Dear families and friends,

We hope you have enjoyed the lovely weather over the past couple of days? School staff are busy preparing for the full re-opening of school for all children from Monday 8th March.

Everyone needs to bring only the bare minimum to school, no large backpacks please, as most classes have to store these items inside classrooms.

PE days: (navy joggers or leggings, trainers, white T-shirt and navy school hoodie where possible)

Class 1 - PE kit on Wednesdays

Class 2 - PE kit on Mondays and Thursdays

Class 3 - PE kit on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Class 4 - PE kit on Tuesdays and Fridays

Class 5 - PE kit on Mondays and Fridays

Breakfast Club starts from 7.50 a.m. with last arrivals by 8.15 a.m. Children need to bring their own breakfast. Daily charges are £2.00 (£1.50 for any siblings) Charges must be paid for in advance via Plus Pay.

Reception / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 - arrive to school between 8.30 and 8.45 via the main gate. Collect at 3.00 p.m.

Year 4 / Year 5 / Year 6 - arrive to school between 8.45 and 8.55 via the main gate. Walk down the hill at 3.15 p.m. (you will need to email classsupport email addresses if you wish younger children to walk down the hill with older brothers/sisters)

Year 5 pupils, you will be in your new classes with Year 4 or Year 6.

We've had a little bit of fun this week and the children can take part in a staff Guess the Pet quiz. They can find it on their Seesaw account, but you might like to see it too! Answers next week!

https://www.instowcps.co.uk/gallery-2020-2021/

Early Years Unit - progress on the build - We are at the stage now when wall emulsion painting is almost finished inside. Next tasks are for woodwork painting needed, then high-grade flooring to be laid; shelving and storage to be installed as well as external surfacing to be upgraded! Slowly, we are making the final stages happen, but I hope you appreciate that supplies dried up with lockdown and Brexit, so it has been a challenge. Thankfully, our family support to raise the final funding has really paid off, so that we can complete this community project. If you are able to help with any shifting rubble / painting tasks, please contact Neil Denton on n.denton67@btinternet.com. A huge thank you goes to Simon Reid for some wonderful painting; to Graham Wray for fitting electrics; to Rory for heating engineering skills; to Joe Harvest for demolition and construction and to Alan Mackie (our Chair of Governors), for scrubbing down woodwork and shifting rubbish to the skip! Every little helps us, so please offer your help if you can. Neil will be working on site from 8th March - if you can offer a second pair of hands to help install the rear panels I'm sure Neil would be very appreciative!

We are sending out a further appeal to any of you who are interested in becoming a governor for our school. The time commitment is minimal (attending interesting and pupil-focused meetings once a month), along with occasional 'task and finish' working parties. Training is also available. I'll send out further information next week, or please call me in school (01271 860545) for a chat next week?

After we all return on Monday 8th March, we will be supporting Comic Relief's Red Nose events with a range of activities and fundraisers, heading towards Friday 19th March's Red Nose Day. Ms Graves will send out more information nearer the time.

Finally, it will be to your benefit to ensure your child attends the Google Meets every morning next week, as well as the year group virtual meets, so that we all feel positive about returning and you child is aware of routines to keep everyone safe.

With best wishes

Mrs Knight and team xx