Issue 438: 13th October 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Six weeks in to term already and once again, we have had another successful week at Orton Wistow Primary School.

Harvest Collection

We have already had some donations come in to school for this year’s harvest collection. All food that is donated is given to the local foodbank to help out families in Peterborough. My assembly on Monday will be about harvest time and we will talk about what happens during this time of year and how the food on the collection table will be used.

Parents Evening

It has been great to see so many people sign up for a parents evening slot taking place next week on Tuesday and Thursday. If you haven’t done so already, please login to the school cloud system and book an appointment to see your child’s class teacher. All meetings are virtual and will start at the time you have chosen. If you are experiencing any problems with the system, please contact the school office.

Girls Football Festival

Huge congratulations to our girls’ football team for their performance at the football festival yesterday at Jack Hunt school. The team played several games and won them all! We have seen several new members join the team this year and they have already shown teamwork, perseverance and resilience whilst playing together.

Art Sessions

Year 3 have the opportunity for a few OBA students to teach them a variety of art sessions this term. They are all in school and during lesson time on three Wednesdays, beginning next Wednesday. They are supervised with the usual OWPS teachers. We hope the children will learn lots from these sessions and enjoy the opportunity.

Just one week before the half-term break. I hope you all enjoy the weekend and I shall see you on Monday.

Mr. Marks

Headteacher

^{Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash}

Each week, we publish the latest achievements of the children at Orton Wistow Primary School.

FOWS News

By Jo Watson, Chair of FOWS

Dear FOWS Community,

Donation Day 

We're excited to announce that our next donation day is just around the corner, scheduled for Friday, October 20th. This time, we're adding a sweet twist! Children are encouraged to wear their favourite T-shirts in exchange for a donation of sweets or chocolate. As with all our donation days, your contributions play a pivotal role in making our Christmas fair a success. Your donated items will be used as prizes on various stalls or in our raffle. We highly appreciate any donation you can provide to support our cause.

AGM Highlights

In a recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday, October 10th, FOWS accomplished some key milestones. We're pleased to introduce our team members who have taken on official roles:

• Chair: Jo Watson
• Vice Chair: Zara Shepard
• Treasurer: Manisha Summan (Minni)
• Secretary: Hannah Bass

In addition, we've also enlisted parent representatives from six out of seven school years. Their valuable input ensures that every school year has a voice in our planning, and they help our committee spread the word. While our team is now well-structured, we always welcome more volunteers. Whether you're interested in behind-the-scenes planning and delivery or volunteering in any other capacity, please feel free to get in touch with us.

• Foundation Sarah Haigh
• Year 1 Jem Wilkins
• Year 2 Mark Tomlinson
• Year 3 Emma Mehmed
• Year 4 Lisa McPherson
• Year 5 Michelle Owens
• Year 6 Vacant

You can find more details on FOWS here Orton Wistow Primary School - Friends of Orton Wistow School (FOWS) (owps.org.uk)

Exciting Plans for the Year Ahead

Over the next nine months of the school year, we have an exciting lineup of events to look forward to, including the summer and Christmas fairs, "Break the Rules" days, and more. We're also thrilled to share that we are in the process of becoming a registered charity, a goal we've been working towards for the past couple of years. This important step, along with the adoption of a constitution and various policies and procedures voted on during the AGM, strengthens FOWS' position for the years ahead.

Looking Ahead and Call for Leadership

In closing, we want to mention that Jo Watson, our current Chair, has announced that this will be her final year in this role. If you feel inspired to pick up the mantle and lead our team, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at fows@owps.org.uk. Your commitment will help ensure the continued success of FOWS and our mission to support our wonderful school.

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to making our school community even more vibrant and inclusive.

Harvest Collection

Dear all

We are now collecting for Harvest, with our contributions going to the Peterborough Food Bank. Donations are to be placed in the school hall on the table. 

The Peterborough Food Bank are currently low of stock for:

Tinned meat, Tinned fish, Instant Mash, Tinned Fruit Toilet Rolls, Jam. Pasta Sauces, Cereal and Tea bags.

They have plenty of Pasta, Baked Beans and Female Sanitary Products at the moment.

There will be a Harvest Assembly for children in school on Monday 16th October.

Thank you very much

School Office

^{Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash}

Discover what is coming up in the OWPS Dining Car.

Read about what is happening in the local community.

^{Disclaimer: Orton Wistow Primary School does not endorse any products, services or activities that appear in the Community section of this newsletter, and is not responsible for any contract entered into by either party. We would recommend all parents check with any providers regarding the status of these services, activities and clubs}