Christmas is coming!

Check this page for details of individual events, how to obtain tickets where required, and how you can get involved. 

Please take a look at the information below for all the details you need to know.

Christmas post boxes Wednesday 4^th – Thursday 19^th December

Children can send their cards to their friends through the Saltford School post. Our special post boxes appear in the school library from 4^th December. Please make sure all envelopes are clearly marked with the recipient's name and class.

Christmas performances

FS/KS1 'Angel Express'

Two performances will be held at school on Tuesday 10th Dec and Wednesday 11th Dec, both at 9.15am. Each family has been allocated two tickets. Please collect them after school from Wednesday 27th November. Parents with more than one child in FS/KS1 should collect their tickets from the teacher of the youngest sibling in FS/KS1. Please show your ticket to Mrs Sage on entry.

KS2 Christmas concert 'Christmas Fun'

There are two performances of the KS2 concert at school on Wednesday 18th Dec and Thursday 19th Dec, both at 9.15am. Each family has been allocated two tickets. Please collect them after school from Wednesday 27th November. Parents with more than one child in KS2 should collect their tickets from the teacher of the youngest sibling in KS2. Please show your ticket to Mrs Sage on entry.

Year 5 & 6 performance at the Lighting of the Christmas Tree

This event at Saltford Hall takes place on Thursday 5th December at 7.00pm. Our Y5 & 6 children will perform a variety of Christmas songs, carols and poems. The children need to be at the hall, in the Avon Room, by 6.45pm. Details can be found on this letter to parents. Everyone is welcome to come and support this community event.

School Christmas dinner Friday 13th December 

Our fantastic lunchtime team always make a great effort to make this a truly fun and festive meal. There will be music and decorations in addition to the special meal. See the special menu here and get your order in!

As with all school dinners, this is available free of charge for children in Reception and years 1 – 2. For children in years 3 – 6 who don't normally have a school dinner account, parents can make a one-off payment of £2.75 for the Christmas dinner via the usual payments platform MCAS (My Child at School), through the website or the app.For children with a dinner money account, this meal will be handled as a normal school dinner.

Children's Christmas parties Friday 13th December 

Each year we hold Christmas parties for all year groups. Children can come to school in party clothes or Christmas jumpers. After our Christmas dinner, children in FS/KS1 play some traditional Christmas party games in their class groups and children in KS2 enjoy Christmas activities provided by the teachers. 

PTA surprise visit from Father Christmas Friday 13^th December

Top secret news, for grown-up ears only: the PTA has arranged for Santa and the elves to pay a lovely visit to each class during the day. 

Remember, this is going to be a lovely surprise for the children, so please keep the secret.

Santa community visit Monday 9^th December

As part of his village rounds, organised by the Saltford Community Association, Santa will also be arriving on his sleigh to drop in to see us on the playground on Monday 11th December just after lunch.

Doodle winter calendar 1^st – 24^th December

The Winter Calendar is back. It’s a seasonal challenge where your child can earn virtual festive rewards by Doodling daily! As we no longer subscribe to Doodle English or Spelling, why not encourage your child to complete at least one exercise each day in DoodleMaths? Between the 1st and 24th of December, this will unlock a calendar door where players will be rewarded with seasonal accessories and exclusive songs for their jukebox. And if they open all the doors, they'll also receive a virtual Winter Calendar badge! To get started, the children simply need to log in to DoodleMaths from 1st December and complete an exercise. The Winter Calendar can be found as a colourful icon on the My Robot page of DoodleMaths.

Find out more from this article, or visit Doodle's Help Centre here and click on the green icon to chat to the team.

Christingle service at school 

Taking place on the last day of term, Friday 20th December, this traditional service is a lovely way for all the children to come together in the school hall, wrap up the Christmas celebrations at school and look ahead to their Christmas holiday.

Christmas fair Friday 6^th December

This will be taking place after school on Friday 6th December from 3.15pm. Please do volunteer 30 minutes of your time to help. The sign-up links are on our news page here. All the other details are in the PTA Christmas Fair newsletter here.

Christmas fair raffle Friday 6^th December

Community Christmas

Santa's sleigh visiting Saltford

Father Christmas will be visiting the streets and events of Saltford during December, starting with the Christmas Market on 30th November. Look out for more details on his routes and times soon.

How can you get involved?

1. Support the PTA Christmas raffle by selling and buying as many raffle tickets as you can. Our Christmas fair is usually one of the most important fundraising events of the whole year.
2. Send your child to school dressed in their own clothes on Friday 29th November, bringing a donation of chocolates or a bottle to support the PTA Christmas fair. Details below.
3. Donate any toys, games and soft toys that you no longer need for resale at the fair. They should be in good, clean condition and suitable for school-age children. Please leave in the marked crates at the front of school.
4. Bake for the Christmas fair. We need lots of lovely cakes and bakes (home-made or shop bought) to sell in the cafe. Please no nuts in these. Please drop them off in the school library on the morning of Friday 6th December when you drop off the children.
5. Volunteer to help before, after or at the fair using the sign-up links provided. Please give just some of your time - it's usually great fun and a lovely way to meet people. Preparation night is on Tuesday 3rd December.
   
6. Your child's school Christmas dinner is on Friday 13th December. See the special menu here. This dinner is paid for and chosen in the normal way. The more, the merrier!
7. Send your child to school in their favourite Christmas jumper or Christmas party outfit on Friday 13th December.
   

Christmas fair Friday 6^th December 3.15 – 5pm

There is lots to look forward to this year. There are some amazing stalls where you will be able to pick up a Christmas bargain, enjoy a game or activity and enjoy seasonal refreshments at very reasonable prices. Do keep an eye on the PTA Facebook page here for more news.

The fair will be opened with carols sung by some of our KS2 children. Parents of children who are singing should collect them afterwards from Mrs Sage in the school hall.

Please note that all children attending the fair should be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for them from 3.15pm, so please pick your child up in the normal fashion.

Mufti day Friday 29^th November

Children can come to school in their own clothes on this day in exchange for bringing a donation for the Christmas fair tombola stalls. This may be in the shape of a bottle or some chocolates. Collectors will be at the gates for drop-off. Please make sure any donations are within use-by dates. These stalls are very popular, so the more donations we have, the more tickets we will be able to sell. Thanks for your support.

Decorate a sweetie jar by 4th December

the PTA is running a competition for the children to decorate a festive sweetie jar. There are 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. The jars will be used for fundraising at the Christmas fair, so it’s a great way to get creative, use up any left-over sweets and contribute to the fair at the same time. Jars (glass or plastic) should contain sweets that are in a wrapper of some kind and decorated in a festive style.  Please bring the jars to the school library between 2^nd & 4^th December for judging on Thursday 5^th. If you have any queries please email our PTA at pta@saltfordschool.org.uk.

Community Christmas

Santa's sleigh visiting Saltford

Father Christmas will be visiting the streets and events of Saltford during the Christmas period, starting with the Christmas Market on 30th November.

Saturday 30th November Saltford Christmas market

The popular Saltford Christmas market will be on at Saltford Hall on Saturday from 10am to 2pm. We hear that Father Christmas and his elves might be putting in an appearance. between 10.30 and12.30. There will be many stalls offering a huge variety of ideas for Christmas presents The very reasonably-priced Saltford Calendar 2025 will also be available. Also on offer are mince pies, mulled wine and the cafe's speciality, a Newton Farm bacon roll with brie.

Sunday 1st December Saltford Santa Dash and Mini Dash

This year's Santa Dash offers a mini dash for children, and a choice of 5 miles or 5 km for the adults. There is also a discounted option for those who would prefer to provide their own outfit. Details can be found at https://www.saltfordsantadash.com. Follow their updates on the Facebook page here or on Instagram here.

Sunday 8th December St Mary's Nativity service

The service begins at 10am at St Mary's Church Hall in Queen Square, Saltford. Coffee and pastries will be available from 9am. If your child would like to take part, please email scnbenefice@gmail.com by 2nd December

After Christmas

Panto in school 

On the first Friday back, 10th January, we will be experiencing all the traditional fun of the panto at school with a professional panto company coming to visit us.

Sunday 19th January community cinema

Sing-along screening of "Encanto" at 2.30pm. Tickets are £2.50 children, £6 adults or £15 for a family (2 adults and 2 children). See the SCA tickets page for more information and to book your tickets.