Christmas Craft and Kitchen Kits

New for 2023, the PTA is selling Christmas craft and baking kits!

Just £7 per kit, encouraging kids to express creativity, practice new skills and have fun!

Only 50 of each are available so please follow the link(s) below to make a secure payment and pre-order yours now.

Collect your pack(s) this Friday 1st December at drop off and pick up, bottom playground.

DIY Decorations Kit

Pre-order here: https://bopp.app/link/3vqjz

Contents for 9 unique (designs vary), homemade wooden decorations. 3 different hands-on activities. Perfect for gifts or keepsakes to treasure forever.

All you need is inside, including but not limited to:

• wooden decorations

• PVA glue and spreader

• pom poms

• gems

• jingle bells

• embroidery threads

• plastic needle

• stickers

• mini-tinsel

(absolutely NO loose glitter or confetti, we promise!)

Christmas Kitchen Kit

Pre-order here: https://bopp.app/link/xd639

Add a special touch to your tasty treats this Christmas. 3 different hands-on activities (Designs vary).

Themed equipment inside includes: 3D cookie cutter moulds x 8 12 cavity silicone mould 1 embossed cookie cutter 12 cupcake cases 12 edible mini toppers

Just add your choice of yummy ingredients: chocolate, shortbread, gingerbread, jelly, frozen yoghurt... what's your favourite?

ONCE COLLECTED, USE THESE HANDY GUIDES SHOWING HOW TO USE YOUR KIT:

Claremont Christmas Cracker 2023

What is the Claremont Christmas Cracker?

The PTA is creating a package of magical fun for the children this Christmas.

On Friday 1st December, the PTA elves will also be sprinkling festive magic across the school with decorations and Christmas trees in the hall and main reception.

On Friday 1st, 8th & 15th December, the Playground Sales Team are back bringing festivities to the playground.

• 1st: Before and after school selling Christmas stationary and nearly new toys and Christmas jumpers.

• 8th: Chocolate brownies and snap bands

• 15th: Donut sale

We'll be selling Christmas craft and kitchen kits until they run out. Find out full details including how to pre-order for collection at the playground sales, here.

On Monday 4th December, Cinema Club (years 1-6) will be showing Elemental (PG) in the school hall after the school day. Tickets are now sold out.

On Friday 8th December, at the school's Christmas lunch, all children will receive a festive surprise and can wear a Christmas jumper/festive item.

On Tuesday 12th December, we will see the popular Secret Room return which includes:

• A “Secret Room” experience where each child will have the opportunity to select gifts for 2 of their loved ones to give them at Christmas.

• Name Claremont's Christmas Polar Bear competition – Each child will have the opportunity to name the soft toy (see picture below!) when they visit the Secret Room. Mrs Roberts will choose one lucky winner, who will be able to take it home.

What is the Secret Room?

The Secret Room is a much-loved magical Christmas event for the children that takes place in school, this year on 12th December. Your child is given the opportunity to choose two Christmas gifts for their loved ones (parents/guardians/grandparents etc), wrap them up in their classrooms and take them home to hide ready for Christmas Day.

The PTA transform the school library into an enchanting festive room of wonders where the children get to choose their gifts.

The children really do love selecting secret gifts for their loved ones and are thrilled to watch you receive a genuine surprise on Christmas Day. If, of course, they can keep it a secret that long!

What can parents/guardians do to help make Secret Room happen?

Donate gifts to fill the Secret Room full of wonderful presents:

We will be accepting donations of (small, low value) gifts (2 per child if you can) on Monday 4th, Tuesday 5th, Wednesday 6th, Thursday 7th & Friday 8th December at drop off. Gifts should be left with the PTA helpers, in the marked boxes by the main school entrance.

What gifts can I donate?

Gifts really do not need to be expensive. We recommend small low value gifts such as socks, chocolates, mugs, womens & mens toiletries, books, photo frames, key rings, festive food products. Ideally gifts should be neutral or 1 appropriate for a male & 1 for a female. We are unable to accept any gifts containing alcohol, nuts or DVDs over rating PG.

Will all children be able to participate?

Yes, if your child is in school on 12th December they can participate. No child will be excluded. It is an inclusive and festive fun event for ALL Claremont School children.

Thank you for your support!

PTA Christmas Cards 2023 - What is it and how does my child take part?

What is the PTA Christmas Cards project? Each year the PTA gives the pupils of Claremont the chance to design their own Christmas Card and for their designs to appear on cards and other novelty items (mugs, wrapping paper, gift tags and A5 spiral bound notebook). You can place an order for as many of these items as you wish to and the PTA submits the designs to Cauliflower Cards who produce the cards/mugs etc to order. Cauliflower Cards give us commission for every item ordered so you can spread your child’s creative joy to everyone you know this Christmas and raise funds for the PTA at the same time!

But it’s only October! Why now?!

Christmas is only 2 months away! And that means we have to get the designs back to the company after half term so they can print them to get them back to us in good time for international posting deadlines in December. Plus, what better thing is there to do on a rainy day over half- term!

Why else should I sign up?

Prizes! Your little one’s artwork will be automatically entered into a school competition with the chance to win a £10 Waterstones voucher for the best entry from the Infants and the best entry from the Juniors, selected by Mrs Roberts.

I’m in! What do I do now? 1 - Don’t lose the Order Form that your child will bring home before half term (each one has a unique code so can’t be easily replaced)

2 - Before you start, check out the “artwork guidelines” on the Order Form and inspiration no their website here.

3 - Encourage your child to release their artistic expression! (within the guidelines, of course, for optimal printing)

4 - Carefully stick the completed artwork onto the Order Form.

5 - Circle the tree on the Order Form which shows the correct orientation for the card

6 - Complete your child’s details and your order request on the Order Form (boxes 1-3)

7 - Then, by Monday 30th October you need to do two things:

1. Pay online using your unique two part code found at the top of the order form,

2. Return your completed Order Form with artwork attached, in a plastic envelope or sleeve, back to your child’s class teacher.

8 - Sit back and await your delivery; the items you order will be sent home with your children in good time for Christmas posting deadlines.

——————————————— FAQs

Any questions not covered below please contact Emma Doward at claridgeemma@gmail.com How much do the cards cost? The first pack of 12 cards costs £5.50. Packs of gift labels cost £2.50 and the mugs are £6.75 each. This is set out as well as bumper and value packs on the Order Forms. Does my child have to participate? Absolutely not! The project is not compulsory, it is run as a fun way of giving pupils a chance to get their own design printed so that they can be proud of their work and for parents to see their children be inspired by freedom of expression. And of course raise some vital funds for the PTA at the same time! For that reason, to avoid embarrassment for people who choose not to participate, individual parents/pupils who have not submitted forms/artwork will not be chased after the deadline.

Can I use any medium/product?

Please refer to the Artwork Guidelines which are clearly set out on the Order Form. If you use materials which are not recommended, do not stick down properly, or if you fold the artwork, this will affect the end result and you may be disappointed. Please follow the guidelines. Will the cards be printed the right way up? Yes, provided you circle the tree showing the correct orientation for your card. The tree is clearly shown on the Order Form where you complete your child’s details

How big should the card be?

The artwork must be A4 or A5 size and must fit within the square box marked on the Order Form. Anything bigger than this and the edges will not come out. I have lost my Order Form... Please contact claridgeemma@gmail.com My child’s usual name is different to their formal Christian name – which do I use? Whichever you prefer, as long as it is written clearly on the Order Form. The name you write on the Order Form will be the one which appears on the finished cards. I do not get to see my child’s book/homework bag often so may not see the Order Form. Can I still order? Absolutely! Any requests of this nature can be made directly to us claridgeemma@gmail.com. To ensure discretion we are happy to personally arrange for products ordered in these circumstances to be posted to your home/work address rather than be returned “home” via your child’s book/homework bag. Please just email with order requests and postal address/collection requests and we can deal with this separately. Will I be reminded of deadlines and chased if I forget? The deadline for your payment to be made online and to submit the Order Forms with artwork attached to school is Monday 30th October.

Reminders will be sent out via class reps and social media but we will not be chasing individual parents where orders have not been placed, to avoid embarrassing those parents who do not wish to order. If you are forgetful, keep an eye out for the reminder!

Please don't be late! We unfortunately can’t accept orders submitted after this date.

Can I submit late orders? If you have not submitted payment or your order form by the deadline, you can still order directly through Cauliflower Cards – details on their website. How much money does the PTA make through the card scheme? The PTA makes £1.00 profit for every pack of cards sold, 50p for every pack of gift labels and £1.50 for every mug. The cards are much cheaper than shop/charity bought cards. The PTA is a registered charity and funds raised work directly benefit your child’s education and well-being. Please order as many as you can. You will also show your child how much you love their creativity! In 2022 we raised nearly £550 through this project, let’s see if we can beat that in 2023!