Dear Parents and Carers,
I am not sure where the days go, but the weeks seem to be flying by. Each seems to be as busy as the last, so if you are sharing the same feeling – let’s remember to pause a moment, take a breath and reflect on the beauty around us, then get ready to go again!
Scarlett Fever
I would like to inform you all that we have had a case of Scarlett Fever in school this week, so please be on the look out for tiredness, rash and a sore throat in your children and contact your local GP should you be concerned.
Events
Armistice Assembly
We held a simple outdoor assembly, where Oak Class shared written comments about what they would say to the Unknown Soldier, and thoughts as to what they would like to have said to a relative that served and died. The children also observed a two minute of silence at 11am.
Thatching Talk
My thanks to Tim Hyde, master thatcher, who came and talked about the history of thatching, showed his thatching tools and gave a simple thatching demonstration. All years groups spent time with Tim, with Oak and Chestnut classes, asking some excellent questions, while this talk supported work carried out this week in Hazel Class linked to the Three Little Pigs and their exploration of housing.
Children in Need Day
Friday 18th November is Children in Need Day. Pupils should wear school uniform but are welcome to don a spotted or coloured socks, tights or an accessory e.g. a scarf.
Artist Help!
If you think you might have some artistic skills to share, we would love to hear from you! We are looking to for a couple of individuals to help and guide a group of artists in school.
Nativity
A brief reminder that the Nativity performance on the 7th December at 14.30 will be a ‘dress rehearsal’, to which all are invited, and there is an additional performance on 8th December at 15.30.
Hazel and Beech Class pupils are the stars of the nativity so I would ask all parents add the 8th December 15.30 – 16.30 to their calendars, to ensure we have a full cast!
Christmas Designs
Parents will know that the consignment of wonderful Christmas designs children created for cards and gifts has sadly gone missing in transit. We were very much hoping to offer an opportunity for children to do their second designs in school, however this has not been possible this week. Therefore, I would ask all parents still wishing their children to create a second design to complete these over the weekend, so they are ready to be handed into school on Monday for the consignment to be sent.
Car Park and Road Etiquette
With the nights drawing in, mud and leaves on the roads, I would respectfully ask all parents to drive with care and consideration on our narrow roads, to and from school.
Class Room News
Oak Class
This week Oak class have been working on long division and multiplication before going onto fractions next week. The children have been using apparatus, as well as known facts, to help their calculations. Pupils noticed that if you have a question such as 124 x 56, you can change it into 248 x 28 or even 62 x 112 and you still get the same product. We also noticed that 230 x 24 gives the same product as 240 x 23!
Children have also been thinking about remembrance and how they enjoy our British Values, because lots of people from different countries made sure they challenged those people who wanted to take these values away. The Class agreed they are very grateful to them all.
Next week, Oak pupils will be looking forward to doing some experiments about light.
Chestnut Class
Chestnut Class continued working on biographies in English. Pupils chose a different person to research and write a biography about.
In Maths, Year 4’s have been learning about area and how to count the squares to find, make and compare areas.
The other children have been looking at the inverse to check calculations and work out the unknown, as well as developing their methods to add and subtract.
In Science, the children completed observations to understand the different properties of gases.
Next week the children will be looking at materials changing state.
Beech Class
In English the children have explored what life is like in the Arctic and have learnt about emperor penguins. They have written captions about the Arctic and learnt how to write labels. Year 2 pupils have been adding tens this week as well as finding parts of a number, while Year 1 children have been adding and subtracting using numbers to 20.
Next week the focus will be on the climate, observing weather and writing weather diaries.
Hazel Class
The Three Little Pigs has been the focus traditional tale in Hazel Class, with the creation of story maps, pig painting, puppet making to enable the retelling of the story, along with the building of miniature pig houses from blocks, boxes, sticks and anything else that could be found!
Diary dates for the forthcoming week and beyond. (Additions or alternations are marked in red)
| 18th Nov | All Day | Children in Need Day – pupils may wear spotted or coloured socks, tights or accessory, with their school uniform
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| 30th Nov | AM | Visit to Port Regis to see a production of ‘A Christmas Carol’
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| 1st Dec | 14.50 | Christmas Tree Service & decorating the tree
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| 7th Dec | 14.30 | Nativity in the Hall – ’Dress Rehearsal’ to which all are welcome
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| 8th Dec | 15.30 | Nativity in the Hall – to which all are welcome |
| 13th Dec | 16.00 | Carol Service at St Michael and The Angels’ Church, Stour Provost – all welcome. |
| 16th Dec
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15.20 | End of Term |