Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been a busy week, particularly for our key stage 2 pupils with a one night residential and day visit to the Ancient Technology Centre. Please read on to find out more.
THIS WEEK
Trips
Oak Class thoroughly enjoyed their residential trip to the Ancient Technology Centre. On arriving at the centre, the children saw how a fire would have lit in the middle of the Viking long house. Pupils were then split into two groups, with one group experiencing grinding wheat and rye to make bread, cheese making, turning cream to make butter, and prepare vegetables for the evening meal. The second group ventured outside to saw and split wood for the fire, learn how women used to weave and work in the garden area. After a ‘non Viking lunch’ (as Vikings didn’t have lunch), consisting of bread, ham, cheese, prunes and apple, the groups switched.
At the end of a busy day there was time to learn some Viking games, have supper and listen to the tales from a professional story teller, who as accompanied ably by Mr KP on his guitar.
It was then time for bed, with children sleeping on sheepskin rugs and snuggled up in sleeping bags.
The morning, there was time to dilly dally it was – up, dress, breakfast and clear, ready for collection at 10am!
Chestnut Class also ventured to the Ancient Technology Centre to learn about life in the Anglo-Saxon and Viking era. The replica buildings at the centre were described and differences explained. The children learnt how cordage was made and the variety of natural materials that could have been used. With an Anglo-Saxon building needing around 5 miles of cordage to bind the wooden struts, it was a popular pastime! The children also experienced, wheat and rye grinding, bread and butter making, long with the blacksmith’s forge where a collective effort (in stages), resulted in the creation of an iron knife.
Lego Club
This week’s challenge was to make a Roman centurion. Ted was our winner on Monday, with his gladiator fighting a tiger whilst being watched by an emperor.
Thursday’s winners were Amelia and Ada with an abstract gladiator.
NEXT WEEK and BEYOND
Monday 16th October – Friends planning meeting – 6.30 – 7.30pm
Do please come along and help the Friends of Stower Provost plan fun events for children and families for the year ahead. The aim is to help raise money for the school, which will further support our children, along with delivering a range of activities for children, families and the community to enjoy. The meeting takes place in school 6.30 – 7.30pm.
24th October – Flu immunisation day
Autism Central Coffee Mornings
Please find attached information relating to casual coffee morning for parents and carers of autistic children (of any age or with no diagnosis). People go perhaps to seek advice and support and/or meet others. These meetings are held at RiversMeet, Gillingham, with the next coffee morning on Tuesday 22nd October 10 – 11.30am.
In case you missed it!
Dorset Council Education Bulletin – Let’s Talk SEND Week
Families across Dorset are invited to attend the first in-person Let’s Talk SEND Week, starting Monday, 21 October. Organised by Dorset Council, Dorset Parent Carer Council, and NHS Dorset, this week-long event offers a range of activities for families with children who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The main event will take place at Kingston Maurward on Monday, 21 October, from 10 am to 1:30 pm. Families can meet professionals from various services such as CAMHS, the continence service, and short breaks providers. No need to book—just drop in!
There are also regional events across Dorset:
Wimborne Family Hub: 12-2pm Tuesday 22 October
Tops Club Littlemoor: 4-6pm Wednesday 23 October
Dorchester Family Hub: 10am-12pm Thursday 24 October
Wareham Family Hub: 1pm-3pm Thursday 24 October
Shaftesbury Children’s Centre:10am-1pm Thursday 24 October
The week concludes with an online Q&A session on Friday, 25 October, at 10.15 am (registration required).
OTHER INFORMATION
Easy Fundraising
By downloading the Easy Fundraising app on your phone, and going through the app to make online purchases can help raise funds for the school with no expense to you. We can raise even more money by asking others to join the merry throng – use the QR code!
How it works: easyfundraising partners with over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won’t cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/panel/
Asda ‘Cash pot for schools’
You may be aware that Asda supermarket have launched a “Cash pot for schools” incentive. Every time a person shops at Asda, the store will donate to that individual’s chosen school.
If you shop at Asda then do please signed up and select Stower Provost from the list. Thank you.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Light Party at East Stour Church
A reminder that there is a ‘Light Party’ on 30th October at East Stour Church, SP8 5LP, running 4 – 5.30pm, run by Reverend Clare and Fiona.
Gillingham Museum requesting your help!
Gillingham Museum (which covers the remit of the history of Stour Provost) is seeking the views of the community to help to shape its future, please find a questionnaire attached which we have been asked to share with parents. All queries to Angela Willis, Vice Chair, Gillingham Museum & Local History Society.
CLASS OVERVIEWS
Oak Class
This week has been a busy week for Oak Class! On Tuesday we made our way to the Ancient Technology Centre where we lived like Vikings for the day and overnight. We learnt how to light a fire in the longhouse and set up our beds on the long wooden benches at either side of the room with sheepskin rugs. We took part in activities throughout the day, including: grinding flour using a quern stone; using the flour to make bread; cooking bread over the fire; making butter from cream using only a bowl, spoon and paddles; cleaning vegetables and chopping them up to add to the chicken stew; setting up the ‘hanging’ tables either side of the room; laying tables with wooden cutlery; sawing and splitting wood for the fire; making a belt by weaving using a rigid heddle and playing lots of Viking games. The children had a fantastic time and learnt a vast amount about Viking life. Then, to round off the week, we had Felix, a professional percussionist who has lived in Brazil, teach us some Samba drumming. We performed to some of the parents on Friday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed learning about Samba rhythms. Have a lovely weekend. (Mrs Toy)
Chestnut Class
In Maths this week, we focused on rounding numbers to 10, 100 and 1000 (for year4) and we started a new topic in Y3 “Addition and subtraction”. In English, we started planning our independent write of a playscript with the focus on “The Plague”. In Science we continue to focus on Ecosystems and their biotic and abiotic features. Children had to research a variety of animals that are making the food web of their chosen ecosystem but also consider factors that may influence their ecosystem balance change (e.g pollution, fires, climate change).
On Wednesday Chestnut Class visited the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne. They took part in activities throughout the day to learn more about the life of Vikings. These included: how to light a fire in the Viking longhouse; grinding flour using a quern stone; using the flour to make bread; cooking bread over the fire; making butter from cream using only a bowl, spoon and paddles; creating cordage from reeds and hitting red hot iron with a hammer to make an iron knife in the forge. The children had a fantastic time and learnt a vast amount about Viking life. (Mrs Sanda)
Beech Class
This week in Beech Class, we have been enjoying creating wacky food combinations to write a poem about using rhyme. In maths, we have looked at doubles and adding 3 one-digit numbers together.
During the afternoons, Beech Class have been exploring explorers such as Christopher Columbus. In addition, the children have learnt about the Hanukkah story and why it is called the festival of light as well as a miracle. (Mrs Whelan)
Hazel Class
This week the children have been busy with maths activities and learning about capacity and weight. We have collected conkers and used them to measure the capacity of jugs and containers to see which container held the most and which one held the least. We hunted around the classroom to find items which were heavy and light, it turns out a glue stick is lighter than a roll of sellotape. The children have been making amazing progress in their phonics, they are starting to read and write cvc words. As part of our UtW project the children have played firefighters and used the scooters and mini bikes to race to (pretend) fires around the playground. (Miss Buxton)
Diary Dates
| 16th Oct | 18.30 | Friends Meeting at school |
| 21st Oct | All week | Let’s Talk SEND Week (see above for details) |
| 22nd Oct | 10 – 11.30am | Autism Central Coffee Morning
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| 23rd Oct | 8.45 – 22.45 | Oak class Winchester trip |
| 24th Oct | Flu Immunisation day | |
| 25th Oct
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17.30 | HALF TERM |
| 6th Nov | Well being afternoon focus
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| 13th Nov | 13.00 – 15.05 | Start Small, Dream Big afternoon (Chestnut and Oak classes) |
| 15 Nov | All day | Children in need – children may wear something spotty to school.
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| 10th Dec | 14.00 | Nativity
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| 11th Dec | 16.00 | Nativity
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| 13th Dec | All day | Christmas Jumper Day
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| 13th Dec | 14.05 | Final Praise & Celebrate assembly for the term.
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| 19th Dec | 14.55 | Carols and last day of term
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As ever if you have any questions or queries, do please ask and Mrs Pike, class teachers or I will be happy to help.
Best wishes,
Mrs B