Page 4 - Ickford Informer Newsletter JUNE Issue 2022

There has been no proper
response to the open letter The Summer terms are always
to Deanfield, published in the packed full of ‘events’ and as the

March issue of the Informer
weather gets warmer we enjoy lots
HE ICKFORD RESIDENTS GROUP has more outdoor adventures
worked tirelessly in its efforts to obtain

Taction to improve facilities that are
inadequate in Ickford but one can only
conclude that so far little success has been E ARE AGAIN PARTICIPATING IN ‘The 1000 Hours Outside Challenge’
achieved. (https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/) which we started just after
WLockdown 2020. Children are filling up their record sheets really fast and
Our only success has been the commitment we are giving out the special rewards (stickers, certificates and medals for those
gained from Oxford County Council to provide who hit 1000 hours) very quickly indeed.
enough secondary non-grammar school places
at Wheatley Park in order to cope with the 96 Next week we are taking 35 children (and many excited adults) on our popular
extra homes being built in the village. summer trip – this time to Fairytale Farm near Chipping Norton.
In March we asked Deanfi eld to help us This term we have welcomed Annabelle, George, Gershwin and Vienna who have all quickly become
force the issues of protection from fl ood popular members of the pre-school family. We also welcomed Sarah Biltcliffe back as an Early Years
risk, inadequate foul water network capacity, practitioner after several years working at Oakley Pre-School.
insuffi cient primary school places and the poor

state and pressure on highways, which will Highlights of the summer so far have
increase signifi cantly. included celebrating Eid, with expert advice,
The response from their MD, Peter Blades, photos and provisions from our Islamic
seemed promising, and I quote – “A fi nal email families, learning about how special this
from me until I have time to provide a more celebration is to them.
considered response to your open” letter.
However here we are in June when the fi rst
homes are now occupied and there has been
no further response to the open letter.
The report from the Headmaster of the
Primary School in this same edition references
Deanfi eld’s off ers to help towards increasing
his school’s capacity and facilities is also very We also, of course, had several Jubilee moments – including parties/games/special
disappointing.
food for both pre-schoolers and After School Club children.
The IRG, in conjunction with Paul Campbell,
who in particular shows great concern for Again, we took part in National Smile
those residents adjacent to the Deanfi eld site, Month in May with a week of activities
is preparing a report to the Local Government on the importance of Oral Health.
Ombudsman as the Stage 1 and 2 complaints Children learned how to brush teeth
processes resulted in utterly contradictory efficiently and correctly, about the
responses and drew threats from Bucks importance of choosing food and drink
Council that we would be treated as vexatious that is healthy for teeth and bodies, and
if we persist. all received goodie bags as a reminder/
All we ask, Buckinghamshire Council and prompt about what they’d learned.
Thames Water is that you provide our village
with adequate facilities. Goodness knows We are off on our travels this term and
we pay enough to you both for it to be a our role play area is currently a Travel
reasonable expectation. Agents for children to browse brochures
and make holiday ‘bookings’. It will also
Nigel Hillier transform into an airport, hotel and ice
cream parlour and we will again create
Costa Del Ickford outside – any beach
resources gratefully received!

We welcome visits to the Pre-School so
you can see what we do. If you would
like your child to join Pre-School, or have
a look around, please contact us. Check
if you qualify for 30 hours funding on the
following website: www.childcarechoices.
gov.uk/. We are also able to accept two
year old funded children.
Please do contact us if you would like to know more. Don’t forget we are open from 7.45am for Breakfast Club
and 3.15pm-6pm for After School Club too (ages 2-11 years). v
Helen Harris (PGCE Primary) Manager T: 01844 338785
E: ickfordpreschool.manager@gmail.com W: www.ickfordpreschool.com
Not the sort of report from a Thames Water operative that
would fi ll us with confi dence in their network (https://www.facebook.com/Ickford-Pre-School-After-School-Club-426184507584837)

ourickfordnewsletter@hotmail.com 4 June 2022