have to say!

   

  We are looking forward to welcoming you all back to school tomorrow. May I also take this opportunity to welcome Mrs Melia in Reception.....no, not a new member of staff, it is in fact Miss Cross who got married during half term. Congratulations Mrs Melia- we wish you and Mr Melia love, luck and happiness!

   

  

• Living out our values

  Tue 16 Oct 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  This half term, we have been focusing on the values of compassion and honesty. 

  It has been so heartening to see the children living out their values in all sorts of ways. From the compassion they showed to those less fortunate than ourselves at harvest, to the compassion they show towards each other every day, it is evident that they have all grown spiritually. The 'Open The Book' Team presented the story of The Good Samaritan and one of our favourite assembly clips was about a baby elephant in trouble. It demonstrated how animals can also understand the suffering of others and come together to help.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18srVaQwwjg

   

  The honesty flower featured in one of our assemblies and helped to remind children that 'honesty is the best policy.' Our children are increasingly growing in courage as they own up when they have made a mistake and in the story of "The Truth Seeds" we saw how the one who was honest was the one who was duly rewarded.

   

  Please take some time to share  other Bible stories on the theme of honesty and compassion with your children, to strengthen the impact of our values work and school ethos. Some suggestions include: The Good Samaritan; The Loaves and The Fishes; Jacob & Esau;  Zacchaues; The Prodigal Son; The Unmerciful Servant.

  

• Harvest Report

  Wed 10 Oct 2018 Charlotte, Y6

  On the 5th of October 2018 from 2:15 pm until 3:15 pm  it was the harvest tea party at Oldswinford Primary School. Students could nominate their grandparents (or elderly people that they knew) to receive a formal invite to the party. Nearly 100 retired people turned up for the tea party, including people from Oriel House and lots of grandparents of students in the school. They were served with tea by a few very kind members of the PTA and cake that Oldswinford students had kindly donated. 

  Students from year 6 came down during the afternoon and socialised with elderly visitors who enjoyed talking to them. A few of the guests said that they ‘had been looking forward to the the tea party all day’. The elderly visitors were also entertained by a song, ‘Cauliflowers Fluffy’ sung by the Oldswinford choir and not one but two songs sung by the Year ones (who were very brave to sing in front of so many people!) 

  At the end of the afternoon sadly, all the visitors had to go as the tea party was over. Lots of cake was left over,which was then driven to the Giving Hands Mission(food bank) in Brierley Hill where it was donated to go to the less fortunate people of Stourbridge and its surounding areas. Overall the afternoon was a great success and was enjoyed by everyone who was involved! 

   

  

• Harvest Success!

  Tue 09 Oct 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  Thank you to our whole school community for your generosity this year. The quantity of donations was truly overwhelming. The display of gifts stretched the length of the hall and a band of children and staff worked hard to get it all unpacked and set up ready for 10am.

   

  Harvest was so special this year. Our service led by Rev. French was very thought-provoking and made the children reflect on gratitude and how fortunate they are. Prayers were composed and read by the Worship group and The Visionaries.

   

  George, Ambrose and Dylan from Giving Hands Mission were in awe of the vast display of items donated and said they had never before received so much in one go. George thanked the whole school community for their generosity and explained what a difference it would make to those in need in our community. We were captivated by his words and moved by his reaction. He called all the children 'a blessing.' He then presented a beautiful card of thanks to the school.

   

  Thank you so much to the parent volunteers who helped to pack up and transport the donations to the mission in Brierley Hill. We couldn't have done it without you!

   

  But it didn't stop there! We then went on to welcome over 70 guests to Harvest Tea in the afternoon. There was an array of delicious cakes donated (thank you once again!) The tea and coffee flowed as our visitors were entertained by some stunning singing by the choir and all the children in Year 1.

   

  Huge appreciation goes to the staff, PTA and governors who volunteered to help out with setting up, serving and tidying away but it was our Year 6 hosts who made the greatest impact as they made conversation with our guests and ensured they were topped up with tea and cake!

   

  It was such a worthwhile day. The children were able to experience our values in action and we have been receiving cards and letters of thanks from our guests, who said, " The children in Year 6 who were  waiting on tables were polite, courteous and extremely friendly- a credit to the school."

  

• Book Fayre

  Tue 09 Oct 2018 Mrs Fran Wooldridge

  This week was incredibly exciting in school, as £2000 worth of brand new books were delivered into school for our library! A huge thank you to the PTA who organised and ran the Scholastic Book Fayre last year; and all our parents and carers who took the time to browse the fayre and purchase some books to take home. These books were all purchased from the commission the school earned!

   

  

• Reception Parents Lunch

  Thu 04 Oct 2018 Fran Wooldridge

  Yesterday, parents and carers from Foundation Stage were invited into school to eat lunch with their children.

  This was the first time we had tried such an event, and it was a huge success so we will most certainly be repeating it again.

  As one parent commented "I had a lovely meal with my son today in school, what a lovely idea for us as parents to be able to join in and share the experience and for us to be able to understand their day more."

  A huge thank you to Lyn our school cook, and the rest of the kitchen staff for working so hard to make this event such a success.

   

• Harvest Reminders- Friday 5th October

  Mon 01 Oct 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  *Please remember to send in your nominations for our senior citizens' harvest tea party by tomorrow so that we can issue invitations.

   

  *Volunteers to transport food donations from school to the Giving Hands Mission in Brierley Hill from 10.45am

   

  * Donations for the food bank and cake for the tea party to arrive in school on Thursday or Friday.

   

  Many thanks for your generosity and support of those in our community who are less fortunate than ourselves.

   

  

• Parent Zone E-Safety Support

  Fri 28 Sep 2018 Mr D. Pardoe

   

  Parent Zone has made available a number of guides that focus on 'trending' apps and games that pupils are engaging with. We know how hard it is to keep up-to-date with all the new things that children engage with on their phones and tablets so we hope that you find this supportive in helping to safeguard your children online.

  https://parentzone.org.uk/advice/parent-guides  

  

• Buddy's Back!

  Thu 27 Sep 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  Great news! Buddy returned to school today! He's had a relatively quiet day, easing himself back in as he's still having to wear his cone or bodysuit to protect his wound until Saturday but he was getting bored at home and missing all the children! 

   

  Thank you for all of your well-wishes. As you can see, he's done really well post-op and I reckon by next week, it will be like he's never been away and his training can start again in earnest.

   

  Here he is, settling back in to my office, enjoying his get well treat from Miss Tait.

   

  

• Harvesting Love

  Mon 24 Sep 2018 Mrs Jo Seker

  Please look out for today's very important parentmail about our Harvest plans for this year and how you can support our work. Our partners at the Giving Hands Mission (affiliated with the Black Country Food Bank) need our help!  The Visionaries have been working hard to help at the mission and share the message with the school. They did a fantastic job presenting in today's assembly to the whole school which ended with a thoughtful prayer which they composed as a group:

  Our Compassionate Father In Heaven,

  Help us to remember the lessons that Jesus taught us about caring and sharing;

  Thank you for all the kind and caring people in our community such as George at Giving Hands Mission;

  Thank you that we are fortunate enough to have food, shelter and enough love to share;

  We pray that everyone here can be caring and generous in their gifts to those in need.

  We know that little is much when God is in it.

  Amen.