If your child requires a school meal, please could you log onto ParentPay and book these as there have been several children this week who have not had their meals booked meaning that staff have had to ask them their menu choice in the morning ensuring that they had a meal they enjoyed. You can book meals 48 hours in advance and it is possible to book up until the end of term. If you do forget to book a meal, please call the school office as we have the facility to book these on the day.

If you need an activation letter for ParentPay please contact the school office who can arrange for this to be e-mailed to you.

https://app.parentpay.com/public/client/security/v2/#/login

Thank you for sending the children into school this morning looking so smart and ready for their photographs. Unfortunately, Chris, is unwell today and has not been able to come into school to take the photographs. We have arranged a new date and Chris and Jo will now be in school on Monday 19th June in the morning.

As today, please could we request that ALL children wear the Active P.E. Uniform please, so that everyone is wearing the one type of uniform – and this will be the only one that ALL children have due to the transition.

Chris and Jo Maddox will be in school to take the Class and Leaver’s photographs on Monday 5th June, the first day back after half term. Please could all children wear their Active (PE) Uniform on this day as school uniform.

We have been informed this afternoon that Kath is unable to hold the Creative Arts After School Club tomorrow and she sends her apologies for this. If you require your child to go into Care Club please contact Mrs Boxall on the Care Club e-mail address.

Pippa has asked us to let you know of a change in menu next Tuesday. The 2 main choices will be Pizza and Vegetable Chilli. Unfortunately, we cannot amend the menu in ParentPay to reflect this change. If your child would like Pizza please select the Chicken Hotpot option and if they would like the Vegetable Chilli please select the Vegetable Chow Mein option. As always, there will also be the choice of Jacket Potato and Cheese or Ham sandwich.

There will be a service of Morning Praise at St John the Baptist Church, Ditton Priors on Mothering Sunday 19th March at 9.45am. Potted plants will be given to Mothers, Grandmothers and Godmothers.

As previously advised, due to the weather conditions last week, the catering delivery for the kitchen did not take place and, therefore, Pippa has had to make changes to the menu for Thursday. If you have booked Keralan Chicken Curry for your child they will be having sausages and herby diced potatoes, the cauliflower and sweet potato masala will be served as planned. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Due to the weather conditions last week, the catering delivery for the kitchen did not take place and, therefore, Pippa has had to make changes to the menu tomorrow. If you have booked chicken noodle stir fry for your child they will be having chicken pie and if they were booked to have vegetable lasagne they will be having Chinese rice. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

We have added the provisional Term Dates for 2023/24 on the website to enable parents to plan holidays in advance. Please note that as we are publishing these well in advance of the 2023/24 academic year, the PD Days may be subject to change due to future training needs.

School Term and Holiday Dates 2023-24

The 2022/23 Term Dates can be found here on the website –

https://browncleeschool.org.uk/home/parents-area/diary-dates/term-dates-and-pd-days/

We will be holding our first Well Done of the assembly of the year tomorrow morning which will take place in the school hall at 9am. Please do join us if you can.

Now that the builders are no longer on site, please could we remind parents and carers to park considerately in the morning and at the end of the day. Please do not park in the road at the rear of the properties in Station Road as this is private and strictly for residents only. Connexus Housing Association are looking at erecting signs advising this and have previously advised that they will be policing this.

Could we also ask that you drive considerately and slowly on the school grounds for the safety of the pupils and their families.

Chris Maddox, the School Photographer, has been in touch today and has advised that he will be delivering the photographs to school on Thursday. Depending on what time they arrive, they will be sent home on Thursday or Friday.

Ditton Priors will be turning on the Christmas lights this coming Thursday 1st December at 6.30pm at St John the Baptist Church.

Come along and enjoy the first carols of the season, followed by mulled wine and mince pies.

We appreciate that parking is difficult at present with the current necessary building work. However, today, we have had an issue raised by Connexus Housing Association about parking at the rear of properties on Station Road, blocking access to driveways.

They have asked us to remind anyone visiting the school that parking here is strictly for residents only. They have also informed us that they are looking at purchasing signs to try to make it clearer that this is the case and that they will be policing this area in the future to help.

With the cost of living crisis, is it possible that your child is eligible for Free School Meals and you haven’t yet claimed?

The qualifying criteria for free school meals are:

* Income support
* Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
* Income-related employment and support allowance
* Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
* The guaranteed element of pension credit
* Child tax credit (provided you’re not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
* Working tax credit run-on – paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit. Proof of this will be required
* Universal credit – provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods

It is easy to apply on-line at https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/

Children in receipt of Free School Meals are also eligible for free holiday activities provided through the Government’s Holiday, Activities and Food scheme which is provided by Shropshire Council.