Autumn half term update

emmafoulerton
Oct 24
3 min read

Read on to discover what we've been up to this half term, what's coming up, and our Christmas plans! A quick reminder that the AGM has been rescheduled to Friday 21st November at 1:30pm at school. We'd love to see as many of you as possible – your input is really valuable as we plan events and activities for the year ahead."

Thank you everyone for all your support at the beginning of 2025/26 - we hope you have a lovely week!

What we've been up to this half term...

The Claverdon Fun Run 2025 took place

Thank you to everyone who made the Claverdon Fun Run such a success – runners, volunteers, sponsors and parent taxi drivers! Photo galleries from the day are now available on the Fun Run page, capturing all the best moments from the event. We hope everyone had a great time, and we're already looking forward to making next year's event even bigger and better.

Autumn Disco 2025

The Friends of Claverdon School Disco on 16th October was a great success, with 185 pupils dancing the night away across both sessions. We are still counting our pennies but the event raised over £700. Thank you to Alex and Michelle for organising such a fun evening for the children, to our DJ for keeping everyone entertained, and to all the volunteers who helped make it run smoothly. Thanks also to everyone who bought tickets and supported the event."

Cauliflower Cards

Thank you to everyone who ordered Cauliflower Christmas cards this year! The children's festive designs have been sent off to be transformed into beautiful cards, tags, wrapping paper and notebooks, and these will be delivered to school at the beginning of December. Your orders have raised nearly £300 in commission for the school, which is fantastic. Thank you to Flora for organising this year's project – the children always love seeing their own artwork displayed on their Christmas cards, and it's a wonderful keepsake for families.

Things coming up next half term...

Join us for Christmas wreath making at Claverdon Primary School! £45 per person including all materials. Tea and coffee also included or bring your own bottle. All money raised will go towards Friends of Claverdon. Please bring your own secateurs if possible. Bring your friends - everyone welcome but spaces are limited!
The Children's Christmas Gift Shop is back! Opening on 12th December, this is always one of the most popular events of the year. With the help of our parent volunteers, children can independently choose gifts for their family members – and then face the challenge of keeping them secret until Christmas Day! More details will follow closer to the time, so mark the date in your diaries now!
Have you joined the 100 Club yet? For just £2 per month (or £24 annually), you'll be in with a chance of winning one of two cash prizes every month, whilst also supporting the school. The 100 Club provides a valuable regular income for Friends of Claverdon, and if you're lucky enough to win, it's a lovely surprise to find some extra money in your bank account! With great odds of winning and the satisfaction of supporting your child's school, it's a win-win! You can sign up at www.friendsofclaverdon.org/the-100-club – players must be over 18.

Shhhhh... Operation Snowflake – can we make it happen again?

Shhh... don't tell the children, but we're hoping to work our Christmas magic once more! For those who are new to the school, Operation Snowflake has become a much-loved tradition where parents volunteer to transform the school into a winter wonderland whilst the children are at home. The delight on their faces when they arrive on a Monday morning in the lead up to Christmas, to find their school completely transformed is truly something special. However, this year we need to know if we have enough volunteers to make it happen. If you'd like to be part of creating this magical experience, please let us know here using the volunteer form, or let your class rep know. If we have sufficient helpers, we'll confirm the details and get Operation Snowflake underway. Let's keep the magic alive – but remember, mum's the word!

Finally, in the run up to Christmas don't forget...

Easyfundraising partners with lots of online stores (ones you will recognise!) who will donate money to Friends of Claverdon Primary School when you shop with them – at no additional charge to you. These brands (eg The Train Line, Sports Direct, Amazon, Etsy…) pay commission to Easyfundraising – which is turned into a donation. You can sign up via the link below, and your browser will recognise shops that will donate automatically! This currently raises between £150-200 per year - but this is with only a handful of people signed up. This could easily triple!