Dear Parents and Carers,
Hurray, the sun is finally shining, the pool is being prepared and it looks as if summer may be on the way. I do hope I haven’t just jinxed it for one and all!
THIS WEEK
Reading Awards Launch
At Stower Provost we believe that reading allows us to be transported from our own world to another. Between the pages of a book, we can become immersed in the lives of fictional characters and learn about a culture entirely different from our own. We can also learn new words and phrases, experience a range of emotions, and acquire skills and knowledge.
Because of the learning potential, the effects of reading on child development are vast and multiple studies have highlighted its benefits. As such, teachers and parents are in a great position to ensure reading is a key part of children’s daily routine.
Reading is integrated through our curriculum with the children being immersed in a wide range of texts and using transferable skills in other areas of their learning. We encourage children to read for pleasure, because we know that this has many benefits on a child’s education, social and cognitive development, their wellbeing, and their mental health.
We are launching our new Reading Award, I appreciate that this is late in the school year but we would like to trial the new scheme this coming term ready for September. The children will be coming home with their year group specific book lists, the children then have to read a certain number of books from the list and books of their own choice to receive their Reading Certificate. The more books they read from both the list and of their own choice the bigger the reward. The number of books required to read to earn the rewards increases as the children go up through the school. For example, in FS2 the children need to read 10+ books from the suggested list with 2 of their own choice, and children in Year 6 need to read 10+ books from the suggested list with 8 of their own choice to achieve their Bronze Award.
I appreciate that the number of books required seems quite high to be completed over the term, but it is designed to be completed over the year. I would appreciate any feedback on the scheme, especially regarding the number of books needed to achieve the different awards. (Miss Buxton)
Assemblies
We had a lively assembly this week. We stamped as hard as we could, clapped, clicked our fingers and drummed on our legs! Why? We were using Stormbreak, an online tool developed by a local University and other experts to help with our well-being…which as you all know is at the very heart of everything we do here at Stower. Please look at the Stormbreak website to find out more. https://stormbreak.org.uk/ (Mrs Clasby)
Today was the last for Ms Gardiner, I would like to openly wish her well and to thank her for her enthusiasm and care whilst working at Stower Provost. Ms Gardiner will be sorely missed yet has promised to come back into school to show us her new baby.
Year 2/3 Gillingham Schools Multi-skills Festival
A group of 11 year 2 and 3 pupils went to the Gillingham Schools multi skills festival yesterday. The afternoon encouraged PE skills development for pupils who attended. Much fun was had by all, and my thanks to parents and carers who helped with transportation.
Gardening Club
Mrs Berwick has been busy with her green fingered helpers to plant a range of seeds and plants within the kindly donated trough from Brian Down at the Udder Farm Shop. The group have also been tidying up beds near the newly closed in outdoor classroom.
Lego Club
No Monday winner this week, due to it being a bank holiday. The challenge this week was to build a shark. Archie’s was voted as winner for his 3D shark.
Our Year 6 pupils are looking to raise money for their leavers experience at the end of the term. As part of this, the enterprising team will be selling small bags of sweets on a Thursday and Friday at collection time i.e. 3.20pm. They will also be selling homemade cakes and/or biscuits on a Friday before our Praise and Celebrate assembly, and if there are any left, at the end of the day as well. I will also put the kettle on so a cake and a cuppa will cost £1 or a donation. So, do please come armed with your small change e.g. 10p, 20p or 50p for sweets or £1 for your cake and a cuppa!
NEXT WEEK
Pyjamarama Day – 17th May
Pyjamarama Day is to raise money for the Book Trust Campaign, which supports disadvantaged children giving access to books and other resources. Children are invited to wear a pair of pjs all day (other clothes can be worn underneath), and bring in their favourite book to share with the class. We ask children to bring in a £1 donation, which will go towards helping ensure all children can reap the life changing benefits of reading. Please see the attached letter for further information.
Parent/Carer Questionnaire
Many thanks to all those parents and carers who completed the survey last term, your views and thoughts have been valuable and were presented to governors this week. Responses were on the whole extremely positive, with the main themes of communication, car parking, pupil behaviour and staffing coming out. If you have a specific comment or concern then I would urge you to make an appointment so we can discuss things further. With regards to parking, although the idea of a multi-story carpark would solve our issues, I believe planning would be a problem! In the mean time, I would ask all to drive and park with consideration.
Parent/Carer Forum Friday 17th May at 14.15
I would welcome any further comments or discussion by inviting you to a Parent / Carer Forum on Friday 17th May at 14.15, in the school hall. I’ll make sure the kettle is on and there are biscuits too!
THIS TERM
School Clubs
Breakfast and After School Club can be booked online at: https://primesportscoaching.classforkids.io/ (Select Stower Provost Community School in the specific venue box and scroll down to Wraparound Care.
| Club | Day | Time | For year groups | Run by | Cost |
| Lego | Monday | 15.20 – 16.30 | Year 1/2/3/4/5 | Miss Buxton | £3.99 + VAT per session |
| KS1 Multi-Sports
(summer sports) |
Tuesday | 15.30 – 16.30 | Years 1 & 2 | Prime Sports | FREE |
| Gardening | Tuesday (starting 30th April) | 15.20 – 16.30 | 4 spaces (sign up by emailing Mrs Pike) | Mrs Berwick | £6 for 4 sessions i.e. until half term |
| Lego | Wednesday | 15.20 – 16.30 | Year 1/2/3/4/5 | Miss Buxton | £3.99 + VAT per session |
| Eco Club | Friday | 12.30 – 13.00 | All | Mrs B | FREE |
| KS2 Multi-Sports
(summer sports) |
Friday | 15.30 – 16.30 | Years 3/4/5/6 | Prime Sports | FREE |
Signing up for Clubs
Sports Clubs are free for children to attend and subsidised out of the school’s PEPPSA (sports funding).
Please book any Prime Sports Clubs on:
KS1 – https://primesportscoaching.classforkids.io/info/212
KS2 – https://primesportscoaching.classforkids.io/info/213
Lego Club is booked through https://www.kidswithbricks.com/online-store/Stower-Provost-Community-School-YEAR-1-Dorset-Summer-Term-1-2024-Wednesday-p632155811
PTFA – News
There will be a meeting on Wednesday 8th May at 3.30pm to discuss the summer BBQ. The idea is to congregate on the school playground, allowing to play, while a brief meeting is help specifically to discuss and draw together ideas and plans for the School’s summer BBQ. All are most welcome, so do feel free to just rock up!
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
1-2-1 Football Training
Prime Sports are offering personalised 1-2-1 football coaching. Training sessions are available at Stower Provost on:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays / 5:15-6:15 and 6:15-7:15. Please book via:
HTTPS://primesportscoaching.classforkids.io/camp/60
Please see the attached flyer for further information.
Cricket training
Please find two flyers linked to cricket opportunities, one for All Stars cricket 5 – 8 years old, and the other for Dynamo cricket for children 8 – 11 years old.
All Stars Cricket is the best cricket
PTFA – News
There will be a summer BBQ at school on Friday 12th July 15.30 – 17.30, so please ensure you have added this date to your diaries. Activities include bouncy castles, stalls and a BBQ. Any body keen to lend a hand, please contact Phillippa Halberstadt.
Class news
Oak
Year five have been deepening their skills in long multiplication this week and have produced some very accurate work. Year six have been doing some last-minute SATs revision ahead of the tests next week. We have also practised grammar skills including the identification and use of prepositions, adverbials, subordinating conjunctions and clauses as well as pronouns and relative clauses. We also discussed the Minoans in our history topic. Next week, we are looking forward to showing what we know in our SATs tests. (Mrs Clasby)
Chestnut
This week, Chestnut Class have been learning about the different types of Roman rulings in Ancient Rome and their pros and cons. We have also finished ‘The Goose Guards’ by Terry Deary and enjoyed summarising this gripping Roman text in the form of comic strips.
In Art, we have continued to study botanical art and were inspired by the works of Katie Scott. The children have made some beautiful repeating botanical patterns. For Science, we dissected celery stems to investigate further how water is transported through plants. The children made detailed scientific drawings and labelled their diagrams. (Ms Gardiner and Mrs Sanda)
Beech
Beech class have thoroughly enjoyed working on their DT project this week. They have designed an item of clothing based on Cath Kidston’s designs, practiced joining fabric using a running stitch and made a template (or pattern) with which to cut out their fabric. Next steps are to pin the pattern on the fabric, cut it out, sew their fabric together and print or paint their fabric. Watch this space! They have also worked extremely hard on their English SATs papers! Well done to everybody! (Mrs Rowley)
Hazel
This week the children have been focusing on the geographical features of our surrounding area, with the FS2 children labeling the different features of the school from an aerial photograph and the Year 1’s drew a map of the school and surrounding area. In English, the Year 1’s completed their independent writes, they wrote an adventure story for Wombat. The FS2 children have been writing instructions on how to plant a sunflower seed and look after it as it grows. (Miss Buxton)
Diary dates (dates in red have been added this week)
| Every Thursday | 15.20 | Year 6 sweet sales |
| Every Friday | 14.40
15.20 |
Year 6 cake and a cuppa sales
Year 6 sweet sales |
| 13th – 16th May | 4 days | KS2 testing week |
| 17th May | All Day | Pyjamarama Day |
| 17th May | 14.15 | Parent & Carer Forum
|
| 21st May | 10.00 – 14.30 | Year 3/4 Gillingham Schools mini tennis festival at Port Regis. |
| 24th May | Timings tbc | Sports / Swimming Day |
| 6th June | Timings tbc | Yrs 3 – 6 Gillingham School Athletics Competition at Yeovil |
| 8th June | Timings tbc | Stour Provost Open Gardens – display at 2pm |
| 10th – 16th June | 1 week | Phonic Screening week – year 1 pupils |
| 19th June | 13.45 | M&M show and workshops |
| 28th June | 10.00 -12.00 | Y2 Gillingham Schools Mini Olympics at St Gregory’s school |
| 5th July | Tbc | School play dress rehearsal |
| 8th July | Tbc | Jungle Book visiting performance |
| 9th July | 14.00 | School play performance |
| 10th July | 9.00 – 12.00 | Year 4/5 Gillingham Schools Swimming Gala at Riversmeet |
| 10th July | 16.00 | School play performance |
| 12th July | 15.30 – 17.30 | Summer BBQ |
| 16th July | 9.00 – 11.30 | Year 6 girls PE transition project at Gillingham School (invitation only) |
| 19th July | 14.30 | Leavers Assembly |
| 19th July | 15.20 | Last day of school before the summer holiday |
| 22nd July 2024 | INSET DAY | |
| 23rd July 2024 | INSET DAY |
Best wishes,
Mrs B’s