Merry Christmas from Miss Trim

Dear Parents and Carers,

Firstly, may I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

As the year draws to a close, I want to reflect on a theme that has shaped our journey over the last term together: risk-taking - an essential skill in achieving lifelong dreams and, of course, living life to its fullest. 

We began this year with a focus on risk-taking as it aligns so closely with the school vision: "Living life in all its fullness" (John 10:10). Our vision inspires all of our school community, children and adults alike, to embrace opportunities, to step beyond their comfort zones and to cultivate the courage to dream big. 

This year, we once again welcomed new faces to Team Hordle and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have joined our school community. Starting at a new school takes courage: building new friendships, settling into routines, and growing within a new environment. Congratulations to our new joiners who embraced these challenges with grace and courage - you've modelled risk-taking in the best possible way! 

Over the last term, we have seen countless examples of risk-taking in action: we studied famous risk-takers in the first week of term, learning about all sorts of famous people including Katherine Johnson whose perserverance and bravery continue to inspire; pupils signed up for clubs they've never tried before such as karate, choir or learning to play the guitar; and adults too have modelled risk-taking in all corners of the school, whether this was presenting at a conference or taking on new roles. It has been a real joy to celebrate these acts of courage with the children and the staff. Thank you all for taking risks - for being brave enough to explore new paths and for showing us that growth often lies in stepping just outside our comfort zones. 

It wouldn't be a Merry Christmas without saying a huge thanks to my team. Every day, they work incredibly hard and come to school, genuinely determined to support each and every child in achieving their best. I am extremely fortunate to have a team that always puts the children at the very heart of everything they do. Nothing days this more than being asked to join in with the nativity week by joining the children in costume. After all, at Hordle CE Primary school, we believe wholeheartedly that the nativity ROCKS! And here they are, rocking the look:

May I take this time to wish you a restful and joyous Christmas break!

Warmest wishes,

Lou Trim

Parent Forum

We will be running a Parent Forum on 28th January at 9am in the Acorn Room. This is an opportunity to express your views/make suggestions for our Senior Leadership Team on any matters relating to school. This could include (but is not limited to) curriculum, school activities, uniform, trips and school events.

We would love to see as many of you there as possible. In order to prepare for this event, please complete the form on the link below with your suggested topics for discussion:

Parent Forum discussion topics

Even if you cannot attend on the day but you wish for a particular subject to be discussed, please complete this form and give us as much information as possible.

Please can we ask that questions posed for discussion at the Parent Form are broad in nature and not specifically related to your child. Child specific questions are best answered by your child's class teacher who will be happy to discuss them at a mutually convenient time. Please email them directly in the first instance.

Team PATCH Christmas Raffle

An enormous thank you to all of the families who purchased tickets and supported this years Christmas Raffle and a further special thank you to those families who kindly donated such generous and truly wonderful prizes. We simply could not do this without all of your generosity.

The raffle has been drawn today (Friday 13th December) and all winners have already been contacted directly by Team PATCH.

We wish you all the very best of luck! 

Tuesday 17th December - School Non-Uniform Day in Exchange for Chocolates/Treats

A reminder that Tuesday 17th December will be a non-uniform day in exchange for chocolate/treats (please be reminded that we are a nut free school, so please do double check ingedients), which will then be used for the Team PATCH Chocolate Tombola, held by Team PATCH after school that day. Tombola tables will be located in several locations around the school at 3.25pm. 

Cardboard Boxes/Packaging DT Plea for Lower Juniors

After the holidays, Team LJ's will be looking at shell structures. Please can we ask that any empty boxes (with or without lids), packaging (small) and things like Toblerone tubes from over the holidays are please set aside and bought in to school in January. 

Children in Need - Pennies for Pudsey

We are pleased to share that we made a fantastic final total of £359.07 for the Pennies for Pudsey on Friday 15th November.  

School Crossroads HCC Maintenance Work

Mr Ken has kindly informed us that the damaged bollard on the crossroads has now been removed by the council. 

Please ensure you help keep the children safe by avoiding the edge of the pavement/crossing and by approaching the junction with caution, as without the bollard it is possible that a car may accidentally cut the corner. 

The council will be replacing the bollard in due course. 

Winter Reading Challenge

It is the perfect weather to snuggle down with a good book and our friends at The Reading Agency are running the Winter Mini Challenge - an online reading challenge which you can join from 1 December 2024 to 20 February 2025. Read three or more books to unlock digital rewards!

More information can be found here. 

Happy reading!

OUR SCHOOL NEEDS YOU!

Our current PATCH team has worked tirelessly to fundraise for wonderful additions to our school in recent years and we are extremely grateful for all their hard work. 

Sadly, next year, 3 of our key PATCH members will be leaving Hordle, as their children move on to secondary school.

This leaves us with a huge hole and with growing pressure on school budgets, sadly, without the funds raised by our highly valued PATCH team and the events they run, the school simply won't be able to afford the wonderful enhancements provided for our school. 

In recent years, PATCH have successfully fundraised for:

- Daily Mile Track

- Trim trail equipment

- Library furniture

- Outdoor gym equipment

- Hall curtains / backdrop

- Outdoor shelters

- PA sound system and hall disco lighting

- Zip Wire

- PE Equipment

- Year 6 Leavers Hoodies

- Pantomine Performances

- Reindeer Visits

In short, we simply won't be able to offer the range of events that the PATCH team have introduced to the school over the years and that the years and that the children (and parents!) look forward to every year. 

For example: 

- Special Person's Day

- Secret Santa

- Storytime with Mrs Claus

- Summer Fair

- Christmas Raffle

- Disco

You already play a very important part by supporting at our PATCH events for which we are very thanful, but we need you more than ever!

If you can give a little bit of your time to help the school by joining the PATCH team, please get in touch with Mrs Collins in the school office to find out more of sign up to our PATCH volunteer information event which will be taking place on Friday 31st January 2025 at 9am. 

Read Easy - Free, Confidential Reading Coaching for Adults

Read Easy is a local charity that organises the provision of free, confidential, one-to-one reading coaching for adults, eighteen and over, who want to learn to read or improve their reading skills.  

When someone contacts Read Easy because they want help to improve their reading, our approach is to provide them with a trained volunteer coach. Read Easy currently has coaches available in the Lymington and New Milton area and we are particularly keen to help adults improve their skills and confidence when reading to and with children.  Whatever someone’s starting point, each person will be taken back to basics and can then work at their own pace. Coaching usually consists of two 30-minute sessions each week at a local venue, such as New Milton library, for as long as the support is needed. 

There are no tests or exams and we go at the reader's own pace and without pressure, using a well-established phonics-based approach.  The programme is confidential, so readers can relax and enjoy the learning.  

Hub Club Price Increase

Please be advised that as agreed by governors in July 2024, the Hordle Hub Club rates, for all internal clubs run by the school, will be increasing from £3.50 per week to £4 per week from 1st April 2025. 

Breakfast Club and After School Club rates will be staying the same and will be reviewed again by Governors in April 2025. We will advise of any changes in due course, should there be any.

YR admissions are now open for pupils joining in September 2025 

Admissions are now open for Year R children who are due to start their school learning adventures in September 2025.

Applying for a YR space for 2025

To make your application, please follow the link here.

Applications open: Friday 1 November 2024

Applications close: Wednesday 15 January 2025 

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Please share with any family and/or friends who have a child due to start Reception in September 2025, who may be interested in joining our Ofsted Outstanding school.

We would like to remind parents/guardians of the term dates for the next couple of months. 

Friday 20th December - Last Day of Autumn 2 (1pm finish)

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Tuesday 7th January - First Day of Spring 1

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Friday 14th February - Last Day of Spring 1

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Monday 24th February - First Day of Spring 2

Parents are strongly advised by the Government and Local Authority to avoid taking children out of school in term time because of the disruption it causes to their education.

Following the update to the Penalty Notice Framework, Miss Trim has kindly put together a helpful leaflet to outline the important changes and how the penalty notice system will work. The leaflet can be found here.