Newsletter15 December Newsletter

Dear Parents/Carers,

I want to start by wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

It has been a challenging term with Covid19 determined not to go away. However, we are proud that we have managed to continue with some of our traditional Christmas offerings, including the Nativity plays and good old Santa’s grotto.

Thanks to all the school staff who have been involved in preparing the performances they have worked really hard, and the results are great. Thanks also to Santa for making more than several small children very happy.

We look forward to seeing your children return for the spring term on the 05 January 2022.

Stay safe and enjoy the festivities.

– Mr Thornton, Head Teacher

 

‘Star of the Week’ Awards

Last Friday’s assembly (03/12) awards were given to the following children: Jayden, Stevie, Mason, William, Emily, Evie-Mae, Blake and Scarlett.

 

Reading

With Christmas coming soon, many parents have asked if there are any books we would recommend for you to add to the Christmas lists. A really useful website is:
booksfortopics.com/gift-guides. They have book gift guides for each age range which you can use to help you choose appropriate stories for bed time or just in general! Books are great stocking fillings or send the gift guide to family and friends for ideas!

 

Attendance

Attendance up to the 13th December 2021 is 93.69%. The school target is 97%.

Could we please remind you that children must be in school by 8.55 am.  School gates open at 8.30 am and class doors open from 8.45 am to 8.55 am for Reception through to Year 6.

Please ensure your children arrive on time for school.  Increasingly more and more children are late into their classrooms and this impacts not only on your child’s learning, but all the other children in that class and the staff teaching the class.

Children who are late for the gate and come in via the Office, will be signed in on our inventory system and then that will go down as a late mark. If your child is more than 15 minutes late, then this is classed as an unauthorised absence from school and will impact on their attendance.

 

Staff Book Choice

Mrs Bassett’s: When I was a child, one of my favourite books was George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl. It follows the misadventures of George in attempting to make a medicine to make his Grandma a nicer person.

I vividly remember reading the book for the first time and being completely amazed at all the items that George collected and put into the pot and the hilarious consequences of giving the medicine to his “grizzly grunion of a Grandma”. Whenever I read it with my children I still get that same sense of anticipation and excitement about what it would be like to create such a magical medicine.

“George didn’t say a word. He felt quite trembly. He knew something tremendous had taken place that morning. For a few brief moments he had touched with the very tips of his fingers the edge of a magic world”. If you like a bit of mischief and a giggle, this book is a must read!

 

Nursery

In Nursery we have been exploring Christmas. We have read the nativity story and found out all about baby Jesus. We have also been exploring Christmas around the world by looking at countries such as Albania, Turkey and India and how they celebrate Christmas. We have also been practicing our Christmas singing, ready for our concert and we have created lots of different crafts such as baubles, reindeer hands and Christmas stars.

 

Reception

As part of our work on celebrations, the children in Reception have been learning about the Jewish festival of Hannukah.  We learnt about the Star of David and the menorah.

More recently we have been thinking about the Christian festival of Christmas.  We have been busy preparing for Christmas by decorating our class Christmas trees and learning about why we celebrate Christmas by finding out about the birth of baby Jesus.

 

Reception

Reception have started their Autumn 2 topic – celebrations. We have been learning all about why people celebrate bonfire night and have learnt all about Guy Fawkes.

We have made firework pictures and rockets using different materials.

 

Year 1

We hope you enjoyed our Christmas concert.

In Maths we have been learning about 3D and 2D shapes including their features and uses. We have been on a shape hunt around the school looking for shapes such as cylinders, cuboids and spheres.

In Science this term we have been sorting and classifying materials. We have been taught the names of materials and have had lots of experience of handling various materials and exploring what they are like. This week we have been able to sort objects that are waterproof, flexible, transparent and opaque. Why don’t you see if we can name the materials that are around our home?

 

Year 2

In year 2, we have been getting ready for our Christmas production of ‘I’m Gonna Shine’ and the children really are shining! We are enjoying singing, dancing and helping to tell the story.

We have also been learning lots across the curriculum. We have been learning about money in Maths and can recognise the British coins and notes and work out totals of different amounts. We have also started learning about multiplication and how to make equal groups to help us multiply.

We have finished our learning about Islam in RE. We have learnt about the 99 names of Allah, what Muslims do in the Mosque and how and why they celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr and much more!

In Geography, we have now learnt about each of the 4 countries of the UK and can name their capital cities, identify their human and physical features and name some famous landmarks. Our next task is to decide which capital city we think the Queen should choose to be the new capital city of the UK. Which would you choose?

 

Year 3

Year 3 have been very excited to start their work on earthquakes. They have been pretending to move like earthquakes and what happens when an earthquake happens. They have also been busy completing different experiments to test magnets and making their own magnetic games and also busy learning Christmas songs for their concert. Pedal for Pudsey was great fun too.

 

Year4

As we come to the end of the Autumn term, the year 4 team would like to take the time to say thank you for your support. The children have come into year 4 and worked their socks off and as a result have made good progress in their reading, writing and maths. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow in confidence and build resilience.

Their studies in Science have been around electricity this half-term and we have been thinking about the different components of circuits. The children have loved getting out the electrical equipment and finding out how to make light bulbs work, how a switch can change a circuit and diagnosing circuit malfunctions. They showed a real maturity and respect for the equipment too, understanding the importance of being safe when working with electricity.

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year!

 

Year 5

Over the last few weeks in Year 5, we have continued to study the Vikings. We have focused on Viking beliefs, looking at Yggdrasil, the tree of worlds, and their Gods. The pupils have also had the opportunity to complete an atmospheric piece of writing based around a battle against giants.

In addition, the pupils have spent time rehearsing the songs and lines for our Christmas performance. They have enjoyed the singing, particularly Eye Of The Tiger.

 

Year6

We will be continuing with our topic on the history of the Suffragettes and having a balance of power. We will be looking at co-ordinates, translations and reflections in maths and hopefully finishing our class novel – The Switch. In RE we will be looking at the story of Christmas and will be making some cards and calendars. We will be busy learning and practising our Christmas production and are hoping to film it in the last week of term. We will be messaging parents via a secure Dojo link so that you can see our efforts. Merry Christmas.

 

Christmas Disco

On Thursday 16 December we will be holding a Christmas Disco in school for your children at the following times:

• Years 1 & 2: 3 – 4pm (children can come into school ‘dress to impress’ in their disco clothes)
• Years 3 & 4: 30pm – 5.30pm, enter through Reception
• Years 5 & 6: 6pm – 7pm, enter through Reception

Admission £1 (payable on entry and includes a drink and a packet of crisps). Children can also buy 2 glow sticks for 50p and have a glitter tattoo for 50p.

AFTER THE DISCO, PLEASE WAIT FOR YOUR CHILD ON THE PLAYGROUND,THEY WILL BE DISMISSED FROM THEIR NORMAL EXIT DOOR.

 

Christmas Raffle

The raffle has been drawn and we have contacted the lucky winners.  Over 30 hampers were made up.

 

School Nurse

Here’s the December newsletter from your school nursing service, which is packed with family activities taking place in the community or to do at home to boost wellbeing. The final page also contains details of support services available for families during this time. compass-uk.org/newsletter-december-2021

 

Outside Equipment/Areas

Please can you ensure that children do not play/climb on any of the outside equipment out of school hours. Also can you please ensure children do not play in our newly refurbished woodland areas, Forest School AS THIS IS NOT A PLAY AREA. Should there be an accident, school will not be liable, it will be parental responsibility.

 

Children in Need

Thank you to all of you who donated to the Children in Need fundraiser.  Our school managed to raise over £3,600.

 

Adverts & Notices

 

Dates for your Diary 2021 – 2022

• Thursday 16th December : Class Oak Christmas Sing for Grandparents at The Piv 10 am
• Thursday 16th December: Family Day, Nursery ( 9-10.30 am)
• Thursday 16th December: Christmas Discos (Year 1 – Year 6)
• Friday 17th December: Children at Church : AM – KS2 & PM – EYFS/KS1
• Friday 17th December: Toy Day
• Friday 17th December : School breaks up for Christmas
• Monday 20th December – Monday Jrd January : Christmas Holiday
• Tuesday 4th January : Inset Day • Wednesday 5th January : School Re-opens
• Friday 18th February : School breaks up for Half Term
• Monday 21st February – Friday 25th February : Half Term
• Monday 28th February : School Re-opens
• Monday 4th April – Wednesday 6th April : Year 4 PGL Residential Trip
• Thursday 7th April : School breaks up for Easter
• Friday 8th April : Inset Day
• Monday 11th April – Friday 22nd April : Easter Holiday
• Monday 25th April : School Re-opens
• Monday 2nd May : Bank Holiday
• Monday 9th May – Wednesday 11th May: Year 5 Castleton Residential Trip
• Friday 13th May – Monday 16th May: Year 6 Manor Adventure Residential Trip
• Friday 27th May – School breaks up for Half Term
• Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June : Half Term
• Monday 6th June : School Re-opens
• Wednesday 6th July : Induction Day
• Wednesday 20th July : Break up for Summer Holidays
• Thursday 2pt July : Inset Day
• Friday 22nd July : Queen’s Jubilee (extra day given to schools)