Upton Village

South Oxfordshire

Office Equipment Offer

Esther Sassoon Blandford has an HP OfficeJet G85 colour printer/fax/ scanner/copier, which is going spare – in good working order except for the photocopier automatic feeder. If one of the village ‘associations’ (including the Newsletter, Wine Club, Oil Syndicate) would like it, she will give it away. If a village individual would like it, Esther would like a contribution made to the Village Hall Extension Fund. Please e-mail or call Esther on 01235 851111 if you are interested.

Annual Litter Pick

The annual parish litter pick will take place on 28th March meeting at the village hall at 9.30 for a cup of tea and a biscuit before we set off. Grabs, gloves and fluorescent vests will be provided.

Did you know that 25 million tonnes of litter is dropped in the UK each year that costs local authorities half a billion pounds to clear up.

Almost all of it is drink and food packaging; it weighs as much as 62,500 jumbo jets and kills or injures 69,000 animals.

OTTC Production in Upton

The Oxford Touring Theatre Company will be returning to the village on Wednesday 8th April at 7.30 in the Village Hall to stage RIVER’S UP a romantic comedy.

Tickets: £8, and £6 concession from Jessie 01235 851206

Village Hall Jumble Sale

A Jumble Sale in aid of Village Hall funds is being held in the Methodist Church Hall

on March 14th at 2pm

Please let Jessie or Clare have any items for sale,or bring to the Methodist Hall between

10am and 12noon on the day.

Annual Parish Meeting

The Annual Parish Meeting will take place on the Monday 6th April at 8.00 in the Village Hall. Please come along any time after 7.30 and join us before the meeting for a drink and a biscuit.

This year we want you to come along not to hear about the things that we have done but to give us your help and guidance on what you would like us to do over the next 12 months. Our plan for next year will be based on your requests.

In the past the meeting has been taken up listening to reports, this year we intend to make those reports available on the web 2 weeks in advance of the meeting. Copies of the reports will also be in the hall on the night or can be obtained in advance from Clare or myself.

On the evening authors of the reports will be asked to give a very short summary and answer your questions and listen to your advice.

Please come along to give us your support and opinions.

Mike Brown

Chairman Parish Council

Children’s Society Collection

"We will be doing the usual house to house collection for the Children’s Society from 21st March -  4th April.  Please be as generous as you can.   It would be good to hear from anyone who could collect envelopes in Fieldside.  

Please contact Clare Lightfoot – 850486 – if you can help."

Church Organist for St. Mary’s Upton

We are very grateful to various organists who help us out from time to time.  We are still trying to find people who would commit to playing for us on a rota basis. Adverts are being placed in the Door as I type this note – so watch this space. If you’d like to join the organ rota please let me know.

Clare Lightfoot 850486

Blewbury School Ofsted Report

For all parents, the importance and value of a good, local school is perhaps immeasurable. Your child will spend many years there and gain the basis for both secondary school and life thereafter. As many in Upton will be aware, the teachers and support staff at Blewbury School have been working exceptionally hard to maintain and improve our local school. I am very pleased to report that this dedication has enabled the school to achieve not only a “good” Ofsted rating, but one with significant “outstanding” elements. I believe the best way to summarise the report is to let it speak for itself:

“The school provides an exceptional curriculum” which “captures pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and their thirst for knowledge.”

“….teaching and learning are of consistently good quality and some lessons are outstanding.”

“Teachers… invariably set interesting and challenging activities that are well matched to pupils’ interests and learning needs”

“The curriculum is exceptionally well enriched by a wide range of visits that support learning, including residential visits for all Key Stage 2 pupils, and also by visitors to the school.”

“Pupils in all year groups are eager to learn, enjoy coming to school and behave exceptionally well.”

“Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding.”

“Pupils are proud of their contribution to the school and to the lives of others through membership of the influential school council and eco-councils” and “thrive on the many opportunities that they have to take responsibility”.

“Parents were unanimous in saying that their children enjoy school and this is reflected in the exceptionally high levels of attendance.”

“The school emphasis on the international dimension is a great strength…..” “The outstanding emphasis on global development has enabled the pupils to have a highly developed sense of the importance of global understanding.”

“There is a good emphasis on the arts, particularly music, which successfully encourages pupils to develop their specific talents and interests.”

On behalf of us all, I would like to thank Marion Mills (Head Teacher), all the teachers, support staff, children, parents and wider community for the work they do to help develop and maintain the great school we have. Thankyou!

Andrea Brown, Parent & School Governor

The full Ofsted report can be accessed via the school website: http://oxfordshire.schooljotter.com/blewbury

Please make purchases through www.buy.at/blewburyschool and help boost our funds!