Planning Writing
This week, we’re writing diary entries about our exploration of the 13 Storey Treehouse. Today, we got our imaginations going and planned what we’d write about using notes and pictures.
Enjoying judo
Year four really enjoy their taster session of judo today. We played lots of games requiring us to work together before turning on each other by trying to send our partner to floor and even ending by throwing them over our backs!
Judo taster sessions
This week, every class will be taking part in a judo taster session led by a British Judo coach.
These sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesday so please remember to have PE kit in school and take earrings out on these days.
We look forward to learning some new skills.
Drama to aid writing
As part of our writing learning, we channeled our inner thespians today. We’re working on writing a diary about our exploration of the 13 Storey Treehouse and we acted out that exploration in today’s lesson.
We all chose our favourite pose and created a class freeze-frame of a whole host of emotions.
Platinum award
At the end of each year, schools are invited to apply for their School Games Mark. The School Games Mark rewards schools for their commitment to and development of competition, school sport and physical education.
We’re very proud to announce that our application has been verified and we have been awarded Platinum award.
Platinum award is open to schools who have achieved Gold award for the previous four years.
We have achieved this award due to encouraging a large number of children to participate in sporting activity; providing a variety of different sports; partaking in competitions; involving children in leadership activities and having many local links with external clubs and establishments.
Thank you to staff who have accompanied children to these events or run after-school clubs this year. Thank you also to Mrs Russell who provides excellent administration of our clubs and sporting events and competitions. Thank you as well to all parents/carers who have helped with transport and supported at our events this year.
Finally, well done to all pupils who have tried out a new physical activity either at an after-school club or as part of a competition or participation event and to those children who have represented our school so well this year.
KS2 fruit tuck shop
Our popular Key Stage 2 fruit tuck shop runs every Tuesday playtime and regularly sells over one hundred portions of fruit.
The dates for the tuck shop for this year are:
Autumn term Tuesday 24 September 2019 to Tuesday 17 December 2019 inclusive
Spring term Tuesday 14 January 2020 to Tuesday 31 March 2020 inclusive
Summer term Tuesday 28 April 2020 to Tuesday 14 July 2020 inclusive
This year we’ll continue with the pre-payment option so that you pay in advance for the whole year for your child to have fruit from the tuck shop. We know that some children like to buy more than one portion of fruit, either for variety or to top up their packed lunch and we can also offer the option of paying for two items.
As an incentive for selecting the pre-pay option, we’re able to offer you one week per term free. Therefore for this year, you’d pay for 31 weeks and receive fruit for 34 weeks. The cost for one portion of fruit for this year is £6.20 and the cost for two portions is £12.40.
Please note that payments are non-refundable and should be made via School Gateway. If you prefer your child to pay in cash on a weekly basis, that’s fine – we’ll continue to operate this system. Each portion of fruit costs 20p.
If you’d like to pay in advance for your child to visit the tuck shop, please do this via School Gateway, under the payment option, by Friday 20 September 2019.
Thank you for your support for the fruit tuck shop.
Reading Books
This year, readings books will work slightly differently. Some children will have brought a book from school which is their guided reading book. They will have a target page for this book which is recorded in their homework book.
Other children have chosen to read a book from home as their guided reading book and have been asked to bring this in on Friday when we share our reading. Please check that you’re happy with your child bringing their chosen book to school and I will check that I’m happy that the book they’ve chosen will challenge them sufficiently.
Living and Learning
As we return to school, we begin our Living and Learning theme with a focus on manners: I can greet someone politely.
We’ll then continue by thinking about the ‘8 Rs for learning’. This theme is about promoting good learning behaviour for your child.
Each week, we’ll focus on two different ‘Rs’. We use an animal to symbolise each ‘R’, which might help your child remember all eight – can your child remember which animal matches the correct ‘R’?
You can support your child at home – we’ve listed a few ideas to help you below. Ask us if you’ve any questions or comments.
Download top tips for promoting the 8Rs for good learning behaviour.
I can show I am ready to learn.
Make sure your child is at school for a prompt start of 08:50.
Make sure your child has had plenty of sleep so they are alert and ready to learn at all times.
Encourage your child to ask lots of questions – that shows they want to learn!
I respond to feedback.
Ask your child if they remember their ‘stars’ and ‘steps’ in English and Maths.
I take a safe risk.
Talk about the difference between a safe and unsafe risk. At school, we want your child to take a safe risk by having a go at answering, even if unsure; trying something new and attempting harder learning.
I take responsibility for my own learning.
Provide time and space at home so your child is able to organise themselves: their PE kit, reading book, homework, spellings and tables… Don’t organise everything for them!
Make a link between rights and responsibilities: your child has the right to a great education, but needs to be responsible for their own learning.
I am resourceful.
Encourage your child to be organised so they can play with a range of different toys.
Encourage your child to try new ways to solve a tricky problem.
I am resilient.
Encourage your child to keep going! Set a tricky challenge or puzzle for your child to do.
Encourage your child to think of different ways of doing things.
Don’t let your child win when they play a game – they need to experience losing, too!
Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn – be happy that your child found some learning hard and encourage them to ‘bounce back’ and learn from the experience.
I remember.
Make sure they have time to learn spellings, number bonds and times tables – a little practice daily is best.
Play memory games:
Kim’s game: show them objects for 30 seconds… can they remember all the objects?
Can they build up the sequence, ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple and a bike.’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple, a bike and a cucumber.’ etc … Take turns!
I reflect about my learning.
Talk with your child about what they’ve learnt, asking questions about:
how they learnt
why they learnt it
when they’ll use their learning
how they would teach this to someone else
what learning might link with what they’ve learnt today etc
As well as covering the 8Rs for learning, pupils will also learn about their rights and responsibilities.
Finally, we end the half term learning about democracy (one of the British Values). All children have the opportunity to experience democracy in our annual School Council elections. More details to follow.
Our full Living and Learning long term plan is available on the health pages and you can keep up to date with our weekly Living and Learning statements on the parent noticeboard in the playground and also on the school calendar.
Another year has past ….
Mr Owen, Mrs Pearson and I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the children for a great year. We have really enjoyed teaching each and every one of them. Many thanks also for all the end of term gifts. We never expect presents but are very grateful for your generosity. Before we sign off for the summer, we would like to share our ‘Plastic Free Under the Sea‘ display with you. The artwork was added to over several weeks and we are sure you will agree, the end result is eye-catching!
We hope you all enjoy the summer holidays!
Pizza, picnic and park
Yesterday morning, the children made their own pitta bread pizzas and fruit salads for a picnic in the park.
Following a reminder of the safety rules when cooking, the class got to work on their own recipes. It was great to see both ‘the bridge and the claw‘ methods being used correctly.
The afternoon was spent playing games and enjoying the picnic in the local park.
