NEWSLETTER Issue: 5.01

HEAD'S VIEW
Welcome back to one and all after a two week break - I hope you all had a great time with family and friends. The school, however, has not stood still over the fortnight. The builders have been working overtime to complete the link building and, after six months, we are almost there! From this coming Monday the walkway and all exterior areas will be ready for use. The link building will not be open for use until Tuesday 6th May. From that day on the link building will be the main office and reception area (not my house unfortunately!). All the office furniture and computer systems will be moved at the end of next week, and into the weekend, so your understanding in terms of demands on the office staff on Thursday and Friday will be most appreciated. The library furniture will be installed next week so we hope to have that up and running as soon as possible. Today, we are saying 'farewell' to the Biggs building team in a special assembly – I cannot speak highly enough of them as individuals and as a team. We will miss them. Our opportunity to celebrate the opening of the new facilities, as well as the ReNewbridge fund raising campaign, will take place on Friday 23rd May. Please see the invitation below which is extended to all our families, last year's leavers and their families, and our neighbours.

On the staffing front, we welcome Mrs Heather Bateman back after two successive maternity leaves and two lovely young children, Jasper and Ava. Mrs Bateman returns to teaching one day a week in 2S, starting today, while Miss Slee is continuing to teach the other four days until the end of this academic year. Four trainee teachers also started their placements with us this week: Miss Julian Shepherd (Willow), Mr Callum Calloway (1HO), Miss Elizabeth Webb (3C) and Anita Khuttan (4P). All four are taking their PGCE at Bath Spa University and this will be their final placement before qualifying. I wish them all the best and I am sure that both the students and our school will gain in equal measure.

There has been some confusion over when clubs start and end. My apologies for any difficulties caused. From now on the dates as to when they begin and end each term will be published in September for the whole year. If there are any exceptions to those dates then the club leader will write directly to the parents of the children involved. For your information, the last clubs will take place this term in the week ending Friday 4th July 2008. Please also note the Isle of Wight and SATs meetings coming up next week in 'Dates For Your Dairy'.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY W/B 28/04/08
Monday 28/04/08 - Clubs start this week
KS1 SATs info meeting for Y2 parents @ 2.40pm
KS2 SATs info meeting for Y6 parents @ 7.00pm
Thursday 01/05/08 - Isle Of Wight meeting @ 7.00pm for Year 6 families
Willow Assembly @ 2.40pm
Friday 02/05/08 - 4A Assembly @ 2.30pm
Brean Sands chess meeting @ 4.30pm

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE RENEWBRIDGE CELEBRATIONS on Friday 23rd May 2008 from 3.30pm – 5.30pm. This invite is extended to all our families, last year's leavers and their families, and our neighbours. There will be an opening of the new building, a variety of simple family games and activities for anyone who wants to participate, a chance to see the new facilities and free ice creams! Most of all, this is a chance to relax together and celebrate what we have achieved. You are more than welcome to bring your own picnics. (The reserve date for this event is Friday 13th June if the weather is against us).

GARDENING CLUB
Mrs Bradley has a meeting on Monday after school so Gardening Club is cancelled on Monday 28th April.

FOUND
A pair of M & S school trousers, age 5, were left behind at the last multi-skills session. Please contact the office if your child has lost them. Thank you.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING 'STARS OF THE WEEK'
Foundation Stage
Ruby
Years 1 and 2
Oli, Phoebe, Caitlin, Ella, Luke
Years 3 and 4
Sophie, Rebecca, Tom, Beth
Years 5 and 6
Emma, Thea, Ben, Alex, Sophie,
PPA Drama
Alice, Chakhila
PPA Art
Jed
PPA PE
Lily, Jeorgia

SUNDAY FUN FACTORY
Emmanuel Church, Apsley Road on Sunday 4th May from 4.00 – 5.30pm. Craft, Worship and Tea with storyteller Simon Airey. For under 8's and their families.
Everything free!

HOCKEY
PLEASE NOTE: On Sunday 27th April two Hockey teams will be taking part in the 'Savills' Hockey Tournament at the University of Bath, between 10.00am and 3.00pm. Everyone is welcome to come and support.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
Spring has sprung in the lower school Spiritual Garden and the celandines are staging a takeover. It's time to get weeding! The Spiritual Garden team will be taking up the challenge every Thursday (weather permitting) from 9.00 – 10.00am. We really need some new volunteers to join us. Why not come along – no gardening experience necessary! Contact Liz Coles (Luke 2S, Jack 4A) or just turn up on a dry Thursday.

CERTIFICATES OF EXCELLENCE – MARCH
At the end of every month each class teacher has a very difficult decision to face. They have to choose the one person from their class to receive a Certificate of Excellence. The person they choose has to consistently be the best that he or she can be. That could be in effort and attitude, achievement, behaviour or citizenship. Sometimes it can be very difficult deciding as all of the children at Newbridge seem to work so hard and behave so well! The people with their names here this month deserve congratulating. It is not easy to be awarded a Certificate of Excellence and they have done extremely well.
LOWER SCHOOL - Elm - Toby, Willow - Leon, 1H - Toby, 1HO - Archie, 2GB - Holly, 2RB - Hannah, 2S - Alice
UPPER SCHOOL - 3C - Olivia, 3H - William, 4A - Megan, 4P - Shannon, 5C - Joda, 5D - Neelia, 5W - Mark, 6B - Frances, 6N - Tom, 6S - Natasha

CALLING ALL BUDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS!
Do you like taking photos? Do you think we do enough? Well, now is your chance to show off your photographer's skills! All you need to do is take your best ever photo and sent it to Darcy E in 6S or the News Team on a Monday at lunchtime. If you prefer, you can bring it in on a memory disk. The grand prize will be announced in the new edition of Newsbridge! We would love you to send in your photos so that we can see just what a talented school we really are!