Welcome to Reception!
It is not long now until your child starts school. We will begin our home visits this week and look forward to seeing you and your children.
Our home visits are an opportunity for you to share as much information as you can with us in order to ensure the transition into school is as smooth as possible for your child. In addition, the information you give us will help us to support your child to reach their full potential. Please feel free to ask lots of questions at the visit and to provide us with information which will help us give your child the best possible start to school.
New SEAL theme – New beginnings
As we start the new school year, our SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) theme focuses on New beginnings.
We begin this half term with a focus on manners: I can greet someone politely.
Subsequently, I can make someone feel welcome is the first SEAL statement to launch the theme of New beginnings.
New beginnings allows children the opportunity to discuss and reflect on how they or others may feel in a new situation or setting. This SEAL theme offers children the opportunity to see themselves as valued individuals within a community, and to contribute to shaping a welcoming, safe and fair learning community for all.
The key areas of learning throughout this theme are empathy, self-awareness, social skills and motivation.
Through discrete SEAL lessons, circle times and across the curriculum, children will explore feelings of happiness and excitement, sadness, anxiety and fearfulness, while learning (and putting into practice) shared models for calming down and problem-solving.
New beginnings supports the development of a learning community in each classroom where all members feel that they belong. Class contracts, produced at the start of the year, allow children to contribute to how they feel they can achieve a safe and fair learning community.
Time for a Smart Restart?
Coming back to school after the holidays is a great time to make a fresh start and to get into a healthier routine for the new term. Change4Life’s brand new campaign – Smart Restart – has now launched and encourages families to take on one change for the better, for six weeks.
Have you seen the TV advert for the campaign?
Research by Public Health England shows that sticking to a healthy routine right from the start of term can have real benefits. Children that do more physical activity have improved concentration levels, enjoy good relationships with classmates and have fewer reports of problems. It is also associated with lower levels of worry amongst children.
So by signing up for the free Smart Restart, you will receive offers, discounts and lots of support with the free app, emails and texts to help you stick to your chosen healthy change all the way through to half term. You can also enjoy Disney family fun and games in the kids’ zone.
From super lunches to beat the treats, there are a variety of changes to follow. Let us know how you get on.
A great end to the year
Spending seven weeks teaching Year 2 at the end of the school year was a pleasure. After teaching them last year, I was amazed and proud to see how much they have progressed and matured. This is what I will remember about each of you:
- Well done Grace, Isabelle, Frankie, Indi, Manya and Ebonnie – the amazing group of readers who have entertained me and amazed me with their knowledge and fluency.
- Malique, your talent for building paper aeroplanes astounds me but more importantly your behaviour and progress this year has been fantastic.
- Well done to Dominic, Subhaan, Zaiyad, Hasan and Sarah; you have made brilliant progress with your phonics.
- Ben, your learning behaviour has improved enormously – I was pleased to see how much more confident you are.
- Jack, Emre, Kieron, Owen and Luke, your progress in maths has been astounding. You gave me many ‘wow’ moments in the last seven weeks and Jack, your hairstyles get better every day!
- Thank you, Mia: you have kept me organised over the past few weeks, never letting me forget anything I need to do.
- Kostas, thank you for teaching me the Greek words for some of the farm animals; don’t forget to test me in September!
- Ava, Haider and Riya, you are brilliant role models for the rest of the class – keep it up for Year 3.
- Aleena, you are one of the happiest children I have ever taught: keep smiling!
- Well done Naran; I have noticed such a difference in your pencil control and your determination is an example to everyone.
- Thank you Addam, Talha and Moses for showing me how much you have learnt; your homework is always so interesting to read.
- Ubaid, you continue to persevere with your learning and your attendance was amazing in the last half term.
- Thank you Jorja, you are a star learner and have been a pleasure to teach.
Have a fantastic summer and be ready to show Mr Wilks your amazing learning.
Thank you and goodbye
Thank you, parents and children, for all the lovely presents, cards and kind words which I received today. I have had a wonderful year teaching Year 1 and I know the children are going to continue to strive at Moortown Primary.
I will miss you all, children; continue to grow in confidence and develop into happy, healthy learners.
- Well done to Hibba, Elias, Pippa, Nico for making excellent progress in your phonics.
- Well done, Oliver and Grace, for representing the Year 1 children on the school council; continue to do such a good job next year.
- Owen and Isobel, I will miss your amazing art creations.
- Harry, always the first ready to learn.
- Well done, Neive, for persevering with your handwriting. You are a star learner.
- Sam, my little helper, you have done a fabulous job sorting out the milk in the mornings. Thank you!
- Hannan, I wish you all the best at your new school.
- Keep up the wonderful maths learning, Stanley, Archie and Noah.
- Will I ever beat you now, Matteo? Our sprint champion!
- It has been wonderful to see Edward, Abi, Brandon and Pohnum grow in confidence this past year.
- Keep up with the reading, Daanyaal and Abdullah – you have worked so hard.
- Well done, Saleem, for being the best tidier.
- Zach: what a super learner you have been this year! Remember to keep up your concentration.
- What lovely friends you are to everyone, Aleena and Nishaan – it is a special quality.
- Megan: such an amazing learner, I will miss our little chats.
- Keep up the great attitude to learning, Matthew and Pavan, and continue with your great progress next year.
- Thank you for all your hard work in your writing Enya – keep it up next year.
Finally, thank you Mrs Strange for keeping us all so organised.
Have a super summer break.
School’s out…
I’ve had a brilliant year teaching the class. The children are kind, caring, funny, hard-working and loads of fun. There have been so many highlights this year that it is hard to choose a favourite. However, here are some of the things which have impressed me or made me laugh this year about each member of the class.
- Arran’s fantastic writing and especially his use of vocabulary.
- Archie’s incredible sporting prowess.
- Ahmed’s highly persuasive promotional writing.
- Bailey’s all round hard work and fabulous attitude.
- Brandon’s brilliant progress in writing.
- Ethan’s amazing art skills.
- Henry’s phenomenal calculating in maths.
- Ibrahim’s super reading which I’ve loved listening to this year.
- Isabella’s great progress in both maths and literacy.
- Jahneil remembering her glasses!
- Jaskirat’s great effort and progress in maths.
- Jawaad’s very impressive SATs test score – especially his maths one!
- Jennifer’s sensational writing – even better now you’re using paragraphs!
- Lanas’ superfast number bonds knowledge.
- Lennox’s amazing SEAL skills and all round learning behaviour.
- Levon’s very good progress in maths, his calmness and watching him try not to laugh at my jokes!
- Linda’s great attitude to school and her wonderful writing.
- Molly’s brilliant progress in maths and writing.
- Oliver’s amazing improvement in his writing and also his excellent science knowledge.
- Pavan’s excellent audition for Britain’s Got Talent.
- Ravinder’s hilarious writing – Jolly Fat Phil is a brilliant literary creation!
- Rayhaan’s passion and enthusiasm for school – and cars!
- Roshan’s constant jokes and stories.
- Sam’s rope climbing in gymnastics.
- Shahban’s ultra-hard work in lessons.
- Shriyaa’s interesting stories and comments in her maths and literacy books.
- Simran’s hard work in every lesson.
- Tayshaun’s wheeling and dealing in the market at the fruit and veg stalls.
- Yahya’s great scientific knowledge.
- Zachary’s magic act in Moortown’s Got Talent and his amazing homework throughout the year.
Thank you for all your support throughout the year. Thanks also to Mr Toms, Mrs Sherriff and Mrs Edwards who have done a great job. Have a lovely summer and I’ll see you in September.
Tryzone success
Well done to Luke, Nevan and Husna for all their enthusiasm and effort over the last eleven weeks taking part in the pilot Tryzone Learning programme, run by the Leeds Rugby Foundation. Based at the learning centre at Headingley Carnegie stadium, Tryzone is an education programme to support children and families across Leeds. As part of the Year 6 group from local schools, Luke, Nevan and Husna have been involved in street dance, yoga, hearing inspirational speeches by Leeds Rhinos players and creating the Tryzone logo, amongst other activites.
Take a look at the highlights from the recent presentation event.
Scooter training
It’s really good to choose to walk, cycle or scoot to school, because:
- it keeps you fit and healthy
- it’s good for the environment (less traffic on the road means less pollution in the air that we breath)
but, it’s really important to stay safe on your journey.
When we walk, cycle or scoot, it’s very important to keep ourselves safe, to try and make sure we are not involved in a road accident.
During Year One, we have taken part in lessons teaching us about road safety. This week we took part in the Leeds City Council Scooter to School initiative. Here are some of the children being put through their paces.
Goodbye!
We have reached the last week of the children’s first year at school! Over the course of the year, we’ve seen the children grow in confidence, make firm friends and develop into happy and healthy learners.
- Well done, Isaac, Manpreet, Sachpreet, Martha and Noorpreet, for your amazing progress in reading.
- Well done, Isaiah and Dylan, for your creativity and positive attitude to your learning.
- We have been impressed with Ripley’s and Alex’s mathematical knowledge and ability throughout the year.
- Well done, Ismail and Ishaan, for trying really hard with your handwriting and also to Nicky for remembering to hold his pencil correctly!
- Theo has been one of the busiest members of the class and Ben one of the politest this year.
- Well done, Lori, for being the best tidier!
- We have all been impressed with Lewis’s drawings and artwork and with Mia’s individual designs and ideas.
- Well done, Albert, Farai, Josh and Ethan, for your Lego stories!
- It has been a delight to see Pia, Grace and Phoebe grow in confidence throughout the year.
- Well done, Thomas, for persevering with your writing and always being cheerful and positive.
- Well done, Filip, for your enthusiasm during our ‘Jungle’ topic.
- Humairah has been our chattiest and friendliest member of the class and we will miss Gabby’s giggles!
- Well done, Karam, for learning to listen well and to Kai for his exemplary learning behaviour!
Have a great summer!
Hanging in there…
