Dear Parents,

Thank you for your votes over the weekend at the Christmas Tree Festival. We are delighted to say that Writtle Infant and Junior Schools' joint entry won the Children's Prize!  Well done to all the children who produced such beautiful decorations.

Year 1 & Year 2 Performances

The festivities continued this week with the Year 1 and 2 Christmas performances of Jesus' Christmas Party. As you will have seen, the children performed with such confidence and their voices absolutely shone. I think we will all remember the candle-lit Hallelujah for a very long time! Thank you to the staff who have worked so hard to put the shows together, from leading the rehearsals to the exceptional artistry of the scenery, creating the programmes and setting up our starry hall full of fairy lights! The children were so proud after the performance, one said "It filled me with Christmas spirit!" and I'm sure you feel the same way. Thank you for your donations to The Children's Society, we raised over £100.

Visitors to School

We are grateful to Reverend Tony for spending time with Year 2 after the performance on Thursday, to talk to the children about his role in the church and how he spends Christmas Day! They had lots of questions about how Christmas is celebrated in church. A reminder that Messy Church is on Sunday 22nd December and Rev. Tony has given us a list of church services over the festive period for your reference. We were lucky to have former teacher Mrs Herring in school this week to teach Dance to Year 1 and Year 2. She brought her usual Christmas sparkle to the proceedings and the children loved her routine to Sparkle and Shine from Nativity! Ask them to show you at home!

Year 1 at the Link Club

We have shared our Christmas spirit beyond the school this week, as Year 1 sang at the Link Club's Christmas party yesterday. Held annually at the Christian Centre, your Harvest Festival donations support a party for the house-bound elderly of the village. They were absolutely delighted to see the children and Year 1 sang beautifully.

Reading

All Little Wandle (Big Cat) books will be collected by the end of term, so that we can check we have complete sets for use in school and to send home. Please have a really good hunt around the house this weekend if you are missing a book or two. School library books will be sent home for the children to read. We know the children may receive some lovely new books for Christmas, but remember that Essex Libraries are also launching their annual Winter Reading Challenge in the New Year. The Dragons’ Adventure starts on Thursday 2 January and runs until Saturday 22 February, and children can join at any point during that time. They will be asked to complete six challenges, with stickers and prizes available. Classes who have not visited the library this term will have their opportunity in the New Year, just in time for the challenge.

Reminders for Next Week

There is no Forest School next week, due to the children's Christmas parties and so that Mrs Winsley and Mrs Stobbie can refresh the space for use next term. Thank you to them both for enriching the curriculum by offering such wonderful opportunities for the children to enjoy the natural world this term. They even treated the staff to chestnuts (roasted on an open fire, of course!) and non-alcoholic mulled wine this week! A reminder of events next week is below.

Not long now!

Only 5 more get-ups next week! We know everyone is busy at this time of year and there are lots more evening events than usual, but it's been a really long term, so to get the children through the final week, we are still very much recommending early nights!!

Enjoy the weekend, we hope you have lots of festive fun.

Best wishes,

Tracey Wilson