Monday 23rd November, 2020
Welcome to the last week of November 2020, next week sees the start of the Christian festival of Advent as we prepare for the season of Christmas. We have a very special announcement to make about a gift for every child in school. This week is the 2nd week of the ‘Switch it Off Fortnight when we are trying to reduce the energy that we use at school. Many of the classes will be investigating the link between the energy we use and its impact on the world’s climate if not controlled.
On Monday we welcome our Chair of Governors, Mr Saunderson, who will be visiting Coverdale Class via a zoom call. On Tuesday some of the children in Key Stage Two will be harnessing the power of the internet to enjoy a live science lesson from the Yorkshire Moors. Mrs Rothera will also be continuing with her new parents’ meetings on Tuesday and Thursday this week.
Thursday sees Nidderdale and Swaledale enjoying a Victorian Day, made all the more realistic by the fact that some of the windows have to stay open due to Covid guidelines.
Friday is our annual non-uniform day when we ask the children to bring in chocolate which will be used this year by each class in their chocolate tombola/lucky dip which replaces the Christmas Fair. There is no theme to the non-uniform Day but I would recommend that children wear appropriately warm clothing.
On Friday, Emma James, the St Luke and St John’s Youth Worker, will be bringing in an Advent Prayer Bag prepared by the Friends Prayer Group for every single child in school. They will be stored in school and handed out at the start of Advent next week. Emma has also delivered Fairtrade Advent Calendars for each class in school which will be enjoyed from the 1st of December. That date would also usually see the start of our Pasada Journey, when Mary and Joseph travel between homes and classes through Advent. Whilst the toys cannot leave the school they will visit classes with a period of cleaning between classes built into their journey.
Over the next two weeks classes will be given the opportunity to take part in the Harrogate Schools Sports Partnership’s virtual schools cross country race. Classes will be able to run a measured route around the playground along with children from across town, who will be doing the same thing in their own locations.
We are determined to make the December period a special and special time of preparation and celebration for everyone in the school community.
If you know of anyone applying for a place at RTS in September please invite them to contact the school where they will receive an invitation to the first of our weekly zoom meetings with myself which are being held on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Thank you again to everyone who continues to follow the guidance during the current lockdown and helping us to keep RTS open and Covid Free.
On a very sad note, I have very recently learnt of the death of Mr Terry Wagner over the weekend. Mr Wagner was a member of the Richard Taylor Trust and a great friend and supporter of the school over a long period of time. At Richard Taylor we are blessed to be supported by talented and dedicated friends who work hard behind the scenes to help every child; Terry was one of those people and he will be greatly missed.
Andrew Symonds