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4th July 2008

WE WISH ALL OUR LEAVERS HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS AT THEIR NEW SCHOOLS, AND HOPE THEY WILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DCPS

GENERAL NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS to Annabelle Pullar (8W) who has been awarded a Music Scholarship to Sutton Valence School.

SPORTING CONGRATULATIONS to Chris Norris (7W) who has been selected to play for Ireland's U15 Hockey Squad.

PRIZEGIVING - SATURDAY 5TH JULY 10.30 am - In the event of wet weather, only prizewinners and leavers will attend Prizegiving, with their parents, and the event will be held in the Sports Hall. If the weather looks doubtful, parents may telephone after 9.00 am - either 01580 712179 or the matchline 01580 710100, where a message will be left.

HOLIDAY ACCESS - Parents are reminded that the entrance from Golford Road will be CLOSED throughout the holiday and that all traffic for the school will have to use Coursehorn Lane. During normal opening hours, entrance to the School will be via the maintenance yard (and will be signed) and exit will be past the School Office and Oast as usual. Outside normal hours both entrance and exit will be via the Oast entrance. Parents are urged to take extreme caution both on Coursehorn Lane and once on the School Grounds. Please remember that there will be a language school resident on site, and that children will be playing adjacent to the temporary traffic route.

NEW ENTRANCE LAYOUT - As part of the new Little Stream development, a new entrance to the site will be constructed during the summer holiday. Traffic from the Tenterden direction will continue to enter as at present, but from the Cranbrook direction a new entrance will have been formed about 50m closer to Cranbrook than at present. Traffic flow at this end of the site will be altered significantly, and it will be possible for vehicles that do not need to go to Upper School to exit the site back on to the Golford Road from the new entrance.

A note describing the layout will be sent to all parents during the holiday and will be published on the School Website (www.dcpskent.org) before the start of term. Traffic marshals will be guiding vehicles at the entrance for the first few days of term in September.

GUM SHIELDS FOR CHILDREN IN YEARS 3 - 8 IN SEPTEMBER - All children who will be in Years 3 - 8 next year must have a professionally-fitted gum shield to wear whilst playing rugby, hockey, lacrosse and cricket. A company called O-Pro will come to school on the morning of Friday 12th September to fit gum shields. These will be ready within one week. Costs are laid out in the leaflet enclosed in the end of term envelope, and a medium-weight shield is sufficient. If you would like to order a gum-shield from O-Pro, please fill in the form in the leaflet and return it to O-Pro direct.

REMINDER TO PARENTS OF LEAVERS - We would like to remind parents of children leaving at the end of this term, who pay by direct debit, that the collection for the summer term's extras will be made on 1st August. When you receive your final bill, please contact the Bursary if there are any queries, as soon as possible.

SUMMER SWIMMING - Open Days The pool will be open for everybody, regardless of whether they have bought a ticket, for £1 a swimmer on Sunday 6th July, Thursday 17th July and Monday 28th July. Season tickets will be available from the lifeguards at the pool during the holidays.

ARTS WEEK 2008 - 6th - 10th OCTOBER - Staff have been busy planning an exciting programme of activities for all the children during our biennial Arts Week. A full programme of the morning and afternoon activities will be distributed to children early next term. Three events that will take place during the evenings are:

Mon 6th October 7pm World Soccer Skills Champion, David Farnworth in the John Leakey Hall for parents and children.
Wed 8th October 7pm 'Schools Got Talent Show' in the John Leakey Hall for Parents and Children.
Fri 10th October 7.30pm Creative Dance Show in the John Leakey Hall.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND LAPTOP ADVICE - Parents wanting cheap Microsoft, Serif or free Textease software - please see the school website. Go to Upper School and click the link to ICT. You will also find useful information regarding a suggested laptop for pupils. If anyone has borrowed a Textease disk from the IT Department, please could they return it as soon as possible.

SECOND HAND SHOP - Please could parents of leavers bring their uniform to the Second Hand Shop as soon as possible. The shop is open on Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th July from 10am to 12 noon. Full opening times can be found on a separate sheet enclosed with this newsletter.

SECOND HAND SPORTS KIT FOR TANZANIAN SCHOOLS - Just to remind you that the Cranbrook School Tanzania charity would be very pleased to have your unwanted sports kit, particularly the old style tracksuits. Donations can be given to Kitty Walker (07769 594962) or dropped off in the school second hand shop when open during the summer, by kind permission of Mrs Knight.

HOLIDAY DIARY COMPETITION - UPPER SCHOOL AND LITTLE STREAM - This is an optional competition for all Upper School and Little Stream children, who are invited to make a diary or scrapbook of their summer holiday. Marks will be awarded and will count towards Tribe totals - extra marks will be given for work which is illustrated with the children's own drawings or photographs. There will be a prize in every age group and we look forward to reading about as many happy and exciting holidays as possible!

NEW CHILDREN'S UNIFORM - Please would families who have a new child/children starting in September and who need an appointment with Simmonds, the School Uniform Shop, make the appointment by email or telephone, before 20th July. Mrs Montgomery, who runs the shop, can be contacted at kmontgomery@dcpskent.org or on 01580 713155.

NEXT TERM'S CALENDAR - The Calendar for the Autumn Term 2008 will be on the school website by the end of the first week of the holidays. The school web address is www.dcpskent.org .

SPORTS CLUBS NEXT TERM - A sheet is enclosed showing all Sports Clubs next term for children in Years 3 - 8.

BEGINNING OF TERM - AUTUMN 2008

BEST UNIFORM FOR UPPER SCHOOL CHILDREN ON THE FIRST DAY OF TERM

FIRST DAY OF TERM - AUTUMN 2008 - MONDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER - Staggered Drop-Off Times - As usual, we have decided to stagger the start of the first day of next term, in order to avoid traffic confusion. Please could all children coming in to Upper School arrive at 8.30 am, with Little Stream and Nash House at 9.00 am. Little Stream will have an informal start. Parents with children in more than one part of the school may deliver them together at 8.30am. Pick-up for Nash House will be 3.15pm on the first day, unless parents also have children in other parts of the school.

SOCIAL EVENINGS - AUTUMN TERM 2008 - There will be three Social Evenings early next term, for parents of all children in Years 3, 5 and 7. The Year 3 Evening will be on Thursday 11th September at 7.00 pm in the Little Stream Hall. The Year 7 Evening will be on Monday 15th September in the John Leakey Hall and the Year 5 Evening will be on Thursday 18th September at 7.00 pm in the John Leakey Hall. These evenings are intended simply as get-togethers for parents and staff who may not yet know each other - they are not a good time to discuss your child's progress with staff. There will be Parents' Evenings later in the year, when all aspects of your child's school career can be discussed.

UPPER SCHOOL

BOARDING - If your child would like to start boarding in September 2008, please email Mrs Montgomery (Lodge, boys) kmontgomery@dcpskent.org or Miss Fosbery (Manor, girls) cfosbery@dcpskent.org by Friday 22nd August.

THANK YOU FROM THE PE DEPARTMENT - The PE Department would like to thank all the parents who have supported teams and matches over the past year - often not in the best of weather! They wish everyone a very happy holiday - keep fit for the autumn!

MUSIC DEPARTMENT - Our peripatetic flute teacher, Mrs Lisa Alexander, is going on maternity leave in September. We wish her good luck for the future. Mrs Hardwick will be teaching her pupils, on Mondays and Fridays.

INFORMATION EVENING FOR YEAR 8 PARENTS - This will take place on Wednesday 17th September at 7.00 pm in the John Leakey Hall.

LOST PROPERTY Josh Todd (5A) has lost his baseball cap.

SISSINGHURST FOOTBALL CLUB - If any U11 boys are interested in joining Sissinghurst Football Club for Sunday morning matches in the Invicta Primary League, please contact Theresa Hughes on 01580 714785. Training is on Friday evenings 6-7pm at Angley School and home matches are played at DCPS.

LOWER SCHOOL and LITTLE STREAM

THE LOWER SCHOOL PE DEPARTMENT would like to thank everyone who has helped with the Lower School PE and games over the past year!

OPENING OF LITTLE STREAM - Mrs Bradley and the Little Stream staff would like to invite all Little Stream parents to visit the new building for an informal look around on Friday 5th September between 2pm and 4pm.

YEAR 3 (SOON TO BE YEAR 4!) BACK TO SCHOOL GET-TOGETHER - FRIDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER - Form Reps have organised a Back to School picnic lunch and play on Friday 5th September in the school grounds. This will coincide with the preview opening of Little Stream. Parents - please check your book bags for a note with more details.

AFTER SCHOOL CARE CLUB NEXT TERM - Will begin on Monday 8th September.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES CLUBS - Will begin on Monday 15th September.

LOST PROPERTY - Maddy Todd (4A) has lost her baseball cap.

NASH HOUSE

THANK YOU
" to Mrs Preston, Mrs Hinge and Mrs Teare who accompanied the Reception classes to Groombridge last Friday.
" to Mrs Christopherson for bringing in artefacts from Holland for the 1R topic this term.
" to the Year 8 children who helped in Nursery this week and to Mr and Mrs Johnson for a wonderful pirate party.

LOST PROPERTY - Please could parents of children in 1P check to see if they have Harry Revell's overtrousers. They are new and named.

AFTER-SCHOOL CARE CLUB NEXT TERM - Will begin on Monday 8th September.